With spring on in the air and Earth Day coming up on Friday I thought the perfect way to celebrate our planet is to share some eco-friendly products that will help reduce waste in the kitchen.
Isn’t that what Earth Day is all about? A reminder to treat our Earth with kindness. And yes, YOU, just you alone can make a huge difference in helping the environment by simply incorporating more reusable items in your ever day life. This is something I have personally been working on, especially in the kitchen. These products that I am sharing today have really helped me to do that.
You guys, reducing our waste has never been more important. Did you know that items we recycle aren’t getting recycled as much as they used to? Read this New York Times article to learn more. One reusable product, and one step at a time can greatly reduce the amount of junk that ends up in the landfill.
The other bonus is that the more reusable items you have the fuller your wallet will be. It’s a win win if you ask me! These products will help you save money, save the environment, and make you feel amazing about doing it in the process!
Every time I make a choice to use a reusable product instead of a disposable one I feel pretty awesome. Kind of like I am using super powers to help our precious environment!
Let’s get to it! 8 eco-friendly products for the kitchen!!!
But first, the legal stuff: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking on a link provided I will receive a small commission for that sale, without any extra cost to you.
Reusable silicone bags!!! I LOVE these bags. They are actually what inspired me to write this post. They are 100% silicone bags that are resealable. You can hand wash them with your regular dishes or wash them on the top rack of your dishwasher. They are also safe to freeze, microwave, put in the oven, and boil! So versatile!
Pictured and linked above is the sandwich size. They also come in a snack size and one larger size. They would the perfect alternative to lunches for work or school, picnics, camping, pretty much anything!
We have two of the sandwich bags and two snack sized bags. Since we have owned them we haven’t needed to re-buy a box of the snack sized bags. It only took TWO reusable snack bags to keep us from buying more disposable ones! That is so rewarding.
These are fun. They are cotton wraps that are coated in beeswax. They can be rewashed by hand for up to 1 year. They can reduce your use of plastic wrap. Although, I still find plastic wrap to be very useful at times, these little guys are great for covering up a bowl or wrapping up a half eaten granola bar. Simply use the warmth of your hands to to create a seal. They come in several different sizes.
Stainless steel reusable drinking straws
Did you know that plastic straws aren’t recyclable? They also cause problems for all sorts of wild life. At home it’s so easy to use reusable straws. I like these stainless steal ones. They come in a few different sizes to accommodate different heights of glasses.
If you want something a little more gentle for kids, these silicone straws look like a good option.
For when you’re on the go I highly recommend carrying a baggie filled with these biodegradable paper straws in your purse or car. These would be great to use at a restaurant or coffee shop.This is something I want to start doing more of too. Yes, you are still throwing something away but since it’s made from paper it will actually break down over time, unlike the plastic straws.
Bringing reusable grocery bags on your shopping trips saves a huge amount of plastic waste. This cute little bag is specifically great for those unexpected shopping trips where you run in to buy one thing. It folds up nicely so that you can fit it in your purse, pocket, or even keep it in your car. I have a similar one and it’s super handy for those quick errands.
We have been using cloth napkins instead of paper ones on a daily basis for years. They are nothing fancy, in fact, I don’t care if they get stained. They are simply a way to keep our hands clean without polluting. We throw them in the washing machine with our other kitchen towels and rags. So EASY, yet so effective.
Silpat non-stick silicone baking mat
I LOVE this silpat mat. It’s a silicone, non stick baking sheet. Think parchment paper, only it’s reusable. Plus it saves you time and money. It takes forever to measure and cut out a piece of parchment paper to fit your baking sheet. I have one, but if you bake a lot I think two of these babies will come in handy!
Bonus: You also don’t need to use any fat to oil your baking sheet!
I have talked about the OXO produce keeper before. I’m obsessed!
This may look like a simple storage container but it’s so much more. It extends the shelf life of your produce in two ways. 1) it has a basket that lifts the produce out of the bottom of the container keeping the air circulating and keeping it away from any moisture that may collect at the bottom of the container. 2) it has a carbon filter in the lid that helps to absorb the ethylene gases that makes produce rot. Wasting less food is also good for the environment!
And guys, it really does make a difference. leafy greens can stay good up to two weeks when I store them in these produce keepers.
I have the large sized pictured above and this medium one.
A water bottle might seem like an obvious thing to share on this post, but here is your PSA. Your friendly reminder. Buy a reusable water bottle for work, school, the car, traveling, the gym….etc. Trust me, it’s easier than you may think. I like this glass one coated in silicone to prevent breaking. It comes with 3 different lids, which I think is great!
You are all set to go save the environment, one eco-friendly product at a time!
Let me know if the comments below if you found his post helpful. I really enjoy finding easy ways to support our planet. Feels great!
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