5 Great Tips For A Plastic-Free Kitchen

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5 Great Tips For A Plastic-Free Kitchen

By Jo-Corrall (Ecomarket)
Contrary to popular belief, plastic isn't fantastic. In fact it's rubbish. Rubbish that never goes away. And not only is it a problem that sticks around in our environment, it's not all that healthy for us. Especially when it comes to food packaging and kitchenware. Chemicals, even from BPA-free plastics, can leach out of the plastic and into your food. And that isn't an ingredient you want in your dinner.

So how can you avoid this happening? We have 5 simple tips to help you turn your kitchen into a plastic-free zone.

1. Make Your Kitchen Tools Green

First up, make sure all your utensils, mixing bowls and measuring jugs are made from wood or metal. My personal favourite is bamboo, they look and feel gorgeous. Don't chuck your old plastic bits and pieces away (as they'll be even more of a problem just hanging out in a landfill for thousands of years), you can make use of them elsewhere where they will cause less harm e.g. crafting and gardening. Or you can see if your local recycling unit accepts them.

2. Ditch The Tupperware

Tupperware parties might be fun and they might be useful for leftovers, but a glass or metal container is a much healthier option. Old sauce and jam jars are perfect (and free) or we have a few great metal containers you can buy. This goes for water bottles too - use glass or metal to keep your water tasting pure and delicious.

3. Pick Your Packaging

Leave the packaged food at the supermarket. Try and buy your food loose or packed in cardboard. Buying from markets and farms makes this much easier - and is great for you local economy too. A little bit of extra time is all it takes to home-make lots of plastic-packaged food. You can make your own crisps, burgers, biscuits and lots of other family favorites without any polluting packaging.


4. Shop In Style And Save The Environment At The Same Time

Taking a eco friendly tote bag shopping is a great start to plastic-free food. But don't forget to take smaller bags to replace those thin bags for loose fruit and veg. Little string bags, thin organic cotton ones or these hemp ones are perfect. Make sure you throw them in the wash regularly to keep them fresh.

5. Forget The Non-Stick Pans

The non-stick bit of non-stick pans is actually a plastic. Instead, use cast iron or stainless steel for stick-free, plastic-free cooking.

Do you have any other great green tips?



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