Def check out winco if you have one near you. Super good prices and also the bulk food section is amaazzzinnnngggggggg!!!!! So many spices and baking supplies as well as staples like beans and rice!!
growing up with a latina mama haha, we reused the plastic containers such as the butter or ice cream ones by using theme as plant pots , or we would use it as a tupper :3 .
this video was so realistic!! i super appreciated how you say that reducing one's waste is a process and you don't have to pressure yourself to cut it out all at once!!! super inspiring and helpful!
Lol as a cashier I can understand the frustration of having to take the produce out and scan indivually BUT I'm more disturbed and frustrated by the amount of plastic bags I go through in a shift. Majority of people don't use reusable bags and even those who do still put their produce in the produce plastic bags and then put there already packaged meat into one of those plastic bags and then asks me to put them into a separate plastic bag, like you already have it in one! It makes me so sad how little people try to make an effort to be sustainable. Really love this video and what you're doing. I'm 100% getting those reasuable produce bags for my mom as a gift for Christmas!
People grab the produce bags and use them as gloves instead of touching the pin pad THEN they wrap each item individually in the produce bags and purchase an actual plastic bag to put all their bagged stuff in??? I just don’t understand when I’m ringing them up lmao
I work at a Target and I see so many people who use the plastic produce bags for everything, like random toys or objects, just so they don’t have to pay for a plastic bag, it makes me cringe so hard.
I worked at a grocery store once and right now I work at a bookstore and I feel you! It gets to the point where I begin saying "we do have paper bags/these cute reusable tote bags" and most people give me a blank look. At the bookstore too we often run out of the smallest size of plastic bag and people will come to pick up one small pocket sized book and ask for a bag even when the bag is the biggest size available. It's especially depressing when it's a teenager- when I see it's a young person, I feel more comfortable saying "do you really need a bag? Trying to save the environment" and most of them respond with a smile but a lot of teenagers just blindly copy their parents. Ugh. It's definitely an uphill battle.
MEG! Make your own veggie broth. I use a reusable freezer bag for veggie scraps ( peels, skins anything you can think of) collected through out a few weeks then boil it with water, preferably all day for best flavor and then strain all the liquid! . But it’s honestly so easy and dirt cheap!!
hey, hey! One more point about China not accepting trash.... China & the U.S. along with other countries are now looking to other countries to dump their trash on which results in poorer countries being left with the results of our consumerism! Also, there are whole communities in China built around waste dumps.... random but environmental injustice gets me fired up and I recommend everyone do more research to see where their trash goes!! xxx
for the non-recyclable items too, you can always re-use them in your own way! you can clean out plastic containers (like the butter) or plastic jars and store other food or items in them similar to Tupperware, and you can repurpose plastic bags too. We sometimes hang a plastic bag in the kitchen and fill it with recyclables and then dump it into the recycling bin when its full and start again! or I save plastic bags to pack shoes when I travel to keep other things clean, etc. just simple things to use the plastic more than once before it needs to be thrown out. love this video concept meg!!
I sooo appreciate you bringing up the point that there are times when it’s harder than others and even though it’s not ideal it’s okay to make a few mistakes. I’m new to the living sustainable life style and I always feel so bad when I buy something that is in plastic but you are right it’s all a trial and error.
just a tip - lots of times there are things you dont even need to put into bags! potatoes, carrots, celery, apples, etc. you can just put them straight into the cart! (i find it easier to make my reusable bags stretch by not using them (as much as possible) for produce and saving them for the bulk section. that way you dont have to worry about the tare weight for jars :-)
loved this! i’d be really interested to see a video like “what’s in my trash?” that would explain what you actually throw away, what garbage bags you use, how you recycle, how you compost, etc!
i use the better than bullion veggie stock thats reduced into 37 servings + then you dilute it w hot water and it tastes AMAZING. it comes in a lil glass jar so very reusable or recyclable. you should look into it! i was so annoyed w buying large stock like that that would go bad/not be recycled.
This is needed content in the eco-friendly community! I respect Meghan for grocery shopping with intention: she went in prepared with a list, with her reusable bags, and with the purpose to come out of the trip with as little waste *possible*, but wasn't free of acquiring plastics when her resources were limited. A zero-waste lifestyle would be beautiful, but it is not always achievable. Meghan, thank you for posting this content! It shows us that we don't need to be all-or-nothing and that even if we aren't perfect, it is still important to do what we can in repairing our world. Excuse me while I look into purchasing some of those beautiful, hand-made bags!
*absolutely LOVE this video idea* 🙌🏼 also like to mention how much of inspiration you are to me Meghan, as a starting out TH-camr watching your videos make me SO motivated and want to work that much harder on my own! xx
If you have any butter containers left over you should just make your own vegan butter and use that container to store it in! I never realized how easy it was to make your own until I did, but it's literally just coconut oil, olive oil, plant-based milk, cornstarch or flour and salt!
Born and raised Oregonian over here...That Earth Balance container could easily be used to store food (left overs) in. If I receive any plastic bags from the grocery stores, I use them over and over and over again to carry lunches. Beings that you live out in the country, you could EASILY find a farmer who makes cheese. Aren't you close to Mulino? You could also make your own butter! Make your own flour tortillas. Try buying from the farmers markets who sell some of your plastic bagged produce out of bags (PSU is an awesome one!). You can make your OWN tortillas and bread! And they will taste even better. I've done so! I am not posting this to scold you (hope it doesn't come across like that) but rather to give you ideas on how to resolve some of your concerns. Best of luck and thanks for coming to Oregon with a love for our environment! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to bake some cookies.
MEGHAN!!! I love this video!! I've been watching you videos/following your social media all the way back to your high school days in Georgia. To see you turn into this sustainability queen makes me fricken ecstatic! I've been on this low-waste journey for a little over a year now & I still run into plastic packaging as much as I try to avoid it. Loving your effort to make this world a better place 💕 all the love
I love that you've made a video about this! About 10 years ago in Canada we put a fee on plastic grocery bags to encourage people to bring reusable ones. If I may suggest a few extra steps to take... have you thought about going to a bulk shop for things like dried beans, spices, sugar and cereal? You could bring the glass jars you've bought to reuse them for your brown sugar. I try to buy glass bottles whenever possible to reuse them later! We need to some of those muslin bags for our produce! Great job!
We love a sustainable queen! I went to an environmental studies summer youth institute last summer and I’ve kept in touch with my profs. But I always talk to them about how frustrating it is to try and live sustainably when you can access everything the need/ mostly want (I’ll admit I’m a sucker for convenience). Especially where I live, in the suburbs of NC/SC, it’s so difficult to find sustainable retailers, products, restaurants etc. they remind me that I cannot work alone in trying to be sustainable, and I’m limited. It just matters that I am trying my best, and Meghan I think you’re a beautiful example of that. I loved this video (:
meghan!! you can make your own vanilla extract with vanilla beans and vodka!! barefoot contessa has an awesome recipe and you just store it in a mason jar for years!!!
You can take the grapes out of the plastic bag it comes in and put it in your own! When I was a cashier customers would put them either in their own bag or in a separate plastic produce bag (especially if you don't want to buy the amount that is in the bag already). Grapes are a very common purchase so the cashier will either know the code or can easily look it up. Just a tip for future grocery trips, instead of putting multiple produce items that are different prices in the same bag, put them directly in the cart without bagging and then have the cashier bag the multiple items into your produce bags at the cash after they've priced it. It'll save them from having to separate everything, especially if the items are sold by different weights and not by quantity!
you're doing a great job and being aware of your plastic consumption is a HUGE deal that most people don't even think about. Your shift in consciousness is awesome and it is hard when food you are buying doesn't have great alternative options like cheese wrappings and such, but if there's a will there's a way. I'm an environmental science student at Oregon State so I've become A LOT more conscious of my consumption, but as we all are works in progress, everyone has room for improvement so don't be too hard on yourself! :) loved this video
Just was listening to one of your podcasts and you were talking about you and Finley being interested in communal living and I think that is so cool! I’ve been wanting to live that lifestyle for a long time and I just think it’s great you are living the way you do, doing what you can to help the environment and living your best life! Communal living is something I really want to do in the future!
Meghan I appreciate your hard work in trying trust me it is so so hard!! I do the same thing with glass jars and ensuring I buy as much recyclable as poss. Try reusing as much of the packaging as possible for example the buns and tortilla bags reuse as sandwich bags or to keep bread in if u try making it! The ice cream tubs would work as plant pots for propagating seeds in the spring or if all else fails use some stuff in arts and crafts to make collages!
you can totally take the grapes out of the bag they come in and put them into your own! i usually just take one bunch from a couple different bags so i don't just leave an empty plastic bag in the cooler... fyi :))
thank you so much for your honesty! cans can be stripped of their surrounding for holders of makeup brushes of other stuff. tortilla press? bakery might be able to have buns or rolls? make your own almond milk? earth balance makes sticks of butter that come in a carboard box. i'm still learning !! thank you!!
at my local grocery store, i am able to take however many grapes i need and put them into my own reusable bag because they are almost always (from my own experience) measured by the pound! :)
laura kaplan I work as a grocery cashier and yes you can take what you’d like and bring your own bag to weigh them at checkout :) there isn’t a flat price
If everyone made even this simple and easy to achieve change you made here by bringing in your own bags, imagine how much reduction in plastic waste there would be in just a single day. I would like to encourage anyone reading this to choose one, small thing they can do differently starting tomorrow. Even a tiny change repeated over time makes a huge difference. Please don't feel like just because you may not be able to implement every change others do immediately that it isn't worth doing anything. Small changes can make radical differences.
Making flour tortillas is pretty easy Meg! My whole family makes them (we’re Mexican lol), they’re just tortilla flour & hot water! You make them into a ball of dough & let it rest for like 20ish minutes then make them into little individual balls & also let those rest for like 20 minutes then you roll them out & put them on a pan :) hope this helps 🤗
My fiancé and I shop at ALDI! You basically have to use your own reusable bags. Ever since we started shopping there I can’t even imagine going back to using plastic bags for all of our groceries. Also, when we do get plastic bags from dollar store trips or something I just stuff them under our kitchen sink and reuse them later on! Loveeeedddd this video btw 💕
Love this video. I’ve realllly been trying to cut the plastic as well, and trying to do what I can to purchase items that have minimal packaging or not purchase items that can’t be recycled. It.is.HARD. I wish more companies would consider what they are using to package their products. At the very least, I wish it was necessary for packaging to be recyclable. Looking forward to reading through the comments and hearing what others are doing.
Meghan lemme tell u somethin good luck finding a single tortilla at a bakery much less a good one. Google search a Tortilleria near you for your tortillas! They are latinx owned businesses that make bomb ass, authentic tortillas daily! Not sure if there are any in your area but if not I know there are some in Salem and Portland for sure. This way you get the bombest tortillas you've ever had, you're supporting small latino businesses, AND you can take your own bag for them hence further reducing your plastic waste!
You can always make your own vanilla :) use vodka and vanilla beans, steep them in the vodka(I dont know how long but there are recipes everywhere) you can use a small glass bottle of vodka and buy the vanilla beans in bulk as well :)
Hey you can take the grapes out of the plastic and put it in your own bag. I work at a grocery store. Also please unpack your bags of produce if you have a bunch of different stuff in there, it's just considerate and makes the process go by quicker :)
shop at bulk stores where you can bring your own containers. save your containers from previous items like old pasta glass jars or even old plastic condiment containers and bring it to your local bulk store to get stuff like brown sugar and even honey. they weigh what you got so you can just get what you need instead of letting stuff go to waste that goes unused.
Better than bouillon is the best for making broth and it’s in a little glass jar! You don’t have to buy cartons of broth go to waste and one teaspoon makes one cup of broth! They come in all kinds of flavors, chicken, beef, lobster, garlic and more! If your store doesn’t carry them in the soup section you can find them on amazon! Love your videos! - fellow Georgian
Hey Meg! I lived in Oregon for 7 years. I would highly highly recommend shopping at Winco. They are employee owned, their bulk section is EXTENSIVE, and it’s way way cheaper than even Fred Meyer but esp Safeway which is the most expensive grocery store in my opinion. It’s honestly the thing I miss the most about living in Oregon. You might not have one close, but next time you have a big shopping trip to do I strongly suggest you check out Winco. Okay that’s all :)
omg everything has a plastic package omg girl thank you for bringing it to the people's attention we gotta love our earth going to try to help as much as possible, it is definitely just a shift in awareness!
I work at walmart & i’ve had a few (favourite) customers using their reusable produce bags & they’ve just left all the other plastic behind so i believe that for your grapes, you can definitely take them out of the plastic bag & put them into your reusable bags!! you would have to dedicate an entire bag to your grapes but it may be worth it.. ALSO i know that at costco, the grapes come in a plastic container that IS recyclable so that may also be a good alternative 😊😊
It's great that you're spreading the message of sustainability while at the same time demonstrating that you can't be perfect. I loved this video and would love to see more like this from you in the future. :)
I always make roasted potatoes with olive oil, garlic and a bunch of herbs and honestly it does me well for a "fries" alternative! Whatever is left over I use for home fries in the morning with eggs! I love me some tater tots, but if you're looking to get them out of your diet for less plastic, do the roasted taters
A cheaper option for the vanilla is to buy the pop top glass bottles or recycle one you drink Italian or French pop from, and use vanilla beans with vodka to make your own extract. In the long run so much cheaper. :) and you just add vodka to the beans whenever it runs out. I’m sure there are plenty of recipes on TH-cam you could follow to show precise measurements. :)
Meg, you can go to winco foods (I feel like there has to be one near you, it's a PNW store) and get packaged items from the bulk bins so you dont need to use plastic or worry about recycling! Have the weight of the jars written on the lids and have the cashier minus the weight of the jars.
meg!! you can totally put the grapes right into your bag, and then have the cashier weigh them just in your bag. that way you won’t have to take the plastic bag. i’m a cashier myself and lots of people have done to be waste-free. although it’s a hassle LOL i try to shop the same way
We can all just try our best to do what we can do, am I right? My husband and I love the discount section and fondly call it "the thrift store section." When I do get something packed in a container or plastic I at least try and get a few more uses out of it such as leftover containers, lunch wrappers etc and then I feel a little bit better about it not being single use.
Meghan do you have a food co op near you? Usually they're more somewhat more expensive than a regular grocery store, but in my area at least, have great bulk sections that often end up being cheaper than the packaged alternatives! You can get practically everything you need package free, like beans, rice, pasta, flours, sugars, oils, spices, teas, etc. I always bring my own bags and jars and fill them up without having to add more packaging waste to the world. Also, in my opinion, most produce doesn't even have to go in a bag of any kind, even the cloth ones, as long as it gets washed before you cook it
The earth balance butter, we use at home and we recycle the container. Maybe check if you can do that too! And instead of the wrapped cheeses check with the deli maybe they can cut you cheese wedges and wrapped in paper??? Just a thought! Enjoy your holiday!
I know plastic really really sucks but if you HAVE to get something plastic like the butter in a plastic container you could always take off the label and reuse the container! We keep all of our containers and reuse them for storing left overs 😊
Aww those subscribers are so lucky! And you did very good! You’re atleast conscious about the environment! Everyone in my town couldn’t care less about the absurd plastic waste and it breaks my heart. Everyday you’ll get better at shopping and your impact counts towards the right direction of waste in this country and no more plastic in our frickin soil!
every time i grocery shop i bring my own bags & every single cashier has appreciated it so much. if i forget my bags i ask for them to use as little bags as possible & it also makes their job easier!!
If you have a Kroger near you, they recycle plastic bags. They have bins at the front of the store for any type of plastic grocery/shopping/trash bags etc
this is such a unique video concept and definitely something I needed to learn about! I've been trying to find little ways to be more environmental friendly and I think its great how you're introducing people to simple ways to reduce their waste.
You could always get creative and use the plastic containers for plants and the lids as a drip tray :) :) Love your grocery haul, but there is still so much that comes in plastic that you can't get without, funnily enough in my whole grocery stores near me, only one brand of pasta comes in full cardboard without the film.
Hey Meghan! I just wanted to let you know marshmallows aren't vegetarian. They're made with gelatin, which is from animal bone and skin. Love you guys and I hope you enjoy your Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving!!!!
I have a very easy and fast recipe for flour tortillas if you’re interested. 🧡 they are so flippin good and so much better than any you can buy from the store! (i used to get those exact ones you bought) -1 3/4 cups flour -1 tsp salt -1/4 tsp baking powder -3 tbsp oil (i use avocado oil) -1/2 cup warm water mix it all together, roll out the dough and then just heat in a pan until you can see a bubble forming, pop it then flip over and heat for 30 more seconds. hope this helps. ✌🏻
YOU CAN USE EMPTY ALUMINUM CANS AND MAKE CANDLES!!! After you empty a can you can sand down the rims and legit glue a wick in there and make candles (good for gifts!)
You seemed so sad around the 11:54 point but I just wanted to throw out to anyone that’s trying a more eco conscious lifestyle that even the SMALLEST contribution like recycling or consuming less helps out!!! We’re humans, we just naturally consume in this day and age so plastic is inevitable although many people do and have completely cut it out of their lives in general! Just don’t beat yourself up about bringing some into your home every once in a while or in moderation :) it happens! Loved this video ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Get you some flour and things make your own bread, buns, tortillas of go to a bakery. Get some bananas freeze them blend them to make nice cream. Plant some grapes (with in season). You can make bags out of old t-shirts
Dude, tortillas are stupid easy to make! I never knew they were so easy until I moved to a place where I couldn't buy them and now I make them all the time. You could also try making buns and stuff on your own but also thats not practical for every day. Maybe a local bakery and you can bring your own containers?
Hi meghan, I am a packaging major so what my studies focus on is packaging materials and finding more sustainable options. And while yes the films used for a lot of the packaging you labeled “bad” are not recyclable. You have to realize that another way to be sustainable is to consider the fact that heavier materials such as cardboard and glass use more fossil fuels in the transportation and shipment of the items because you can fit less in a shipping container. It is great that you are trying to consume less plastic packaging but the light weight films are not the worst thing because they use less energy in transportation.
We just started making our own French fries at home!! It’s super easy if you hVe a wok or any large pot, you can flavor them or make them any shape you want :)
you can take the grapes out of the bag and get the amount you want (if u leave some in the bag of course) i work at a grocery store and people do it all the time if they just want a few. it’s weighed at checkout
Thank you for making an effort! It's so frustrating to watch youtubers constantly vlog their coffee and it's in a single use cup every.single.time!! It's hard to be perfect but we can all make an effort!
Loved this style of video Meg. Also just the entire topic of sustainability is so very important and I'm so glad to see you spreading it and really being conscious of what you're buying. Please make more of these, love you so much!!
“you taking my last name” “heh tonight” why does that have me crACKING UP hey hey also meg, i’m mexican and my grandma and great grandma always make their own tortillas and i would totally be down to ask for their recipe and send it to you on twitter if you’re interested 😊💖
Ugh I just love watching you grow into a sustainable gal 💪🏻 Because it inspires/motivates me so much to switch my daily routine up and make myself work towards becoming a eco friendly, savvy shopper. Can we make this into a series on your channel?😍
I don't know if it's available in your area yet but you should look into the company imperfect produce, they do awesome things with food waste and in a way sustainablity!
Hey meg, about the vegetable broth: in the Netherlands I have never seen liquid broth in packs! Here we just have solid broth cubes you put in boiling water. They are packaged in a cardboard wrapped and are indivudually wrapped in tinfoil (but i dont know if thats recycable) but they are super cheap and one packet of cubes is enough for like 16 liters of broth, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. Maybe thats an option if you want to lower your waste production?
You can always take the grapes out the of the bag and put them in your one bag... it’s by weight anyway.. and you don’t have to get all the grapes you can take half so someone can buy the other half
Making your own tortillas is better. They taste better too. And I always save all the plastic containers and re use them instead of throwing them away.
As a Latina I recommend a panaderia or a Mexican bakery for the tortillas. You’ll have to do your research to find one in your area, but some Mexican bakeries sell tortillas as well as pastries.
i love keeping plastic bags that i accidentally get, buy wrapping shoes in them when i travel!! and my mom keeps old jars to put soup in when she makes some! love the vid meg
key word TRYING! lol... this turned out harder than I thought it would be :-/
Def check out winco if you have one near you. Super good prices and also the bulk food section is amaazzzinnnngggggggg!!!!! So many spices and baking supplies as well as staples like beans and rice!!
For the butter container you can use them as Tupperware for leftover foods and keep them for as long as u can (a lot of my family does this lol)
Make your own vanilla extract ( vodka and vanilla beans) Laura in the kitchen on TH-cam has a recipe on how to do so
with things like the vegan butter container, after using it, i save it & use it as tupperware! nice work maurice and sir fin!
Omg i know i'm not the only one now :)
freakin WOOOOORD u know I will baby!!
I like how you did this as a starting step, just to show people that they can make small changes overtime until they seriously reduce plastic use.
it is soooo important to remind yourself that you cannot go plastic and waste free all at once! it is a process and this is a great start!!!
too true
growing up with a latina mama haha, we reused the plastic containers such as the butter or ice cream ones by using theme as plant pots , or we would use it as a tupper :3 .
Dioraysa omg me too. In the sour cream container would be charro beans haha
this video was so realistic!! i super appreciated how you say that reducing one's waste is a process and you don't have to pressure yourself to cut it out all at once!!! super inspiring and helpful!
Everything from the eco consciousness to the way you two talk to/about each other makes my heart explode I forgot how much I loved your channel 😩💗💗
Lol as a cashier I can understand the frustration of having to take the produce out and scan indivually BUT I'm more disturbed and frustrated by the amount of plastic bags I go through in a shift. Majority of people don't use reusable bags and even those who do still put their produce in the produce plastic bags and then put there already packaged meat into one of those plastic bags and then asks me to put them into a separate plastic bag, like you already have it in one! It makes me so sad how little people try to make an effort to be sustainable. Really love this video and what you're doing. I'm 100% getting those reasuable produce bags for my mom as a gift for Christmas!
I would go.... INSANE! u are truly a gem
People grab the produce bags and use them as gloves instead of touching the pin pad THEN they wrap each item individually in the produce bags and purchase an actual plastic bag to put all their bagged stuff in??? I just don’t understand when I’m ringing them up lmao
I work at a Target and I see so many people who use the plastic produce bags for everything, like random toys or objects, just so they don’t have to pay for a plastic bag, it makes me cringe so hard.
Frida Garcia 😩😩 I knnnoowwww that’s where I work and people use those things for everything lmaooo even their shampoo and shit
I worked at a grocery store once and right now I work at a bookstore and I feel you! It gets to the point where I begin saying "we do have paper bags/these cute reusable tote bags" and most people give me a blank look. At the bookstore too we often run out of the smallest size of plastic bag and people will come to pick up one small pocket sized book and ask for a bag even when the bag is the biggest size available. It's especially depressing when it's a teenager- when I see it's a young person, I feel more comfortable saying "do you really need a bag? Trying to save the environment" and most of them respond with a smile but a lot of teenagers just blindly copy their parents. Ugh. It's definitely an uphill battle.
MEG! Make your own veggie broth. I use a reusable freezer bag for veggie scraps ( peels, skins anything you can think of) collected through out a few weeks then boil it with water, preferably all day for best flavor and then strain all the liquid! . But it’s honestly so easy and dirt cheap!!
I just did the other night! life changing truly
*you make me want to be a plant mom too* 🌱🌿🍃
hey, hey! One more point about China not accepting trash.... China & the U.S. along with other countries are now looking to other countries to dump their trash on which results in poorer countries being left with the results of our consumerism! Also, there are whole communities in China built around waste dumps.... random but environmental injustice gets me fired up and I recommend everyone do more research to see where their trash goes!! xxx
for the non-recyclable items too, you can always re-use them in your own way! you can clean out plastic containers (like the butter) or plastic jars and store other food or items in them similar to Tupperware, and you can repurpose plastic bags too. We sometimes hang a plastic bag in the kitchen and fill it with recyclables and then dump it into the recycling bin when its full and start again! or I save plastic bags to pack shoes when I travel to keep other things clean, etc. just simple things to use the plastic more than once before it needs to be thrown out. love this video concept meg!!
suuuuch good ideas thank u
I sooo appreciate you bringing up the point that there are times when it’s harder than others and even though it’s not ideal it’s okay to make a few mistakes. I’m new to the living sustainable life style and I always feel so bad when I buy something that is in plastic but you are right it’s all a trial and error.
just a tip - lots of times there are things you dont even need to put into bags! potatoes, carrots, celery, apples, etc. you can just put them straight into the cart! (i find it easier to make my reusable bags stretch by not using them (as much as possible) for produce and saving them for the bulk section. that way you dont have to worry about the tare weight for jars :-)
You cut out so much plastic! This is still a victory!
loved this! i’d be really interested to see a video like “what’s in my trash?” that would explain what you actually throw away, what garbage bags you use, how you recycle, how you compost, etc!
omg that would be so STINKY! but fun! lol
i use the better than bullion veggie stock thats reduced into 37 servings + then you dilute it w hot water and it tastes AMAZING. it comes in a lil glass jar so very reusable or recyclable. you should look into it! i was so annoyed w buying large stock like that that would go bad/not be recycled.
Make your own vanilla extract at home in a mason jar. It’s easy, makes a ton and you won’t have to buy it in the plastic bottle at the store again!
This is needed content in the eco-friendly community! I respect Meghan for grocery shopping with intention: she went in prepared with a list, with her reusable bags, and with the purpose to come out of the trip with as little waste *possible*, but wasn't free of acquiring plastics when her resources were limited. A zero-waste lifestyle would be beautiful, but it is not always achievable. Meghan, thank you for posting this content! It shows us that we don't need to be all-or-nothing and that even if we aren't perfect, it is still important to do what we can in repairing our world. Excuse me while I look into purchasing some of those beautiful, hand-made bags!
Meghan! Get your cheese in a big piece at the deli counter and ask them to put it in your container. Worth a shot
Christmas list: reusable EVERYTHING!
YES QUEEN
I’d love to see a video of you cooking everything for thanksgiving/Friendsgiving
*absolutely LOVE this video idea* 🙌🏼 also like to mention how much of inspiration you are to me Meghan, as a starting out TH-camr watching your videos make me SO motivated and want to work that much harder on my own! xx
If you have any butter containers left over you should just make your own vegan butter and use that container to store it in! I never realized how easy it was to make your own until I did, but it's literally just coconut oil, olive oil, plant-based milk, cornstarch or flour and salt!
Born and raised Oregonian over here...That Earth Balance container could easily be used to store food (left overs) in. If I receive any plastic bags from the grocery stores, I use them over and over and over again to carry lunches. Beings that you live out in the country, you could EASILY find a farmer who makes cheese. Aren't you close to Mulino? You could also make your own butter! Make your own flour tortillas. Try buying from the farmers markets who sell some of your plastic bagged produce out of bags (PSU is an awesome one!). You can make your OWN tortillas and bread! And they will taste even better. I've done so! I am not posting this to scold you (hope it doesn't come across like that) but rather to give you ideas on how to resolve some of your concerns. Best of luck and thanks for coming to Oregon with a love for our environment! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to bake some cookies.
You are a little ray of sunshine Meghan. I had a crappy day of feeling so depressed and was smiling after 5 minutes watching you. Thank you! x
MEGHAN!!! I love this video!! I've been watching you videos/following your social media all the way back to your high school days in Georgia. To see you turn into this sustainability queen makes me fricken ecstatic! I've been on this low-waste journey for a little over a year now & I still run into plastic packaging as much as I try to avoid it. Loving your effort to make this world a better place 💕 all the love
I love that you've made a video about this! About 10 years ago in Canada we put a fee on plastic grocery bags to encourage people to bring reusable ones. If I may suggest a few extra steps to take... have you thought about going to a bulk shop for things like dried beans, spices, sugar and cereal? You could bring the glass jars you've bought to reuse them for your brown sugar. I try to buy glass bottles whenever possible to reuse them later! We need to some of those muslin bags for our produce! Great job!
We love a sustainable queen! I went to an environmental studies summer youth institute last summer and I’ve kept in touch with my profs. But I always talk to them about how frustrating it is to try and live sustainably when you can access everything the need/ mostly want (I’ll admit I’m a sucker for convenience). Especially where I live, in the suburbs of NC/SC, it’s so difficult to find sustainable retailers, products, restaurants etc. they remind me that I cannot work alone in trying to be sustainable, and I’m limited. It just matters that I am trying my best, and Meghan I think you’re a beautiful example of that. I loved this video (:
meghan!! you can make your own vanilla extract with vanilla beans and vodka!! barefoot contessa has an awesome recipe and you just store it in a mason jar for years!!!
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/vanilla-extract-recipe-1941109
omg THANK U
Okay but why are vanilla beans so expensive? I see them usually like $11-16 for 2 beans :(
Hey Meghan, you can use the small plastic boxes to plant herbs. We do that. It's super easy and it's recyclable and you don't have to throw it away.
You can take the grapes out of the plastic bag it comes in and put it in your own! When I was a cashier customers would put them either in their own bag or in a separate plastic produce bag (especially if you don't want to buy the amount that is in the bag already). Grapes are a very common purchase so the cashier will either know the code or can easily look it up. Just a tip for future grocery trips, instead of putting multiple produce items that are different prices in the same bag, put them directly in the cart without bagging and then have the cashier bag the multiple items into your produce bags at the cash after they've priced it. It'll save them from having to separate everything, especially if the items are sold by different weights and not by quantity!
you're doing a great job and being aware of your plastic consumption is a HUGE deal that most people don't even think about. Your shift in consciousness is awesome and it is hard when food you are buying doesn't have great alternative options like cheese wrappings and such, but if there's a will there's a way. I'm an environmental science student at Oregon State so I've become A LOT more conscious of my consumption, but as we all are works in progress, everyone has room for improvement so don't be too hard on yourself! :) loved this video
Just was listening to one of your podcasts and you were talking about you and Finley being interested in communal living and I think that is so cool! I’ve been wanting to live that lifestyle for a long time and I just think it’s great you are living the way you do, doing what you can to help the environment and living your best life! Communal living is something I really want to do in the future!
Meghan I appreciate your hard work in trying trust me it is so so hard!! I do the same thing with glass jars and ensuring I buy as much recyclable as poss. Try reusing as much of the packaging as possible for example the buns and tortilla bags reuse as sandwich bags or to keep bread in if u try making it! The ice cream tubs would work as plant pots for propagating seeds in the spring or if all else fails use some stuff in arts and crafts to make collages!
you can totally take the grapes out of the bag they come in and put them into your own! i usually just take one bunch from a couple different bags so i don't just leave an empty plastic bag in the cooler... fyi :))
I keep every earth balance butter container. I use them for taking lunch to work, storing left overs, storing fruit and veggies. Anything, really.
thank you so much for your honesty! cans can be stripped of their surrounding for holders of makeup brushes of other stuff. tortilla press? bakery might be able to have buns or rolls? make your own almond milk? earth balance makes sticks of butter that come in a carboard box. i'm still learning !! thank you!!
at my local grocery store, i am able to take however many grapes i need and put them into my own reusable bag because they are almost always (from my own experience) measured by the pound! :)
laura kaplan I work as a grocery cashier and yes you can take what you’d like and bring your own bag to weigh them at checkout :) there isn’t a flat price
If everyone made even this simple and easy to achieve change you made here by bringing in your own bags, imagine how much reduction in plastic waste there would be in just a single day. I would like to encourage anyone reading this to choose one, small thing they can do differently starting tomorrow. Even a tiny change repeated over time makes a huge difference. Please don't feel like just because you may not be able to implement every change others do immediately that it isn't worth doing anything. Small changes can make radical differences.
Making flour tortillas is pretty easy Meg! My whole family makes them (we’re Mexican lol), they’re just tortilla flour & hot water! You make them into a ball of dough & let it rest for like 20ish minutes then make them into little individual balls & also let those rest for like 20 minutes then you roll them out & put them on a pan :) hope this helps 🤗
My fiancé and I shop at ALDI! You basically have to use your own reusable bags. Ever since we started shopping there I can’t even imagine going back to using plastic bags for all of our groceries. Also, when we do get plastic bags from dollar store trips or something I just stuff them under our kitchen sink and reuse them later on! Loveeeedddd this video btw 💕
Love this video. I’ve realllly been trying to cut the plastic as well, and trying to do what I can to purchase items that have minimal packaging or not purchase items that can’t be recycled.
It.is.HARD.
I wish more companies would consider what they are using to package their products. At the very least, I wish it was necessary for packaging to be recyclable.
Looking forward to reading through the comments and hearing what others are doing.
Meghan lemme tell u somethin good luck finding a single tortilla at a bakery much less a good one. Google search a Tortilleria near you for your tortillas! They are latinx owned businesses that make bomb ass, authentic tortillas daily! Not sure if there are any in your area but if not I know there are some in Salem and Portland for sure. This way you get the bombest tortillas you've ever had, you're supporting small latino businesses, AND you can take your own bag for them hence further reducing your plastic waste!
You can always make your own vanilla :) use vodka and vanilla beans, steep them in the vodka(I dont know how long but there are recipes everywhere) you can use a small glass bottle of vodka and buy the vanilla beans in bulk as well :)
Hey you can take the grapes out of the plastic and put it in your own bag. I work at a grocery store. Also please unpack your bags of produce if you have a bunch of different stuff in there, it's just considerate and makes the process go by quicker :)
Never seen a video like this! Love an original queen 💕
The videos are becoming more and more boring Sorry I had to unsubscribe
shop at bulk stores where you can bring your own containers. save your containers from previous items like old pasta glass jars or even old plastic condiment containers and bring it to your local bulk store to get stuff like brown sugar and even honey. they weigh what you got so you can just get what you need instead of letting stuff go to waste that goes unused.
Meghan make your own vanilla. Getting a good bean can last you a long time. What a great start to getting rid of plastic.
Better than bouillon is the best for making broth and it’s in a little glass jar! You don’t have to buy cartons of broth go to waste and one teaspoon makes one cup of broth! They come in all kinds of flavors, chicken, beef, lobster, garlic and more! If your store doesn’t carry them in the soup section you can find them on amazon! Love your videos!
- fellow Georgian
Hey Meg! I lived in Oregon for 7 years. I would highly highly recommend shopping at Winco. They are employee owned, their bulk section is EXTENSIVE, and it’s way way cheaper than even Fred Meyer but esp Safeway which is the most expensive grocery store in my opinion. It’s honestly the thing I miss the most about living in Oregon. You might not have one close, but next time you have a big shopping trip to do I strongly suggest you check out Winco. Okay that’s all :)
omg everything has a plastic package omg
girl thank you for bringing it to the people's attention we gotta love our earth
going to try to help as much as possible, it is definitely just a shift in awareness!
I work at walmart & i’ve had a few (favourite) customers using their reusable produce bags & they’ve just left all the other plastic behind so i believe that for your grapes, you can definitely take them out of the plastic bag & put them into your reusable bags!! you would have to dedicate an entire bag to your grapes but it may be worth it.. ALSO i know that at costco, the grapes come in a plastic container that IS recyclable so that may also be a good alternative 😊😊
It's great that you're spreading the message of sustainability while at the same time demonstrating that you can't be perfect. I loved this video and would love to see more like this from you in the future. :)
I always make roasted potatoes with olive oil, garlic and a bunch of herbs and honestly it does me well for a "fries" alternative! Whatever is left over I use for home fries in the morning with eggs! I love me some tater tots, but if you're looking to get them out of your diet for less plastic, do the roasted taters
my mom has the best flour tortilla recipe i’ll dm it to you that way you don’t have to buy them and they are super easy to make
YES PLZ
omg can u pls dm me it on ig?? my user is oddhype!
Can you put it in the comments!?
Arianna Montoya omg can I have the recipe too please???
Your the first you tuber who lives in Oregon that I actually like!!! Whoop!!! Hopefully one day I can meet ya’ll
you can make vanilla extract really easily!!! All you do is put vodka in a glass jar and add 5-7 vanilla beans! completely eco friendly! :)
A cheaper option for the vanilla is to buy the pop top glass bottles or recycle one you drink Italian or French pop from, and use vanilla beans with vodka to make your own extract. In the long run so much cheaper. :) and you just add vodka to the beans whenever it runs out. I’m sure there are plenty of recipes on TH-cam you could follow to show precise measurements. :)
Your voice sounds softer and calmer in this video, it’s so relaxing to hear and definitely match with the video content 💛💛💛
Meg, you can go to winco foods (I feel like there has to be one near you, it's a PNW store) and get packaged items from the bulk bins so you dont need to use plastic or worry about recycling! Have the weight of the jars written on the lids and have the cashier minus the weight of the jars.
i forgot they just opened one about 30 min from us!
meg!! you can totally put the grapes right into your bag, and then have the cashier weigh them just in your bag. that way you won’t have to take the plastic bag. i’m a cashier myself and lots of people have done to be waste-free. although it’s a hassle LOL i try to shop the same way
We can all just try our best to do what we can do, am I right? My husband and I love the discount section and fondly call it "the thrift store section." When I do get something packed in a container or plastic I at least try and get a few more uses out of it such as leftover containers, lunch wrappers etc and then I feel a little bit better about it not being single use.
Meghan do you have a food co op near you? Usually they're more somewhat more expensive than a regular grocery store, but in my area at least, have great bulk sections that often end up being cheaper than the packaged alternatives! You can get practically everything you need package free, like beans, rice, pasta, flours, sugars, oils, spices, teas, etc. I always bring my own bags and jars and fill them up without having to add more packaging waste to the world. Also, in my opinion, most produce doesn't even have to go in a bag of any kind, even the cloth ones, as long as it gets washed before you cook it
The earth balance butter, we use at home and we recycle the container. Maybe check if you can do that too! And instead of the wrapped cheeses check with the deli maybe they can cut you cheese wedges and wrapped in paper??? Just a thought! Enjoy your holiday!
I know plastic really really sucks but if you HAVE to get something plastic like the butter in a plastic container you could always take off the label and reuse the container! We keep all of our containers and reuse them for storing left overs 😊
Aww those subscribers are so lucky! And you did very good! You’re atleast conscious about the environment! Everyone in my town couldn’t care less about the absurd plastic waste and it breaks my heart. Everyday you’ll get better at shopping and your impact counts towards the right direction of waste in this country and no more plastic in our frickin soil!
every time i grocery shop i bring my own bags & every single cashier has appreciated it so much. if i forget my bags i ask for them to use as little bags as possible & it also makes their job easier!!
If you have a Kroger near you, they recycle plastic bags. They have bins at the front of the store for any type of plastic grocery/shopping/trash bags etc
If you’re worried about broth you should try bouillon! The kind I get is like a paste that comes in a glass jar with a metal lid.
it would be so fun to hang out with meg and fin, i imagine that it's quite easy for people to feel themselves around you two
this is such a unique video concept and definitely something I needed to learn about! I've been trying to find little ways to be more environmental friendly and I think its great how you're introducing people to simple ways to reduce their waste.
You could always get creative and use the plastic containers for plants and the lids as a drip tray :) :) Love your grocery haul, but there is still so much that comes in plastic that you can't get without, funnily enough in my whole grocery stores near me, only one brand of pasta comes in full cardboard without the film.
Hey Meghan! I just wanted to let you know marshmallows aren't vegetarian. They're made with gelatin, which is from animal bone and skin. Love you guys and I hope you enjoy your Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving!!!!
I have a very easy and fast recipe for flour tortillas if you’re interested. 🧡
they are so flippin good and so much better than any you can buy from the store! (i used to get those exact ones you bought)
-1 3/4 cups flour
-1 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp baking powder
-3 tbsp oil (i use avocado oil)
-1/2 cup warm water
mix it all together, roll out the dough and then just heat in a pan until you can see a bubble forming, pop it then flip over and heat for 30 more seconds.
hope this helps. ✌🏻
WHEN YOU GUYS STARTED SINGING POTATOES AND MOLASSES FROM OVER THE GARDEN WALL MY HEART MELTED YESSSS
YOU CAN USE EMPTY ALUMINUM CANS AND MAKE CANDLES!!! After you empty a can you can sand down the rims and legit glue a wick in there and make candles (good for gifts!)
For gifts this Christmas you could use old cereal boxes to put presents in or a lot of other products come in boxes or containers that can be reused!
You seemed so sad around the 11:54 point but I just wanted to throw out to anyone that’s trying a more eco conscious lifestyle that even the SMALLEST contribution like recycling or consuming less helps out!!! We’re humans, we just naturally consume in this day and age so plastic is inevitable although many people do and have completely cut it out of their lives in general! Just don’t beat yourself up about bringing some into your home every once in a while or in moderation :) it happens! Loved this video ❤️❤️❤️❤️
an alternative to the bagged frozen fries it to just make ur own! :)
YES MA'AM!
They honestly taste so much better
Get you some flour and things make your own bread, buns, tortillas of go to a bakery. Get some bananas freeze them blend them to make nice cream. Plant some grapes (with in season). You can make bags out of old t-shirts
Dude, tortillas are stupid easy to make! I never knew they were so easy until I moved to a place where I couldn't buy them and now I make them all the time. You could also try making buns and stuff on your own but also thats not practical for every day. Maybe a local bakery and you can bring your own containers?
Hi meghan, I am a packaging major so what my studies focus on is packaging materials and finding more sustainable options. And while yes the films used for a lot of the packaging you labeled “bad” are not recyclable. You have to realize that another way to be sustainable is to consider the fact that heavier materials such as cardboard and glass use more fossil fuels in the transportation and shipment of the items because you can fit less in a shipping container. It is great that you are trying to consume less plastic packaging but the light weight films are not the worst thing because they use less energy in transportation.
We just started making our own French fries at home!! It’s super easy if you hVe a wok or any large pot, you can flavor them or make them any shape you want :)
A sustainability queen!
you can take the grapes out of the bag and get the amount you want (if u leave some in the bag of course) i work at a grocery store and people do it all the time if they just want a few. it’s weighed at checkout
Thank you for making an effort! It's so frustrating to watch youtubers constantly vlog their coffee and it's in a single use cup every.single.time!! It's hard to be perfect but we can all make an effort!
Loved this style of video Meg. Also just the entire topic of sustainability is so very important and I'm so glad to see you spreading it and really being conscious of what you're buying. Please make more of these, love you so much!!
“you taking my last name”
“heh tonight”
why does that have me crACKING UP
hey hey also meg, i’m mexican and my grandma and great grandma always make their own tortillas and i would totally be down to ask for their recipe and send it to you on twitter if you’re interested 😊💖
Ugh I just love watching you grow into a sustainable gal 💪🏻 Because it inspires/motivates me so much to switch my daily routine up and make myself work towards becoming a eco friendly, savvy shopper. Can we make this into a series on your channel?😍
I don't know if it's available in your area yet but you should look into the company imperfect produce, they do awesome things with food waste and in a way sustainablity!
love when fin is in your videos! you guys are so entertaining together
fin is a sustainability king
Hey meg, about the vegetable broth: in the Netherlands I have never seen liquid broth in packs! Here we just have solid broth cubes you put in boiling water. They are packaged in a cardboard wrapped and are indivudually wrapped in tinfoil (but i dont know if thats recycable) but they are super cheap and one packet of cubes is enough for like 16 liters of broth, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. Maybe thats an option if you want to lower your waste production?
Meg u can take the grapes out of the plastic bags and put them in ur own bag! They measure by the pound as well :)
Am Ber yes, but the plastic will still be wasted either way :’c
MEGHAN HUGHES IS QUEEN!!!!! She inspired me to start a channel about fashion and spirituality!!
You can always take the grapes out the of the bag and put them in your one bag... it’s by weight anyway.. and you don’t have to get all the grapes you can take half so someone can buy the other half
Making your own tortillas is better. They taste better too. And I always save all the plastic containers and re use them instead of throwing them away.
As a Latina I recommend a panaderia or a Mexican bakery for the tortillas. You’ll have to do your research to find one in your area, but some Mexican bakeries sell tortillas as well as pastries.
i love keeping plastic bags that i accidentally get, buy wrapping shoes in them when i travel!! and my mom keeps old jars to put soup in when she makes some! love the vid meg