10 Reusable Kitchen Swaps

“We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do.”-Barbara Ward

When I think back on my old kitchen, there was a lot of plastic and waste. Plastic wrap, plastic food storage containers toppling out of my cabinets, plastic soap bottles sitting on the sink with a plastic dish wand, plastic garage bags to haul everything out in, and paper towels that came wrapped in- you guessed it- plastic.

Is this similar to how your kitchen looks now? Or is it a picture of how you don’t want your kitchen to look?

Over the years, we have slowly but surely made some switches to decrease the waste in our kitchen.  We still have a couple things to switch, but I’m happy to say, we’ve been sticking to them.

Why We’re Switching to Reusable Products

Not only does switching to reusable products save the environment, it saves us time and money. Usually these products will last longer for us, so we aren’t running to the store for them as frequently.  

Think about how much waste is produced when one paper towel is thrown out per day or a sponge ever 2-3 weeks. Multiple that by every house and the number is far greater than it should be.  Remember, just because you can’t see the landfills doesn’t mean it’s not a huge problem.  

If you think recycling is the solution, be aware that, in America, less than 1/3 of our recycling actually gets recycled.  This is due to contamination, certain items not being recyclable, & China no longer accepting recycling due to having their own waste crisis.  This stuff now is piling up in landfills.  It’s more important now than ever to start being conscious consumers & not buy unnecessary packaging and items.  

When you look at unpaper towels, washable sponges, or bamboo kitchen items, the visual appeal is much greater than that experienced from disposables.  Even when we have parties, we use our ceramic plates because they look nicer and produce less waste.  It’s ironic though how people try to use less plates when you have your dish ware out, but they have no problem throwing out multiple paper plates. 

We also avoid plastic touching our food because it can leach toxic chemicals into your food.  The American Academy of Pediatrics is finally getting with the times and recommending we not even put plastic dishes and utensils into the microwave or dishwasher due to chemicals leaching into food after they’ve been heated.  They’re now recommending stainless steel and glass, advising parents to skip the plastic altogether.

Using Reusable Products is Easy!

Here have been some of our favorite & future swaps:

1. Buying unpaper towels instead of disposable paper towels.  To oil my cast iron I use half a towel of the small sheets. Honestly, I don’t remember the last time we changed rolls as they last me forever!
2. Using a washable sponge & bamboo brush instead of a disposable sponge & plastic brush.  Bamboo fields take up less room than trees and grow faster than trees, making them a more sustainable and less impactful resource.
3. Silicone muffin cups or none at all in my polish pottery muffin tin.  I don’t have to store those muffin liners or fear my kids getting in them and spreading them all around the house (yup, that has happened).  Plus, nothing goes in the trash when you make muffins without them.
4. Beeswax wraps instead of aluminum foil or plastic wrap.  These are probably one of my favorite swaps because they’re so pretty! I wrap half eaten apples to save for my children to eat later, will cover my coconut yogurt with it, put it over casserole dishes before they go in the fridge, etc.
5. Food savers instead of plastic wrap. These can get a better seal on fruits and veggies you want to preserve them longer.  They’re made of silicone and circular so they work best with onions, bananas, or other things that are round like cans.  I’m hesitant of using lots of silicone things though because I’ve read they may not be recyclable and we’re unsure of their impact on the earth yet.
6. Reusable bags instead of plastic zip locking bags.  I got some really cute ones that we throw carrots, crackers, etc in for on the go.  I rinse them in the sink or throw them in the washer when needed.
7. Linen bento bags for a bread bag.  I will admit, I sometimes buy sprouted grain bread frozen and wrapped in plastic.  In Germany, even the typical grocery stores have fresh baked bread at the store you slice yourself.  Then you can throw it in your bag or give your bag to the baker.  Voila! Makes me so happy.
8. Stainless and bamboo straws instead of disposables.  Most times I find no need for straws at home except for smoothies.  Most of the time I keep them in a waterproof bag and take them on the go.
9. Glass or stainless food storage containers.  No worrying about chemicals leaching into my food and they don’t stain.
10. We will be making or buying a dish soap bar when I’m out of liquid dish washing soap.  We use a really clean and environmentally friendly product right now, but I want to cut out having to recycle the bottle for many reasons. 

What are your no waste kitchen swaps?

I hope ya’ll found something helpful today! Thanks so much for reading. Let me know what you thought below! <3