Today we’re going to share with you a curated list of our 8 favorite zero waste essentials for your kitchen. These products will help you save money and create a more sustainable kitchen by reducing your use of single use plastic and paper products.
If you’ve heard of zero waste before but don’t know what it means, think about this:
- Have you ever felt guilty about using so many straws and plastic utensils?
- Do you worry about the environment and want to figure out a way to make a difference?
- Do you want to downsize and make your life a bit more practical?
If the answer to all of these questions is “yes”, then the zero waste lifestyle might be for you. In fact, we think it’s for everyone!
What Is Zero Waste And Why Does It Matter?
Zero waste is all about eliminating the production of materials that don’t have an economic or viable option for end-of-use management.
It’s important to note that the definition of zero waste varies greatly because organizations define what “zero” means and how to get there very differently.
The basic idea is that zero waste means reducing our waste; reducing the amount of things we constantly throw away. This can be done in many different ways: with the use of zero waste essentials in our daily lives, reusing, recycling, and even contributing to the design and engineering of innovative solutions.
Individuals, organizations, companies, and municipalities all have zero waste goals to achieve and the way they do it varies greatly.
What’s important is that we all agree zero waste is a great lifestyle choice if we want to make a difference in the way materials go through society so that there’s no waste. Or as little waste as possible!
If you want to get started on a zero waste lifestyle, you don’t only need zero waste home products and essentials (which we’ll get to in a bit), but you’ll also need a reason to change your habits and go zero waste.
It’s important that you establish why you’re doing it, examine how much waste you’re creating, prioritize changes, and replace daily use items with reusable options.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of our 8 favorite zero waste kitchen essentials. We love these products because they’re cheap and have the potential to replace a ton of single use plastics and paper products in your kitchen.
8 Zero Waste Essentials For Your Kitchen
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1. Stainless Steel Straws
Plastic straws are out, and there’s good reason for that.
In America, we throw away over 500 million plastic straws on a daily basis. And guess what? These straws will never biodegrade entirely and they can’t be reused.
That’s why reusable stainless steel straws are our number one zero waste product.
This durable set of stainless steel straws, which come with a couple of brushes for quick and easy cleaning plus a pouch for storage, will greatly reduce your plastic straw waste and they will last for years!
2. Reusable Shopping Bags
If you’re new to the zero waste lifestyle, I can bet you have a bunch of plastic or paper grocery bags lying around somewhere in your house.
If this is true for you, replacing your grocery bags with a reusable option is one of the quickest and easiest zero waste changes you can make.
The first thing you need to do is find ways to re-purpose your existing bags. You can use them as trash liners, shipping packaging, doggie bags, etc.
The second thing you need to do is get a reusable shopping bag so you don’t have to use plastic bags anymore. By getting this set of beautiful box shopping bags, which are sturdy and roomy enough for big purchases, you will reduce your waste drastically!
3. Silicone Food Bags
These amazing resealable silicone food bags will help you get rid of your plastic bag and freezer wrap use for good.
They’re made of silicone that’s safe for food, and you can use them in the freezer, dishwasher, microwave, oven, and everywhere else.
These resealable bags are a great zero waste essential because they allow you to reduce waste not just in the kitchen, but also in other aspects of your life.
They can be reused for years, they come in different sizes and they’re good to store basically anything you need!
4. Bamboo Utensils
If you order takeout quite frequently, one of the things you can do to reduce waste is to prioritize making your meals at home and taking them with you.
However, if you can’t manage to fit this into your schedule 100% of the time, then it’s a good idea to get a bamboo utensil set to reduce the amount of single use cutlery you use.
This set has everything you need to enjoy your meal and it allows you to say “no utensils please!” every time you order something to go.
With this set, you will help reduce plastic waste and keep your home free of plastic utensils that are destined to end up in landfill.
5. Stainless Steel Lunchbox
If you already have the habit of taking your lunch with you to work or if you pack your children’s lunch, then you already know that it can be easy to use way too many paper bags and too much plastic wrap.
If you’re looking for a zero waste solution, this stainless steel lunchbox will change your life and it will allow you to reduce your waste and your plastic use.
You will be able to replace your plastic containers, and this lunchbox is modern, easy to clean, and mess-free!
6. Reusable Snack Bags
Snacks are essential to any healthy diet, which is part of the reason why Americans use over 100 billion plastic bags per year.
The majority of these bags are not recycled and they pollute waterways and landfills for centuries.
If you want to reduce your contribution to landfill, reusable snack bags are a great way to do it.
We recommend these clever washable snack bags. They come in a range of designs to suit all different personalities. Plus, they’re sustainable, super cute, and easy to clean.
7. Insulated Travel Mug
In the US, over 500 billion disposable cups are produced every single year, and most of them can’t be recycled because they’re plastic lined.
So, if you’re sitting at a coffee shop, stay and enjoy your drink in a mug or a glass.
But if you need to get your coffee, smoothie or other drink to go, bring this insulated travel mug with you!
It will keep your drink hot or cold, reduce your paper cup waste, it’s scratch-resistant, durable, and perfect to carry on the go.
8. Wax Infused Food Wraps
Last but not least on our list of zero waste kitchen essentials, we have these useful wax infused food wraps.
This Bee’s Wrap is plastic-free, and it’s made instead with organic cotton which is infused with jojoba oil, beeswax, and tree resin.
These food wraps are hand-made and an incredible sustainable alternative for plastic wraps.
They’re easy to use, easy to clean with cold water and gentle soap, and they’re also super practical. Best of all, they come in a range of cute designs so you’re sure to find one that suits your style.
Final Thoughts
Zero waste matters for many different reasons. For one, it reduces environmental impact, minimizes pollution, and allows us to conserve resources.
It builds community, promotes social equity, creates jobs and supports our local circular economy, and many other things.
If you’re looking to do your part and save money while you’re at it, why not integrate some (or all) of these zero waste kitchen products into your life?