The holidays for my family always meant waking up at the crack of dawn to start cooking. Any woman who is able-bodied is in our kitchen in true African fashion. Hours of cooking, tired feet, cramped fingers, and sweat goes into cooking our Ghanaian and American dishes. It’s one of the most exhausting things I do but I never feel more close to the women in my family, then while in the kitchen.
So many of us spend hours of our week in the kitchen. It’s where a lot of memories and delicious meals are made. It’s the same place where couples make romantic dinners together and kids bake holiday cookies. This sense is at an all time high around the holidays or birthdays. Unfortunately, the kitchen is also a space in our home overflowing with plastic and wasteful habits- but no worries my friends! There are 5 Simple(r) changes you can make in your kitchen to cut waste.
This new series called 5 Simple(r) Changes Series is about shedding light on just how doable it can be to make simple changes that have a positive environmental impact. I do want to acknowledge that not everyone has the ability to make sustainable choices, hence simpl”er” changes. This series is for the rest of us that are able to. Most of the simple changes will be under $10 or can be found in your home. The series will be over the course of 5 months for 5 simple(r) changes with a variety of topics from the kitchen, traveling, and shopping. Last month was on cutting waste in the bathroom LINK
None of these products are sponsored and all opinions are my own.
1. Change to a plastic free dish washing brush
Price $ 12.50
(PackageeFreeshop.com)
This brush allows you not to have your hands all in the messiness of washing dishes and the dish brush head is removable and compostable.
2. Change to reusing glass jars
Price $ Free
Use what you already paid for. Don’t buy new storage containers or mason jars, instead wash out already used spaghetti sauce or salsa jars.
3. Change to reusing take-out containers
Price $ Free
Again, use what your mama gave you already bought. If you’re going to get plastic take out containers definitely reuse it for meal prepping. Saves you money from buying plastic containers and food plus it encourages home cooked meals which can also save money.
4. Change to bamboo paper towels
Price $10
(Amazon.com)
I personally wanted to keep the paper towel feel so I use Bambooee. 20 paper sheets come in one roll and each sheet can be washed up to a 100 times. What I love most about this particular company is that they plant a tree for every purchase that’s bought. It also doesn’t hurt that it is significantly cheaper than buying single use paper towels every so often.
5. Change to stainless steel or wood
Price & Depends
I know I didn’t put a price on this one but it really just depends on what you buy. Stainless steel containers, utensils, you name it varies significantly. The same goes for wood items. I will say wood items tend to be cheaper but do not necessarily last as long as stainless steel items. It depends on your preference.
Almost all the 5 Simple(r) Changes for the kitchen are focused around repurposing. This means a lot of the beginning steps in the kitchen have little to do with buying new things and a lot to do with rethinking about what you already have. These changes are about using what you already have for as long as you can.
What is one of your favorite memories in the kitchen?