The kitchen is the heart of many households. It’s where we share meals, laughter, and cook all our food. But all that hustle and bustle also means a lot of waste. Here are seven items that will help you reduce your kitchen waste significantly.
A compost. Most of the waste generated in a kitchen comes from food scraps, so finding an eco-friendly method of discarding scraps will significantly reduce how much waste your kitchen produces.
A lot of people wonder why composting is necessary. If food is so biodegradable, then won’t it biodegrade even if it ends up in a landfill? The answer is, unfortunately, no. Most landfills are so full that they create an environment free of oxygen, which makes it almost impossible for things such as apple cores and orange peels to biodegrade properly. Scraps that degrade without oxygens and methane gas are released as byproducts.
To avoid accidentally throwing scraps in the trash, put a big bowl for food waste next to you while you’re cooking.
Compostable and recyclable cleaning tools. The next time you need to pick up cleaning supplies at the shop, don’t reach for disposable paper towels and plastic sponges. Instead go for reusable towels, copper scrubbers, or compostable wooden dish brushes.
Quality old-fashioned cookware. Those new cheap plastic-coated Teflon pans may seem like a great deal at the moment, but don’t be fooled. They’ll get damaged quickly and you’ll end up throwing them away after a short period of time. Instead, opt for tried-and-true cookware such as cast-iron pans. Cast-iron pans last a lifetime, which means you can often circumvent the hefty prices you have to pay to get a new one by heading to your local thrift store and checking out their home goods section.
Reusable storage containers. Instead of using containers made of toxic plastic to store your food, look for glass, metal, or silicone options. They wear out less quickly, plus, storing your food correctly can help extend its shelf-life.
Reusable coffee cups. The next time you grab a coffee, take your reusable coffee cup with you rather than just accepting the disposable takeaway cups your local café might use. Not only is it good for the environment, but your coffee will stay hotter for longer, and you can avoid burning your fingertips as disposable cups tend to transfer heat right through the cardboard.
Reusable straws. Research finds that plastic straws are the 11th most common item found in ocean trash. If you don’t already have a reusable straw, then hurry up and get a set!
Jars, jars, and more jars. Mason jars are a stylish way of storing just about anything. They come in an assortment of sizes, making them great for storing bulk food, bringing food to go, or for keeping leftovers. To acquire some jars to expand your collection, consider visiting your local thrift store, or simply wash and save pickle jars, peanut butter jars, or sauce jars.
