What’s worse is it SHOULD be cheaper, since it’s cheaper to buy and cheaper to stock. No idea why it’s a price issue, though I know it is in many places. :(
@@anahidkassabian4471 I don't know if it is really cheaper to buy for the Shop, because Zero waste stores have really high standards for their produkts. (organic, fair trade..)
True. I was just imagining that all the packaging that the seller doesn’t have to pay for, and all the stocking labour that the shops doesn’t have to pay for, that are saved with bulk goods would offset the higher costs of the goods, but maybe not. And, at least in my local store when I last lived in the US about 15 years ago, they had both conventional and organic for a number of basic items like rice and oats and such.
I live in Ottawa, Canada, and we're blessed to have tons of Bulk Barn locations AND a very well stocked zero-waste store that carries most things you'd need, including household and body product, with another location opening in the fall.
You can also buy pantry staples in bulk online. I buy large bags of rice, oats, beans, nuts, etc... They’re often the same bags that a bulk store would use to refill their bins with. Just make sure to only buy food you know you’ll use before it goes bad, and store it properly.
yes we bring our reusable bag to the store but sometime we do have enough bag and get a few plastic bags that because the bathroom trash/kitty litter bag
I do have access but it is so expensive that I can’t afford, the same scenario for thrive market, I can find the same product elsewhere for lower or similar prices without paying membership. It bothers me that we need to pay more for being eco friendly.
Eating locally and seasonly is kind of hard when you live in a country where there’s 6 months of winter. Guess I’ll just eat snow XD No but for real, I try to eat locally when I can, but like I said, living in winterland half of the year is kind of difficult.
I get that and i live in AK so much of our food is shipped here, not very low waste. It's April and we just had our last snow last week (hopefully, if it snows again I might cry).
I think it’s often said that growing your own food is the best way to be more environmentally conscious. Obviously with snow, it’s not always ideal but I think even small indoor edible plants make a difference. We’re all just trying to do the best we can
Lol, same! I live in northern Utah and it's really hard to do those sustainable habits that everyone talks about like growing your own foods and hang drying your clothes and walking/ biking wherever you can. I learned how to move past these and stuff tho.
I'm so glad I have access to bulk shopping! In fact, I went today to my local Bulk Nation. I really enjoy it. Especially since they happily accept outside container. It may not all be aesthetic mason jars (like I use an old oatmeal carton, a sour cream container, and a whipped cream container, etc) but I deal with it. I also love that Bulk Nation will simply write the weight of the container on the lid with a grease pencil and when you check out they just need the item number, I take photos of each item I buy. This way you don't have to waste those stupid little stickers or paper for the item number.
I do have access to bulk but it is WAY more expensive than where we normally shop. :( however we do try to reduce our plastic purchases by buying larger quantities of ingredients and growing our own food. (We just built our garden)
I kind of have access to bulk shopping. I live on the west coast of Scotland but the closest zero waste shop is in Glasgow which is like a 45 minute drive away from where I am. The shop is also pretty small, has limited options and is quite expensive. Thankfully my boyfriend lives in Glasgow so when I go up to see him I stop by the zero waste market before I go home! Though if this wasn't the case I wouldn't feel good about having to drive so far just to shop more sustainably!
Just came from a "fall decor shop with me" on another channel and there's only so much of that I can take. I love fall but trendy decor items are just awful. I love what you're doing and what you stand for! Keep it up!!!
What is not discussed is transport. Yes its all well and good to do this way of shopping but if you don't have a car to lug around jars and containers ...on a smaller scale I guess but not as easy or convenient. Also on another side of this ...how accessible is it for people with disabilities?
It isn't, not really. Or food allergies or intolerances. If you have celiac disease, for example, then you might not wish to use the bulk bins because of the risk of cross contamination. If the rice is next to the pasta, would you be willing to risk cross contamination that's going to make you ill? I've got a fairly low immune system. If food is out in the open, I will get sick from it. People will have sneezed, coughed, handled it etc. That spreads bacteria and risks making me ill. Therefore, I need the packaging to keep me safe.
She mentioned that she mostly uses cloth bags at the bulk bins, not glass jars. We don't have a car so we use a small cart to transport groceries home. But that's not affected by whether we are buying packaged or unpackaged goceries, either way they need to be transported home. On days we're really stocking up we ride the bus.
While I am not sure what disability you have or whether you have access to a bus to get to the local shopping area. I can tell you from experience that cloth produce bags are all that you really need. I have used a suitcase for heavy food items and carried in my arms the lighter items. There is also cloth shopping carts you can purchase to lug around groceries. I found them for sale at my local london drugs in Canada. Although, amazon sells them as well.
ARstar44 try to make a fuss out of like make them uncomfortable with the fact they are not allowing you to do this. Video tape yell at them about climate change and how what their giving you is made of plastic make ppl look at you so their like fine whatever. Remember your the costumer their supposed to make you happy and also be confident in what your saying even if it’s getting other ppl to look at you in an odd way.
really make sure that glass is indeed recycled in your city before buying glass jars, because glass is made of sand, which is a major issue. Reuse glass jars as much as you can.
I got a tip from my sister which I now do. We cut up old towels (bath/hand towels) and sew around the edges to use as reusable "paper" towels, they are so much better at soaking up spillages and can be washed.
I have access to bulk in a cheaper store than Walmart, and they offer WAY more bulk items. But I also have access to my restaurant for spices. The only place I can buy delicious naked bread is at Albertsons or Haggen here. My family has Plum, Cherrie, pears, Apples, blackberries, tiny strawberries and raspberries. My grandma grows tomatoes, squash, potatoes, and blueberries. Last year we grew so many vegetables I literally saved about 200 during spring and summer for my basics....were not vegan or vegetarian but we mostly eat just fresh produce. In Washington produce is fairly cheap as it's possible to grow so much.
I nevee comment on videos, but as someone who lives in Colombia, Latin America, it is sometimes hard to find unpackaged food in regular supermarkets even though we have lots os fruits and vegetables locally grow, so it is frustrating. This video was a huge help in understanding other ways to grocery shop in a more eco-friendly and zero waste way, so thank you!
What an AWESOME video! Totally trying all of these tips. I live on a college campus so it can be hard to have access to all of these things. Some things I do from the suite I live in: 1) Keep all food scraps in a jar in my fridge and donate them to local famer's market. 2) Purchase compostable trash bags (small and large) for my suite. 3) Use veggie scraps for vegetable broth (store in freezer). 4) Use orange peels to make household cleaner. 5) Post updated recycling info and share it with my suitemates and peers. A lot of people don't know how to recycle properly :( 6) Drive to nearby cities to drop off materials that can't be recycled where I live. 7) I also grow spices and herbs in small pots in my room!
I have bulk, but not true zero waste bulk, and only on a few things. I’m so glad you mentioned the ways to do bulk in a low waste way even when it’s not provided by the store.
We have a grocery store in our area called Hy-Vee. Hy-Vee has a bulk aisle, which is great! I have been hitting up the bulk section lately. They provide brown paper bags that are fully compostable, which is great! I just shred up the bag and throw it in my compost.
We also have Hyvee here but I noticed their bulk section isn’t super big or great at some locations and the bags they provide come lined with plastic. 🙁 But I did recently discover that they sell milk in glass jars now and the price is comparable to other brands as long as you remember to return it. They have also been decent about putting food in my own containers before at some locations although I cannot find plastic free bread there or other places in my area.
zencat55 The prices are high here as well! It is $2.99 per pound just for red lentils. My gluten free granola is $11.99 per pound. The prices are super high.
SarehLove Our bulk section is small, but expensive! Luckily, my Hy-Vee provides fully compostable brown paper bags. I am fortunate there!!! We also have the milk in glass jugs, which I thought was super cool. I don’t buy it though; we mostly drink almond milk in my household. I am lactose intolerant and my kids are even now showing symptoms of lactose intolerance now. I switched them to almond milk to be on the safe side.
I don’t have a traditional bulk store. We have an Amish bulk store where they sell everything pre-measured into plastic bags. I asked if I could bring my own jars/bags and if they could fill it. They were more than happy to do that! Now I drop my bag full of jars off with a list of how much I want and come back the next day to pick it up. It’s not a great system and it is a little inconvenient (especially if I need something last minute) but it’s better than the alternative!
I just moved to an area in southern Ohio that has great access to bulk bins and it is making such a difference in our transition to zero waste. There is a local co-op that has tons of bulk bins (and you can bring your own jars), the Kroger has bulk bins and a good amount of unpackaged produce as well (you can't bring jars there though), we also have an awesome farmer's market that sets up on Saturdays. I'm definitely fortunate to have all of those options within walking distance from my house. Before I moved the only bulk option was whole foods which was about 40 minutes away.
i love your channel so much its so real and helpful, i am so tired of all the other vegan/health and zero waste videos where all they say is "drink water and carry around the metal straw" or all of these other things that we have all already heard like "go for walks or carry a tote bag" it makes me so frustrated when i cant find good zero waste content but you always deliver the best advice, its always new and fresh and i come out learning something new and im just so grateful for all the effort you put into these videos youre seriously the best zero waste youtuber out there, keep doing you!
I have access to bulk shopping... sort of. I don't have any bulk stores in the town where I live currently, but I visit my family almost every weekend, and there is a bulk store there. I love it!
I have Winco, which has a really great bulk section. We can't technically use our own containers but I use my own light produce bags like you suggested. It works because I use self check. I also have sprouts, whole foods, and a central market a while away that I get spices from.
These are great tips! I’m lucky enough to have access to bulk bins. It’s great that you mention it’s ok to not have bulk bins. Zero waste isn’t a “one size fits all” thing. It can look very different depending on where you live. 👍
In Canada we are blessed with BulkBarn and they do allow you to use your own containers and sometimes have 25% off sales when you bring your own vessels!
I live in Salt Lake City and we are so fortunate to have a bulk grocery store as well as a bulk home and beauty store where we can bring our own containers. I use Meow Meow Tweet and can refill my original packaging with their products at the beauty store!
My parents are divorced and live half way across the country from one another. I live on my own at uni. All 3 cities we live in have these shops literally round the corner from where we live. So I’m reallllllyyyy lucky as I can live zero waste when I’m at uni and when I’m with either parent ❤️🌿
I actually bought some brown paper lunch bags the other day. My plan is to write on the bag what is in it, and the PLU number. That way the cashier can just ring me up and the paper bag won’t really make a big difference in the weight. Then I’m going to fold up the brown bags when I’m done and store them for my next trip. This way I won’t have to keep documenting the PLU numbers! They’ll just always be ready to fill and go 👌🏼
One of the things that didn’t come up is having a box of organic veg delivered. After trying a few different models, we now get ours directly from a farm, but there are any number of good options for doing this. When I lived in the US, we always did this, though the model differed from place to place, ie farm, or store, or co-op. This also helps with being seasonal and local, though most places give you options to do a bit more variety than that.
I have access to a bulk bin section in a Kroger. They are totally okay with me using my produce bags for the bulk. It's kind of a crapshoot whether or not the cashier can/will take off the tare weight, so I usually don't bother bringing my own jars. I do have small super light plastic Tupperware-type containers that I use to get my spices, since the containers really don't weigh much more than a plastic bag. That works.
We don't have bulk close to us but there is one place near my mother in law so we try to pop in when we visit her. Apart from that I think really knowing what you have in and using it (not letting it go bad) is one of the greatest ways to keep waste low. We buy fruit and potatoes often straight from local farmers however when we buy it at the supermarket we always buy what is grown in this country or scotland at a push.
In Canada we have a chain called Bulk Barn. Since last year they will weigh your containers for you and label them. Living in a big city (Toronto) we also have some stores specifically geared towards zero waste. One store is Karma Co-op. There, you don't even have to wash your containers since you tare them yourself. So you can bring in your nearly empty peanut butter jar, weigh it, fill it up, weigh it again and pay. Never wash a peanut butter jar again!
My husband and I have recently moved together with my elderly father. We are very eco conscious. Sadly my dad is not. And he has no Interest in changing. He's old and stubborn. And to top it off adjust moved Into a county that is not a plastic bag area like we were used to. And I tell you.... It's really weird to be those people asking for paper bags or bringing in our own or me stuffing my groceries in to my purse at check out. Let's just say we are definitely having a challenging time but trying to find a sense of balance and a new sense of normal. We are even looking into thrive market..thanks to you.
I am in the Philadelphia suburbs. I have minimal access to bulk bins. Wegmans, besides produce, is mostly nuts and candy. Several miles away on the Main Line, there is Mom's Organic Market that has things like bulk tofu, tea, nutritional teast, olive oil, and a few other things.
The paper bags for bulk are a great idea! I often want to buy flour/sugar but can’t tare jars at my local store. Definitely going to use that one and just self-checkout my order to not confuse any cashiers 😁
The bulk bins at the supermarkets here get filled with lots of little 500g-1kg plastic bags though. Which defeats the purpose. But we do have a proper zero waste store that has 4 all over Auckland! They’re mostly organic and plant trees etc so it’s amazing. Most supermarkets here have 80% unpackaged produce anyway though which is great! - Auckland, New Zealand
Every co-op I’ve been a part of allows tare(ing) your own containers. The first co-op I joined, maybe 7-8 years ago, even had free containers to use for their bulk sections. Currently I have access to a zero waste shop (opened in April) and many co-ops in Minneapolis!
We do have a bulk store in our area. It's actually been here for a long time. Its called Nature's Pantry. It's located in State College, PA. Love your videos! I've been watching since the dumpster diving days. I used to dive a Ulta. 😂
There is one store near me that allows you to bring your own containers but for most items they are too expensive for my budget. Whole Foods is the cheapest for most of the items that I eat but won't let us bring our own containers. So I use their plastic bags, put the bulk food into glass jars when I get home, and store the plastic bulk bags in my cloth bags for when I go back again. Whole foods is also walking distance from my house and have some of the best options for plastic free produce (some affordable, some not) so it's great for this too.
when it comes to eating seasonally, that doesn't always mean that you can't eat things that aren's in season! pickling is one example, you can pickle cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, bell peppers... you can make fruit jams and spreads, so that even during off-season you can still enjoy those foods :)
We have lots of bulk options here but not all of them are really savvy about bringing your own container. We do have a few stores that do now, and we just got a zero waste market. Having a conversation with the manager is a good idea. I hate seeing all the produce in plastic though! And it seems like a lot of the organic options are in plastic!
There are many shops with bulk bin options, encouraging packaging-free near me. None have prices that I can manage on a fixed low income. I do have success in Chinatown- a few shop owners know me and will let me use my bags for rice, beans, nuts, dried mushrooms etc, weighed items.
I currently don’t have access to bulk shopping but I’m moving into my new flat on Saturday and that town just recently (about a month ago) got a small vegan zero waste store!! I’m so hyped
in my country it is very common for people in houses to have their own apple, cherry etc trees and black or red currant bushes and small patches of land to grow potatoes, carrots etc, it is very easy to do :D
Most of the time when you have a bulk bin in a store you can buy it by the case which usually comes in paper bags. Sometimes you can even save 5% on your purchase. It is the size you see the restock personal pouring in the bins to refill them.
I have access to bulk shopping at whole foods nearby but it’s expensive. My market right across the street has bulk nuts and dried fruit that I sometimes get. Most large bulk stores are further away from me and I’m not willing to make the trek for a few dry items. I reuse any plastic bags that I may take every now and then. As soon as I unpack my groceries I put them bag into my shopping bags so I don’t forget.
Hello! I shop at Hy-Vee and recently found a decent hack for using glass jars in their bulk sections. I keep one of their paper bags (lined with plastic 🙄) and reuse it over and over again from trip to trip. I pick out an item, pour it into the bag, weigh it and print out the sticker, and then I put the sticker onto an old sheet of paper. I dump the contents of the bag into a jar and repeat using the same bag the whole time. Then when I go to checkout I just hand the cashier the sheet of paper with all of the barcodes on it. They usually give me a weird look but just go with it. I sometimes find that it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission on these kinds of things with stores. Also, bring a funnel to make your life way easier when you go to dump it out of the bag. I did not the first time and made a bit of a mess.
I live in Austria, we have no access to bulk. There are only 2 or 3 small shops selling unpackaged goods in larger cities. Apart from some markets where we can buy veggies and fruits and some farmers where we can buy unpackaged meat, we rely on the supermarkets.
I kind of have access to bulk, like at whole foods theres a few things (really expensive tho) then theres a place called winco that does bulk but they dont really have annnyyy organic stuff which I prefer to buy. my grocery store also has things like nuts and dried fruits and things of that nature in bulk as well. I wish I had a bulk store that had things like cleaning products, dish soap, laundry detergent, dog treats, toothpaste etc that would be awesome.
I haven't been able to find any stores near me where you can buy in bulk. A tip to learn about what foods are in season is to shop at a farmer's market! The farmers that sell at the markets are local and only grow what is in season.
I live in India, where it's still popular for us to buy our grains in bulk for a year . And most of the time vegetables and fruits are bought at local market. But with our fast paced world now things are changing and new people are preferring the convenience of super market and packaged products
We have a Lucky's Market (😍) that offers bulk bins for rice/beans, coffee, granola, trail mixes, candies, a variety of flours, as well as spices for small amounts, agave, honey, and olive oil. They also have a grind-your-own peanut and almond butter station. They also have mushrooms in bulk in the produce section, which is ideal for me when I only need a handful.
The only bulk option we have (in Central KY) are like 6 bulk bins at Kroger, and I’m pretty sure they’re all just different nuts and you can’t use your own containers. And the towns around us often only have Save-A-Lot or Walmart with no bulk options at all. The better option by us is to find farmers markets and farm stores.
Some stores will let you buy the full package that they use to fill the bulk bins. It even comes at a discount at some stores. Most bulk bins are filled with stuff that was packaged in plastic so you just take the whole thing. I don’t have access to bulk bins that let you bring your own containers
I don’t have access to a bulk store, but my Wegmans has good bulk bins. I have 1 lightweight mesh bag, weigh my items in that, and then dump the contents into glass jars!
I like that you give options. I find that when you start the low waste way of life you aim for perfection and sometimes end in a "f!ck it" or discouraged attitude. From time to time it also means stopping eating something (i'm not vegan and miss so much cheesecake because i can't find cream cheese or ricotta cheese in bulk) , or shifting to another product, or DIY (nut butters +++ for me), or choosing local olive/sunflower oil instead of the "fad" coconut oil. In France we have terrible organic shops where everything comes in plastic packaging or from a very far away place eventhough it grows in France. I still struggle with bulk beans, except lentils, because it takes so much time to cook 😭 I totally agree with the pantry check ! I used to only check my fridge and waste money from my cupboards 🤦♀️ OMG fig tree in your garden ? Lucky you !
You could take photos with your phone of your pantry/fridge/freezer before going to the store so you don't have to remember, you can just look on the fly
We don’t have access to bulk stores but when I go shopping I stock up on everything we need for 2-3 weeks so I’m not traveling to the grocery store every week. I’m avoiding plastic as much as possible and dramatically reduced the amount of trash and recycling coming out of my house.
Many places especially in the U.S. are not recycling glass anymore. My recycling companies uses it to mix in with construction projects but they make $0 from recycling it. I do reuse lots of jars but cant reuse them all. I have access to bulk tho and definatley take advantage of that and local package free produce :)
I just started (about a month now) working on lower waste.....I found earth fare and sprouts in Jax for bulk stores, I love love love them.....I live 30-40 mins away from them, but twice a month is not bad for a trip to heaven ha ha.....thx for the help and ideas to help me stay in the right direction...❤️🌎🌳 refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle ♻️ & rot...also demand that companies to change their packaging.❤️😁
I’ve only recently had a zero waste shop where I live but it’s not the most budget friendly and accessible. I grow all my salad which I have for my lunches though.
We've got a range of bulk bins in our supermarkets here, and very few of the first type of bulk option. Though, we've got a lot of big chain supermarkets here now allowing you bring in clean containers for things from the deli counters which is amazing! I'm from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Both in the city I live in to go to school as well as my hometown have access to bulk and the prices are much better than buying pre-packaged (i.e. rice, flour, nuts). These bulk stores also allow you to bring your own jars/mesh bags and allow you to tare the jars yourself which makes the shopping trip much smoother!
Thank you so much for your channel! Can you do a video explaining how we can determine which options are the best for the environment? Every time I buy something, I question if I’m missing a smarter move. Is driving 20 miles to the closest bulk bins better than buying something overly packaged but only 5 minutes away? Thrive seems to be a great company for so many reasons, but is ordering from them a better option than shopping at a nearby store, and if so, why? There’s just not enough information out there...
San Jose, California. We have bulk shopping, but not for everything. For example, no dry pasta in bulk. Unfortunately a lot of them seem to focus on “snacks” instead of normal food. Most of our shops frown on bringing jars, but are ok with fabric bags.
I do & I dont: The city my university is located in has two teeny tiny especially dedicated zero waste bulk shops, but I live in my hometown and take the train to my uni. Here we don’t have any sort of bulk shops, or even just bulk options in the regular stores.
Tons of stores in Northern Utah have bulk. Also a nice thing I do is use a oil pen or sharpie to write on the jar so I avoid printing stickers...some stores let me take photos of the bin info. No twist ties, no stickers, no new containers.
I live in MA, USA and you really only find stores with any sort of bulk buying option in the city. I bring reusable bags, buy local produce, and recycle nearly everything get in plastic or cardboard and I still feel like it’s not enough. ONE grocery store near me is getting rid of plastic bags, which is a step, so I’ll be shopping there more.
Thank you for this video 😍 I subscribed couple months ago and have been obsessed with your channel and you ever since 🥰 thank you so much for these awesome video! I’m in Canada and we have a store call Bulk Barn, it’s MASSIVE bulk store. I’m very grateful!
If you don't have reusable produce bags, you can purchase bags with the tare weight already on them. Some stores don't allow you to bring in your own jars because their systems aren't set up to allow the cashier to subtract the weight of containers OTHER than the containers provided by the store. Charging you for the weight of your jar can get the store in trouble. Also, ,meal prep. If you find a good deal on Zucchini, find a couple recipes that incorporate it. One of the biggest culprits for food waste are leftover recipe ingredients. If a recipe only calls for half a butternut squash, find a recipe to use the other half- or (if all else fails) incorporate your veggie scraps/leftovers into a soup, salad, and/or roasted veggie side dish. (Or blend and add into a smoothie or a tomato sauce if that's what it takes to use up leftovers).
I have access to bulk, but it’s far outside my finances and take two or three buses to get to a Fresh Thyme Farmers Matrket and East End Food Co-op. The Co-op has bulk, but I don’t go often enough to verify having a membership there to help me be able to pay members price. The Fresh Thyme has bulk, but has plastic bags for that section and to ID the bulk item you got, twist tags with room on them to write a bin number. They do provide the pens to write with, but I use my own. So far I haven’t seen any one use their own bags or containers. However in the oil section, there is a sign to use your own bottles or the empty ones they have there. They also have pre-filled bottles. I did ask a Fresh Thyme employee, if I could bring my own containers; he couldn’t clearly give an answer for he was just hired a week before.
Most grocery stores in my area have bulk sections but hard to use your own jars as most cashiers (and their supervisors) aren't trained to tare jars and calculate the difference in weights. I've had a frustrating experience at a local grocery store before. And there is one store nearby called bulk barn but I've found their prices aren't always better, and I do have to drive like 20mins to get there. So it's a matter of what's right for your budget and what's accessible. Instead, I've been able to use my reusable produce bags for some dry bulk goods like nuts and seeds.
I dont personally try to zero waste very much but I love your videos. I do usually take my own bags and I I do end up with the plastic bags I reuse it as a lunch bag, travel bag, or a trash bag for other items. Also with produce I will put multiple items and then weigh out each one separately at the register. Not much but I feel like it is something...
I too am from Texas and love HEB. They are so customer orientated. I make it my job to be known by name at my grocery store. As I go out of my way to meet with the store manager. I have found that the managers are very accommodating when I explain that I am attempting to take care of the planet by using less. Asking them to help usually get them excited as now I have made it a group effort - "Zero Waste" is so hip right now :-) I am not in Texas at the moment and have drastically reduced package free options, I have had to be very creative. I reached out to the Amish in my community to ask if I can buy direct from their farms and have taken to shopping at their stores to supplement what I can not but package free at the local grocery store by my home. Talk about supporting a local family and shopping local! I have to travel a bit, but other great bulk stores are Fresh Thyme and Sprouts. They will weigh jars no issues ever. Thank you for the Thrive tip. I may just have to try them out. I do agree we need to put pressure on the companies to take responsibility for the waste they create. The way we do that is buying power baby!!
Related to knowing what you have, take your phone and take a picture of your pantry/fridge. You may think you remember and then second guess yourself at the store. If you have a picture you can reassure you have stuff! I used to call my mom all the time checking to see if we had something, but now i dont need to!
In german grocery stores there aren't any bulk bins. There are only special zero waste stores who are located in a few big cities, but they are very expensive often 3 or 4 times more expensive than the same organic regional stuff packaged and the problem is most people don't want to pay 3$ for a pound of lentils or 5$ for a pound of pasta, if it's 0,60 if it's in plastic, 1,50 if it's organic.
Locally, there are not really a lot of options for bulk buy in my area. There is a market etc. and there is a small variety of loose veggies in certain stores, but rice, pasta etc typically comes in plastic. I think there are some potatoes in Lidl that come in waxy thick paper packaging, but I don't know if it's locally recyclable. However, I do carry my reusable bags near enough everywhere. Currently, I've found a charity shop that sells glass jars that are used for items like coffee and jam. They have have some really pretty ones that look as georgous as the ones people spend £5 or more each, but I'm getting them for 50p to a £1 each. I've also scrounged old jam jars off other people when they have some really pretty ones when they're not using one.
Can ya'll help me convince Madison she doesn't need every single sample cup in the store?? 😂😂😂
Shelbizleee I miss yall’s blog channel.
I heard this store closed down :(
Sorry that's a necessity 🤷♀️
She most definitely does 😂😂
I can't help you there!
I do have access to bulk, but the price is not accessible for my budget
I have the same problem and I think this might mean it's not accessible to us..?
Same. It may not be much per transaction but it really adds up.
What’s worse is it SHOULD be cheaper, since it’s cheaper to buy and cheaper to stock. No idea why it’s a price issue, though I know it is in many places. :(
@@anahidkassabian4471 I don't know if it is really cheaper to buy for the Shop, because Zero waste stores have really high standards for their produkts. (organic, fair trade..)
True. I was just imagining that all the packaging that the seller doesn’t have to pay for, and all the stocking labour that the shops doesn’t have to pay for, that are saved with bulk goods would offset the higher costs of the goods, but maybe not. And, at least in my local store when I last lived in the US about 15 years ago, they had both conventional and organic for a number of basic items like rice and oats and such.
I live in Ottawa, Canada, and we're blessed to have tons of Bulk Barn locations AND a very well stocked zero-waste store that carries most things you'd need, including household and body product, with another location opening in the fall.
NU grocery
What store is it?? Is there one in Quebec? I have a hard time finding bulk stores where I live :(
@@sjkn7910 its called Nu Grocery, there's two in Ottawa, idk if there are similar stores in Quebec sorry!
That's amazing!!
That jean top looks so adorable on you! Thank you for all the information you share!
You can also buy pantry staples in bulk online. I buy large bags of rice, oats, beans, nuts, etc... They’re often the same bags that a bulk store would use to refill their bins with. Just make sure to only buy food you know you’ll use before it goes bad, and store it properly.
😂😂 I always say I'm minimal waste when explaining to people. I don't think you can be fully zero waste.🤷
yes we bring our reusable bag to the store but sometime we do have enough bag and get a few plastic bags that because the bathroom trash/kitty litter bag
Good! Most people explain it as Low-Waste. MUCH MUCH MUCH better!
I do have access but it is so expensive that I can’t afford, the same scenario for thrive market, I can find the same product elsewhere for lower or similar prices without paying membership. It bothers me that we need to pay more for being eco friendly.
Eating locally and seasonly is kind of hard when you live in a country where there’s 6 months of winter.
Guess I’ll just eat snow XD
No but for real, I try to eat locally when I can, but like I said, living in winterland half of the year is kind of difficult.
I get that and i live in AK so much of our food is shipped here, not very low waste. It's April and we just had our last snow last week (hopefully, if it snows again I might cry).
@@krisculbertson5513 We had some snow last week but it didn't stay. Hope it's your last snow!
I think it’s often said that growing your own food is the best way to be more environmentally conscious. Obviously with snow, it’s not always ideal but I think even small indoor edible plants make a difference. We’re all just trying to do the best we can
yeah i live in northern MN. We have snow from late october to May.
Lol, same! I live in northern Utah and it's really hard to do those sustainable habits that everyone talks about like growing your own foods and hang drying your clothes and walking/ biking wherever you can. I learned how to move past these and stuff tho.
I love how realistic you are! Even with how passionate you are, you offer advice for the every day person.
I do! In Orlando, FL Bulk Nation! They are so nice, helpful and encourage you to bring your own containers.
Really? What part of O'town... near Millenia or up near Winter Park?
@@MartheBishopMcDonald it is on Colonial by the Executive Airport near downtown. In a nice plaza by the Hobby Lobby.
I'm so glad I have access to bulk shopping! In fact, I went today to my local Bulk Nation. I really enjoy it. Especially since they happily accept outside container. It may not all be aesthetic mason jars (like I use an old oatmeal carton, a sour cream container, and a whipped cream container, etc) but I deal with it.
I also love that Bulk Nation will simply write the weight of the container on the lid with a grease pencil and when you check out they just need the item number, I take photos of each item I buy. This way you don't have to waste those stupid little stickers or paper for the item number.
Maybe you can do a video on understanding what fruit and vegetables are in season? I really don’t know half the time.
I do have access to bulk but it is WAY more expensive than where we normally shop. :( however we do try to reduce our plastic purchases by buying larger quantities of ingredients and growing our own food. (We just built our garden)
I kind of have access to bulk shopping. I live on the west coast of Scotland but the closest zero waste shop is in Glasgow which is like a 45 minute drive away from where I am. The shop is also pretty small, has limited options and is quite expensive.
Thankfully my boyfriend lives in Glasgow so when I go up to see him I stop by the zero waste market before I go home! Though if this wasn't the case I wouldn't feel good about having to drive so far just to shop more sustainably!
CaptainGoodVibes had no idea there was a bulk shop in Glasgow. I work in the city centre so will be having a wander soon!
I have the same issues. I'm in a wee village out by Lanark. Glasgow is our nearest option.
Just came from a "fall decor shop with me" on another channel and there's only so much of that I can take. I love fall but trendy decor items are just awful. I love what you're doing and what you stand for! Keep it up!!!
@@coastalcoyote EXACTLY!! I love the classic, natural decor that can be used year after year!
What is not discussed is transport.
Yes its all well and good to do this way of shopping but if you don't have a car to lug around jars and containers ...on a smaller scale I guess but not as easy or convenient.
Also on another side of this ...how accessible is it for people with disabilities?
It isn't, not really. Or food allergies or intolerances. If you have celiac disease, for example, then you might not wish to use the bulk bins because of the risk of cross contamination. If the rice is next to the pasta, would you be willing to risk cross contamination that's going to make you ill?
I've got a fairly low immune system. If food is out in the open, I will get sick from it. People will have sneezed, coughed, handled it etc. That spreads bacteria and risks making me ill. Therefore, I need the packaging to keep me safe.
She mentioned that she mostly uses cloth bags at the bulk bins, not glass jars. We don't have a car so we use a small cart to transport groceries home. But that's not affected by whether we are buying packaged or unpackaged goceries, either way they need to be transported home. On days we're really stocking up we ride the bus.
@@KenshoQuest Logistically, theres always a way...changing your mindset is the biggest hurdle.
While I am not sure what disability you have or whether you have access to a bus to get to the local shopping area. I can tell you from experience that cloth produce bags are all that you really need. I have used a suitcase for heavy food items and carried in my arms the lighter items. There is also cloth shopping carts you can purchase to lug around groceries. I found them for sale at my local london drugs in Canada. Although, amazon sells them as well.
I feel proud of myself because I used my own bag when I went clothes shopping
We actualy found a giant cherry tree in our backjard after 6 years of living here😂, a couple of weeks ago we are a lot of cherry’s, it was amazing😇
Lol how did you not notice in 6 years?
@@123tube456 Fruit trees don't always yield fruit yearly, perhaps that is why!
well it was kind of tucked back behind a lot of other trees so we thought that it was just one of those so never bothered to look at it closer
We barely have bulk and when we do we are not aloud to bring our own containers
*allowed
That sucks
ARstar44 try to make a fuss out of like make them uncomfortable with the fact they are not allowing you to do this. Video tape yell at them about climate change and how what their giving you is made of plastic make ppl look at you so their like fine whatever. Remember your the costumer their supposed to make you happy and also be confident in what your saying even if it’s getting other ppl to look at you in an odd way.
*Allowed*
@@Mindfullyawake You catch more flys with honey than vinegar.
really make sure that glass is indeed recycled in your city before buying glass jars, because glass is made of sand, which is a major issue. Reuse glass jars as much as you can.
Oh my goodness, yes! We are running out of sand to do things and that is real issue!
I got a tip from my sister which I now do. We cut up old towels (bath/hand towels) and sew around the edges to use as reusable "paper" towels, they are so much better at soaking up spillages and can be washed.
I have access to bulk in a cheaper store than Walmart, and they offer WAY more bulk items. But I also have access to my restaurant for spices. The only place I can buy delicious naked bread is at Albertsons or Haggen here. My family has Plum, Cherrie, pears, Apples, blackberries, tiny strawberries and raspberries. My grandma grows tomatoes, squash, potatoes, and blueberries. Last year we grew so many vegetables I literally saved about 200 during spring and summer for my basics....were not vegan or vegetarian but we mostly eat just fresh produce.
In Washington produce is fairly cheap as it's possible to grow so much.
No bulk shopping for me here in the south of the Netherlands. I’d like to start my own zero waste shop one day!
I nevee comment on videos, but as someone who lives in Colombia, Latin America, it is sometimes hard to find unpackaged food in regular supermarkets even though we have lots os fruits and vegetables locally grow, so it is frustrating. This video was a huge help in understanding other ways to grocery shop in a more eco-friendly and zero waste way, so thank you!
What an AWESOME video! Totally trying all of these tips. I live on a college campus so it can be hard to have access to all of these things. Some things I do from the suite I live in:
1) Keep all food scraps in a jar in my fridge and donate them to local famer's market.
2) Purchase compostable trash bags (small and large) for my suite.
3) Use veggie scraps for vegetable broth (store in freezer).
4) Use orange peels to make household cleaner.
5) Post updated recycling info and share it with my suitemates and peers. A lot of people don't know how to recycle properly :(
6) Drive to nearby cities to drop off materials that can't be recycled where I live.
7) I also grow spices and herbs in small pots in my room!
I have bulk, but not true zero waste bulk, and only on a few things. I’m so glad you mentioned the ways to do bulk in a low waste way even when it’s not provided by the store.
We have a grocery store in our area called Hy-Vee. Hy-Vee has a bulk aisle, which is great! I have been hitting up the bulk section lately.
They provide brown paper bags that are fully compostable, which is great! I just shred up the bag and throw it in my compost.
We have hyvee here but unfortunately it's mostly junk food and the prices are exorbitant.
We also have Hyvee here but I noticed their bulk section isn’t super big or great at some locations and the bags they provide come lined with plastic. 🙁 But I did recently discover that they sell milk in glass jars now and the price is comparable to other brands as long as you remember to return it. They have also been decent about putting food in my own containers before at some locations although I cannot find plastic free bread there or other places in my area.
zencat55 The prices are high here as well! It is $2.99 per pound just for red lentils. My gluten free granola is $11.99 per pound. The prices are super high.
SarehLove Our bulk section is small, but expensive! Luckily, my Hy-Vee provides fully compostable brown paper bags. I am fortunate there!!! We also have the milk in glass jugs, which I thought was super cool. I don’t buy it though; we mostly drink almond milk in my household. I am lactose intolerant and my kids are even now showing symptoms of lactose intolerance now. I switched them to almond milk to be on the safe side.
I don’t have a traditional bulk store. We have an Amish bulk store where they sell everything pre-measured into plastic bags. I asked if I could bring my own jars/bags and if they could fill it. They were more than happy to do that! Now I drop my bag full of jars off with a list of how much I want and come back the next day to pick it up. It’s not a great system and it is a little inconvenient (especially if I need something last minute) but it’s better than the alternative!
I just moved to an area in southern Ohio that has great access to bulk bins and it is making such a difference in our transition to zero waste. There is a local co-op that has tons of bulk bins (and you can bring your own jars), the Kroger has bulk bins and a good amount of unpackaged produce as well (you can't bring jars there though), we also have an awesome farmer's market that sets up on Saturdays. I'm definitely fortunate to have all of those options within walking distance from my house. Before I moved the only bulk option was whole foods which was about 40 minutes away.
i love your channel so much its so real and helpful, i am so tired of all the other vegan/health and zero waste videos where all they say is "drink water and carry around the metal straw" or all of these other things that we have all already heard like "go for walks or carry a tote bag" it makes me so frustrated when i cant find good zero waste content but you always deliver the best advice, its always new and fresh and i come out learning something new and im just so grateful for all the effort you put into these videos youre seriously the best zero waste youtuber out there, keep doing you!
love this x
As a Military family, we get Thrive membership for free. It’s amazing and we shop there all the time.
I have access to bulk shopping... sort of. I don't have any bulk stores in the town where I live currently, but I visit my family almost every weekend, and there is a bulk store there. I love it!
I have Winco, which has a really great bulk section. We can't technically use our own containers but I use my own light produce bags like you suggested. It works because I use self check. I also have sprouts, whole foods, and a central market a while away that I get spices from.
These are great tips! I’m lucky enough to have access to bulk bins. It’s great that you mention it’s ok to not have bulk bins. Zero waste isn’t a “one size fits all” thing. It can look very different depending on where you live. 👍
In Canada we are blessed with BulkBarn and they do allow you to use your own containers and sometimes have 25% off sales when you bring your own vessels!
I'm a teacher with a free Thrive membership! So grateful for it
Mrs.HomeKate hooray for teachers! :) (not sarcasm)
I live in Salt Lake City and we are so fortunate to have a bulk grocery store as well as a bulk home and beauty store where we can bring our own containers. I use Meow Meow Tweet and can refill my original packaging with their products at the beauty store!
What grocery store do you go to? I live in salt lake too and haven't found one I like
@@katiepalmer6632 Hi! The bulk beauty is Animalia and the market is Hello!Bulk Markets. I also use Whole Foods and Sprouts to fill in the gaps.
My parents are divorced and live half way across the country from one another. I live on my own at uni. All 3 cities we live in have these shops literally round the corner from where we live. So I’m reallllllyyyy lucky as I can live zero waste when I’m at uni and when I’m with either parent ❤️🌿
Yes, I am fortunate enough to have close access to both Sprouts and HEB (in Texas.)
I do NOT have access to bulk shopping :( My nearest bulk shop is an hour train journey. I am based in the UK- England
Same, I live in England and I am no where near a zero waste store! My closest one is 2and a half hours away!
I’m also in England and very excited that my town recently got a zero waste store! Still pretty new & small though.
Maybe you could go there once a month and you can get bigger amounts of things that can be kept for a while. I’m going to try and do that.
We have minimal bulk in pensacola FL, one coop that has a bulk section with some grains (rice, cous cous) nuts, and spices
I actually bought some brown paper lunch bags the other day. My plan is to write on the bag what is in it, and the PLU number. That way the cashier can just ring me up and the paper bag won’t really make a big difference in the weight. Then I’m going to fold up the brown bags when I’m done and store them for my next trip. This way I won’t have to keep documenting the PLU numbers! They’ll just always be ready to fill and go 👌🏼
One of the things that didn’t come up is having a box of organic veg delivered. After trying a few different models, we now get ours directly from a farm, but there are any number of good options for doing this. When I lived in the US, we always did this, though the model differed from place to place, ie farm, or store, or co-op. This also helps with being seasonal and local, though most places give you options to do a bit more variety than that.
I have access to a bulk bin section in a Kroger. They are totally okay with me using my produce bags for the bulk. It's kind of a crapshoot whether or not the cashier can/will take off the tare weight, so I usually don't bother bringing my own jars. I do have small super light plastic Tupperware-type containers that I use to get my spices, since the containers really don't weigh much more than a plastic bag. That works.
Glas recycling uses crazy amounts of energy! Also transporting glas jars will always cause higher emissions compared to plastic.
We don't have bulk close to us but there is one place near my mother in law so we try to pop in when we visit her. Apart from that I think really knowing what you have in and using it (not letting it go bad) is one of the greatest ways to keep waste low. We buy fruit and potatoes often straight from local farmers however when we buy it at the supermarket we always buy what is grown in this country or scotland at a push.
In Canada we have a chain called Bulk Barn. Since last year they will weigh your containers for you and label them. Living in a big city (Toronto) we also have some stores specifically geared towards zero waste. One store is Karma Co-op. There, you don't even have to wash your containers since you tare them yourself. So you can bring in your nearly empty peanut butter jar, weigh it, fill it up, weigh it again and pay. Never wash a peanut butter jar again!
My husband and I have recently moved together with my elderly father. We are very eco conscious. Sadly my dad is not. And he has no Interest in changing. He's old and stubborn. And to top it off adjust moved Into a county that is not a plastic bag area like we were used to. And I tell you.... It's really weird to be those people asking for paper bags or bringing in our own or me stuffing my groceries in to my purse at check out. Let's just say we are definitely having a challenging time but trying to find a sense of balance and a new sense of normal. We are even looking into thrive market..thanks to you.
I do 😊 Canada has a wonderful store named Bulk Barn and they're very common
I am in the Philadelphia suburbs. I have minimal access to bulk bins. Wegmans, besides produce, is mostly nuts and candy. Several miles away on the Main Line, there is Mom's Organic Market that has things like bulk tofu, tea, nutritional teast, olive oil, and a few other things.
The paper bags for bulk are a great idea! I often want to buy flour/sugar but can’t tare jars at my local store. Definitely going to use that one and just self-checkout my order to not confuse any cashiers 😁
The bulk bins at the supermarkets here get filled with lots of little 500g-1kg plastic bags though. Which defeats the purpose. But we do have a proper zero waste store that has 4 all over Auckland! They’re mostly organic and plant trees etc so it’s amazing. Most supermarkets here have 80% unpackaged produce anyway though which is great! - Auckland, New Zealand
Every co-op I’ve been a part of allows tare(ing) your own containers. The first co-op I joined, maybe 7-8 years ago, even had free containers to use for their bulk sections. Currently I have access to a zero waste shop (opened in April) and many co-ops in Minneapolis!
We do have a bulk store in our area. It's actually been here for a long time. Its called Nature's Pantry. It's located in State College, PA. Love your videos! I've been watching since the dumpster diving days. I used to dive a Ulta. 😂
There is one store near me that allows you to bring your own containers but for most items they are too expensive for my budget. Whole Foods is the cheapest for most of the items that I eat but won't let us bring our own containers. So I use their plastic bags, put the bulk food into glass jars when I get home, and store the plastic bulk bags in my cloth bags for when I go back again. Whole foods is also walking distance from my house and have some of the best options for plastic free produce (some affordable, some not) so it's great for this too.
when it comes to eating seasonally, that doesn't always mean that you can't eat things that aren's in season! pickling is one example, you can pickle cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, bell peppers... you can make fruit jams and spreads, so that even during off-season you can still enjoy those foods :)
We have lots of bulk options here but not all of them are really savvy about bringing your own container. We do have a few stores that do now, and we just got a zero waste market. Having a conversation with the manager is a good idea. I hate seeing all the produce in plastic though! And it seems like a lot of the organic options are in plastic!
There are many shops with bulk bin options, encouraging packaging-free near me. None have prices that I can manage on a fixed low income. I do have success in Chinatown- a few shop owners know me and will let me use my bags for rice, beans, nuts, dried mushrooms etc, weighed items.
I currently don’t have access to bulk shopping but I’m moving into my new flat on Saturday and that town just recently (about a month ago) got a small vegan zero waste store!! I’m so hyped
in my country it is very common for people in houses to have their own apple, cherry etc trees and black or red currant bushes and small patches of land to grow potatoes, carrots etc, it is very easy to do :D
Most of the time when you have a bulk bin in a store you can buy it by the case which usually comes in paper bags. Sometimes you can even save 5% on your purchase. It is the size you see the restock personal pouring in the bins to refill them.
I have access to bulk shopping at whole foods nearby but it’s expensive. My market right across the street has bulk nuts and dried fruit that I sometimes get. Most large bulk stores are further away from me and I’m not willing to make the trek for a few dry items. I reuse any plastic bags that I may take every now and then. As soon as I unpack my groceries I put them bag into my shopping bags so I don’t forget.
Hello! I shop at Hy-Vee and recently found a decent hack for using glass jars in their bulk sections. I keep one of their paper bags (lined with plastic 🙄) and reuse it over and over again from trip to trip. I pick out an item, pour it into the bag, weigh it and print out the sticker, and then I put the sticker onto an old sheet of paper. I dump the contents of the bag into a jar and repeat using the same bag the whole time. Then when I go to checkout I just hand the cashier the sheet of paper with all of the barcodes on it. They usually give me a weird look but just go with it. I sometimes find that it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission on these kinds of things with stores.
Also, bring a funnel to make your life way easier when you go to dump it out of the bag. I did not the first time and made a bit of a mess.
I live in Austria, we have no access to bulk. There are only 2 or 3 small shops selling unpackaged goods in larger cities. Apart from some markets where we can buy veggies and fruits and some farmers where we can buy unpackaged meat, we rely on the supermarkets.
I kind of have access to bulk, like at whole foods theres a few things (really expensive tho) then theres a place called winco that does bulk but they dont really have annnyyy organic stuff which I prefer to buy. my grocery store also has things like nuts and dried fruits and things of that nature in bulk as well. I wish I had a bulk store that had things like cleaning products, dish soap, laundry detergent, dog treats, toothpaste etc that would be awesome.
I haven't been able to find any stores near me where you can buy in bulk. A tip to learn about what foods are in season is to shop at a farmer's market! The farmers that sell at the markets are local and only grow what is in season.
I live in India, where it's still popular for us to buy our grains in bulk for a year . And most of the time vegetables and fruits are bought at local market. But with our fast paced world now things are changing and new people are preferring the convenience of super market and packaged products
We have a Lucky's Market (😍) that offers bulk bins for rice/beans, coffee, granola, trail mixes, candies, a variety of flours, as well as spices for small amounts, agave, honey, and olive oil. They also have a grind-your-own peanut and almond butter station. They also have mushrooms in bulk in the produce section, which is ideal for me when I only need a handful.
The only bulk option we have (in Central KY) are like 6 bulk bins at Kroger, and I’m pretty sure they’re all just different nuts and you can’t use your own containers. And the towns around us often only have Save-A-Lot or Walmart with no bulk options at all. The better option by us is to find farmers markets and farm stores.
Some stores will let you buy the full package that they use to fill the bulk bins. It even comes at a discount at some stores. Most bulk bins are filled with stuff that was packaged in plastic so you just take the whole thing. I don’t have access to bulk bins that let you bring your own containers
I don’t have access to a bulk store, but my Wegmans has good bulk bins. I have 1 lightweight mesh bag, weigh my items in that, and then dump the contents into glass jars!
I like that you give options. I find that when you start the low waste way of life you aim for perfection and sometimes end in a "f!ck it" or discouraged attitude.
From time to time it also means stopping eating something (i'm not vegan and miss so much cheesecake because i can't find cream cheese or ricotta cheese in bulk) , or shifting to another product, or DIY (nut butters +++ for me), or choosing local olive/sunflower oil instead of the "fad" coconut oil.
In France we have terrible organic shops where everything comes in plastic packaging or from a very far away place eventhough it grows in France.
I still struggle with bulk beans, except lentils, because it takes so much time to cook 😭
I totally agree with the pantry check ! I used to only check my fridge and waste money from my cupboards 🤦♀️
OMG fig tree in your garden ? Lucky you !
You could take photos with your phone of your pantry/fridge/freezer before going to the store so you don't have to remember, you can just look on the fly
We don’t have access to bulk stores but when I go shopping I stock up on everything we need for 2-3 weeks so I’m not traveling to the grocery store every week. I’m avoiding plastic as much as possible and dramatically reduced the amount of trash and recycling coming out of my house.
Many places especially in the U.S. are not recycling glass anymore. My recycling companies uses it to mix in with construction projects but they make $0 from recycling it. I do reuse lots of jars but cant reuse them all. I have access to bulk tho and definatley take advantage of that and local package free produce :)
I just started (about a month now) working on lower waste.....I found earth fare and sprouts in Jax for bulk stores, I love love love them.....I live 30-40 mins away from them, but twice a month is not bad for a trip to heaven ha ha.....thx for the help and ideas to help me stay in the right direction...❤️🌎🌳 refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle ♻️ & rot...also demand that companies to change their packaging.❤️😁
I’ve only recently had a zero waste shop where I live but it’s not the most budget friendly and accessible. I grow all my salad which I have for my lunches though.
We've got a range of bulk bins in our supermarkets here, and very few of the first type of bulk option. Though, we've got a lot of big chain supermarkets here now allowing you bring in clean containers for things from the deli counters which is amazing! I'm from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Both in the city I live in to go to school as well as my hometown have access to bulk and the prices are much better than buying pre-packaged (i.e. rice, flour, nuts). These bulk stores also allow you to bring your own jars/mesh bags and allow you to tare the jars yourself which makes the shopping trip much smoother!
Thank you so much for your channel! Can you do a video explaining how we can determine which options are the best for the environment? Every time I buy something, I question if I’m missing a smarter move.
Is driving 20 miles to the closest bulk bins better than buying something overly packaged but only 5 minutes away? Thrive seems to be a great company for so many reasons, but is ordering from them a better option than shopping at a nearby store, and if so, why?
There’s just not enough information out there...
San Jose, California. We have bulk shopping, but not for everything. For example, no dry pasta in bulk. Unfortunately a lot of them seem to focus on “snacks” instead of normal food.
Most of our shops frown on bringing jars, but are ok with fabric bags.
Great video! You highlighted key points that no one else mentioned. Thank you!
I do not have access bulk shopping
I do & I dont: The city my university is located in has two teeny tiny especially dedicated zero waste bulk shops, but I live in my hometown and take the train to my uni. Here we don’t have any sort of bulk shops, or even just bulk options in the regular stores.
Tons of stores in Northern Utah have bulk. Also a nice thing I do is use a oil pen or sharpie to write on the jar so I avoid printing stickers...some stores let me take photos of the bin info. No twist ties, no stickers, no new containers.
You can also freeze summer fruits for winter.
I live in MA, USA and you really only find stores with any sort of bulk buying option in the city. I bring reusable bags, buy local produce, and recycle nearly everything get in plastic or cardboard and I still feel like it’s not enough. ONE grocery store near me is getting rid of plastic bags, which is a step, so I’ll be shopping there more.
Thank you for this video 😍 I subscribed couple months ago and have been obsessed with your channel and you ever since 🥰 thank you so much for these awesome video! I’m in Canada and we have a store call Bulk Barn, it’s MASSIVE bulk store. I’m very grateful!
If you don't have reusable produce bags, you can purchase bags with the tare weight already on them.
Some stores don't allow you to bring in your own jars because their systems aren't set up to allow the cashier to subtract the weight of containers OTHER than the containers provided by the store. Charging you for the weight of your jar can get the store in trouble.
Also, ,meal prep. If you find a good deal on Zucchini, find a couple recipes that incorporate it. One of the biggest culprits for food waste are leftover recipe ingredients. If a recipe only calls for half a butternut squash, find a recipe to use the other half- or (if all else fails) incorporate your veggie scraps/leftovers into a soup, salad, and/or roasted veggie side dish. (Or blend and add into a smoothie or a tomato sauce if that's what it takes to use up leftovers).
I have access to bulk, but it’s far outside my finances and take two or three buses to get to a Fresh Thyme Farmers Matrket and East End Food Co-op. The Co-op has bulk, but I don’t go often enough to verify having a membership there to help me be able to pay members price. The Fresh Thyme has bulk, but has plastic bags for that section and to ID the bulk item you got, twist tags with room on them to write a bin number. They do provide the pens to write with, but I use my own. So far I haven’t seen any one use their own bags or containers. However in the oil section, there is a sign to use your own bottles or the empty ones they have there. They also have pre-filled bottles. I did ask a Fresh Thyme employee, if I could bring my own containers; he couldn’t clearly give an answer for he was just hired a week before.
Take a picture of your fridge, freezer and pantry before going shopping. It helps
There's an ok bulk section at my local Sprouts--also they sell cotton bulk/produce bags for 99 cents!
I can't tell you how much I love your channel!
Most grocery stores in my area have bulk sections but hard to use your own jars as most cashiers (and their supervisors) aren't trained to tare jars and calculate the difference in weights. I've had a frustrating experience at a local grocery store before. And there is one store nearby called bulk barn but I've found their prices aren't always better, and I do have to drive like 20mins to get there. So it's a matter of what's right for your budget and what's accessible. Instead, I've been able to use my reusable produce bags for some dry bulk goods like nuts and seeds.
I dont personally try to zero waste very much but I love your videos. I do usually take my own bags and I I do end up with the plastic bags I reuse it as a lunch bag, travel bag, or a trash bag for other items. Also with produce I will put multiple items and then weigh out each one separately at the register. Not much but I feel like it is something...
I too am from Texas and love HEB. They are so customer orientated. I make it my job to be known by name at my grocery store. As I go out of my way to meet with the store manager. I have found that the managers are very accommodating when I explain that I am attempting to take care of the planet by using less. Asking them to help usually get them excited as now I have made it a group effort - "Zero Waste" is so hip right now :-) I am not in Texas at the moment and have drastically reduced package free options, I have had to be very creative. I reached out to the Amish in my community to ask if I can buy direct from their farms and have taken to shopping at their stores to supplement what I can not but package free at the local grocery store by my home. Talk about supporting a local family and shopping local! I have to travel a bit, but other great bulk stores are Fresh Thyme and Sprouts. They will weigh jars no issues ever. Thank you for the Thrive tip. I may just have to try them out. I do agree we need to put pressure on the companies to take responsibility for the waste they create. The way we do that is buying power baby!!
Related to knowing what you have, take your phone and take a picture of your pantry/fridge. You may think you remember and then second guess yourself at the store. If you have a picture you can reassure you have stuff! I used to call my mom all the time checking to see if we had something, but now i dont need to!
In german grocery stores there aren't any bulk bins. There are only special zero waste stores who are located in a few big cities, but they are very expensive often 3 or 4 times more expensive than the same organic regional stuff packaged and the problem is most people don't want to pay 3$ for a pound of lentils or 5$ for a pound of pasta, if it's 0,60 if it's in plastic, 1,50 if it's organic.
Locally, there are not really a lot of options for bulk buy in my area. There is a market etc. and there is a small variety of loose veggies in certain stores, but rice, pasta etc typically comes in plastic. I think there are some potatoes in Lidl that come in waxy thick paper packaging, but I don't know if it's locally recyclable. However, I do carry my reusable bags near enough everywhere. Currently, I've found a charity shop that sells glass jars that are used for items like coffee and jam. They have have some really pretty ones that look as georgous as the ones people spend £5 or more each, but I'm getting them for 50p to a £1 each. I've also scrounged old jam jars off other people when they have some really pretty ones when they're not using one.