We want to help you create a sustainable kitchen in 2020. Most importantly, you can do this slowly and we hope you will be surprised at how many of the kitchen products can be swapped for sustainable items!

If you haven’t yet, definitely check out one of our most recent articles on the Best Eco-Friendly Meal Prep Containers of 2020 to get you started.

Going the route of choosing sustainable options for your kitchen helps reduce waste when doing weekly plant-based meal preps and will have your food tasting fresh and lasting longer. The best bonus about transitioning to an eco-friendly kitchen items will be that you’re contributing to a better planet for all. 

Our top three reasons for making the swap:

  1. Reducing overall household food item waste. 
  2. Shifting our lifestyle to be as eco-friendly as possible. 
  3. Saving money over-time!  

These swaps are all in-expensive compared to the amount of money spent per year on single-use items. With each recommendation, I’ve included the price comparison in the article as well. When following the Plant Ahead Meal Plan, we’ll also make sure you are saving money when it comes to your grocery bills. Now is the time to start saving money by switching to these sustainable kitchen swaps. 

Get the rundown on the best sustainable kitchen swaps below!

Parchment Paper VS Silicone Baking Mat

$8.69 CAD per mat vs $2.50-$5.99 CAD per roll.

This silicone mat will last you years! You can use a reusable baking mat or roasting sheet for just about any dish that you put into your oven. We recommend making sure that it is non-stick for versatility and it is a perfect option for not using oil while following a whole-food plant-based diet.

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CNG23XF/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li2&tag=plantyou-20&linkId=ebc69623d8ffbaff3ea37b0c673f9fb4″ text=”Silicone Sheets” ]

 

Plastic Straws VS Metal Straws

$7.99-$15.99 CAD 6-10 pack vs $1.50-$5.50 CAD 50-100 pack of single-use.

Now let’s get real, how often do you use a straw!? Typically, this is something that I only use when I get take-out, or I’m at the movie theatre. Recently I’ve transitioned to carrying my metal straw in my backpack or purse when I’m on the go to avoid using single-use plastic straws wherever possible. I know when it comes to families, straws are more often used to prevent messes and for children’s parties. Therefore, overtime stockpiling metal or bamboo reusable straws is the way to go. Swapping to reusable straws will benefit the environment from single-use plastic pollution and protect ocean life. Sadly – Plastic straws are a top item polluting beaches currently in our world today! 

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N655YJS/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li2&tag=plantyou-20&linkId=5ea2e12b51278b9674189b956e3bcf12″ text=”Metal Straws” ]

 

Plastic Produce Bags VS Reusable Produce Bags 

Reusable price point: $10-$20 CAD – 6-12 pack.

Plastic produce bags are free in grocery stores across the United States and Canada. Imagine for a moment, that this was not offered at all? What would we do instead? Well, we do have a sustainable solution for that! These eco-friendly bags keep your produce protected from bacteria and make it for an easy-breezy shopping experience. As you know plastic bags are causing major havoc to our environment and slowly they’re being phased out, already this has been started with the grocery bags at check-out counters that now commonly cost us a nominal fee. Reusable totes are fast becoming the norm! So decide to ditch the plastic and swap for a sustainable, reusable option when shopping for your produce at the grocery market. 

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z3QGH6C/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li2&tag=plantyou-20&linkId=65f0852d4ee2ca9fe903b311a0b12486″ text=”Produce Bags” ]

 

Paper Towel VS Swedish Cloth

$10.99-16.99 CAD 3 pack vs $15.99-$22.79 per 6 roll pack paper towels.

I spent tons of money on paper towels for many years in college, even though growing up, it was not a regular item in my household. I quickly realized how expensive it was to purchase rolls of paper towels monthly! That adds up to around $250 per year spent just on a six-pack of paper towel! Not only making this swap will save you cash, but Swedish cloths are easy to clean, and if careful, they can last for a long time! You can even take it a step further and cut up old t-shirts into square rags for cleaning up messes and spills around the house. I’ve found DIY tips and tricks on Pinterest for this as well! 

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BCS1WMG/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li2&tag=plantyou-20&linkId=242255016d7eba87361af0c9ef5723bb” text=”Swedish Cloths” ]

 

Plastic Wrap VS Reusable Food Wrap

$20-$35 CAD pack reusable wraps VS $3.29 CAD per roll single-use plastic wrap.

Yes, I love my reusable food wraps, and they’re so easy to clean. Using reusable wraps that are biodegradable are great for our environment. Commonly – You’d find most of these made out of beeswax, but I have managed to find a completely vegan food wrap option as well here. 

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V7YX5VY/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li2&tag=plantyou-20&linkId=a26da7087b7931e1ed39145cb6ca2e1a” text=”ReUsable Wrap” ]

 

Disposable Cupcake Holders VS Silicone Cupcake Holders

$10-12 CAD 12-24 pack vs $5.99-$7.99 CAD pack of 100 single-use.

Where my bakers at!? These cute and sustainable cupcake holders are what you need in the kitchen. Using reusable while baking is an excellent option for cutting out cooking spray or added oil for a non-stick solution. This also reduces waste from single-use disposable items that continue to pollute our environment. If your often baking cupcakes or one of our famous breakfast muffin recipes, these silicone cupcake holders are a great option to have on hand. 

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KWTGIBS/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li2&tag=plantyou-20&linkId=300aaeda7a44b25ff7d3c1c7961e3205″ text=”Cupcake Holders” ]

 

The Extras: Food Jars – Produce Huggers – Stretch Lids


Average Price Points:

For this section, I gave a variety of options for leftovers and produce odds and ends. Certainly, the most affordable option is to go with small jars and reusable wraps from the above recommendations. Depending on the size of your household you may prefer the other options I’ve suggested. These are all great options to reduce your use of single-use items in the kitchen. 

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B80TK2K/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&th=1&linkCode=li2&tag=plantyou-20&linkId=6520b4c15ef37041d50d42e2783685f6″ text=”Storage Jars” ]

 

It’s time to take your sustainable journey to the next level in 2020!

However, it all begins with the first step! These sustainable kitchen swaps contribute to a much healthier planet. Not to mention the fact that you’ll eventually see all the rewards of saving money after having invested in these sustainable options. There are many other options also to consider when making a swap.

Therefore we hope you found this article helpful.

If you’re following the Plant Ahead Meal Prep Program and are looking for meal prep container recommendations, please read our article on “The Best Eco-Friendly Meal Prep Containers for 2020”.

Note: This article contains affiliate links and prices were compared between Walmart and Amazon.