Today I’m sharing my favorite eco-friendly products I use in the kitchen that help me live a greener life.
Over the years, I’ve been ‘green curious’ but in the past year or two being green has become something I truly value and it’s something I strive to practice in my day-to-day. I’m not perfect with it by any means but I try to be conscious of my choices to live a greener life.
I think being green or eco-friendly or sustainable means different things to different people. I also believe there are different categories of ‘green’ which can lend itself to food, products, daily practices, transportation, and even fashion or makeup.
What being green means to me
Being more conscious of the products I buy and the chemicals in those products that I bring into my home and put in my body.
Purchasing foods that are organic, fair-trade, local, and non-GMO, and choosing free-range and hormone-free animal products as much as possible
It also means prioritizing reusable products and when I’m not, ensuring I’m practicing proper recycling guidelines for my city’s recycling program
Green products I’m loving in my kitchen
If you’re looking to be a little greener in your everyday life, one easy way to start is in your kitchen. Below I share my favorite green products that make my kitchen more eco-friendly and bring joy to my everyday life!
Reusable Silicone Bags: These bags are biodegradable, leakproof, and come in an assortment of sizes. We use them for everything from storing snacks to take to work, to packing sandwiches and storing leftover veggies. They’re thick, durable and easy to clean. You can even bake your food in them since they’re oven proof (my colleague tested this and was pleasantly surprised with the results). To wash, you simply rinse them and turn them inside out to dry then they’re ready to use again!
Colony Co. Reusable Mesh & Bulk Bin Bags: I’m sure you’re already bringing reusable bags to the grocery store so why not step it up and bring your own reusable produce and bulk bin bags to use in place of the standard plastic bags provided by the store. These come in an assortment of sizes and are conveniently machine washable. And, because they’re not made of thin plastic, your bulky potatoes or pointy vegetable won’t break through the bag so your produce stays damage-free until you get home.
Bee’s Wrap: If you’re using plastic wrap or aluminum foil to cover bowls, then why not switch to Bee’s Wrap. (Did you know, plastic wrap lingers in our environment for up to 2,000 years?). Bee’s Wrap is all natural, compostable, and has a lovely beeswax scent to it. The product molds easily over any size bowl, you simply warm the wrap with your hands and it sticks to itself. You can wash the wrap with cool water before reuse and each wrap lasts at least a year, depending on how often you’re using it.
On-the-Go Reusable Straws: This is an easy one and something everyone (and most companies) have already switched to using. But if you’re a straw fan like me, you can now easily bring your own straw along for those times when a more eco-friendly straw isn’t available. These reusable straws are flexible, come an individual cleaner, and each has its own carrying case so it can easily be thrown in your bag and stored away when not in use.
Art of Green: I’ve tried a lot of ‘green’ cleaning products and I’ve found that most of them either smell like vinegar or leave streaks across my counter. But not Art of Green. Yes, Art of Green did send me complimentary product but I’m sharing it here because I’m truly impressed with the scent, quality, and results of the products. Art of Green is Austin based and recently launched in H-E-B. The products don’t contain any harsh or toxic chemicals, they’re USDA-Certified Bio-based, made with 100% post-consumer recycled materials, and have a biodegradable formula. Grab a coupon for your own Art of Green purchase at H-E-B.
Unpaper Towels: We used to use a ton of paper towels in our kitchen. And while we haven’t rid our kitchen of paper towels, we have started using fewer thanks to the Unpaper Towel. These thin cloth towels help us keep our kitchen tidy and easily wipe up messes with Art of Green cleaner. I keep a tub under the sink to store used Unpaper Towels until the end of the week when we throw them in the washer to be sanitized and reused.
Natural Sponges: These little sponges make me so happy! I love how they come slim in a package then puff up into a soft natural sponge. I keep these near my kitchen sink to clean up quick messes. Also, unlike synthetic sponges, natural sponges don’t retain odor and have a naturally occurring enzyme that inhibits mold and bacteria growth. Plus, their space-saving size when not in use is an added bonus!
Are you already using some of the products I mentioned above? I’d love to add more green products to my kitchen, so tell me, what are some of your favorite, tried-and-true eco-friendly products? And don’t forget to head over to my Instagram for a chance to win your own bundle of Art of Green cleaning products.