Continuing with our HOW TO series is the 8 tips for a greener kitchen! There are many ways to turn your kitchen into an eco-conscious one, but we have listed our top 8 tips that we think can be easily implemented today! Here we go!

1. Buy local

Supporting local businesses is very sustainable for the environment. Buying local means your food doesn’t have to travel as far to get to your kitchen—helping reduce the carbon emissions from transportation.

2. Make use of food scraps

Rather than throwing out food scraps, get a second use out of them by creating something new. Add leftovers from meal prep to make a broth or stew. Or make nutrient-rich soil conditioner for your plants using leftover fruit peels, veggies, and eggshells.

Do not throw your ripe bananas away! You can freeze them and use them later to make banana bread or a yummy smoothie.

3. Prepare your own meals

Instead of sitting down to pre-packaged frozen meals, be a chef and start preparing your own meals with fresh ingredients. This will help cut down on the amount of packaging you’d usually be buying (and throwing away). Not to mention homemade meals made with fresh ingredients taste better and are healthier for you. We’ve got some delicious recipes on our blog, but there are so many recipes out there for you to try no matter your skill level.

4. Buy in bulk

Buy in bulk when you’re purchasing herbs, spices, pasta, nuts, and other ingredients. Like preparing your own meals, buying in bulk helps reduce the waste from overly packaged food products. Go the extra step by bringing your own reusable storage containers, like glass mason jars.

5. Use reusable materials

Reduce the amount of plastic in your kitchen by switching to reusable materials. Replace plastic sandwich bags with mason jars or glass storage containers, and swap plastic shopping bags for reusable totes.