If, like me, you’re trying to be more plastic free in every day decisions, I thought you’d like to see 5 easy ways I cut down on my plastic pollution at home. I also talk about this, along with more waste-free, time-saving advice in my new cookbook, EAT GREEN, all about planet-friendly eating. Check it out over here.

Like any new habit, it works when it’s as simple, cheap and painless as possible ….

My Top Plastic Free Kitchen Tips

Here are my kitchen shelves (after I’ve had a tidy of receipts / spare change / hairbands and dog poo bags (clean ones obviously and biodegradable, of course).

 BUY BULK:
From chickpeas to quinoa, sea salt to nut butter, flours to lentils,  go big. You’ll save money on buying in larger quantities and you cut down on packaging.  I love visiting bulk buy, plastic free supermarkets and shops, check out the zero waste home website, enter your post code and it will show you your local bulk buy shop (and we’ll talk again about how much I love them soon).

 SAVE JARS:
Coconut oil /  jam / honey / mustard glass jars, give them a really hot hand wash or dish wash, let them dry completely and use them to store dry goods. If you want to treat yourself to some special ones, buy from my old school friend @qasa_qasa who sells on behalf of artisans in Malawi and recycles wine bottles turning them into gorgeous green storage jars.

 USE YOUR SPENDING POWER:
Buy from brands that sell without plastic packaging. They’re making the best effort they can so reward them by buying from them.  So next time you need to stock up your shelves with some say dried herbs or spices, pick the brands that are selling in glass jars or recycled paper bags with refillables. It’s an easy switch to make.

 GO LOOSE:
Take your tote or string bags (another easy way to reduce the use of plastic bags) to the shops or farmers markets etc and buy your fruit and veg loose.

And if you buy online, check out shops like farmdrop.com where you can enter ‘plastic free’ into their search button and it will bring up all their plastic free products. Brilliant.

 COOK LESS:
You know I love a big cook off.  Cook bigger, cook less, save your energy (!) and use old glass jars to fridge and freeze your leftovers (making sure you leave an inch up top when freezing to allow for expansion. You can also store things in the fridge with bowls and a plate on top or buy a pack of reusable wax-coated papers from great brands like Beebee and Beesewax . See you later foil and clingfilm!

For more of my favourite ways to make sustainable living swaps, head to my shop and join me trying to go as plastic free as poss!

And let me know how you get on with your own plastic swaps in the comments below or over on Instagram @melissa.hemsley
Melissa x