5 ways to save money and reduce kitchen waste
Save your wallet AND the world
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Although Colorado, and especially Fort Collins, may feel like an extremely environmentally conscious region, our waste statistics don’t show it. Colorado’s waste diversion rate, characterized by our ability to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, is lower than the country’s average, and the Front Range is no outlier. With a 2019 diversion rate of 16.2% and a 2021 goal of 32%, we need to step up our waste diversion game. Not to mention, the Larimer County Landfill is nearing capacity and will shut down operations by 2024.
Processes that revolve around eating seem to be particularly subject to high levels of waste production. From Styrofoam containers to single-use utensils and thrown-away leftovers, kitchens are often an endless cycle of purchasing and discarding. This cycle is expensive and harmful to the environment, so I’ve generated five easy ways to break it without having to make drastic changes to your lifestyle.
1. Ditch single-use plastic bags
One of the easiest ways to majorly cut down on plastic waste in your life is to replace Ziplock bags with reusable plastic bags. There is no shortage of options in the reusable plastic bag market, so you can find cute bags, bags with traditional sealing mechanisms alongside those with new technology, bags that can stand up and more. The widest selection of reusable bags is online, but you can also find them in several local stores, like the Target on Troutman Parkway, where my roommate bought some with adorable flowers on them.
Armed with these bad boys, you can store leftovers, lunch, snacks and everything else without throwing out the bag at the end of the day. A simple wash with dish soap and the bag is once again ready for anything your kitchen could throw at it.
The best part? A one-time investment in reusable bags will quickly pay for itself since you’ll no longer have to continuously buy more.
2. Get creative when cooking
Another way to save money while cutting down on waste is to cook creatively using leftovers. Made tacos last night and can’t decide what to eat today? Toss the diced tomatoes and guacamole on some toast for a delectable avocado toast breakfast, crush the taco shells over a bowl of soup and sprinkle with shredded cheese for lunch, and warm the ground beef with vegetables and pasta sauce in a pan to create a delicious topping for a spaghetti dinner.
A personal favorite recipe of mine is bean and rice medley. There’s plenty of room for experimentation here because you can toss in anything you think might taste good. Start with rice, then add any type of beans you might have in the fridge (or pantry) and leftovers that might include any variations of corn, meat, onion, tomato, avocado, pepper, cheese, mushroom or whatever else your heart desires. I also like to top with tortilla chips, which can easily be restored to crisp, yummy goodness if they’re stale with a few minutes in the oven or toaster oven.
Get creative with the leftovers in your fridge and the results can be spectacular!
3. Forget the paper plates
Once you’ve concocted your leftovers meal and tossed those reusable bags in the sink, sit down to eat with metal silverware and washable dishes. While paper plates and plastic utensils are ideal for picnics and parties, they have no place in everyday eating.
You could buy 48 paper plates at the grocery store for $3 every 48 meals, or you could purchase this set of plates and bowls at Target for just one payment of $20 and likely get several years of use. Don’t feel like paying even $20? I didn’t either, so I picked up Target’s plastic plates and bowls that come in a few different shapes and colors and retail for 98 cents each in-store and just 50 cents online.
You can also pick up a 20-piece set of silverware at Target for as little as $10. Once again, these one-time purchases will quickly pay for themselves as compared to their disposable alternatives.
4. Swap paper for cloth napkins
To compliment your long-lasting dishes and silverware, keep yourself clean with a cloth napkin. Often overlooked, using cloth instead of paper napkins or paper towels is a great way to reduce waste. Instead of using your napkins once and throwing them away, you can toss your cloth napkins in the washing machine so they may live to serve another day — or another several years. They’re cute, too!
5. Use reusable coffee pods and ground beans
Finally, try bagged coffee grounds and a reusable alternative to coffee pods if you have a single-serve coffee maker. So many of us in FoCo need our go-juice before classes or work that letting go of single-use coffee pods could make a huge difference.
Nespresso and Black + Decker are ahead of the game with their single-serve machines fully equipped to handle loose coffee grounds. Keurig and Cuisinart both make their own reusable pods, but you can also find compatible pods made by different brands.
Also, you can really branch out with your flavors when purchasing coffee beans or coffee grounds. There are so many types to choose from that you’ll never get bored.
Just think — one plastic pod trashed every day versus a reusable one to stand firm by your side. I know which I’d choose.
Through waste reduction, increased and cleaner recycling, composting and more, we can improve the Front Range’s waste diversion rate. But it all starts with purchasing less items that are designed for the landfill. Together, let’s protect our planet — with the added benefit of protecting our wallets, too.
