30+ TIPS for How to Zero Waste Grocery Shop (even if you don't have bulk)

[@LeahandLevi]

Seriously.... 30!? Very impressed at the volume of information that you cram into these videos!

[@Shelbizleee]

Stahhpp, thank you so much Levi! 🙈

[@Ally-ug3nq]

I agree,🌷

[@kailashmendiratta6178]

I love your channel

[@HannahTheHorrible]

Imagine if everyone in America did just one or two of these things

[@littledipper1199]

Or everyone in the world!

[@HeyMatthewBK]

Some stores aren’t allowing reusable bags because of COVID. I just leave laundry baskets in my car and just ask that they don’t bag my stuff and just put it right back into the cart and then just fill up the baskets when I get to my car!

[@Kiterpuss]

I feel like an idiot because it NEVER occurred to me to just ask them not to bag my groceries at all. 😱 I have plenty of reusable bags but asking employees to use them instead of the normal plastic bags gives me anxiety.

[@MP-pn6kh]

Smart!

[@annikaParnda]

Good on you! In Germany it is very common to put your groceries back into your cart (if you have a car). It didn't even occur to me that groceries could be bagged right at the checkout until I went to Australia!

[@coralovesnature]

I do this too! Except I just bag my stuff at my car using the reusable bags I always keep in there.

[@aimsical285]

I usually use self checkout so I can easily use my own bags, but if I don't I'll just tell them I'll put the item in my bags myself after they scan it.

[@Mirandacloud]

If you forget your reusable bag and are at the grocery store, look for empty or almost empty boxes throughout the store. I always find something somewhere. If there is only 2 or 3 of something left in a box, I take it out. This is a life saver!

[@ennamatilda269]

This! We offer our empty cardboard boxes to customers to use. No need to worry about disinfecting as we sell flowers and other plants from them

[@Mirandacloud]

@@ennamatilda269 I feel like this was a big this at one if the grocery store chains Food Basics in Canada, but I don't think they do it anymore. I don't understand why not

[@Livingdutchgirl]

Here in the Netherlands we have big bins filled with boxes from the supermarkets near the check outs. This has saved me many times!

[@user-di6cn2ne7u]

Costco too! They have no bags. Find a box or you'll be making some very tricky trips

[@carriesmith2991]

just ~aldi~ things

[@ToneBreistrand]

Also people, remember that if you can’t go 100% plant based, it still makes a difference if you reduce your meat and dairy intake without cutting them out completely (remember Shelbi’s saying!)💚

[@itskaybe6348]

Yes! And I love that Shebi does present it that way. She always says eat less animal products, obviously if you can get to zero great but any reduction is SO HELPFUL.

[@lisar2190]

Do you all have some favourite plant -based food which you ca wouldn take to school (or in generel) It would be great if you would share it with me

[@emilypeterson4886]

I love this video! I have a side note, when talking to your grocery store, ect, about ways they can improve to be more zero waste or telling them to put the product in your own container please please please do not hassle the poor employee who is working there for minimum wage. They have no say in what their boss/company does. Yes, they can tell their employer that people are requesting such things but they are often shrugged off in doing so. If you can, go and talk directly to the store/branch owner or send them a message. Those average workers don't deserve to be yelled at. I've had it happen to me multiple times and I'm like "yes, I get it, I'm on your team but I have zero say in what happens here" and the customer has been verbally abusive in that situation assuming I am lying or just trying to get them to leave me alone. GO TO THE OWNER.

[@Kiterpuss]

I bought a package of "mesh laundry bags" from a dollar tree a few years ago. While they are packaged in plastic and that's not ideal, they were $1, US made, and I use them every single time I buy produce. They're the only alternative I can convince my family to use instead of those awful plastic film bags at the store.

[@ao_qwq]

I mean one plastic bag that they came in is pretty ideal compared to the hundreds or thousands that you save using them for produce!

[@missfroghophophop6953]

Dollar tree has reusable veggie bags now from natural home.

[@stephaletty7548]

One thing I do is to just skip bagging produce ( unless it's very small), bananas- straight in the cart, apples, oranges, potatoes, onions.....- -- straight in the cart!

[@sarahpopa7234]

Thats what I do too! I can wash the fruit when I get home and why one earth do i need to wrap an avocado! It already has its own wrap!

[@ToneBreistrand]

I do the same, I just throw everything in there. It’s hard to believe now that I used to bag stuff haha

[@ao_qwq]

Right.. I get so annoyed with people putting a bunch of bananas in a bag!! Or a single bell pepper. Like excuse me.. It is a SINGLE bell pepper what do you need a bag for!?

[@squash6497]

I do this too!

[@morganadams4238]

Same here! They have to be washed regardless!

[@tracyb2299]

The one thing that I love that my local grocery store does is with single banana's; they have a bin of them and parents can take one for their kids to eat while they are shopping and they don't have to pay for it. It is such a great thing to do not only to cut down on waste but it gives parents who might not be able to afford fresh fruit a chance to give their kids a little something.

[@shelbycriswellart]

If I have something that comes in plastic (like berries), I reuse those plastic containers for germinating seeds in my garden and herbs. They are so easy to poke drainage holes in. :)

[@ao_qwq]

Wow, that's cool, never thought of that. My mum uses our bags from berries or really any plastic bags to pick up dog poop haha..

[@shelbycriswellart]

@@ao_qwq Hah, I love that! I've also heard of people using plastic bags and trash bags to grow plants in too.

[@coralovesnature]

@@ao_qwq we use them for cat poop!

[@Doubt1337]

I love that you mentioned that's sometimes it's okay to buy things in plastic if the production practices are better! I only buy chocolate chips that're fair trade, and it's surprisingly hard to find bulk bin chocolate that's ALSO fair trade. I usually end up buying it in plastic b/c the fair trade is more important to me than the plastic bag.

[@natwilliams2215]

A big one for me is making sure I buy food for the meals I'm going to have in the next 10 days, not buying to fill the fridge. I live with 2 other people but there's no way we can fill our full sized fridge and still eat it all! We get a lot of crap from our parents for our "bare student fridge" but we have only what we use!

[@Purple0fairy0bunny]

When we moved our house didn't have a fridge we opted to get a small 18cubic feet fridge. It took some getting used to but uses less of everything to use and makes us eat everything faster as it doesn't hold as much.

[@coralovesnature]

Great point! There are only 2 of us in my house and our fridge is always half empty because there’s is simply no need for us to have that much perishable food at any one time. I would say our food waste is nearly zero. We also have a compost bin for inedible plant parts, or if parts of stuff does happen to go bad. (If we get a head of lettuce, for example, we usually are able to us most of it, but there’s always a couple leaves that end up getting wilty.)

[@natwilliams2215]

@@coralovesnature I have the same problem with lettuce! I'm sure someone in this community will have a hack so let's hope they see this and share 😭

[@Emily-hd9sm]

Yes!! I'll get back from the grocery and people will make fun of me and my roommates saying "what do you mean you just went shopping? You have no food!" No, I just planned what I intend to cook for this particular week and bought what I need for that. I didn't just get stuff that looks good or I "think I'll probably use."

[@EllieofAzeroth]

I'm the same way! My fridge has literally never been full before since moving out of my parents' house

[@caitlynlutz4522]

I've started thrifting lace curtains and tablecloths and sewing them into produce bags! I'm definitely not the first to do this and you can find a ton online, but feel free to let me know if you'd like to buy a set of three!

[@hannahcole1221]

I love this! I just got my old sewing machine down from my parents attic so I can fix my clothes to give them a longer life, but now I have another sustainable project!!

[@ao_qwq]

That's a great tip, I've done it as well. You can make sooo many bags out of one curtain too! :)

[@lisapoulsen5452]

And they look so beautiful, too! My sister bought me some for Christmas one year...love them!!

[@jasmincastillo8686]

great idea!

[@caitlynlutz4522]

Update, I crocheted the scraps into a shower scrubby.😍

[@ayidas]

I just want to say that from Day 1 you entered KZbin fearlessly and with a bang. You provide actual, useful information and minimum fluff. I can’t believe you have time to be so active on other platforms, too. You are doing awesome and your hard work shows.

[@emilydowns5285]

Thank you so much for always reminding us not to stress too much about the waste we cannot control. I live in a part of the country where sustainability is considered a complete joke so it can be really challenging (if not impossible...) for me to make all the changes I desire. I work really hard to recycle, compost, and limit waste but always get a little bit upset at myself when I send stuff to the landfill. Your reminder always puts me at ease and helps take the weight of that responsibility off my shoulders. Thank you for your videos and all the work you do. Your channel means a lot to me

[@amandahugginkiss9065]

Girl your hair and makeup are on point today! You look like a beautiful mermaid 🥰

[@Shelbizleee]

Hehe thank you! This is the result of falling asleep with my hair still wet 😂

[@amandahugginkiss9065]

@@Shelbizleee my hair does the same when I fall asleep with it wet 😂

[@ColleenJoudrey]

I live in a rural area so we take advantage of the u-picks at our local farms. We take our own buckets or boxes so there is no unnecessary waste. Bonus is that it's typically less expensive, puts money directly into the farms and my kids are a heck of alot happier after spending a couple of hours there.

[@MP-pn6kh]

Love going to those!!!! I wish grocery stores got berries from those farms as they usually package them in cardboard boxes. I know only Whole Foods offers this, but again for berries only.

[@ColleenJoudrey]

I'm in NS, Canada and some grocery stores will sell berries in wooden quart boxes or cardboard flats. It typically costs 3 times the amount of getting my own though.

[@kimyb18]

As a household of 1, gathering jars was going to take for ever. But I asked in my Buy Nothing community group and now I have tons of jars. It is very probable that someone has something you are looking for 👍

[@jennb9730]

Wow! I had no idea! Thanks for this!

[@udderlylost1178]

Baking tip: don't buy brown sugar if you have a mixer. If you buy granulated sugar in a paper bag and a jar of molasses which I've always seen in a glass jar you can make your own brown sugar quickly and easily. I mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tbsp of molasses to make light brown sugar with the paddle attachment. It will first get clumpy but just let it run until it becomes fluffy and not clumpy 👍 I started doing it bc I ran out of brown sugar once and just never saw the point in buying brown sugar again. Baking is a hobby of mine so I go through a lot of it lol 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@melissanolan3322]

It’s also a lot cheaper too! I’ve compared price of making vs buying and it’s quite a difference so I will be doing this as soon as I finish up my brown sugar ☺️

[@mikailagray]

Good tip!! A lot people don’t realize that brown sugar isn’t special, it’s just regular sugar with molasses.

[@missdanibelle]

That's a pretty good tip. I will say though, not all brown sugar is white sugar with molasses. Idk about the products you get in America but I'm from a Caribbean country that produces sugar and brown sugar is actually the least processed type of sugar. After the juice is extracted from the sugar cane, brown sugar is what is what is left after the first evaporation. White sugar is produced after much more processing. 😊

[@mikailagray]

@@missdanibelle we have that labeled as “natural sugar” or natural cane sugar but yea it is also brown so some people get confused.

[@missdanibelle]

@@mikailagray ahhhhhh, okay! Thank you for the clarification 😊

[@monicabooth2812]

Our local grocery store takes single leftover bananas (that are still edible) and puts them in baskets around the store for parents to give to their kids for free. Truthfully I don't know if they're still doing it during the pandemic as I just do curbside pickup right now, but it's definitely taken advantage of and there's less waste since people don't generally buy single bananas on their own. Thank you for reminding me to clean out my fridge. I wish there was a better way for me to organize it but it's a top freezer and it's super deep so I ALWAYS end up losing things as they get gradually pushed to the back.

[@curiouschicana9098]

Kind of in line with tip 22/23 (making a list/evaluating) avoid grocery shopping when you're hungry. Its easier to avoid impulse purchases when your stomach's not growling at you 😅

[@daisygoldsteincross]

I eat soooo many mushrooms and I recently bought a big bag of dried ones at the Asian market. Obviously, farmers market mushrooms are superior but having a big bag that won’t go bad is way better than me buying plastic wrapped bins all the time! Love that you highlight that buying big quantities in one package is more sustainable!

[@ALifeofLearning]

I love how I never feel judged for not doing perfectly while watching your videos. These were great tips!

[@Maddy-ou7ys]

Idk what it is but you look super energized and glowy❤️

[@datchaanimalsheltermoldova1980]

Oh Shelby, you have no idea how much you transformed my shopping habits! I'm now the weird person how comes with visible reused bags from home :) and it feels good! Also, now I'm a loyal farmers market shopper

[@mikhailrodrigues5796]

Hey hey hey! We are not the weird ones! The ones who don't get reusable ones are!💚

[@dancingottergirl]

Love all these tips-always good to acknowledge that people don’t always have access to bulk bins and that there are small things everyone can do to lower their impact. Thanks for a great start to my Wednesday!

[@thehyperblondies1]

Yes I have been needing this! I am hoping they open up a bulk shop eventually where I live. 🙏

[@YandereDay]

My state doesn't have any 😭 Hopefully we get one soon too

[@elainemonroe1253]

me too

[@jessicasantos6690]

I've said this before, I'll say it again: I wish I could force EVERYONE to watch these videos! People are so happy to be obvlivious to the problems and how much we can do to stop them. Thank you Shelbi, I love you!

[@Littlebearito]

I keep a list of food that I have on hand- produce, leftovers, sauces, etc. and keep it on the fridge so I always know what’s in there and don’t have to keep the door open for so long and lose track of everything! I also freeze single size portions of leftovers in glass jars for easy quick meals for later and meal plan my leftovers

[@lindasteinbrenner8065]

Great episode! Not only to promote sustainability, but also to having healthier eating, better for your wallet and just helping us all be aware to pay attention! Thanks!!

[@JellyBeanRiver]

Love how you call it "eco minimalism". This term definitely going to help me to explain my lifestyle to ppl and make it more attractive to them! Thanks for your hard work!

[@carlyellen9392]

i love that this video was posted as i was watching a tiktok video of a woman grocery shopping and there was sooo much plastic in her cart haha

[@amelie3012]

I bring my jars with me. I always carry my "granny bag" (trolley) that I just roll behind me. It means it's easy to carry a bunch of jars around in a way that feels super light and I feel like it's cleaner than making my things go through a reusable bag first. However my bulk store is a 5mins walk from my house and I can't imagine carrying my jars on my bike so I understand that doesn't work for everyone.

[@mollycluff943]

Man, that storage tip is a huge one for me! I’ve been storing my spinach/lettuce in a closed container with a dish towel (which soaks up the excess moisture and prevents that soggy rottenness) and it lasts in the fridge like 3x as long! I actually get to eat it all now instead of having to compost the remaining bits I didn’t get to.

[@turtlescanfly7]

My jar cabinet is so full that I’ve had to start giving jars away. Most of the time my buy nothing FB group only wants cute jars so I’ve started painting them a little, much more success with giving them away now. I really need to start making my own pasta sauce, this is my biggest source of jars & it’s getting overwhelming trying to avoid just recycling them.

[@vickieveeh]

Same i gift flowers in my old pickles jars 😅

[@turtlescanfly7]

@@vickieveeh that’s such a great idea! I really wish Reddit or something had a specific thread just for how to repurpose jars & wine bottles because I’m always looking for things and Pinterest just has the same 5 suggestions over and over

[@dimerymichaels3539]

Hi everyone! There’s a really great Snapchat story about reusing things. There’s one called Handmade and one called Blossom. I think they both show reusing stuff a lot for gifts or around the house. I know I’ve seen jars on there before!!

[@katrinaford494]

See if there is a freecycle group in your area. You can also try posting them for free on the OfferUp app.

[@Anna_ForFutureAdventures]

In Germany some great options for saving food from landfill are the companies "Sirplus" and "Etepetete", they ship boxes to you with food that can't be sold in grocery stores so it isn't thrown away. There is also an organization that saves food that grocery stores would otherwise throw away and you can become a foodsaver there. It's called foodsharing and it's a great solution since containering is sadly illegal Germany...

[@Daphnaee]

Yes! In addition there is the app "togoodtogo", where you can buy leftover food for a much cheaper price from supermarkets, restaurants etc. which would be otherwise thrown away :) Die App lieb ich ja auch sehr ☺

[@simplyarden4190]

I have celiac disease (extreme gluten allergy/auto-immune response) so cannot use bulk bins and it KILLS me. I try to go harder on everything else to make up for the fact I have to buy the biggest packages of things I can find that I will use.

[@katiecooper3289]

I’m the same girl! There is a gluten free section for some things like gf free flours in my bulk shop that’s well away from the flour, so I’m lucky but still hesitant because of cross contamination. With other things I’ve started budgeting a sinking fund for buying big sacks n stuff of grains, rice and beans etc. Nice to know I am not the only one!!☺️

[@shannonp3400]

SAME. It is super frustrating.

[@discofinger7084]

i always pick up the bruised and ugly produce or like dented cans at the store because i feel bad for them, like theyre the last one picked on the kickball field or something LMAO maybe I'm goofy for personifying fruits but at least I'm reducing waste

[@Samantha-vg5ro]

I do the same thing, always have lol.

[@luckyducky759]

Don’t get the dented cans tho, could have botulinum!!

[@eikawithac]

@@luckyducky759 Always check where the dent is and what it looks like! If it is over a seam in the can (top or bottom edge or the side seam which you can see if you pull back the label), or has a sharp V shape instead of a rounded U shape, do not buy! If it’s a rounded dent on a part of the can that’s not a seam, it is safe :)

[@yourseasonalviewers3521]

My family always save plastic bags from supermarket, so I bring them when shopping, and it's really nice that I don't have to buy any kind of bag since there's used plastic bags that I can use. And, I keep reminding my family to bring our own bags.

[@vancylife3288]

I have a tip for the people like me whose only option at bulk stores right now is to use the plastic bags they provide! First, fill the bag as much as possible and stock up your pantry. It will be costly to buy full bags especially if you're buying nuts and seeds, but you won't need to buy more for a long time! I decant the bags into my jars at home and store what doesn't fit in my jars until they need to be refilled. When the bag is empty, there are lots of ways to reuse it. Plastic bags are horrible for the planet but they do come in handy. I use mine to store my baking, which is especially handy if you are baking lots and then freezing what you're not eating right away. I also use them as garbage bags for non-recyclable packaging and cat litter.

[@paweklepacki5438]

The way you give advice and talk about the zero waste lifestyle is so encouraging and inspiring!! Seriously love your channel💚

[@janetstonerook4552]

My local grocery store clerks are really great about my carrying my own containers. I carry two large insulated cloth bags. And they always comment how efficient those bags are. It's true! Usually those two bags hold my entire two weeks of groceries! 👍

[@jenniferkozlowski4505]

I’ve been WAITIN’ for this one, turn it up!

[@lisapoulsen5452]

Another great hack is to keep a dry erase board on your fridge and write what leftovers are inside. With myself, my husband and our two teenagers home aaaaaall the time, this helps everyone know what they can have for lunch and we don’t waste any food this way:)

[@poziomka8993]

When you have to buy something in a plastic cup or box look at its shape! Some cups are much bigger than it's needed for the volume of the product and it's good to avoid them. Simpler shapes are better because they are easier to reuse, and if you stick to one brand and have many same containers it is easier to give it away. I grow all my plants from cuttings and seeds so I ruse many plastic cups, lids. I'm also signed up for giveaway groups - there are always some teachers, artists who always need things for their projects.

[@cathyries9181]

The last tip was sooo helpful! I always feel frustrated and think I should do MORE. But I learned that I'm already doing a lot of the things you mentioned in this video. Thank you!

[@roseaddams5401]

Thank you for talking about Community Supported Agriculture, I never knew about that. I looked into it and there's a bunch of options in my area so I'll definitely take advantage of that!

[@eikawithac]

My husband and I LOVE our csa share. It totally transformed how we cook, meal plan, and also how we relate to the weather and the seasons! When it starts cooling down in the fall I know that means we’ll be getting salad greens again, if it’s terribly hot and dry I know that means lots of basil coming up, etc! So fun.

[@justinemessner5045]

Thank you for making this video! I was one of those people asking you about groceries and this was super helpful. Definitely taking some of these tips to buy groceries for my family. Can’t wait to see your next video, I am learning so much about this journey my family is on to be more aware of wasteful habits. Once again, thank you for your time, work, and wisdom!

[@rena6155]

I truly appreciate your tips for people without bulk bins. We don’t really have them here and it’s always good to hear, how you can lower your footprint even without them ❤️

[@Animal22100]

So much great info thank you so much!! Found a bulk hygiene/home goods store near me and emailed my local sprouts to start up their bulk bins again. You are truly changing the world even in small ways!

[@99leadpencils]

Pro tip! To take the label off a jar, use baking soda mixed with a few drops of water to make a paste. You will have to peel off any plastic coating first so the mixture will penetrate. This is really good for getting the sticky residue and leftover paper off. :) Pro tip #2: any baking soda that rinses off into your sink can be used to clean and shine your sink (as long as the concentrate is high enough for the water to look milky). Your sink will shine!

[@peabodysees]

Absolutely loved this video! I love content like this and always welcome more. We're very interested in zero waste grocery shopping and now that we're fully vaccinated we are back in the game. My heart sunk a bit ago when I checked the stickers on our produce and realized the bananas I'd shoved in a (reusable! :) produce bag were actually from - Guatemala! Say what?! Our bananas we're shipped in from *2,403* miles away! Just unreal. I so appreciate your tips and will be more conscious of my grocery produce purchases thanks to you. Love your channel!

[@brittanystorey9460]

I really love using these bags I got off Etsy because they are kind of see through, like a mosquito net. Some grocery’s have prices based on number of veggies so it makes check out quicker.

[@shaunaburton7136]

I think being creative with containers is helpful. I really like the plastic bags that sheets come in. They hold a lot and are easy to clean.

[@jessicaclones4574]

in a similar vein to shopping local produce and bulk bins, check out local produce stores!! not only are you more likely to get local produce, you might find package-less produce!! i work at this lil local produce stand and during the summer we have SO much local produce and we put almost all our produce out without packaging bc most of it comes in bulk boxes. i never would have thought about local stores when looking for bulk bins until i started working there so i definitely recommend giving that a try!!

[@audsadventures6272]

Thank you for recognizing that not everyone has access/resources to the same things and thank you for not acting arrogant in the way of like condescending to people who are doing the best that they can, even though it may not be at a high level/advanced 💚

[@andreasheehan16]

My grocery store got rid of their bulk section when Covid hit. I was more than annoyed 😒

[@itslikelykelly]

My local health food grocery store is doing the same currently :/ and the 3 other grocery stores near me, don't even have a bulk section 🤦‍♀️. There is a store called Bulk Barn but I believe they started pre-bagging the stuff in plastic so no one reaches in the bins. I hope that changes soon.

[@jasminecameron3481]

This might only be applicable in Australia, however in regard to frozen fruit and berries, there is a brand at Aldi that doesn’t use plastic in their boxes. They just have the fruit frozen in the cardboard packaging without the plastic bag inside :)

[@zannahlovegrove]

what brand is this?!

[@jasminecameron3481]

Okay I know I’m 2 years late by now 😂 But it’s the Orchard & Vine brand! As far as I’m aware (although I haven’t actually bought frozen fruit for a while) they’re just in the box, no extra plastic involved 😊

[@katelawrence7445]

I have a bulk store nearby and living in a one person household I am very happy that I can buy tiny amounts of items there. Recently I bought 8 bay leaves which cost 21 cents. A staff member told me that have had customers buying 1 star anise or 6 almonds. Certainly cuts down on waste and it encourages me to try different foods as I can buy just enough for 1 serving.

[@siripaschall295]

Thanks so much for the wonderful information and for reinvigorating me to put my knowledge to use! I had become so complacent. I am constantly revamping my life thanks to you. I have gone from a very full largest size trash bin to a fairly empty small one. My four-year-old daughter is excited to pick up trash on our walks. The other day we went to a lake and she was very concerned about a can in the water and told me how it would "make the fishy sick and have to go home to his mommy." I am able to foster hope where I was once so depressed I gave up. You are the best.

[@SparklinYoga]

Love what you do, you rock girl!

[@turtlescanfly7]

Shelby, what are your thoughts on box wine vs glass bottles? A local winery in my area started advertising themselves as eco friendly because they switched to box wine. They’ve talked about how they cut their emissions in half by switching from wine bottles to box wine because it weighs less in transport. My only concern is that box wine has plastic and the plastic will be there forever, whereas glass can be recycled over and over. I know we can’t just concentrate on the packaging when considering how eco a product is, but it just feels weird that going from bottles to plastic would be better in the long run

[@kacibug893]

i bring a collapsable wagon to the grocery store, and i also LOVE HEB! we just put everything in our wagon, use cloth bags for veggies, and ask that the cashier not bag anything when checking out. we just wheel out our unbagged groceries and sit it in the trunk of the car, then wheel it into the house! so easy and no plastic.

[@dylanbystedt]

Omg omg omg! Organize your fridge is huge in other ways too! For one, air needs to be able to circulate, if you've over filled your produce bin, air doesn't circulate, the food doesn't get cold enough, and you get spoilage. If you think of a commercial walk in - the centre is empty, the shelving in wired so air can move, and there is usually a few inches above the item - so air can move around!

[@ellenwert4943]

I bought the same compost tumbler a little while ago and love it! (So far) It’s definitely been an eye opening experience. Every time I go to throw something away I stop and see if I can compost it and most of the time I can. I feel so much better about doing that than dumping it in the trash.

[@Megan-nt7dm]

I love sourdough bread, but I can never finish a whole loaf before it goes bad, so I ask them to slice it at the store if it isnt already sliced, then toss it in the freezer. You can throw frozen slived bread in the toster and it comes out perfect!

[@huffleproud7171]

Your hair is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing all these tips!!

[@ritzafrancois4863]

Highly recommend using those pillow case bags with the drawstring for getting bulk items.

[@tiabar2171]

Usually when we buy local made items here in Hawaii, its 2x the price... But because its Hawaii. I still do what I can be to be as sustainable and support local whenever possible!

[@SomeoneVEVO]

Your skin always looks so radient. Can you do a skincare video?

[@graceandersen1394]

Regarding bulk buying. I've found a restaurant supply store with HUGE proportions. Example: 50lb bag of white rice is $20. They have so many options INCLUDING the harder to find spices (while star anise ect.) They do ship just in case anyone lives in a food desert and you want fruit outside of jelly and jam or just wish to pool money for bulk items and split between those contributing. Just thought to share an option of bulk buying if there isn't one nearby. I don't know what they do sustainability wise unfortunately

[@hannah_bandana]

I've been watching sustainability content for a while now and I never knew that fact about checking the numbers on plastic to see how likely it is to be recycled. Thank you! Definitely good to know

[@spoonsandspades]

Thank you for mentioning fairtrade! I work for a fairtrade organisation and not many people realise the good they do not only for people but for sustainability 😌

[@kriscrawsx773]

Regarding food scraps. I feed a lot of our left overs to my dogs. If there's not enough for a lunch the next day, they get it with their kibble for dinner. Fruit, veggies, rice, oats, and meat. Though I definitely look up beforehand what produce is good/bad for dogs.

[@carriesmith2991]

can you please do a video about the later stages of composting? i have a compost tumbler (same one as you and madison, actually!), and I have a few months worth of greens and browns in there... but no idea what to do next. help!

[@AD-jj3hd]

Thanks for all the tips Shelby, I've been on this journey for years and I still learn so much from your videos so thank you. In Canada we have a flashfood app where some grocery stores will mark down the price of food about to expire and produce about to go bad or maybe it was a bulk bag and some have gone bad and they put them into produce boxes for $5. I also discovered u pick vegetables so in the fall in addition to grow my own and getting a veggie CSA, we go to a veggie u pick and load up our freezer by blanching food, it's usually cheaper, the farmers are always so nice and most use organic practices but cant afford to get that label. So you get it package free, support local and more sustainable farming!

[@ev3433]

I purchase a lot of my 'staples' from a restaurant store since I don't have access to bulk. They often have things like flour, soda syrup, sugar, spices etc which don't come in large packages at a regular grocery store

[@midwestforever]

I joined a co-op this summer for the first time!! I also like Misfits and Imperfect foods. I like the discount veggies in my store (Kroger) but they always put them in plastic mesh bags for sale.

[@abigailayala9159]

I’m moving out of my home in approximately 2 years, and I’ve been doing a lot of research so I’m ready to buy zero waste! This has helped a lot and now I know where some zero waste stores are!

[@malachyte_art]

Very informative! I knew some of these tips, but there were many I never considered. I live in an area where there are zero bulk options currently (before the pandemic I only had Whole Foods as a bulk option, that's it!). So it's really nice to see some focus on sustainable shopping outside of buying bulk. I didn't even think of writing to a grocery store about offering bulk, I will start doing that! I feel like Trader Joe's would be a great one to start with. They seem the most likely to be receptive to that.

[@melissarae4341]

As of late I am finding so many things do not interest me anymore, but I love your videos and you always make great ones. Thank you for being you!

[@mariadesantiago8696]

I do my best to eat before going grocery shopping. It really helps curb the desire to get “snacks” things I normally wouldn’t buy.

[@Aceamzing]

I am trying a CSA this summer and am so excited to see how it is :) I wanted to try Imperfect as well but they don't yet serve my zip code.

[@lillianmarie9469]

Anyone else salivating over the beautiful little tomatoes Madison is chopping at the very end? 🤤 🍅

[@KatlynAnn]

at the commissary (i shop at a store on an army base) they have a basket with single-2 bananas & i always pick those! thanks for this video, your videos have helped my husband and I SO SO much with going carbon neutral, so thank you :)

[@faunefisher7755]

Love love love your rant on animal agriculture.

[@christinametzger2609]

Yoooo girl. You look so dewy and fresh! I dunno if you did something with your makeup or it's just the lighting, but yeah.

[@TheChickenRiceBowl]

Completely off-topic, but the way she says “animals” at 4:31 is so cute. 🥺

[@britneygriffin6704]

The plastic number scale was super helpful

[@audsadventures6272]

8:26 I’ve never heard of this!! Thanks Shelbi I’ll keep an eye out from now on! 💚

[@rachelmiramontes4061]

I love your channel so much. Ive watched so many of your videos but honestly, this is the first time I've commented. Same on me! For a few months I been trying to make more sustainable choices when it comes to what I bring into my home. I have a big family and it isn't always the easiest, but I'm doing my best and trying getting the kids involved too. Your content is so informative. We need more people like you.

[@L155-c4m]

Also, if you can't get package free stuff make ecobricks there are many places who buy them and build schools or houses with them

[@corablah9809]

I love that you talk about sustainable farming. We raise our own chickens, but we could NEVER do enough to sell to people lol, it's just not a reasonable option for everyone. We eat deer, that my step dad hunts. He won't use it all, so we get the remaining meat. He lives in an area where sadly there aren't any predators. The deer is so over populated in their area, it's so sad.

[@danettemckinnon7251]

I am so glad that I am not the only one who buys imperfect produce in a regular grocery store just for that reason to save it from the landfill.

[@Gumbi4ever]

Got clearance lemons 🍋 a few weeks ago and made hella cheap lemon curd...yum yum.

[@ao_qwq]

I'm not really great at growing food but! tomatoes are incredibly easy to grow and you can grow them in a plant pot, I grew strawberries in a pot last year as well (this year i got a raised bed for them).

[@Indowwindows]

Great call outs for us as consumers to acknowledge when grocery shopping.

[@shannonp3400]

Bulk bins are sometimes not safe for allergies too, so thanks for the other ideas!

[@tiffanisanchez6951]

Omg, I just found your channel. Thank you so much for all that you do to teach us how to reduce our waste and carbon footprint!

[@alley8294]

Kroger has a clearance section. We always hit that up before everything else. There’s usually some good stuff in there!