I Set Out to Quit Buying Groceries Sold in Plastic, and Ended Up Saving $40 a Month Along the Way

Budgeting is so boring. I swear just thinking about ways to cut my grocery bill makes the resulting food I buy taste a bit meh. Plus, I’m already scrimping and scraping each time I go grocery shopping — where else can I penny-pinch? I’m at capacity for pinching.

So, seeing as I do need to watch the ol’ budget (especially after I visit the farmers market during peak peach season), I’ve game-ified my grocery shop into its own “the floor is lava”-style experience. The main rule of said game? No plastic! (Yes, any products containing plastic are the “lava” in this case.) 

Since I started opting out of plastic (in favor of glass, paper, aluminum, or package-free items), I’ve noticed a few changes to the way I shop. I visit the meat and cheese counters more regularly, and pause before impulse purchases (so many of those items are sold in, you guessed it, plastic). 

I’ve also stumbled on new favorite brands (more on those below) and stores that have plentiful plastic-free options. Sprouts Farmers Markets‘ bulk bins make me feel like I’m in the Honeydukes Sweets Shop in Harry Potter, with plenty of oats, Australian licorice, and even pea protein powder that can be grabbed in wildly varying quantities. 

It’s also simple math, if you think about it. More packaging (and especially something “new” like plastic) drives up the price of an item. It’s why single-serve yogurts are more expensive per ounce than the large tubs, and the same loose mushrooms are a fraction of the price compared to the packaged ones.

Here are the many grocery items I’ve started adding to my cart since I decided to ditch plastic — and a few I’m still working on.

Dairy & Eggs: I skip yogurt and cheese that come in plastic containers and seek out brands sold in glass jars, like Oui, nounos, and Chevoo. I reuse the jars around the house to store toiletries, cosmetics, pens and more. I’ve turned juice jars into vases and have since stopped buying new storage containers. I also ask for paper wrapping when ordering at the cheese counter, and only (gently) add cardboard egg cartons to my cart.

Spices, Condiments, and More Pantry Staples: Like yogurt, many brands — Simply Organic, The Spice House, New York Shuk, Loisa — sell their spices and seasonings in glass jars. Plenty of hot sauces, mayonnaises, mustards, and more condiments are available in glass jars, including some from both name brands and store brands (here’s the difference between the two). I swapped cartons of chicken broth for jars of Better Than Bouillon, and it’s been a game-changer.

Fresh produce: I try to shop mostly at the farmers market where I live (where produce usually comes in cardboard containers or punnets, at most), and order my weekly Misfits Market box where the vegetables typically come loose. I also focus on less delicate things that come in their own, less-bruisable “packaging” (think: watermelon, squash, corn, lemons, bananas, potatoes, and onions). Plus, I’m a major proponent of the very handy and very delicious jarred and canned fruit and vegetables out there, like artichokes, red peppers, prunes, pineapple, and applesauce.

You might be wondering, what about meat or cheese? There’s likely a coated paper option available — especially if a store has a full-service counter. Plus, asking my local grocery store butcher or cheesemonger to wrap a steak or wedge of Parm in paper (rather than grabbing the pre-cut version) allows me to get the perfect size for me (a solo grocery shopper who hates waste). It also has a fringe benefit: getting to know the folks who help keep me fed, and maybe picking up a few serving tips along the way.

Of course, there are a few items I’ve yet to find plastic-free versions of at my grocery stops. If anything, it’s forced me to get a bit more creative to avoid the “lava”: Tubs of hummus can always be made from canned beans and glass jars of tahini; salad dressings always taste better when they’re homemade and shaken up in an old jam jar; my many grocery store bakeries and local independent ones sell excellent loaves of bread for sandwiches (that I tote home in a handy paper sleeve).

Have you recently changed up the way you shop for groceries? Tell us about it in the comments below.