Green Your Kitchen: Replacing Disposable Plastics
Trade disposable plastic baggies and wraps for these cool, eco-friendly products.
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Abeego Flats Food Wrap, Set of 3
I generally feel pretty eco-friendly in my day-to-day life. We’ve been a one-car family eating a primarily plant-based diet for nearly a decade, we almost always remember our reusable bags when shopping, and we compost or recycle the vast majority of our ‘trash’ (credit due to the city of Seattle for making it so easy).
But the disposable plastic trash that has seemed unavoidable has been nagging at me lately—plastic wrap and sandwich bags are so useful and so wasteful at the same time! I eagerly tried reusable cloth sandwich bags years ago, only to give up in frustration over how difficult they were to fully clean (hand wash–only items rarely last long with me, and I’m not cool with peanut butter–stained seams). The good news is that there are much better products available now. Psst: These would make great stocking stuffers!
Abeego Wrap
Abeego Flats Food Wraps are a cool, eco-friendly solution to plastic wrap. Made from hemp, cotton, beeswax, tree resin, and jojoba oil, the warmth of your hands is all it takes to customize these malleable wraps for any use—cover a salad bowl, wrap up half a cucumber, or pack up a sandwich for later. It’s much more fun than trying to wrangle plastic wrap that’s clinging to itself, and the material is easy to clean. The sandwich-friendly Abeego Wrap gets high marks from me for its lack of seams, and the smart folding and string closure prevent leaks.
If you’re a fan of the see-through quality of plastic wrap, check out Sili-Stretch Bowl Covers, made of BPA-free transparent silicone. It’s thicker than plastic wrap but just as grippy—plus it’s safe to use in the microwave! The small size is great for jars and cans, while the large size easily stretches to cover my largest serving bowl. Again: super easy to clean or I would not even be telling you about it. Wash by hand or put it in boiling water to completely disinfect.
Itzy Ritzy Reusable Snack Bags have a cute cotton exterior, easy-to-use zipper closure, and interior food-grade waterproof PUL (polyurethane laminate) lining. They’re generous enough in size for a sandwich and can be tossed in the washing machine for a thorough cleaning.
Another great kid-friendly option is the Kids Konserve Food Kozy Wrap. Simply fold the wrap around the snack or sandwich, and secure with the Velcro closures. When it’s time to eat, the opened wrap doubles as a placemat. Made of BPA- and PVC-free plastic, this wrap is great for messy items and easily wipes clean.