One of the biggest challenges for Plastic Free July is eliminating single-use plastic from food packaging. For this week’s tip, we’ve compiled some ideas for zero waste, package-free snacks you can have at home, at the office, or on the go.
Did you know?
The majority of plastic packaging that is sent to landfills ends up in our natural environments. Canada produces an estimated 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste per year – and only nine per cent of that is recycled.
3 Ways To Reduce Plastic Packaging:
1. Make it at home.
If you have a particular snack food you love, but only comes packaged in plastic, why not try making your own snacks at home and store them in reusable bags or tins? Making your own homemade snacks helps you reduce waste from plastic packaging and avoid all the processed ingredients that come from the packaged snacks.
Homemade Hazelnut Crunch Granola Bars Source: www.veggiegaltal.com
Talia Rampelt, a recent Carleton graduate and sustainable living blogger, collaborated with us to make a simple, quick and easy hazelnut crunch granola bars recipe.
It’s Plastic Free July, and one of the biggest challenges I face with trying to reducing my plastic consumption is eliminating plastic snack packaging. While making your own snacks is much healthier and cheaper, it can take up a lot of extra time. That’s why I love this granola bar recipe – it’s simple, quick and you can substitute almost all of the ingredients with whatever you have in your pantry.
Check out the recipe here.
Other homemade snack ideas:
- Roasted chickpeas
- Popcorn
- Kale chips
- Baked goods (muffins, cookies, brownies)
- Granola
- Potato chips
- Chia seed pudding
2. Choose bulk products or loose product.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, shopping plastic-free at grocery shops during the pandemic has been difficult lately. However, zero waste grocery stores like NU Grocery still provides plastic-free packaging of their products. Shopping at your local farmers market will help to reduce the amount of plastic in your grocery shopping.
When allowed (post COVID), bulk food stores have a reusable container program where you can bring your own reusable produce bags, containers, and glass jars to store your items. It will also help you avoid food waste by buying only what you need.
Bulk snack ideas:
- Dried fruit, like dried mango, raisins, cranberries, banana chips
- Trail mix
- Nuts and seeds
- Granola
- Pretzels
- Chocolate chips
3. Produce
Seasonal fruit and veggies are the best zero waste snacks! For convenience, pre-cut fruits ahead of time and store them in your fridge. You can also make a veggie dip by pre-cutting vegetables, like carrots, broccoli, bell peppers and celery into sticks and pair them off with hummus or any other dressing you like!
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Tip: When grocery shopping, shop the perimeter of the store. The perimeter is usually the best place to find nutritious food that is mostly plastic-free and unprocessed such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
In the time of COVID-19…
Plastic Free July is a great opportunity to bring awareness to the waste in your life and look for ways you can make a positive impact on the environment. “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” Anne Marie Bonneau, Zero Waste Chef.
Curious to learn more?
- Plastic Free July official website
- PlantEd Project’s FREE digital cookbook – For homemade plant-based recipes to keep you inspired for zero waste snacks.
- Veggie Tal Gal For more simple tips for sustainable living and plastic-free ideas.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 in General, News, Sustainability Tip
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