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Are you looking for ways to up your sustainable grocery shopping practices? This post covers plenty of helpful tips to ensure that you are prepared to grocery shop with the environment in mind!
Sustainable grocery shopping is a hot topic these days because it is such a great way to consistently make a positive impact on the environment and reduce your carbon footprint.
I spent a good amount of time feeling guilty for trying to live more sustainably yet buying plastic at every grocery trip. As I learned more about sustainability, I realized there is more to sustainable grocery shopping than just avoiding plastic and other waste. This post will be all about offering a diverse set of tips on how to shop sustainably at the grocery store, other than simply avoiding plastic waste.
Of course, there are plenty of other ways to sustainably source food (grow your own food, farmer’s markets, CSA boxes) other than grocery shopping. As nice as it would be for us all to be able to live on a farm and grow our own food, some people simply don’t want that lifestyle (and that’s ok!).
This post will be helpful if you generally shop at a regular grocery store and want easy ways to make more sustainable swaps to seamlessly add to your weekly grocery trip!
This post is all about the best tips for eco-friendly grocery shopping tips.
The Best Sustainable Grocery Shopping Tips
1. Use Sustainable Grocery Shopping Bags
I love that plastic grocery bags have been getting so much attention in the past few years! They are a pretty unnecessary use of plastic when you can just bring your own reusable bags.
I really love these bags from Terra Thread because they are extremely durable.
It is SO important when trying to live more sustainably to source products that are well made and will last a long time. Products that are cheap are break easily (like single-use plastics) will just end up in the landfill and contribute more to our plastic pollution problems.
Some things I love about Terra Thread:
- Made from organic cotton
- Made in certified fair trade factory
- B corp certified
- Carbon neutral company
- Cute and minimalistic-they match with everything!
This is a link to their backpack but they have great tote bags on their website too!
If you do not have a car to leave your reusable grocery bags in, you can check out Baggu bags! They roll up really small and are super light. You can leave them in your backpack or purse so that you always have a grocery bag on you.
These also work well as reusable produce bags to protect your produce in your larger tote bag. There is no need to use those little plastic bags when you can just bring a reusable bag
Baggu bags also come in really fun patterns!
These are just some high-quality bags I recommend but really any reusable bags will do.
2. Create a Sustainable Grocery Shopping List and Meal Plan
Make a plan of what you are going to purchase before even getting to the store.
This helps you to only buy what you need and not overbuy! Food waste is a major issue and is a waste of resources that negatively impacts the environment.
Other tips on this list will go into more detail but prioritize putting items on your list that have less packaging, are from sustainable brands, organic etc.
Having a plan before even getting to the store will save time and make sustainable grocery shopping a much less stressful experience!
Meal prepping doesn’t have to be boring and repetitive. You can freeze some of the meals to have a different week or just meal prep for a couple of days at a time.
Another variation of meal prepping is ingredient prepping where you wash, cut and prepare ingredients ahead of time. That way during the week you can make different combinations without repeating the exact same meal again and again.
Things like salads, soups, wraps and smoothies all use similar ingredients but when you prepare them later on you can mix things up with sauces and dressings. Find a system that works for you!
{RELATED POST: 5 Food Storage Tips To Reduce Food Waste in Your Home}
3. Choose Organic Foods
There is a lot of talk surrounding buying organic foods, but why is it actually so important?
The current farming practices that we use to grow the majority of our food can be extremely harmful to the environment. Pesticides that are used to kill off bugs can leech into waterways which harms animals and humans. The chemicals can be dangerous for farmworkers, residents that live near the farms, and everyday people that are buying conventionally grown produce from the grocery store.
This is a really complex topic but this is the basic gist! Other styles of farming, like regenerative farming, can be great place to prioritize sourcing food from too. Food grown at regenerative farms can be harder to find at the grocery store. Many grocery stores are starting to carry lots of organic options though which is great!
Overall, being more mindful of where our food comes from and opting for organic produce can protect the earth and ourselves!
4. Choose Local Foods and Local Markets
Buying foods from a local farmer instead of food that has been shipped thousands of miles reduces the number of transportation emissions that occur.
A lot of grocery stores are starting to carry more and more local products because consumers are showing that is what we want!
Sometimes local products can get expensive (just like organic products) so buy whatever comfortably fits in your budget! The farmers in your community will be grateful!
5. Bulk Shop When Possible
Some grocery stores are going back to offering bulk options! If you shop at a natural food store I can almost guarantee they will have a bulk section. Buying in bulk reduces the amount of packaging that is needed for our food.
If you do not have a bulk option at your grocery store, try to buy family-sized items.
Getting a large container of crackers versus single serving packs creates less waste in the long run. Then you can separate the crackers into your own containers at home.
I LOVE Stasher bags for things like this. They are a reusable silicone baggie that works great in place of single-use plastic bags.
{RELATED POST: 10 Reasons You Should Shop at a Zero Waste Store}
6. Consider a Sustainable Grocery Delivery Service
Another great way to reduce emissions is by opting for a delivery service for your groceries!
The idea is similar to taking public transportation over your personal car. Delivery drivers know the most efficient route and they won’t add any extra unneeded snacks at the check out line!
I have found that when I order groceries online I only buy what is on my list because I don’t get distracted by new products or good advertising.
Only buying what you need is a great way to live more sustainably and reduce food waste!
7. Choose Ugly Produce to Reduce Food Waste
Surprisingly, a lot of produce at the grocery store ends up getting thrown out if it doesn’t look absolutely perfect. Opt for produce that has spots or bruises when you can. It is still perfectly fine to eat and will save it from going to the landfill!
Most people will skip over this perfectly fine food or store workers will be encouraged to throw it out.
8. Opt for no packaging, less packaging or recyclable packaging
Minimizing the amount of trash we create is a great way to shop more sustainably.
Even if you do not have a zero waste grocery store with a bulk food section in your neighborhood, you can try your best at a normal grocery store.
Start with completely package-free fresh produce like fruits and veggies. Next, try to opt for less plastic packaging by buying in bulk. Lastly, choose packing that you know can be recycled in your area. Some curbside pickup won’t recycle everything so get acquainted with that before you shop!
Lastly, there are some awesome companies that are starting to packaging things in compostable packaging so try to support those brands when you’re able to!
9. Research Sustainable Grocery Brands
This takes a little prep for before you get to the grocery store but figuring out which brands are environmentally friendly can be a great way to support innovative companies!
Then when you get to the grocery store you can be sure to support them over other companies that use less sustainable practices.
Once you have done the research once, you will know the best brands to buy that align with your values.
10. Choose Plant Based Foods
Even if you do not plan on going 100% plant based, choosing more plant based foods is a great way to be kinder to the environment, animals, and your body!
Maybe swap a couple of recipes that use meat for beans, tofu or tempeh. Opt for fruit or nuts as snacks opposed to cheesy snacks.
You get what I mean, the small swaps do add up!
11. Take Minimal Trips to the Store if Using a Car or Walk/Bike!
Reducing the number of trips you take to the grocery store is a great way to reduce how much gas you use which is great for the environment!
Of course, everyone’s situation is different but try to condense your shopping trips. If you have to take more frequent trips try to walk or bike to the store.
Again, everyone’s situation is different but if you have never considered biking to the market and throwing your goods in your backpack for the rise home-give it a shot! It’s of course great exercise and better for the planet!
12. Do What You Can and Take Things Slow.
Buying food sustainably within our current system is not easy! It is definitely not a perfect system.
When you’re transitioning to shopping sustainably, take things slow and don’t feel bad if your groceries aren’t 100% zero waste.
Be mindful of your budget and bandwidth too. Everyone is in different situations and as long as you are doing what you can to shop more consciously then you’re doing great!
{RELATED POST: Surprisingly Easy Vegan Meal Prep Ideas That Will Be a Sustainable Part Of Your Weekly Routine}
What is the most sustainable way to get groceries?
There isn’t really a clear cut answer on the most sustainable way to get groceries. There are many different things we can do to grocery shop sustainably but there are of course things that are outside of our control.
Agricultural practices and our food system have changed a lot and as companies, governments, and farmers work to sell products we can just make the best choices we can with what is available if we choose to shop at the grocery store.
Don’t be too hard on yourself as it can be impossible to avoid all single-use plastic, shop completely zero waste, and only buy seasonal produce. That’s a lot on your plate!
How to grocery shop ethically?
This post covered eco-friendly grocery shopping tips but what other things are there to consider when grocery shopping?
Sustainability is so much more than just the natural environment, greenhouse gas emissions, and plastic waste. It also includes the health of the animals and people that inhabit the earth.
We don’t have enough space to dive into these topics in this post but please consider researching some of these other topics as you learn more about sustainability and our food system.
Other topics to consider:
- working conditions and pay of farmers and farm workers
- global supply chain of food
- industrial meat production
- sustainable packaging like compostable packaging
How do you grocery shop sustainably? What are your thoughts and experiences with ethical grocery shopping? If you have any other ideas let us know in the comments below! Always looking for unique storage ideas.
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Stay well,
Maggie
This post was all about helpful sustainable grocery shopping tips.
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March 1, 2022 at 6:54 am[…] Your Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Grocery Shopping […]