Food shopping is something we all do every single week (or once a month if you are really organized!) so shifting your food shopping habits is a great way to take a giant leap towards a Zero Waste lifestyle. Let’s talk zero waste food shopping!
You exert your consumer power every time you choose what products to buy. It truly matters where and how you choose to spend your money.
I have adopted these 10 food shopping habits over time and they help me shop mostly Zero Waste. Mostly. Remember, no one is perfect and you need to go easy on yourself, but every step counts! Incorporating these habits will simplify a major area of your life, save you money and time.
1. Make a list & a meal plan
Make a weekly meal plan and shop with a list to plan a low waste shopping trip. Always check weekly flyers (favourite fruit or veggies by the pound maybe? Bakery bagels by the each? Bulk grains or nuts on sale?) and plan your weekly meals around specials. Keep a running list of grocery items you need in your day timer, on your fridge or your phone and shop once a week. The more you plan ahead the less likely you are to impulse buy and ditch your good intentions.
2. Bring your own reusable bags & containers
How often do you make a last minute grocery run and forget your cloth bags at home? The trick is to make it so easy that you don’t have to think about it. Keep your shopping kit (sturdy cloth bags, mesh produce bags, reusable containers, growler etc.) in your car and after you put away your groceries, return it to your car right away. You’ll feel seriously great when you no longer stockpile plastic grocery bags and have less recycling to deal with.
3. Shop the perimeter
This is an all around great habit for good health, efficiency and zero waste. Most food located in grocery store aisles is packaged and processed. Many grocery stores are set up with their own deli, meat and fish counters, and bakery and offer a wide selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. If you resist ducking into most aisles (sticking to your list and being familiar with the store helps with this), you will significantly cut down on your waste.
4. Buy loose, fresh fruit & vegetables
Yes, sometimes value packs are cheaper, but not always. Pay attention to sales and buy in season. I invested in a set of lightweight cotton mesh bags for loose fruit and veg and the cashier can scan through the bag. You can also place produce in your cart if buying a small quantity – you should always wash fruit and veg before eating it anyway. Avoid any produce wrapped in plastic or pre-cut and packaged. Did you know that fruit and vegetables actually lose nutritional value once they are cut up? Whole foods is the way to go.
5. Visit farmers markets, farm stands & u-picks
Visiting a farm or farm market is an experience in itself and so much more enjoyable that the grocery store. Local, seasonal produce is usually zero waste by default and has a lower carbon footprint to boot. Most markets in Nova Scotia sell everything you need – veggies, fruit, meat, fish, flour, dairy, and even snacks, pastries, coffee, and juice. It isn’t all package free, but it is much easier to avoid waste. You can also easily talk directly to vendors and let them know you are seeking zero waste options. U-picks and farm stands allow you to buy in bulk and fill your own bag or containers – also a money saver!
6. Shop like your grandmother
Zero waste may be a modern day movement, but a lot about this lifestyle would be familiar to our grandparents and great grandparents. Rediscover your local butcher, baker and other local food suppliers. You can bring your own containers (I love glass ones with snap on lids) to the butcher or meat counter and choose exactly the steak or chops that look good or get just enough bacon for a recipe you want. The same goes for the fish counter and deli – ask for sliced meat and cheese and it will be fresher. Be sure to show them your container ahead of time so they don’t wrap it up in waxed paper or plastic.
7. Buy in bulk
I’m not talking about warehouse stores where you can buy value packs of grocery items, often individually wrapped and then wrapped together with more plastic – totally the opposite of Zero Waste. I’m talking about loose, bulk food items or larger quantities in a single container.
Visit the bulk section of your grocery store or a bulk store and bring your own reusable bags and containers. Bring your containers to the cashier to weigh and mark them before filling them. You can also join a bulk buying group in your area or order through your local health food store, cafe, or bakery. Speerville is a great option as they sell everything from flour, grains, legumes, to teas and personal care products.
Buying bulk can be a great money saver and the more people shop this way, the greater the demand, which means more options down the line.
8. Refuse waste
This is where the rubber really hits the road. Take a closer look at what you buy on a regular basis – how much of it is packaged in plastic or something that can’t be recycled? Could you maybe buy something similar in a glass, metal or cardboard package? Switch brands? Buy less, learn to make it yourself or give it up altogether?
Remember in my last post when I wrote about my love of potato chips? Well, I’ve only purchased one bag of chips since making my New Year’s resolution. If I can do it, so can you! Remember, consumer power will change things and this habit will make a big difference.
9. Visit stores that support Zero Waste
Shopping at stores that offer Zero Waste alternatives will make it easier for you to stick to your habits and your support will help that business grow. If you love a store or product, but don’t love their wasteful practices, let them know (yes, I plan to write a letter to my favourite potato chip company!). That’s what Customer Service counters and hotlines are for. Let a business know if you appreciate what they are doing, too – positive feedback is also valuable. If you find a small, local business that offers zero waste alternatives, support them whenever you can.
10. Spread the word
I often get curious looks when I go food shopping because the contents of my cart look different from the average shopper’s. (It’s hard to deny that a Zero Waste grocery haul can be aesthetically pleasing – just look on Instagram). I am so happy when people ask me questions about my reusable containers because leading by example can be very powerful. Most people don’t even consider shopping that way until they see it in action. Sure, it can be a little awkward at times asking to use your own containers, but I have yet to be refused. It’s a culture shift, but this lifestyle is catching on around the world, where are entire aisles or even stores devoted to Zero Waste.
If you find these habits useful, please share them with a friend who you think might be interested. Knowledge is power.
Last month we talked about the five Rs of Zero Waste and setting up a sorting system. If you did that, it will make it easier to take a closer look at your household waste.
What are the top three things that end up in your garbage can? Mine are fruit stickers, produce twist ties and thin plastic that can’t be recycled. Can you think of creative ways to avoid some of them?
What about your recycling? Could you avoid some plastic or non-recyclable by trying one of these ten zero waste food shopping habits?
Margaret Hoegg is a writer, editor, and sustainability advocate on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. She muses on food, locovorism, homesteading, and family over on her blog dulse and maple and instagram @dulseandmaple.
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