What’s worse than emptying the kitchen trash bin?
No other chore is as nausea-inducing as taking out that stinky, and often drippy, bag out of your kitchen and to the curb. Every member of the family is supposed to have their turn, but why does it seem like you always have to do it?
But imagine if that chore somehow disappeared.
No, I’m not talking about an app which gets a professional kitchen trash thrower to your home on-demand (although that would be awesome too!).
I’m talking about the nuclear solution: completely eliminating the chore.
Think about it. Kitchen trash wouldn’t be an issue if you didn’t have any kitchen waste to begin with, right?
There are people who have taken this fact to heart and adopted a completely zero waste lifestyle – they need no trash bins because they produce no waste.
Examples like Bea Johnson, mom of two, who fits all of the trash she’s created into a jar. Same goes for Lauren Singer, who for over two years has only created a mason jar of garbage. Everything else they discard is either composted, recycled or reused – they don’t send anything to the dump.
Now, going completely zero waste is a significant undertaking – but what if we just focused on one room?
Sounds doable, right?
The Zero Waste Kitchen
Follow these 8 stupid-simple steps to a zero waste kitchen, and soon you’ll be saying goodbye to disgusting kitchen garbage bags once and for all.
1. Get a plan – A meal plan.
Did you know that 25 percent of all food bought by Americans is thrown away? It’s a huge shame and a major source of kitchen waste. This statistic shows that the first step to zero waste is reducing the amount of stuff that you buy overall.
This is easy to do with some planning. Very few people take the time to carefully plan their meals. But once you start, you can make accurate grocery lists, avoid impulse purchases and have a plan for all of the ingredients you bring home.
As a bonus, it could be fun to sit down with the family once a week to create the weekly meal plan.
2. Make multiple grocery trips.
If you look at grocery stores in Europe, you’ll be surprised as to how much smaller their bunches of herbs and lettuce are. In fact, all of their grocery store items are significantly smaller.
Why is that? It’s because Europeans do multiple grocery store trips a week. They take the approach of buying just what they need for the next few days, instead of purchasing huge amounts to last them a week or more. This greatly helps reduce waste.
Try sprinkling a bit of European flavor into your next grocery trip. Buy less than what you think you need, consciously choose the smaller bunches and do two grocery trips a week, instead of a big biweekly trip.
3. Make use of scraps.
There lots of fun stuff you can do with kitchen scraps. Onion peels add a hearty kick to soups and homemade broths. Add kale stems to your smoothies. Stick green onion ends into a pot of soil (or a cup of water!) and watch more grow. Check out Pinterest for some more scrappy ideas (see what I did there!).
4. Compost like it’s your job.
If you aren’t composting, you don’t know what you’re missing. If you are lucky to live in a city which offers composting services, use them immediately. If not, you can start a bin in your backyard, or subscribe to a private composting service.
If you are a true believer, you could even create a worm bin in your basement. These worm bins are very efficient and odorless, plus they generate supreme compost for your garden. Although this may seem gross, there is no way of getting to a zero waste kitchen if you are not composting. You can put the broom dust in there, food scraps and even leftovers.
5. Say yes to bulk.
Packaging is everywhere, and it’s filling up your trash bin. It doesn’t have to be this way – say YES to bulk and no to packaging. Bulk foods are typically cheaper and you can bring your own reusable bags and jars.
Remember: packaging is often made of plastic, which is made from oil, a non-renewable resource.
6. Make more from scratch.
You might scoff at the idea of making food from scratch, but some things are so easy that you really have no excuses. Learning to make foodstuffs from scratch is an essential part of the zero waste journey. It’s really not as hard as you think.
It can be as simple as making your own frozen fruits. Try making homemade salsa or granola to prove to yourself that these are truly easier, yummier and cheaper to make at home than dragging yourself to buy them from a store. One day you’ll graduate to making things like tofu and mustard on your own as well.
Try some of our super simple recipes for from-scratch inspiration:
Ketchup | Mayo | Bone Broth | Fruit Leather | Fruit Popsicles | Berry Chia Jam
Popcorn | Freezer Fudge | Mango Ice Cream | Almond Milk | Homemade Yogurt
And more in our Real Food Recipes page!
7. Buy long-lasting products.
Why is it that when you buy a frying pan, you have to replace it every 3 years? You know what else is ridiculous: plastic stirring spoons. Did the person who invented that think cooking doesn’t require heat?
You don’t have to put up with this type of throwaway culture. Invest in quality tools which will last you a lifetime. Not all of these are expensive.
Cast iron skillets and other cast iron cookware are affordable and can last generations. Inexpensive wooden utensils are equally long-lasting. It’s an easy investment in your kitchen and planet earth.
8. Recycle.
Recycling should be your last line of defense after reducing, composting and reusing. But be sure to make use of this powerful zero waste tool.
A zero waste kitchen is within reach, it just requires some small and consistent lifestyle changes. Anyone can do it, whether you’re a mom like Bea Johnson, or a young college student like Lauren Singer.
Give it a try – no one will complain when there is no more trash to take out.
Which of these steps will you be implementing in your life first? What other tips do you have for a zero waste kitchen?
Top photo: Steve Larkin on Flickr
This is such a thoughtful post – I sometimes forget about some of these things – and have really gotten bad about composting in the last few years of just having a crazy house with so many littles. I need to revisit it though! Thank you for the reminder!
Honestly, Renee, if we didn’t have curbside pickup for our compost, I’m not sure I’d be doing it either lol. I’m definitely thankful for that!
Great suggestions on how to achieve zero waste in the kitchen. I really want to be more recyclable at home, to learn my kids how important is to don’t waste food and how this is affecting our environment. Thanks for the helpful post!
Great suggestions on how to achieve zero waste in the kitchen. I really want to be more recyclable at home, to learn my kids how important is to don’t waste food and how this is affecting our environment. Thanks for the helpful post!
I was really interested in your article and wondered if I could cut and paste it into our church’s monthly news letter. I would like to do so a bit at a time so even the more ‘rebellious’ of our sisters can’t argue that it’s too hard. There is no money involved with this news letter and your name/website can be mentioned so they can subscribe if they wish. I can’t/wont do this without your permission as I know how precious a person’s written word can be. Either way Have a Wonderful Christmas and a really Happy New Year. I look forward to your reply – love Heather
I was really interested in your article and wondered if I could cut and paste it into our church’s monthly news letter. I would like to do so a bit at a time so even the more ‘rebellious’ of our sisters can’t argue that it’s too hard. There is no money involved with this news letter and your name/website can be mentioned so they can subscribe if they wish. I can’t/wont do this without your permission as I know how precious a person’s written word can be. Either way Have a Wonderful Christmas and a really Happy New Year. I look forward to your reply – love Heather
Really great tips. Perhaps try and grow your own produce and then compost any leftovers.
Yes! Growing your own and composting are perfect!
Really great tips. Perhaps try and grow your own produce and then compost any leftovers.
Yes! Growing your own and composting are perfect!
Kitchen is the place that gets dirty fastest. We just keep storing things there and there. Your advice is really helpful! I believe it will help a lot of people have a zero waste kitchen.
Kitchen is the place that gets dirty fastest. We just keep storing things there and there. Your advice is really helpful! I believe it will help a lot of people have a zero waste kitchen.
I have hens in my house. Our food scraps is their food. Animal protein is left for roaming cats in the neighborhood. Fruit peels are thrown immediately under the trees in the garden where they get mixed up with soil and decompose slowly to serve as tree food.
Wonderful tips, Laila! And my dream is to have a backyard full of chickens! 🙂
I have hens in my house. Our food scraps is their food. Animal protein is left for roaming cats in the neighborhood. Fruit peels are thrown immediately under the trees in the garden where they get mixed up with soil and decompose slowly to serve as tree food.
Wonderful tips, Laila! And my dream is to have a backyard full of chickens! 🙂
My biggest problem is buying in bulk. That is, it costs so much more than the plastic bags at my supermarket. Another big problem is wine bottles. Now I could make wine…….. maybe not. Here in Tasmania there is no recycling. That’s right recycling is collected in separate bins and goes to landfill.
I have been composting for 45 years and know the benefits. We grow alot of fruit, vegetables and Other food scraps, bones etc go to chooks or the quolls.
Plastic is still my biggest problem even though I wash and recycle plastic bags many times.
My biggest problem is buying in bulk. That is, it costs so much more than the plastic bags at my supermarket. Another big problem is wine bottles. Now I could make wine…….. maybe not. Here in Tasmania there is no recycling. That’s right recycling is collected in separate bins and goes to landfill.
I have been composting for 45 years and know the benefits. We grow alot of fruit, vegetables and Other food scraps, bones etc go to chooks or the quolls.
Plastic is still my biggest problem even though I wash and recycle plastic bags many times.
The hardest part for me is that I am the only one in my family on board with striving for zero waste. I recycle, i have a composter, i have a chicken, and i have a plethora of reusable alternatives to disposable. Getting my family to go along with it is the disconnect. Hubby loves to get in the freezer and toss a frozen pizza in the oven, then tossthe packaging in the trash. I caught him throwing away egg shells just yesterday. He seems to have no problem with my son wearing disposable diapers when I don’t put him in cloth myself (and my mom enables him). I even have family cloths, but no one is willing to go there. I just don’t know how to fix this.
The hardest part for me is that I am the only one in my family on board with striving for zero waste. I recycle, i have a composter, i have a chicken, and i have a plethora of reusable alternatives to disposable. Getting my family to go along with it is the disconnect. Hubby loves to get in the freezer and toss a frozen pizza in the oven, then tossthe packaging in the trash. I caught him throwing away egg shells just yesterday. He seems to have no problem with my son wearing disposable diapers when I don’t put him in cloth myself (and my mom enables him). I even have family cloths, but no one is willing to go there. I just don’t know how to fix this.
Plusieurs sont en pratique chez moi, je vis à la campagne c’est plus facile.
Nous avons des poules qui mangent nos restes et gambadent dans notre jardin qui nous fournit en fruits et légumes une partie de l’année .
En plus quand vous avez un sensible coeur le fait maison est de rigueur même mon fils a la fac part avec son repas et gouter. Rien qu’avec ça les poubelles se réduisent. Nous compostons en plus. Conserve et confiture maison puis pain complet et yaourts aussi et des gâteaux à gogo pour les goûters des enfants je suis nounou .
Le plus gros problème est le vrac rare dans ma région
Pour le chauffage c’est au bois
Plusieurs sont en pratique chez moi, je vis à la campagne c’est plus facile.
Nous avons des poules qui mangent nos restes et gambadent dans notre jardin qui nous fournit en fruits et légumes une partie de l’année .
En plus quand vous avez un sensible coeur le fait maison est de rigueur même mon fils a la fac part avec son repas et gouter. Rien qu’avec ça les poubelles se réduisent. Nous compostons en plus. Conserve et confiture maison puis pain complet et yaourts aussi et des gâteaux à gogo pour les goûters des enfants je suis nounou .
Le plus gros problème est le vrac rare dans ma région
Pour le chauffage c’est au bois
Our kitchen scraps often go to our chickens and are turned into yummy eggs. We compost as well. I have to haul my own trash to the dump and so our recycling is very organized now because I have to haul that too. I sort metals (aluminum and other metals), plastic, and glass. Cardboard is used in garden projects. Glossy paper is recycled, but non glossy paper is used for starting our wood heat,crumpled and added to raised beds, or shredded and used in nest boxes.
That sounds, awesome, Sarah – rock on! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Our kitchen scraps often go to our chickens and are turned into yummy eggs. We compost as well. I have to haul my own trash to the dump and so our recycling is very organized now because I have to haul that too. I sort metals (aluminum and other metals), plastic, and glass. Cardboard is used in garden projects. Glossy paper is recycled, but non glossy paper is used for starting our wood heat,crumpled and added to raised beds, or shredded and used in nest boxes.
That sounds, awesome, Sarah – rock on! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Here is a hint for composting. Instead of putting your kitchen scraps and paper in a compost bin. Bury your compost daily in a new hole in your garden or flower beds. It composts faster. It really encourages the worms to come and ‘eat’. This means that your soil will be in better condition. It will be well aerated. I ask for paper bags at the grocery store so that I can put the kitchen scraps in these. Worms LOVE paper.
What a neat idea, Heidi! Never would’ve thought of such a simple solution. Thanks for sharing!
Here is a hint for composting. Instead of putting your kitchen scraps and paper in a compost bin. Bury your compost daily in a new hole in your garden or flower beds. It composts faster. It really encourages the worms to come and ‘eat’. This means that your soil will be in better condition. It will be well aerated. I ask for paper bags at the grocery store so that I can put the kitchen scraps in these. Worms LOVE paper.
What a neat idea, Heidi! Never would’ve thought of such a simple solution. Thanks for sharing!