Healthy Non-Toxic Product Swaps

Yay for wanting to make better choices with your lifestyle! I know switching to a non-toxic, environmentally friendly life can seem overwhelming. If you didn’t already know, exposure to plastics has been linked to many health issues, such as reproductive and neurological conditions, hormone imbalances and even more serious illnesses like cancer. Reducing your exposure is vital to your health AND will help protect the environment as well!

Here are my top tips on how to start incorporating cleaner and healthier products.

1. USE STAINLESS STEEL, SILICONE, BAMBOO, OR GLASS STRAWS

One of the easiest way to cut down on single use plastic is to stop using plastic straws. Reusable straws are a really easy way to cut out unnecessary plastic. Just toss them in your bag and then you will always have them with you. You can use them in hot or cold drinks, then rinse and reuse.

2. SWAP DISPOSABLE ZIP TOP BAGS FOR REUSABLE SILICONE BAGS

Ditch the plastic sandwich bags and switch to reusable silicone zip top bags! Stasher Bags and Zip Top Bags are hands down the highest quality brands on the market. You can find a variety of options on Amazon or even Target. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and they are dishwasher safe, microwave safe and can even withstand boiling water or the heat of the oven up to 400°F.

These resusable bags are free of BPA, BPS, lead, latex, or phthalates, and they’re even safe for raw meat storage and marinating, as they are non-porous, which inhibits bacterial growth. Best of all, you can toss them in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. We use them for everything – storing leftovers, traveling with snacks, marinating meats and vegetables, storing pantry items, in our hiking packs.

3. SWITCH TO REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS

I keep a stash of reusable grocery bags and reusable produce bagsfor grocery store trips and Target runs. Reusable bags are great because you can use them in the grocery store, carry your produce home in them, and even use them for storage.

Some reusable grocery bags can be just as plastic heavy as traditional plastic bags, which is why I prefer fabric bags. I have a mix of heavy duty collapsible bags for heavier items like glass bottles and jars, and a bunch of fabric totes for all the lighter items. Some people prefer keeping a stash in their car so they always have some handy!

4. SHOP IN BULK AND STORE ITEMS IN GLASS MASON JARS

One of my hacks is keeping different dry items in mason jars or large glass containers with pearly white lids. I use this for my green juices or tonics I make, but you can also use them for salad dressing or even dry goods like protein powder or grains. Yes, the white lids are plastic, but they are not single use plastic and they get used over and over. They don’t rust, or put off that weird old metal smell like the traditional lids that come with the jars. Even better that they are one solid piece.

5. USE SILICONE BAKEWARE AND BAKING MATS

For many of the same reasons I listed above, I also like silicone cookware. Silicone baking mats and silicone bakeware are a great nonstick, nontoxic option. They help to cut down on things like aluminum foil, parchment paper, wax paper, muffin liners, cooking spray etc. While those may not be single use plastic items, they are still items that cause unnecessary waste. You don’t need to grease them — they’re naturally nonstick (without the toxins), and they crisp everything up just like parchment paper. Rinse them off with warm soapy water between uses and dry with a dish towel or let them air dry.

6. DITCH THE CLING WRAP & FOIL: USE GLASS AND RESUABLE COVERS

To me, plastic wrap has always seemed wasteful. You can’t wash and reuse it, it gets all stuck to itself, and then it won’t stick to what you actually want it to stick to! Some great alternatives are Glasslock storage containers, silicone stretch lids, lily pad lids and beeswax food wrap.

I think the Glasslock containers speak for themselves. We store everything in them!! They are especially great for leftovers or food prep. The silicone stretch lids are a newer product and what makes them so unique is that they can stretch to fit a wide variety of bowl sizes, all while providing an airtight seal.

7. GIVE UP BOTTLED WATER AND SWITCH TO REUSABLE DRINKWARE

Cutting out bottled water is one of the easiest ways to be more eco-friendly and cut down on single use plastic. I know plenty of people who like to go to Costco and get a huge palette of bottled water and run through it in no time flat. Getting a reusable water bottle not only cuts back on all that waste, but it might encourage you to drink more water.

If you are buying water because you have poor tap water in your home and need filtered water, there are sustainable options for that. Lifestraw water bottles come with a built in water filter and it filters the water as you drink. You could also get a Berkey Home Water Filtration system and use it to filter your tap water. Then just fill up your reusable bottle and skip the plastic altogether.

Drink a lot of coffee? The same applies for plastic coffee cups. Y Most coffee shops will make your drink in the cup you provide. Simply bring your own hot/cold coffee tumbler with you and get your daily coffee prepared right in your own mug. Plus some shops will give you a discount if you bring your own!

8. SWITCH TO NON-TOXIC COOKWARE & UTENSILS

This is a huge area that can make such a difference in your plastic exposure! Using plastic and Teflon coated utensils, cutting boards and frying pans leaches the toxins directly into our food we eat. Yuck!

We have switched to ceramic, stainless steel and cast-iron cookware. I prefer wooden or bamboo cutting boards and large cooking spoons/utensils. For spatulas and large utensils we like to use stainless steel.

Do you eat out of the house a lot? Consider getting a bamboo utensil set to throw in your cooler versus using plastic! Below are some links!

As always, I’m here to help! Questions about switching to a cleaner, non-toxic lifestyle? Send me a message below!