How to Reduce Plastic in the Kitchen

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How to Reduce Plastic In the Kitchen

During the summer, I love the opportunity to invite friends over for dinner, eat outside, and let the dusk slowly slide into our evening. Dinners seem later as the sun slowly sinks behind the horizon. A clear and clutter free kitchen invites our family to cook more often, and when I say “our family” I usually mean my husband. Lucky for me, I married someone who loves to cook! This makes me in charge of clean up. There is nothing better than after a full meal having a place for each item, loading the dishwasher, and cleaning and wiping down all counter spaces to invite the evening and a calm next morning. To do this efficiently, having less clutter in the first place sure helps.

For years my kitchen was crammed with random products and gadgets, but as I’ve slowly decluttered and welcomed open counter spaces, it’s become apparent I also could be more conscious of the plastic I bring in. If you’re interested in cutting down on clutter, while also lessening the impact of your plastic consumption, this post will provide simple changes to reduce plastic in your kitchen. Plus, it’s still “Plastic Free July!”

You Have Too Many Cleaning Products

The cleaning aisle in the grocery store is filled with different bottles and jugs claiming to clean different surfaces. The problem with this is that you then have to store all these different concoctions underneath your kitchen sink, creating clutter and confusion anytime you want to clean something. I would oftentimes buy the same exact product by mistake, when I already had it at home.

Even if you go back just a few generations you’ll find that most homes were kept clean with the essentials: vinegar, bleach, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. With only these you are able to clean a myriad of surfaces and even properly disinfect.  

About a year ago, my husband came home and I simply told him we weren’t buying cleaning products anymore. I had found you can use water and vinegar for most surfaces, including your floor. I also realized I could use a wash cloth on my Swiffer Sweeper instead of buying one time use cleaning pads. In just those simple decisions I eliminated buying all purpose cleaner, Swiffer products, and floor cleaners, plus the plastic containers they are all stored in. There are also a few more ways to reduce the amount of plastic in your kitchen.

5 Ways to Reduce Plastic In the Kitchen

Plastic Straws

I get it. What’s everyone’s problem with straws these days? Those millennial’s… The fact is, they are pretty non-essential. However, if you love a green smoothie with a straw, just buy a pack of reusables.

Disposable Utensils

Again, you can eliminate these from your kitchen as you probably have silverware on hand. Yes, it requires washing more dishes.

Multiple Cleaning Products

Another way you reduce the amount of plastic you consume is by choosing to use fewer cleaning products in your kitchen. Like mentioned earlier you can eliminate the use for Swiffer refills by just using a wash cloth. You can make your own all purpose cleaner using vinegar and water (which can be used for most floors), and if you really need to disinfect bring out the big guns like hydrogen peroxide, or bleach. Finally to make surfaces maintain a fresh scent scrub with baking soda.

Yes, the bleach, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide do come in plastic containers. Although, it is possible to buy in glass containers. Even though they come in plastic , you can use these for multiple purposes and buy in larger quantities. In many cases your cleaning solutions are diluted, so the large batch of vinegar lasts quite a while. You’re definitely saving a plastic container by refusing to use a variety of different surface cleaners.

You can find a list of replacement recipes in this blog post about the 10 home products I no longer buy.

Saran or Plastic Wrap

You can completely eliminate buying plastic wrap and instead substitute beeswax wraps. I went with Alameda Family Farm beeswax wraps because they are made here in the PNW. If you don’t live in the PNW try hunting some down at your local farmer’s market. Beeswax wraps from Alameda Family Farm are eco friendly, reusable, 100% organic, and locally sourced. What’s really cool is that you can throw them in your own compost once they have lived their life (usually after 18 months). A completely zero waste product! Plus they just look a little more appealing than a haphazardly rolled plastic tube shoved in your junk drawer. 😉

You also can try a DIY version. I’m not super crafty, so DIY wasn’t an option for me, but here is an informative post on how to make beeswax wraps yourself.

Plastic Food Storage Containers

On top of the other reasons to choose beeswax wraps, it also lessens the clutter you have for food storage. I have this one cupboard that has been my Achilles heel, so to speak in clutter, because it was filled with all sorts of plastic food storage containers. Having the beeswax wraps helps eliminate the need for so many because I can just stick them on the glass containers I used to serve the food in originally. I also don’t have to dirty another dish to store leftovers.  

You can also purchase glass food storage containers instead. Since, I wasn’t ready to buy a completely new product I just reduced the amount of plastic containers I had stored in my kitchen. I gave back containers that were gifted with leftovers from family and friends, and then donated, recycled, or threw out the rest. Now, I use the extra space for recipe books. I also use glass mason jars for sauces, or other liquids.

Honorable Mention: Plastic Grocery Bags

Do yourself a service by refusing plastic grocery bags. You either have to throw them out, which we all know takes decades to decompose in a landfill (if they ever actually fully decompose). You might also have to make an extra trip to recycle them in a specific location because they can’t be recycled with the weekly pick up, or you hold onto them trying to find a purpose as the supply slowly builds creating more clutter. Instead, bring your own bags to the grocery store and just refuse extra clutter and waste.

Final Words

See how easy that was? We the consumer can make a huge difference. When we completely refuse to buy excess plastic, stores will eventually get the picture, and major companies will shift their focus to more sustainable practices that are better for our health. Even your daily purchases can make the world a healthier and happier place to be.

Join the Discussion

How have you reduced plastic consumption in your kitchen?

Author

-Maria Halcumb
B.A. in Secondary Education, English, and Physical Education
M.A. Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction and Reading Specialist