3 Sustainable Tips to Reduce Plastic When Buying Groceries

I've been sharing easy tips on reducing plastic waste, and this time, it's about things you can do while shopping for groceries!

These are little things you can be mindful when going to a supermarket, and they can make a big impact.

1. Buy Unpackaged Produce (Whenever Possible)

I don't understand how so many vegetables/fruits are wrapped in plastic, from bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.

I try my best to choose the ones without any packaging to minimize the waste.

You should be washing the produce before consuming, so in my opinion, we don't always have to wrap them securely in plastic.

I sometimes see small fruits such as grape tomatoes and strawberries in a paper container, which is more eco-friendly than plastic.

I also used to buy bags of spring mix or spinach because they're convenient.

But they just added to the waste, so I stopped using them. Instead, I just chop some lettuce or cabbage to make a salad, and it's way more fresh and tasty than pre-packaged salad🙆‍♀️

Another option is to head to a local farmers' market, and buy unwrapped produce.

Not only does it minimize the waste, but also helps your local community so I highly recommend finding one in your city :)

2. Bulk Buying

Bulk buying doesn't mean buying things in a large quantity.

It means to bring your own container/bag and fill them with the items you need!

It's such an easy way to skip the single-use plastics and also reuse any empty containers you have at home.

There used to be bulk buying section at supermarkets such as Whole Foods, Down to Earth, and Safeway, but unfortunately all of them suspended this due to COVID-19...

Now, almost all stores have everything prepackaged from rice and flour, to snacks and dried goods.

The good news is, you can still go to Kokua Market and use your own containers!

Don't forget to have your containers weighted at the cashier before you fill them up.

3. Buy Meat/Fish From the Counters

We love buying meat and fish over the counter instead of the prepackaged ones.

They either come in a paper wrapping or a thin plastic back.

Those are great alternatives to excessive plastic wrap and containers used for the prepackaged meat/fish.

I also feel like they are more fresh and flavorful?

Depends on the store, but they also have cold cuts section so you can get them over the counter as well.

I wish we could use our own containers for these items, but it will probably not happen until COVID-19 gets contained :(

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These were pretty short & simple tips, but hope you find at least one (if not all) useful 💚

Thank you for reading!