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Since being at college my grocery shopping habit have changed tremendously. Here are a few tricks and tips that I have picked up on that makes grocery shopping so much easier but also great for the environment.
1. Reusable grocery bags!!!!!!
This is one of my absolute favorite grocery hacks that are GAME CHANGERS for college students (especially if you are living in a dorm or apartment). These reusable bags make it so much easier to carry a lot more stuff up flights of stairs or even just save you a few trips back to the car. Reusable bags are also super affordable and 100% worth the money. Adding these to your grocery shopping routine not only makes sense for you but also for your carbon footprint. These bags can be found at your local grocery stores making the affordable, accessible, and sustainable.
2. Car pooling/Taking the bus
Since being in college (and car-less) I have been relying heavily on the buses to take me too and from the grocery store. I originally thought that this was going to be such a hassle but in reality, with the help of my reusable bags, it has become one of my favorite ways to create a more sustainable grocery trip. If the buses are intimidating or not available to you, try carpooling with friends. Everyone needs groceries and going with friends can make it so much more fun while also being great for reducing your footprint.
3. using reusable fruit and veggie bags
I have recently become a huge fan on these reusable and biodegradable fruit and veggie bags. The ones that I bought were from Amazon and can be found here. I hate having to try and pull off those plastic fruit and veggie bags that are used by grocery store and adding these to my routine is not only easier for me but also sustainable for the environment.
4. Reusable ziploc bags
This is more of a post-grocery store run hack but one I had to share. I found these reusable ziploc bags at Target and have been LOVING them ever since. These make for an easy snack bag that can fit so many snacks and are durable so nothing leaks out. These bags are game changes when it comes to packing your lunch and are a small, easy change that saves the environment.
5. check your plastics
I have recently started looking more closely at the packaging that some of my favorite foods come in. I have tried to make habit of picking options that are cardboard or glass packaged; however, that is not always possible. A great alternative is to look for the resin identification code (the triangle with a number inside). The little number that you find tells you what type of plastic it is made from and how to recycle it (see list below). You want to look for triangles with the number 4 or 6 in them because they have a higher chance of getting recycled!
- 1. Polystyrene (PS)
- 2. Polypropylene(pp)
- 3. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
- 4. High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
- 5. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
- 6. Polyethylene terephthalate(PETE)
- 7. All other plastics, including acrylic and nylon
For more information check out these websites:
https://www.4ocean.com/blogs/blog/11-sustainable-grocery-shopping-tips