Confession time: have you ever opened your fridge to see a mess of plastic bags with shrivelled herbs at the bottom, a heel of cheese and 3 plastic Tupperware with unidentifiable leftovers within? Those of you already owning plastic-free food storage might be scandalised, but we’ve all been there!
And we're not just worried about looks here. A recent EU study revealed that fresh fruit and vegetables contribute 50% of household food waste. And a plastic-free fridge can go a long way to reducing that food waste.
Like many of us shamefaced about our food storage habits, you might dream of establishing a streamlined fridge – no plastic, no food waste, no guilt. This dream can come true! If you’re not sure where to start, search #fridgegoals and you’ll find that these Instagram-worthy zero waste fridges provide great inspiration for reducing waste.
Above: Get your #fridgegoals inspiration from gorgeous Insta accounts like @jessiemaysnyder
Clearing your fridge of plastic actually results in fresher food for longer. You can see what’s in there when there’s less plastic in the way, meaning you don’t end up chucking so much away. Plus, the great plastic-free food storage options out there will leave your fridge looking streamlined, sorted, and ready for that hashtag.
Step one on the road to having a zero waste fridge is, obviously, zero waste grocery shopping. Get your fruit and veg loose, take containers to refill at the zero waste shop (everywhere has them, now!), buy bread and baked goods at independent retailers. This is the biggest step to take. Once you’ve done that, you can start sprucing up your fridge with some plastic-free food storage.
Above: Shop with Reusable produce bags and then use them to store veggies in the fridge!
Glass food storage is a great place to start - if you know what food is in your fridge, you're less likely to waste it. Invest in some glass containers, or just use left-over jam or passata jars - plastic-free food storage doesn't need to be expensive!
You can use the glass containers for everything from leftovers to extra cut-up veggies or even herbs and salad leaves. Because they’ve got a lid, they keep everything crisp and fresh. Plus, they look a million times better than Tupperware! Our top tip - keep herbs and other vegetables in a jar with a little water and they’ll stay fresh for ages (just be careful when you open the fridge that you don’t upturn them all!).
Vegetables are usually the thing people get most worried about when they go plastic-free, thinking that the plastic keeps the greens fresh. Actually, a breathable cloth bag (or even a damp towel!) will do a much better job of keeping leafy items fresh, while mouldable beeswax food wraps are perfect for those half-lemons and apples that always seem to end up floating around in the fridge. It’s also good for cheese and packed lunches.
Above: Reusable Beeswax Wraps are perfect to keep those half-lemons fresh!
If you’re trying to reduce your food waste as well as your plastic waste, chances are you’ll have a lot of leftovers. Instead of wasting time transferring these into containers (even if they’re glass), we love being able to simply pop a cover on the bowl and add it to our Insta-worthy zero waste fridge – you can choose from cute cotton, beautiful printed or stretchable silicone covers. There are many different alternatives to cling film!
Above: Silicone bowl covers - easy to adapt to your bowl size!
With all this on offer, there should be no more excuses – your plastic-free fridge should always be ready for a #fridgegoals selfie, with not a scrap of plastic in sight!
Where are you on the plastic-free food storage journey? Ready for your #fridgegoals selfie? Share your favourite tip and inspire others!