Shop the Outside...

I'm sure you've heard this advice before... to shop the outside of the grocery store. It's good for your health, good for your pocket book and saves you time. All the fresh food goes on the outside of the store, where it is easy to stock and easy to see. The things that sit on the shelf for months go in the aisles. The outside is also where you will find most of the food without packaging.

Lately I have mostly been using a small local grocer (shout out to Quatrochies for those of you in Kingston) but when I don't make it on Saturday and have to go to the big grocery store zero waste is still possible. Here is a picture of my cart from Sunday. The only thing that came in a package that wasn't going to be used over and over again is the bread and the olive oil. With my own shopping bags, that meant VERY little garbage.

I have to admit to a very self-satisfying feeling as I walked by the yogurt... but more on that later.

Zero Waste at the Bulk Barn

So, fairly recently, the Bulk Barn has changed their policy and will let you use any refillable container as long as it is clean. This is great news for those of us who used to bring our own bags... and pull them out furtively and try to refill them, while waiting for the inevitable scolding.

I went to the bulk barn on the weekend, and there was one other woman there doing the exact same plan as me... hooray!!! it's spreading!!!. The more of us who refuse to buy food in plastic packaging the more companies will have to come up with other options. Don't underestimate your power as a consumer.

You need:
-a list (this just keeps you from buying stuff you don't really need anyway)
-jars
-bags to carry your jars in
-markers to mark the top (they have them at the store if you don't)
-I like to bring a notebook and a pen to write down the codes

Here's how you do it.

1. Take stock. Once you get your pantry organized this is an easy, quick scan to see which jars are almost empty.

Then grab some clean, pre-washed jars from your jar storage (see previous post) and write what you are going to buy on the top (this is totally optional, but I find it keeps me organized and saves time. I use a chalk marker that I got from a craft store. It shows up well and wipes off easily for re-use).

I use a permanent black or gold marker to write on the "tare" - the weight of the jar - when I know it. This saves me time when I get to the store. Any jars that haven't been "tared" you just have to get to the till before you start shopping and they will weigh and mark the jars for you. You ask "I have to tare some jars please", they know what to do.

Then you shop as normal. I also usually throw in a couple of cloth bags for last minute "I forgot this", "it's on sale" or just plain "I love cheezies" last minute, unexpected purchases.

I find this whole process saves me time and money. First of all, I'm way less likely to buy something I don't need. I get just the right quantity and when I get home, the jars just go right on the shelf. Unpacking is easy!!

Take your own cutlery

Another habit we've developed is to travel, when we go out and might eat, with our own cutlery. I'm a sewer and chronically crafty so I made some cute little holders, but there is no reason to be that fancy. Will you forget sometimes? Yes. But when you do it is so satisfying. I wrap the cutlery in a cloth napkin and then I have that too. It also means I can wrap up messy cutlery covered in gravy from the poutine (did you say poutine??) so that I can wash it later.

If you are not crafty - there is no reason to be so fancy.

You can just wrap some cutlery that you have at home in a cloth napkin and add an elastic. Throw in a reusable straw and you are ready for anything!

Speaking of cloth napkins, good thing to have on hand. I made mine from left over fabric that I had in my stash. We've had them for about 3 years and haven't had to throw away a single one. I love that they are all different fabrics.. that way I don't feel like I have to take care of them because they are easy to replace.  I never bleach or fold, after they're used they just go in the washing machine and then folded and back in the basket. 

Jars... and somewhere to put them

So we're trying not to use plastic. I still send Rubbermaid lunch containers with the kids to school because, have you seen how my son treats his backpack!! A glass container wouldn't last 5 minutes. But, at home I try to store leftovers and freezer food in glass. The cheapest option... glass. I have a few fancy pyrex containers but I needed a LOT more so, another trip to the thrift stores for mason jars. They are cheaper there, and keeps more jars out of the landfill.

I also have a few commercial jars that I have been hording. Specifically the small fat ones that salsa come in and some skinny ones that jam come in. It also gives me an excuse to continue to buy these products commercially for now. To get these jars ready to go I use GooGone to clean off the paper and glue. I've had this one for almost two years and I've used only half.

Happy jar collecting!