by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Did you ever wonder how you could take steps to eliminate single-use waste in your kitchen? Thankfully it’s easy to find simple zero-waste kitchen swaps. 

Following is a list of single-use items I no longer buy. Using reusable counterparts I’ve been able to reduce or even eliminate completely these disposable items and save money too. 

(Note: Some links in this post will take you to other related articles for further information. But links preceded with * are affiliate links. If you click and buy something I could receive a tiny commission.)

Setting An Eco example For Others To See

Recently while entertaining family members for supper, my sister saw me incorporating several zero-waste efforts as I prepared the meal. She exclaimed “Oh wow, I would have never thought to do that!”

It got me thinking, maybe I should share the various ways I’m able to reduce (or even eliminate) those single-use items in my kitchen. 

Now I know not all of these zero-waste swaps will be new to you. And depending upon the circumstances in your home, not all will even be feasible.

But I’ve learned that since we are all on different places in this simple-life path – there’s bound to be something for everyone in this list.

A Zero-Waste Option: No More Paper Towels

I haven’t bought paper towels (with their disposable plastic encasements) in well over 10 years now. 

• • • Cut Old T-Shirt Into Paper Towel Sized Squares.

    • Cotton T-Shirt Material Doesn’t unravel Or Have To Be Hemmed.

    • Lightweight and Reusable. For YEARS!

    • No Paper Towel Purchases (Or The Plastic It’s Sold In)

Swap Paper Napkins For Cloth Napkins

We’ve been using solely cloth napkins for several decades now.

• • • Cloth Napkins Replace Disposable Paper Napkins.

    • Can Be Purchased Cheaply At Thrift Stores/Garage Sales.

    • No Extra Laundry – Can Be Washed With Regular Laundry.

    • Cloth Napkins Last For Years. Some of ours for 20 years and counting!

    • Make Cloth Napkins Yourself  (My  red/white gingham napkins from a $1 thrifted tablecloth.)

    • No More Buying And Throwing Away Disposable Napkins Over & Over Again.

When Visitors Need A Paper Napkin In A Paperless Kitchen

Occasionally a visitor asks wide-eyed “you don’t have ANY paper napkins??” 

So I save the extra unused paper napkins that would have been thrown away when we occasionally stop for a quick burger. 

So when someone asks to wrap something in a paper napkin to take home with them I can offer one to them.

Eco-Friendly Choice: No More Paper Plates

Now don’t get me wrong, there are times that paper plates might make sense for you. No judgement here!

But our meals are always served on honest-to-goodness real plates, glasses and flatware. Even when we have a large family gathering.  

• • • Real Dishes Make Simple Meals Feel More Fancy.

    • Basic White Dishes Go With Any Décor & Can Be Dressed Up Too.

    • Reusable Dinnerware More Sturdy Than Flimsy Disposable Paper/Styrofoam Plates. 

Ease In Cleaning Real Plates Without Trash

 I realize every household has their own limitations with time, money, etc,. Not everyone has a dishwasher, and not everyone wants to do dishes. 

But we have a dishwasher and we put it to use. Cleaning those plates & dinnerware is as easy as scrape-load-push a button and walk away.

Substitutes For Aluminum Foil

I very seldom use aluminum foil, I have reusable substitutes for that too!  

• • • Metal Cookie Sheet To Cover Oven Bakeware

    • Metal Pan Lid Over Instant Pot Cheesecake or Instant Pot Eggs w/o Shell.

    • Saves Space In My Kitchen – Double-Duty & Multi-Purpose Kitchenware, Not Single-Use Items To Store & Throw Away.

Disposable Plastic Wrap Swaps

There’s no telling how much single-use plastic wrap I’ve eliminated over the years using these zero-waste kitchen swaps for covering food:

• • • Ceramic Bowl Or Saucer Inverted Over Plate Of Leftovers In Refrigerator.

    • Use Small *Glass Dishes With Lids To Store Leftovers

    • Make Your Own Beeswax Wraps To Cover Food 

Beeswax Wrap Note: Wax melts with heat. So I’m careful not to wrap my beeswax wraps around anything that would require scrubbing with hot water (such as raw meats or greasy items.)

But for wrapping up a leftover bowl of vegetables, a block of cheese, handful of raw carrots, etc. it’s awesome!

Eliminate Plastic Water Bottles

Single-Use disposable water bottles are a large part of overall plastic waste. But RancherMan & I have *insulated tumblers that we use for hydration when out running errands.  

Even in the Texas summer heat there’s still ice in our tumblers when we get back to the car. 

There’s no need for us to stop & buy cold water in a disposable plastic bottle. Saves money AND the environment.

Other Easy Zero-Waste Kitchen Swaps:

No Styrofoam Egg Cartons

I hate  Styrofoam egg cartons. But when they’re shared with me I’ll reuse them to sell our free range chicken’s eggs.

My family saves cardboard egg cartons for me for reuse. I use them to make Fire Starters for RancherMan. 

But when my chickens are laying, this wire basket in the fridge is really the only thing I need.  

Eliminating Items Purchased In Plastic Tubs

Making yogurt was the very first eco step I took when I started my simple-life journey. I started making Homemade Stove-Top Yogurt every week since then (and it’s been decades). 

Then I discovered the even easier Instant Pot Yogurt method. And there are no plastic tubs to throw away since I put my yogurt in single-serve reusable mason jars. Cheaper & eco friendly too!

Don’t Expect Perfection, Balance Is Key

OK, you do your best but still need to use something disposable sometimes, right? There’s no need in beating yourself up over it. Balance is key.

I’m hoping to inspire you to eliminate single use waste in your home with some of these zero-waste kitchen swaps. But baby steps are good too. What are your favorite was to reduce waste in your own kitchen?

~TxH~

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Links Mentioned In This Post

• Using Glass in my Refrigerator
• How I Got Cute Red/White Gingham Napkins For $1
• Paper Napkins In A Paperless Kitchen
• Glass Dishes With Lids
• Beeswax Wraps To Reduce Or Eliminate Plastic Wrap 
• Homemade Stove-Top Yogurt
• Easier Instant Pot Yogurt
• Cheesecake Made In An Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Eggs w/o Shell
• *Insulated Tumblers Help Eliminate Water Bottles
•  *Mrs Wages Dill Pickle Seasoning
• MYO Fire Starters With Repurposed Materials  

Other Posts About Reducing Household Waste

Reducing Trash

• How We Reduced Household Trash
• 5 Zero-Waste Products We Love
• I Love Mother Nature So I Recycle LESS!
• Where Exactly Is ‘Away’?
• Easily Reduce Or Eliminate Junk Mail

Kitchen

• 7 Ways To Reduce Plastic In The Kitchen
• Ditch The Plastic! Using Glass In The Refrigerator
• Paper Napkins In A Paperless Kitchen

Food

• Replacing Plastic Wrap With Beeswax Wraps
• Making Your Own Pourable Sugar Jar
• Eliminate Plastic Produce Bags

Cleaning

• Natural Air Freshener In Reusable Glass Jar
• Natural Cleaning – Homemade Laundry Detergent

Health & Beauty

• Zero-Waste Hygiene
• Reducing Plastic In Personal Hygiene: Deodorant
• No More Plastic Razors – How To Use A Safety Razor

Repurposing

• Repurposing Empty Coffee Containers
• Denim Repurposed Into Fun Crafts
  
• Repurposing A Parmesan Cheese Lid
  
• 5 Handy Repurpose Ideas From An Old Sock

…and Many More 

See All Eco-Friendly Posts

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