The kitchen can be a wasteland if we let it. Luckily there are so many ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and it all starts with recognizing where we can make small changes. Being more conscious of your waste may even allow you to take out the trash less often! Save yourself the chore and the planet with these tips.

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FREE ECO-FRIENDLY HABITS

COMPOST

When food is thrown in the garbage, it’s tied up in a plastic bag and sent off to the landfill. Unknown to many, the conditions within the landfill don’t allow food to be broken down. In turn, it releases methane gas and takes up valuable real estate in the landfill. Composting allows the food to rot so it can return to the earth to help enrich the soil. Even if you don’t plan on using the compost, it’s a great way to reduce the amount of trash you’re throwing away. There are many ways to compost and most take very little effort. Check out Live Planted’s podcast, she compiles a great list of resources to help you decide which composting method is the best fit for your lifestyle.

INCORPORATE LEFTOVERS INTO YOUR MEAL PLAN

Be intentional with your leftovers. If you are a meal planner, plan a “leftovers” night into your week. We love to factor leftovers into our lunches too!

SHOP YOUR FRIDGE

Before choosing meals for the week, look at what you already have. Do your best to make meals that incorporate as much of what’s in your fridge as possible. Get creative! It’s a fun game of mixing and matching. At least, we think it is!

ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCT SWAPS

Keep in mind, the purpose of these swaps is to replace single-use items that you already use. If you don’t have a need for the items in the first place, there’s no need to purchase their alternatives.

SILPAT SHEETS

Replace: tin foil, parchment paper
I’m convinced that these are the greatest invention of the century! These silicone sheets are reusable and literally, nothing sticks to them! For that reason, they allow you to cook with less oil. All we do is wash the silicone with dish soap and let it air dry between uses.

STASHER BAGS

Replace: plastic snack bags
When we started becoming more aware of our plastic usage, we found a need for snack bags to hold the package free goodies we had gotten in the bulk section. Stasher Bags filled that void for us. They’re made of silicone and are infinitely reusable. I’ve also found that storing cut veggies in these airtight bags keep them fresh for much longer. I’m talking weeks! As a family of two, this helps us prevent a lot of food waste.

MAKE YOUR OWN NUT/OAT MILK

Replace: nut milk cartons
Tommy loves to make his own oat milk. It takes him less than 5 minutes, costs pennies, and stops us from picking up cartons of the stuff at the store. We invested in a nut milk bag by Ellie’s Best that allows us to strain it super easily. You can also use a t-shirt but we found that the nut milk bag is quicker and therefore we’re more likely to do it regularly.

What eco-friendly kitchen swaps and habits do you love? Tell us below!