July 2018 - Life of an Earth Muffin

Hey earth muffins! After vowing to live a lower-waste lifestyle, I have switched from going to grocery stores like Walmart to stores like Whole Foods. This switch has enabled me to avoid plastic packaging, as I am able to buy grains, granola, oats, snacks, etc. from the bulk bins. Using bulk bins has been AMAZING, so I wanted to write a post today sharing my tips and trick on how you can also shop in the bulk section. Let’s get started!

Before Going to the Store
First, you will need to find a store that actually has bulk bins. If you don’t have a Whole Foods in your area, do a Google Maps search of “bulk food” and some might pop up. Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market in the Midwest has a bulk section, as well as many natural/organic local stores. If you aren’t sure if a store sells in bulk, don’t hesitate to call!

To prepare yourself before you go shopping, I suggest checking out the store’s ad for the week to see what is on sale. There is a myth that bulk bin shopping is more expensive, but I have found that it is actually cheaper!! It is so much better to buy what you need instead of over-purchasing and letting food sit in your pantry (and eventually go bad). However, it is still awesome to save even more money by buying what is on sale 🙂

Before shopping I also recommend finding bags to bring with you. Most bulk sections have plastic bags (just like in the produce section), but if you are trying to live lower-waste bringing your own bags is so worth it! I purchased the ones you can find in this post (and I love them because they don’t add any weight to the scale): 10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Consumption. Some stores even sell things like oils and honey, so you can also bring your own mason/glass jars with you too!

At the Store
Bulk bin shopping is an easy 5 step process:

1. If you brought any bag or glass jar that has actual weight, go to customer service for them to tare the container for you. This will ensure that you don’t actually pay for the weight of the bag/jar! If your bags don’t weigh anything, then skip this step 🙂
2. Find the bin(s) with the food you want to purchase!
3. Pour or scoop however much you want into the bag you brought from home.
4. Write the PLU/bin number on a twist tie and tie it to your bag. (OR write it into your phone to even save the twist tie; however, this will slow down check out)

5. Check out – the cashier will use the number on the twist tie (and the scale) to charge you the correct price.

Some of my favorite bulk bin items include: pearled barley, quick oats, unsweetened banana chips (taste just like potato chips!), and chocolate covered pretzels 🙂

After the Store
As many of you will know from my studio apartment tour, I have a bunch of mason jars that I use to store my bulk food. You can find so many different glass storage containers, and I LOVE the way it looks. 🙂

When you get home from the store, move everything from the bags into some type of storage that is airtight. Ta-da, you just successfully shopped in the bulk section! 😀 I have been amazed at what quality ingredients I am able to find in bulk, so I really suggest trying it out!

Do you shop in the bulk section?

Love,
Jenna ♥

Hey cupcakes! A couple of weeks ago I posted a review of Beth Terry’s book, Plastic Free… After reading this book and No Impact Man by Colin Beavan, I vowed to live a lower waste lifestyle to do my part in helping the planet (and to improve my own quality of living).

Unfortunately, as my internship got more busy I will admit that I have faltered in some of my sustainability efforts. However, failing is all part of the journey, so I was excited to see that it is currently Plastic-Free July. You can register for this challenge and vow to reduce your plastic consumption for the month of July, so I saw this as an opportunity to hold myself accountable to continue switching to a lower-waste lifestyle.

Ever since I started this journey, I have actually been SO surprised at how simple getting rid of certain plastics can be. To help any of you all who also want to reduce your plastic usage (as it is bad for both you and the environment), here are ways you can do so:

1. Bring your own mug when you get coffee/tea in the morning – I’m not a coffee drinker, but many people go to Starbucks every single morning. Think about all those plastic straws, cups, and lids that end up in the landfill or oceans (and then never actually decay). Did you know that plastics in the ocean break down into micro plastics that we end up consuming later down the food chain? Yuck. Seems simple enough to bring your own glass/stainless steel mug with you each day.

2. Try to avoid takeout containers – Instead of eating out, eat in! This will save on Styrofoam and plastic clamshells…Or bring a container with you to take out food!

3. Make snacks instead of buying individually wrapped ones – This one has been a struggle for me recently, as my office has three huge drawers full of snacks that are all wrapped in plastic. If you were to bake some cookies over the weekend (or buy snacks from the bulk bins), you can save plastic AND avoid nasty preservatives/additives in food.

4. Order your water without a straw – Surprisingly, I have only had one waiter question me when I have asked for “A water with no straw, please”. Easy switch!

5. Use bar soap instead of body wash – Body wash comes in a plastic bottle just like most body care products, but it is the easiest to switch out for a bar of soap. Places like LUSH even sell soap with no packaging at all!

6. Buy loose vegetables when you can – Why buy broccoli in plastic wrap when you can just buy it with no plastic?

7. Switch to reusable shopping bags AND reusable produce bags – I bought these mesh bags on Amazon for only $13! Instead of using the plastic produce bags/bulk bags at the store, just use these instead (and pop them in the wash after you use them).

8. Use mason/glass jars instead of plastic Tupperware – Plastics leach into food, which doesn’t sound too appealing to me… Plus, glass jars make a fridge look so organized!

9. Find alternatives for Ziploc bags – Use mason jars, reusable cloth Ziploc bags, etc. instead of using a bunch of Ziplocs every day. The best part about this is that you get to save a bunch of money by not buying them! 🙂

10. NEVER USE A PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE AGAIN – Did you know that bottled water is LESS regulated than tap water? I’d rather drink tap water in a reusable bottle thank you very much.

What do you do to reduce your plastic consumption?

Love,
Jenna ♥

Month: July 2018

Shopping in the Bulk Bin Section 101

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Consumption

lifeofanearthmuffin