Greening your Groceries

A lot of the things we do daily are what contributes to waste the most, but can be easily "greened" to reduce your waste. Here are a few tips on what you can do with your groceries to make them more environmentally friendly.

Bring your own containers.
Did you know that 40% of the waste that goes into landfills each day is packaging that's only used once? It's common practice in many places now to bring your own tote bag to the store, but what about the plastic bags you put your produce in, the cardboard box and plastic for the pizza, the bags for your cheese? Find a store or local farmer's market that sells in bulk, and bag your own. Bulk is often far cheaper because you're not paying for the packaging, and you're not chucking needless waste when you get home. If you want to use a jar, weigh the jar at home or bring the jar to the customer service counter at the store and they'll weigh it for you, then tag your container to be used again and again. Cheesecloth, linen bags or drawstring lingerie bags work great for produce, cheese, nuts and grains.

Shop in season.
When you look for seasonal foods, you're also more likely to get local foods, which leaves less of a footprint from having to ship something from far away. Sites such as localharvest.org will tell you where to find local farmer's markets and co-ops, and apps such as Locavore will tell you what's in season now and for how long. Foods shipped from far away often require more care to stay fresh which may mean more packaging, more pesticides and more ripening agents.

When it seems too expensive, do it yourself.
Some specialty items at the store not only cost more but can put a big dent in your pocket. A bag of french fries can cost 4 times as much as a bag of potatoes, but all you have to do is peel and chop them and stick them in the oven with oil, salt and pepper to get the same thing for fresher. Pizza dough is just flour, salt and yeast and can be made with very little effort for less than a dollar per pizza! Have fun and learn something new, and skip the packaging at the same time.

Buying in bulk seems daunting, but it can actually simplify your food and your shopping experience. It may take a little more time, but you'll find it's worth the effort.