Eco-Friendly Grocery Shopping: 6 Ways to Make Your Trips to the Store More Earth-Friendly by Kelsey Bednar

Looking for ways to be more eco-friendly? The grocery store is a great place to start! Here are six tips to think about the next time you head to the store:

• BYOB: It’s not what you’re thinking – this one is “Bring Your Own Bags!” I always encourage people to keep reusable shopping bags in the car so they're always on hand.

• Buy in Bulk: This helps reduce waste from plastic packages that contain small amounts of food (and saves you money to boot)!

• Reuse: Produce bags are some of the biggest waste creators out there. These can absolutely be reused, so save yours and bring them back to the store the next time you shop.

• Choose Glass: Anytime you can buy salad dressing, ketchup, mustard, mayo, nut butter, etc., in a glass jar instead of a plastic one, do it!

• Opt for a Canteen: Instead of buying large packages of plastic water bottles, invest in some safe, reusable canteens for your family. One of my favorite brands is Klean Kanteen.

• Ditch the Bag: Challenge yourself to stop using produce bags when possible. Most items don't really need one, especially those whose skin doesn't usually get eaten (i.e. onions, citrus fruits, bananas, kiwi fruit, beets, carrots, etc.).

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