Eco-Friendly Grocery Shopping Tips
Across the planet, we are waking up to systems in place that no longer serve us as a collective; we are pulling many things up from the darkness into light. The state of our Mother Earth has always been present and there are MANY doing all they can to fight climate change and spread more sustainable and eco-friendly practices, but more are joining the cause.
We can become part of the change by using more reusable products, shopping with reusable bags and totes, refusing bags and utensils if you order takeout, buying more sustainable products in your home to clean up messes, and become more mindful on your food consumption. At Philosophie we're on a mission to make more conscientious choices so we can create the best environment for our little ones and the Philosophie community. The goal is to make lots of little daily changes to be more eco-conscious and choose goods, products and food with more intention.
Why do we run a sustainable wellness brand?
We don’t need to be the first to tell you that climate change is real and scary. It’s so important now more than ever to be part of the solution and not the problem. We want a world that our children’s children can grow up in and experience the beauty of this planet.
As the food we eat plays such a large role in shaping how we use and treat our planet, it’s essential that we make environmentally conscious choices while gathering all the ingredients for our yummy recipes. We make it a point to research who and where we source all our ingredients for all our superfood blends and infusions.
This is also important when it comes to your food waste within your own home. Mamas, I know how challenging it is to get your kiddos to eat everything on their plates. In our own homes, we are always looking for new and fun ways to use leftovers which often look like using leftover fruits and veggies in smoothies, soups or bowls. When you make your leftovers into an entirely new meal it makes it a new experience for the whole family to enjoy!
Here are our top tips for shopping sustainable while shopping for nutrient-dense foods:
Always ask questions about your food. What ingredients are used and where do these ingredients come from? Are they sustainably grown and harvested? This is so SO important, especially for ingredients like palm oil (which is oftentimes unsustainably harvested, harming natural ecosystems and beautiful creatures like orangutans).
BYOB (bring your own bag) - including produce bags! While many stores have completely banned plastic bags or charge extra for them, produce bags remain a staple. You can find reusable produce bags made of nylon or cotton.
Shop the Farmer’s Market. By hitting up your local Farmer’s Market, you have access to an abundance of amazing fruits, veggies, seeds, and nuts AND you can learn exactly where and how they were grown. Local, organic produce has a much smaller carbon footprint than larger grocery chains that ship theirs from far distances. And make sure to bring your reusable totes wherever you go!
Shop in season. Food can travel a long way to make it to your local grocery store and into your home. To help the environment, try shopping for produce that’s in season and it often saves you money too!
Buy in bulk. Go to grocery stores that offer grains, nuts, etc. in bulk and bring your own jars. It’s so cute to see them around your home, too! Turn to reusable products like our Philosophie Smoothie Jars. I’ll be going reusable with all of baby girl’s diapers and I’ve cut out sack lunches/ziplock bags for the boys.
Practices in place
A part of nourishing ourselves is respecting and protecting this beautiful planet that we call home, we feel it’s SO important to ensure that the Philosophie products also support the environment. All of our superfood + protein blends come in 100% biodegradable kraft paper, created with long, unbleached fibers from maritime pine that require minimal chemical processing and keep the wood’s gorgeous natural color.
The paper itself actually decomposes naturally, just like the leaves of a tree, and will return to its original state of cellulose fibers in several weeks—completely safe for the environment! And while these bags are green and can be put back into the earth, their fibers are super strong so they can be reused again and again! All our jars of supercharged raw honey and our superfood coconut butter come in reusable glass jars.
