The biggest hurdle with shopping package-free is in preparedness. Before going grocery shopping, you’ll want to make sure you have reusable produce bags and/or containers like mason jars. You can definitely make your own produce bags (check out this great how-to guide) and shop secondhand for jars. A low impact lifestyle definitely does not need to be pricey!
Upon arrival to the store, you’ll want to tare any containers. Tare is means to take the weight of something for later subtraction from a greater total weight. To tare containers, you just need to ask a cashier or customer service desk. The containers will be weighed, you’ll be told the weight, and you can either write down that weight on your phone or on a sticker. If you have a wax crayon at home, you can also bring that to write jar weights and PLU numbers on glass.
Shopping:
Produce is the simplest package-free purchase, as you can simply use your reusable produce bags in place of plastic bags at the store. Fruit and vegetables have stickers that cashiers will scan or enter, just like normal.
Bulk bins are where the fun of package-free shopping come in. Take your reusable produce bag and scoop your dry goods into it. The basic items you should be able to find are dry beans, rice and grains, and staples like oats. Bigger bulk stores, like Sprouts or Bulk Barn, will have more pay-by-the-pound options like dried fruit, candies, and granolas. Find nearby bulk stores via this handy app by Zero Waste Home. Either on a store-provided provided twisty tie, sticker or your phone, write down the item’s PLU number. Your cashier will manually input this after weighing your bag.
Spices can be refilled at some bulk stores. To refill an empty spice container, you will first tare it just like any other empty jar. Write down the weights. If you’re reusing a store-bought container, make sure that you have heavily crossed out the pervious barcode so the cashier does not accidentally scan it as a new jar.
Bulk peanut butter at Whole Foods
Bulk spices at Sprouts
And that’s it!! Package-free shopping shouldn’t be intimidating, inconvenient, or too different from your usual grocery run. It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing, either – if you can only do package-free produce, that works. Do what you can!!!
