so one thing ive been very enthusiastic about this year is cutting down my plastic use. so i wanted to write a little about what im doing for that.
id split this into 3 main categories: fresh veg/fruit; food packaged in non-plastic packaging (paper, glass, metal); and plastic free toiletries.
worth noting as well that all the food options listed here are vegan - going plant-based is good for the environment, but this post is in no way saying you have to go vegan. im just sharing what i know and what i know happens to be vegan.
buying loose fresh veg/fruit is super useful for reducing plastic if you can get some reusable veg bags. you can search "reusable cotton veg bags" on your search engine of choice and it should pull up some results. these are nice as theyre a one-time purchase, so the upfront price isnt as bad considering that.
for foods packaged in in non-plastic packaging, i get a few things: tinned foods are always good, im partial to tinned black beans. i also get tvp mince (a type of vegan mincemeat) and pasta in paper bags. what you can find in paper packaging will depend on your area, but if you search online you may be able to find more options (though i would always recommend shopping locally when you can). ingredients like flour and sugar come in paper bags normally as well anyway.
since the above 2 paragraphs are all about food, here are some things i make that are plastic-free: 1. chips (US: fries), made from cutting up a whole potato
2. chilli - using tvp vegan mince, black beans, tomato passata, and fresh veg.
3. pasta sauce - made from tomato passata and whatever fresh veg you want.
4. homemade pizza - make the base out of flour and water, the sauce out of passata, and toppings from whatever fresh veg you want.
For toiletries, i also mostly get these from my local health foods shop. i like to get toilet roll/kitchen roll in paper packaging, as well as sponges and scourers made from natural materials. i get bar soap which comes just as-is with no packaging, which i love, and for my periods i am able to buy this brand of pads which come in a "plastic" bag made from compostable cornstarch. again, whats available to you will depend o n your area, but if you cant get anything locally try searching online, you might be able to find similar products.
