May is Use Less Plastic Month as part of the Happy Healthy Mama Healthy Year Challenge. The point of this challenge is to reduce the amount of plastic exposure we and our families have by eliminating as much of it as possible from our lives.
Are you ready to reduce the amount of plastic in your home and your life? Please read this post if you aren’t sure why you should be concerned with the dangers of plastics. It’s worth the effort to reduce your family’s exposure to plastics. I want to share some simple swaps you can make to reduce the amount of plastic in your life.
Maybe you’ve already made a lot of these swaps. I challenge you to look at all the nooks and crannies of your life and see where plastics remain and if they can be eliminated. That’s where I am with this challenge. I’ve made a lot of changes over the years, but there’s always room for improvement.
Or maybe, on the other hand, you are at the beginning of this journey and are overwhelmed. Baby steps are better than no steps, so don’t let the overwhelm paralyze you. Do what you can and take it slow if you have to. But know that the changes you make CAN make a huge difference in the health of your family in both the short term and the long term.
Here are some simple swaps you can make that can help your home become a more natural, healthier place. 
Instead of plastic wrap to cover your food, use Bee’s Wrap. This stuff is really cool! It’s made of beeswax, GOTS certified cotton, organic jojoba oil and tree resin and is totally washable and reusable. You use the heat of your hand to adhere it to the container you want covered.
Throw out the plastic utensils and go with wooden ones. Not only are you eliminating plastic that can leach into your food, the wooden ones are a more sustainable choice. I have a few lingering plastic utensils that will be replaced this month. Stainless steel is another option for your utensils.
Glass is a much better choice for storing your food than plastic. I have used Pyrex glass containers for years and they are 100% worth the investment. Not only are these great for storing food, they are freezer and oven safe. Love, love, love my Pyrex. I’m not even sure why I have a few plastic containers around the house. They will find a new home this month.
Storing your food in glass at home is easy, but when it comes to packing lunches, I turn to stainless steel. Glass is heavy and breakable to be sending in a lunch box, but stainless steel works great. There are lots of options out there, but I went with the Planet Box system for Meghan this year and have been happy. This set is another alternative.
While you’re at it, get rid of those plastic water bottles. Who wants the water they put in their body sitting in plastic? We love our Lifefactory Glass bottles, but also have a variety of bottles we use. If you are worried about the glass bottles breaking, I have good news for you. You can order replacement bottles for FREE from the Lifefactory website. We had to do this with one of Meghan’s bottles. Just save the cap and silicone sleeve and they will send you the glass bottle.
I got rid of plastic shower curtains long ago, but still had those plastic liners. Can’t you just smell the fumes from those? A friend kindly told me that there are non PVC liners available so I made the switch to fabric, mold-resistant, and PVC-free liners. Such an easy plastic swap!
I will be sharing more plastic swaps with you throughout this month. Let me know what products you are having the most trouble replacing!
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Great post! We have been incorporating many of these in our home over the past several years. I’ve got wooden utensils on my wish list. We use wooden spoons regularly but I could use a flat edge at times too. I shared your post on my blog today: http://www.healthhappensathome.com/blog/2016/8/29/healthy-living-motivation
Thanks so much, Erin Marie!
The hardest thing I have taken to replace is the Tupperware I haven’t boughten any in a very long time. But I can’t find sizes in glass that seem to be the right size. Never thought about replacing plactic wrap. so now that every thing seems to be going bpv free plastic still isn’t good to use?
Thank you so much. So funny b/c I have started switching over to all glass, stainless, etc right now so this post is very timely for me!!
Some things I have wondered about and I hope these aren’t silly to ask about are:
1. Aluminum foil (although I’m definitely gonna order that bee paper ) and would be happy to support you in the process !
2. Pots and pans – as in coated vs. uncoated. I started switching to all stainless and wonder if there is a certain number stainless I should avoid or buy.
Thank you !
Not silly questions at all! I’ve recently started reading and researching about aluminum foil and I’ve stopped using it for cooking as much as possible. I still use it for covering baking dishes but try to not have it touch the food. From what I’ve learned the aluminum does leach into the food. 🙁 I don’t think it’s as bad for covering food to store, but not as “green” of a choice. 🙂
I wasn’t sure about the stainless steel question, so I looked it up and found this: http://mightynest.com/blog/stainless-steel-all-about-food-grade-304-188-and-1810 I didn’t even realize there were different grades of stainless steel! I use stainless steel and cast iron pans in my kitchen.
I hope this helps!
Very helpful thank you !!!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Can you tell us a little more about how the beeswax works? Sounds intriguing, but I can’t imagine washing and drying and storing all the pieces of it? Do you cut it down to size like you do Saran Wrap? Thanks!
No, you don’t cut it down to size but there are different sized pieces. Right now I only have a few pieces but would like to get more. I didn’t want to buy the big set before I knew if I’d like it. The washing and drying is actually quite simple. Most of the time I just have to give it a quick wipe, then dry it with a towel, fold it up and put it in the drawer.
Thank you!
I love this challenge! I’ve done all of these swaps except for plastic wrap and the shower liner. I’m also having trouble giving up ziploc bags. Using anything else in the freezer just takes up a lot of room. And now I’ve become quite stressed about food I buy that is wrapped in plastic. Seems like we can’t get away from it completely.
Yes, ziploc bags too! I get bothered by food wrapped in plastic too. It really is everywhere.
Also, toy bins. Plastic interlocking tubs for Legos, Magformers, etc. are so convenient. What does everyone use for toy storage?
The things on your list are on my list, too! I’ll share as I come up with solutions. 🙂
I do use some Pyrex and mason jars in the freezer, but I do occasionally use ziplocs also. They are on my list to find a good alternative! I’ll keep you posted.
Sippy cups! Especially for younger babies/toddlers. Great list – we love out Pyrex glass storage too!
Thanks for the idea–I’ll add it to my list! 🙂
Agreed. Those are hard to replace. We do use some stainless steel ones but still have some plastic ones.