Are you trying to reduce waste in your kitchen? I feel like we all think about creating less waste some time or another, but taking action to use less waste can seem a little daunting.
Creating a zero-waste kitchen is a great start because most of our waste comes from this part of the home. Grocery shopping, storage, cleaning, the meals we create.
Going zero-waste can be considered a huge and scary lifestyle change, but it doesn’t have to be! Start slowly, by implementing new habits along the way.
And honestly, you don’t have to convert to a completely zero-waste lifestyle in order to make a difference for the environment.
Remember…
We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.
Anne Marie Bonneau, the Zero Waste Chef
Buying more sustainable products, reusing items and just being conscious of what you do with your waste in the kitchen will help lessen your carbon and plastic footprint.
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Here are 30 tips that will help you create a zero-waste kitchen.
Low Waste Grocery Shopping Tips
1. Bring Reusable Grocery Bags
Use reusable grocery bags from your local grocery store or from a sustainable brand and use them all the time instead of disposable plastic bags. You’ll prevent a lot of plastic from entering your kitchen.
2. And Reusable Produce Bags
Buy reusable produce bags for fruits and veggies instead of taking little plastic baggies from the grocery store.
You can store produce in your pantry with these as well which makes them more versatile and of course, more zero-waste.
3. Forget Packaged Items
Don’t buy individually wrapped food and products like snack bars, and dishwasher tablets. Additionally, try and buy fresh produce that isn’t packaged in plastic. Check out your local farmers’ market!
READ MORE: single-use plastic alternatives to go zero-waste.
4. Buy From Bulk Bins
If you’re lucky enough to live near a bulk store, take advantage of it! Bulk stores can be one of the best places to buy dry goods like rice or coffee beans in large quantities and you can usually bring your own jar, containers, reusable bags, etc.
5. Buy the Largest Size
Buy items in the largest available size to reduce the amount of packaging material. Buying bulk food items like flour or bulk goods like toilet paper is a great way to avoid extra plastic packaging.
6. Buy Food in Glass Jars
Buy food products that come in glass jars instead of plastic so that you can reuse them for storing other food or household items.
Reusing glass jars is a great way to get free storage jars that you can use in your kitchen. You can use those glass jars to transfer your rice from your reusable bags to the jar, for example.
READ MORE: 15 practical ways to reuse glass jars at home.
7. Shop Local
Buy from local farmer markets where food also has little to no packaging. Also, supporting your local neighbourhood is always a great thing to do, and it lessens your carbon footprint.
8. Ditch Single-Use Beverages
Don’t buy single-use beverages like bottled water, soda or juice when doing groceries. Disposable plastic bottles are already scattered all over the world, polluting oceans and the earth.
Opt for larger beverage options or even plastic-free drinks, and if anything, at least recycle!
READ MORE: zero-waste grocery shopping tips.
Zero-Waste Kitchen Storage Ideas
9. Invest in Reusable Food Wrap
Buy reusable beeswax wraps for a sustainable plastic wrap alternative for the kitchen. Wrap fruits and veggies, cover bowls, etc. like you would with saran wrap, minus the waste.
10. Silicone Food Bags
Instead of buying disposable plastic baggies for food storage in your kitchen, invest in reusable silicone bags that can be reused over and over again.
Silicone sealer bags have additional perks like being able to warm up food and cook food with them.
11. Reuse Baggies
Whatever baggies you have left in your home, reuse them as much as you can. (Just never buy them again!) This is one of the best ways to reduce plastic waste.
12. Upgrade to Stainless Steel & Glass
Upgrade your plastic containers to stainless steel or glass containers which are much better than plastic containers. They’re more durable, which means they will last longer. If you really prefer plastic containers, check out your local thrift store for some secondhand ones!
13. Reuse Plastic Containers
But don’t throw away those plastic containers! Use them for freezing food in your freezer, storage, etc. until they are worn out or broken. When possible, recycle.
Related post: Best Zero-Waste Food Storage Ideas
Reducing Food Waste Tips
14. Freeze Leftovers
Freeze leftovers in your freezer, or give leftovers to family/friends to reduce food waste. This will help you waste less food if you have too many leftovers that you can’t eat in time.
15. Use Compost Bin
It wouldn’t be a zero-waste home without a compost bin. If possible, start composting to turn that food waste into nutrients for your garden!
16. Meal Plan
Make a meal plan to organize upcoming meals to make sure you don’t buy anything unnecessary that may not get eaten in time.
17. Use Food Scraps
Use vegetable scraps to make a homemade vegetable broth or make cleaning products from citrus peels. Reusing scraps is a great way to reduce food waste and it can help save a little money.
18. Eat Your Food
Speaking of food waste, don’t waste food that you buy and prepare for yourself.
This is especially important if you cannot compost since wasted food will end up in landfills and release greenhouse gases.
READ MORE: 30 Ways to Reduce Food Waste at Home
Zero-Waste Cleaning Tips
19. Consider the Packaging
To reduce kitchen waste, start by making more conscious decisions about the kitchen products you buy by examining the packaging.
Avoid products that come packaged in plastic that is not recyclable, and skip unnecessary packaging like dishwasher tablets that come individually wrapped.
20. Ditch Paper Towels
For a more zero-waste kitchen, don’t use paper towels to clean up spills. Instead, save the trees and just use a standard dishcloth!
You can also invest in super absorbant and reusable Dream Cloths by Who Gives a Crap that can be washed in the laundry machine or dishwasher and then composted at the end of their lifecycle.
If giving up disposable paper towels is not an option, Who Gives a Crap also sells eco-friendly paper towel rolls. WGAC paper towels are plastic-free, come with carbon-neutral shipping and 50% of their proceeds help build toilets in developing countries!
21. DIY Some Cleaning Products
Make your own cleaning products, like dishwasher tablets and all-purpose cleaners. You will reduce your waste, clean more naturally, and save money.
There are a lot of cleaning products you can make with essential oils.
Additional Zero-Waste Kitchen Supplies
22. Use Travel Mugs for Coffee
Make coffee at home and fill it in a travel coffee mug. Compost coffee grounds and the coffee filter, use a reusable coffee filter, or skip the filter and opt for a french press.
23. Skip Disposable Plates
Don’t use disposable plates and cutlery. Buy compostable plates, bowls, cutlery, etc. or simply use regular kitchen dishes and utensils. You’ll keep a lot of waste out of the garbage!
24. Stop Using Plastic Straws
Buy reusable stainless steel straws instead of disposable plastic ones. They’re not only good for the kitchen though. Don’t forget to bring some with you when you’re travelling!
25. Silicone Ice Cube Trays
Considering getting an ice cube tray for your freezer? Invest in a silicone ice cube tray that will last forever and is nearly impossible to break. Stainless steel is also an option.
26. Use Reusable Water Bottles
Filter your tap water and use and refill a reusable water bottle as needed, instead of keeping plastic water bottles in your fridge. Huge money saver and waste saver.
27. Ditch Disposable Cupcake Liners
Use reusable silicone cupcake liners instead of disposable ones to reduce even more waste in the kitchen while baking.
28. Bamboo Cooking Utensils
If you need to upgrade your kitchen cooking utensils, switch to bamboo cooking utensils instead of plastic. They can be composted at the end of their lifecycle!
29. Plastic-Free Cleaning Supplies
When going zero-waste in the kitchen, opt for plastic-free cleaning tools that can easily be composted at the end of their lifecycle! Consider using loofah scrubbers or a dish brush with a compostable head! Both are made with plant fibres.
30. Zero-Waste Dish Soap
Instead of purchasing dish soap that comes in plastic bottles, switch to zero-waste dish soap which is essentially a giant block of soap!
Another alternative would be to buy dish soap in the largest possible size, ideally in a recyclable plastic bottle, and simply refill other smaller bottles.
Final Thoughts on These Zero Waste Lifestyle Tips
It’s pretty easy to create a kitchen that produces less waste when you have the right zero waste swaps and essential tips.
Next up: the bathroom! Check out these awesome zero-waste bathroom swaps to help you say goodbye to plastic once and for all.
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