Hey earth muffins! Last month I mentioned that Koala Eco was kind enough to send me a few of their products… When buying fruits and vegetables, it is a good idea to wash them regardless if you purchase them at the grocery store or the farmers market. Once I return from the store, I like to make a pile of my full reusable produce bags and wash mine at once. Koala Eco’s fruit wash is a great option for getting all those pesticides or dirt or whatever else off! Keep reading for all of my thoughts on this product.
What I Love About This Product
As I mentioned in my Koala Eco kitchen cleaner review, I love that this brand is truly eco-friendly. The company definitely bleeds sustainability through and through. The box it is shipped in is recyclable (and even has a cool built in bottle holder so that there is no need for bubble wrap or packing peanuts). The fruit wash itself is biodegradable and the bottles are made of 100% recycled plastic AND are recyclable after use. 🎉
Hey earth muffins! When I started my eco journey all the way back in 2018, I started a list of sustainable products I wanted to try. The No Tox Life dish washing block is one of the items on this list (affiliate link)! 😊 I recently purchased it through the Tera app and have been trying it out. If you are looking to make a simple swap in your kitchen for a more zero waste home, keep reading for a full review of this product!
What I Love About the No Tox Life Dish Block
First up, I (obviously) love that this is a sustainable dish bar. Instead of using dish soap in a plastic container, you can opt for this bar instead. Bars are much better than bottles for the planet; I absolutely love that this is an easy zero waste swap. The dish block comes in a recyclable box which makes it plastic-free as well!
Hey earth muffins! I always seem to find myself doing more baking during the summer months. While I cook meals for myself almost every day, the summertime always makes me crave fun, home-baked goodies. With all this extra cooking, I find myself with more fruit and veggie scraps. And it is important to utilize these instead of just throwing them into the trash! Food waste is a huge environmental issue, so here are five unique ways to use up those fruit and veggie scraps! 🥕 🥦 🍅
1. Make a “zero waste” recipe
The best way to reduce food waste is to cook/bake with a zero waste mentality – nothing (or almost nothing) will end up in the trash. If your recipe calls for peeled potatos, maybe leave the skins on. There are plenty of fruits and vegetables where the peel is actually delicious and nutritious! I was surprised to learn recently that you can even eat the fuzzy skin of a kiwi. If you search for zero waste recipes on Pinterest, there are plenty of options to choose from (like carrot top pesto)!
Hey earth muffins! A great eco swap for the kitchen is to opt out of plastic wrap and use other methods of keeping your food fresh. One way to do this is to use beeswax wraps – sheets of fabric coated in beeswax that cling to your food, bowls, and containers. I was gifted a set of wraps for Christmas a couple of years ago, so I thought it would be fun to write a review to answer the question “do they really work?”. Let’s jump right into it! 🐝
What I Love About Beeswax Wraps
Obviously it is awesome that this is a sustainable alternative to plastic wrap! Cling wrap is single-use and causes a bunch of waste that ends up in the landfill (or even the ocean). Not great for Mother Earth! Instead of using plastic wrap, I keep my set of beeswax wraps in my mason jar hutch next to all my other reusable containers. Having them accessible makes it easier to remember to use them too!
Unlike the single-use nature of Saran wrap, beeswax wraps last a long time. Once you are done using them, just wash them with soap and water and let air dry. So easy! If you take care of them in terms of cleaning, they will literally last multiple years.
Plus, beeswax wraps work! They keep containers airtight in the fridge which is great for making sure your leftovers don’t go bad. You can also use them instead of plastic Ziploc bags too, as I’ve wrapped sandwiches in them for lunch. Just like with any plastic wrap, make sure you get a full seal to ensure the best result with your food.
Lastly, I love that these are accessible to everyone because you don’t even need to buy these – they are super easy to make yourself! All you need is some fabric scraps and beeswax. There are plenty of DIY tutorials on Pinterest sharing how to melt the wax onto the fabric. Super simple and a great way to knock plastic wrap this summer. 🎉
What I Dislike About Them
When you first open the wrap, don’t be alarmed that it seems pretty inflexible. The beeswax has just hardened and needs to warm up a bit. I find that rubbing your hands over the wrap is a quick and easy way to warm up the wax. Once the wrap is more flexible, it will be easier to seal over containers. This tiny extra step may be annoying to some people, so I thought I would include it as a con.
The only other thing I dislike about beeswax wraps is that they don’t last as long as things like mason jars. Obviously metal and glass is going to outlast anything made from fabric and wax, so I often just find myself opting for containers instead of beeswax wrap. However, you can “mend” your wraps by adding extra layers of beeswax if you want… But I personally just find it easier to not even bother and just pull out a mason jar instead.
Pin now to read later!
Overall, I think beeswax wraps are awesome! While I often just use mason jars instead of wrapping up food, it is nice to have a set of these available to me whenever I need them. 😊 They work just like plastic wrap and come in so many designs and colors too. Have you tried beeswax wraps before? Comment below and let me know your thoughts on this eco swap!
Hey earth muffins! One of the easiest ways to reduce your impact on the planet is to be mindful of the waste you create in the kitchen. Yes, that’s right – I’m talking about food waste today! Why is this a great place to start?? Because it can lead to HUGE results. Like I mentioned in my how to reduce food waste post, one third of the food produced in the world is wasted… Which is such a waste! I absolutely love to cook, so I’ve gotten into some great habits since starting my eco journey. Hopefully these help you all reduce food waste in the kitchen as well!
~Cook the right portion sizes.
If you want to save time, money, AND the planet, start being more mindful about portion size. I used to prepare way too much food when I cooked. I’m sure you all are guilty of just “making the whole box of pasta” at times too. Doing this is often easier in the moment because you think you will eat it later… But a ton of leftovers isn’t the best idea. To be more eco-friendly, I recommend only preparing what you know you (and your family) will eat. I’m not saying serve smaller portion sizes by any means – cook as much as you want to eat!
Hey earth muffins! One of the easiest things you can do to reduce your impact at the grocery store is to shop from the bulk section. Bringing your own containers and shopping bulk is easy… But what should you do if your town doesn’t have any bulk bins to shop at?? The city I bought my house in does not have many bulk options like the previous area I lived in. Because of this, I have had to shift my shopping habits. Here are my top tips on how to shop zero waste when you don’t have access to bulk bins!
~Make sure you check all the stores in your city!
Even if a “bulk” section isn’t listed on the website, I still recommend going to every grocery store in your area to double check there isn’t one. I’ve found stores that have smaller bulk sections this way! Or, you might find a store with a specific type of bulk item, like coffee beans. Try out all the grocery stores and health food stores when you do this. You might be surprised to find that a city you thought had no bulk bins has a couple you can work with.
