Over the last few years, I have been learning just how bad our trash situation is.  I always thought, “well it’s good if it’s recyclable!”  But that isn’t necessarily true.  While it is still good to recycle as much as you can, the first two steps to the three R’s are REDUCE and REUSE.  Did you know that a good portion of recycling is sent to other countries?!  You read that correctly.. The United States sends hundreds of thousands of tons of recycling waste to other developing countries that already mismanage their own plastic waste.  Recently, China stopped taking our recycling, resulting in a good portion of the recycling in our country ending up in landfills anyway.  Another thought to consider is all of the emissions released while transporting the recycling to said destination (which is a lot if this destination is overseas), the emissions released during the act of recycling, and the emissions released during the transport of the new plastic item.  While it MIGHT be less than extracting virgin materials to make new products, it is still not the happy thoughts we envision when we throw that plastic bottle in the recycling bin with a smile on our face.  

Another extremely attractive incentive to be more mindful of our usage is that while making more Earth-conscious decisions, we can save a lot of money for our wallets.  What can be more enticing than that! Some experts also argue that single-use plastics can cause health issues from exposure to things like BPA or other toxic chemicals.  I am not a scientist, so don’t want to get into the specifics, but I will drop some resources at the end of this article for you to check out if you want some more information regarding this topic.  

To me, all of these incentives are enough to make some different decisions in my choices for products.  Check out my favorite kitchen items that will not only help save the planet, but will also help SAVE YOU MONEY!

Disclaimer:  Some of the links in this post are commission links.  They will cost you no additional fee if you purchase through these links, however, I might make a tiny commission from the purchase.   

1. Reusable sandwich/snack bags

Stop and think about how many plastic sandwich or snack bags you go through in a month.  In a year?  Now imagine you had a reusable version of this bag that was more durable, more versatile, more practicable, and just flat out better looking.  Well… that is exactly what these bags will offer.   I was given bags like these as a gift and since using them, I have not only cut down on my plastic usage, but I’ve also saved a lot of money!  One pack of disposable ziploc bags are almost as expensive as one pack of these reusable bags.   The difference is, you only have to buy these bags once!

These bags are not only an excellent way to store snacks and sandwiches, but you can also refrigerate, freeze, boil, and microwave them!  I have been using them to store fruits like strawberries and bananas for smoothies in the freezer.  I also have been cutting up and washing fresh veggies like broccoli, peppers, and carrots and storing them in the refrigerator for a midday snack in these bags.  

Another great feature about them is that they are actually leak proof if properly sealed.  They have a sliding seal piece that prevents liquids from escaping if sealed all the way.  So you can store leftover soup and freeze it, then place the whole bag right in the microwave or in a pot of boiling water to heat it back up!  Then (and I think this is my favorite part) you can just throw the bag right on into the dishwasher.  

These reusable sealed bags have been a game changer for me in the kitchen, whether it’s with meal prepping, storing leftovers, or just bringing snacks on the road.  They also are MUCH more versatile and functional than regular plastic bags and a great way to SAVE MONEY in the kitchen.  My only criticism is that when I first used them, I found them to be a little bit difficult to pull apart (open).  But after the first time, I have had no problems!  Just be sure to open slowly at first so they don’t rip.  

Click here to buy these bags for your kitchen!

2. Reusable food containers

Another great product that will greatly help you save money in the kitchen are reusable food containers.  This one might be a given so I won’t get too far into it.  But imagine you spend say $10 on groceries for a home cooked meal.  You only eat half, so you throw the other half away.  Say you do this about once a week for the whole year.  You just threw away $260.  Now imagine taking that second half and putting it into a container to eat the next day at work for lunch.   Say you usually spend $8 on a sandwich at the deli down the street for lunch.   Not only are you not wasting that $260 that you originally threw away, but you are also saving $8/week for that one lunch.  That comes to a total savings of $416/ year, plus saving $260 worth of food from being wasted!  And if you do this more than once a week, it’s even more! 

My FAVORITE reusable containers are these glass containers with snap on lids (like these!) because they are leak-proof, durable, able to be frozen, microwaved, put in the dishwasher, and can even be put in the oven (without the lid).  They also eliminate any health concerns associated with BPA in plastic containers.  

3. Reusable water bottles

Guys…. I’m going to keep this section short.  If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, plastic single-use water bottles are a thing of the past.  Order yourself either a Hydroflask or a Swell water bottle.  I have both and they are life changing.  Not only will they save you tons of money in the long run, but they also keep your water cold for 24 HOURS.  I’m not exaggerating here.  I can keep ice in these bad boys ALL DAY LONG.  If you don’t already have one, you’re late to the trend.  

4. Reusable grocery/shopping bags

Many places around the US are now implementing laws that will require you to pay for a plastic bag.  Although this might be a small fee, you might be doing this MANY times a year which will greatly add up for your wallet.  Again… these single-use bags are horrible for the environment and wild animals.  Many sea turtles are found dead from the consumption of a plastic bag that they mistake for a jellyfish.  These bags are also just horrible for practical purposes as well.  I can go on and on about how these bags are the devil themselves.  They hold 2-3 items so you need like 10 bags to carry a small grocery order and half the time they break before you even get to the car.  

Anyways, I LOVE my reusable grocery/shopping bags.  I can bring 1-2 of these to the store, fit all my items in them, and carry them confidently without them breaking and spilling my new purchases all over the parking lot.  I like to have a few on deck.  Some to leave in my car.  Some to leave in my purse.  Some for at home.  These guys fold up so small, you can easily store them and take them with you wherever you go.  No more single-use plastic bags.  

5. Reusable produce bags

Okay, I’m not going to lie to you on this one.  These might not save you a ton (if any) money.  I am not sure if the bag fee at stores will include the awful single-use produce bags you pull off a roll near the fruits and veggies or not.  But these reusable produce bags are way cooler, simple as that.  They are also super cheap, so the convenience factor is well worth the $4-5 for one pack of these. No more trying to find a roll that actually HAS bags on it and fumbling around trying to figure out which side opens. Throw some of these reusable ones in with your reusable grocery bags and call it a day.  

6. Metal straws

Okay, you probably have heard of the new hype with limiting straw usage lately.  Some people are all on board with this and some are all “hOw doES oNE LiTtlE stRaW mAKe A DiFfEReNce?”  Well think about how useful straws are in everyday life.  Other than the medical field and some other special situations that they are 100% needed, do you really need one with your water cup at that restaurant?  Do you even use it?  How many people do you see just take the straw out of their cup anyway?  One seemingly little change for something that has such little need can make a HUGE impact. And if you are like me and still like using straws, getting these retractable metal straws provide me with a way to feel like I am cutting down on my plastic usage, while also getting all of the benefits that a straw provides.  They are small and easy to throw in a purse, pocket, or key ring. I also purchased these non-retractable metal straws for when I am at home!  These are fun for hosting guests or just a casual happy hour or drink of water.  Both of these metal straw sets come with a cleaning brush and silicone tips as well.  I found that using these metal straws instead of regular straws makes my drinks a lot more enticing and I swear the drinks taste better and colder with these.  Try for yourself by clicking here for the retractable ones and here for the non-retractable and leave a comment below letting me know what you think! 

7. Reusable Dishcloths

Something that has been hardwired into our minds growing up is that cutting down trees is detrimental to our planet.  So why waste more paper when you can save money buying these reusable dishcloths! These dishcloths are more durable and absorbent than regular paper towels.  You can even throw them in the dishwasher or laundry for an easy clean when you are done using them!  Oh and did I mention you can find them with cute pictures on them…like these owl ones or these ones with llamas on them?   I have cute little pigs on mine like these ones.  Paper towels are expensive, and you can go through them so fast!  You will only need a few of these around to be able to handle what many paper towels previously would have, and you will save money in the long run by reusing them.  Try them out and tell me which print or color you purchased in the comments section! 

8. Companies that save perfectly good food from getting thrown out by purchasing them at a low cost and delivering them to customers. 

Okay, so this one is more of a service than a product…but it deserves a spot in this post none the less. We all know that saving leftovers and storing foods is a great way to save money, but did you know that about 30-40% of food in the United States ends up being thrown away!  This is detrimental to our environment and one of the leading causes of greenhouse gases.  I never knew this until my trip to Mexico.  I met a friend who was vegetarian, and his reasoning was not because of animal cruelty (although that is a whole nother can of worms) but because of the impact meat production has on the planet.  After this trip I did some research about this and was shocked at what I found.  (I will post some links at the end of this article for further resources for your reference.) Not only was I astonished to find out the side effects that meat production has environmentally, but I also was shocked to learn how much food that is PERFECTLY NORMAL just gets thrown out!  Sometimes grocery stores don’t take farmers’ food because of an early harvest.  Or maybe because the shape is a little funny or the color is a little off.  Or maybe even because they just have enough of it already.  

Companies like Hungry Harvest and Imperfect Foods have found a way to help combat this crisis by purchasing this produce at a low cost and delivering it to their customers directly to their door.  I highly suggest looking into these companies and trying these products out!  Not only will you be helping food that would otherwise be thrown out find a proper home in your stomach instead, but you are also eating more vegetables and sustainable products that are better for you and for the environment.  They are also a fun way to try new produce that you might not normally buy!  Check out these sites by clicking here for Hungry Harvest and here for Imperfect Produce.  

Click here to get a little something off your first Hungry Harvest box!

Even just one of these changes can make a world of difference to the planet and maybe even save you some money along the way.

Additional Resources:

To read more about the problems with:

Recycling: Click here and here

Food Waste: Click here

BPA and health issues related to plastics: Click here and here

Straws and plastic bags: Click here for straws and here for bags

Trash in our oceans and killing our marine life: Click here