let’s go Bananas for plastic free options

In an ideal world, we would all have access to plastic free staples, vegetables and fruit. Unfortunately there are valid reasons why some items should be wrapped in plastic. In America, about 32 million people have some form of food allergy and in some countries 10% of infants have an allergy. Cross contamination is more likely with plastic free options with tongs or spoons being used for multiple items.

With only a third of plastic packaging being recycled, largely due to people either being on the move when purchasing items or a lack of clarity from what is recyclable. Take a look at some top tips to navigate the joys of recycling here.

Many fruit and vegetables have their own compostable wrapping but it was only in 1996 that bagged salad hit our shelves. There is an argument for plastic wrapping that it alows the food to remain fresher, but with about one third of food waste thrown out annually, this is a separate issue we should tackle. To put that in context, according to WRAP the average UK household spends £810 on average for food that is destined for the bin. As not all households have access to a food compost, it goes in the general waste bin which is then either incinerated or goes to landfill. Please read here for further information on food waste.

While there are more and more plastic free shops popping up, many of us, especially in big cities, live close to a big superstore. With lives being as busy as they are and time seeming to be getting shorter, even with the best intentions in the world you will likely pop into a superstore for your weekly shop.

We don’t need something to complicate a food shop, so what can we do that is easy to help turn the tide on single use?

Bulk Buy and plastic free shops

If you are lucky enough to live near a plastic free shop, then pre-pack your jars, grab that rucksack and head there. Some items can be a little pricier but benefits are less single use waste and reusing containers such as yoghurt pots, jam jars, plastic and glass bottles and tins ( go on, reuse that golden syrup tin you have lying around). Many will offer jars for you to fill up when there, and also paper bags.

Top tip: With items ranging from herbs and spices, grains, treats and oils to honey, cleaning supplies and even wine, it is definitely advisable to quickly check in with the shop before your first visit to see what they stock.

If this isn’t an option for you, buying in bulk or bigger is better. The less plastic packaging the better so think bulk vs wrap.

If in a supermarket, try to opt for the plastic free fruit and vegetables.

bring your own bag

The easiest trick is to bring your own bag. This isn’t just limited to the big shopping bag though. You can either buy or make some produce bags for items such as your fruit and veg. You can even get bags for bread! It is best to get cotton ones vs polyester or nylon and if you search ‘cotton produce bags’ you will get a lovely list of some fantastic designs and options.

These are great as they are lightweight, you can store them in your bigger shopping bags and you can reuse them time and again. They will need a wash though.

Since the 5p ban came into effect in the UK, 7 main retailers issued around 83% fewer bags (over 6 billion bags fewer) between 2016 to 2017. This is compared to the calendar year 2014, which is the equivalent to each person in the population using around 25 bags between 2016 to 2017 compared to people using approximately 140 bags a year before the charge.

Top tip: If you do buy bread, why not get it from a local baker and ask them to put the loaf in your cotton bag. When you get home you can cut it into slices and freeze it in the bag.

visit your local farmers market

Now you have your cotton bags, why not check out your local market and see what you can stock up from there? Not only are you more likely to support a person directly, but you will get some great quality and they are largely plastic free.

This can be a fun day out too and you can ask the seller directly where your food comes from. This is something that is becoming more and more important as we try to reduce our carbon footprint, and local is better than food being flown in.

You will also be buying more seasonal items which means you may find a new vegetable of fruit that you haven’t had before. There are some great seasonal recipes online to help inspire you.

Top tip: Give these a wash when you get home - there are some lovely wooden vegetable brushes to give your goods a gentle scrub.

let’s flex

The easiest solution is to plan your meals out and only buy what you need each week. There are lots of comments about vegan vs meat diets, and overall, people should reduce their meat intake as the current level of meat consumption is not sustainable. So think ‘Flexitarian’ and adopting a more flexible diet.

Also reducing your meat intake will reduce overall carbon emissions. In fact according to an article in Nature showing differences between 2010 and 2050 (including increase in population), if everyone cut their red meat intake to 1 day a week, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to food by 56%. This also considers people consuming modest levels of eggs, dairy, milk and fish.

Planning your meals would also help reduce the food waste generated and preparing lunches for a week ahead and freezing leftover to take into work are easy tricks to cut down on costs, ensure you know what you are eating and saving on waste.

Top tip: Set yourself a challenge for a couple of months - it takes 66 days before new behaviours become habits. There is Meat Free Monday campaign set up by Paul , Mary and Stella McCartney back in 2019. which has some is a great start to try new recipes