Save yourself $$$ and from Toxins!

Starting your non-toxic journey can be very overwhelming. Take it from someone who is constantly on the move and has been somewhat forced into a minimalist lifestyle.. thank you Army! That being said, it doesn't have to be scary! My family has started this journey quite slowly because it can be both daunting AND expensive when you start looking into everything that could be swapped out. Our first step was starting in the kitchen, and this is probably the most budget friendly and simple way to get started on lowering waste and toxin exposure in your home!

For me, it was important to focus on the products that we used the most or had the biggest impact -- like our food. This is why clearing out the kitchen was our first step in moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

Here are 10 simple swaps that you can make in your kitchen right now!

• Plastic containers to Glass storage or Mason Jars

  That pasta sauce jar that you just finished this week after making delicious spaghetti... clean it & keep it! Many of the jars and containers that we use for food storage in our home are just reused from the products we already buy, and make the swap super budget friendly! Plastics, especially when heated (through dishwasher or microwave) are more likely to leach toxic chemicals into your food.

• Plastic straws to Reusable ones

  Save the turtles and your money. I find that I drink more water when I use a cute straw anyway, so if that the incentive you needed to hydrate then there ya go! We have stainless steel, silicone (my son currently loves to chew on these as he's teething), and I've seen some pretty glass ones. Reusable always trumps disposable in my book.

• Plastic bags to Cloth or Reusable ones

  Same here. Ditch the plastic grocery bags or save them to be reused around your home. Investing in cute produce bags makes shopping trips more fun and the environment happy!

• Paper towels to Dish Rags

  This is an easy way to limit waste in your home. Just wash your kitchen rags regularly to avoid cross contamination. If you are still on the fence about this swap, here are some reusable towels that still have the look of paper towels so you don't have to toss your beautiful bamboo paper towel holder away.

• Chemical Cleaners to Cleaning Concentrate

  My favorite kitchen swap has probably been our change to Branch Basics! We chose to start out with the starter kit which includes all the bottles for cleaning around your home AND enough concentrate to swap out all your cleaning products & laundry supplies. We will only use Branch Basics in our home moving forward because we know they don't include any harsh toxic chemicals, and this makes a new mama happy with a little one now exploring all our cabinets.

• Ziploc bags to Stasher Bags

  Another easy way to lower your waste output in your kitchen. These silicone bags are reusable, easy to clean, and perfect for on the go snacks or freezer storage. A little expensive up front, but we watch for their bundle sales on Amazon and Prime discounts at Whole Foods.

• Aluminum foil to Silicone Baking Mats

  Can you tell we like reusable options? Switching to silicone baking mats still allows for an easy clean up, but also limits exposure for leeching toxins. A super easy, one time investment, and if the mats aren't for you, another healthier alternative would be unbleached parchment paper!

• Paper cups to Stainless steel mug

  As much as we love Starbuck's red cup season, using a reusable mug at home, work, and on the go is a great way to limit your environmental footprint. Many places will even give you a discount on your coffee for using a reusable mug.

• K-Cups to Reusable coffee filter

  Don't get me wrong, I still love my Keurig, however I don't like the amount of waste that accrues from my Kcups. And since diving into actual coffee processing and production, my switch to mold free, third party tested coffee, has been even more enjoyable in my reusable Kcup! Check out Purity Coffee if you're a coffee lover like me, and want all the benefits without the toxins!

• Tea sachets to Reusable tea strainer

  If you're not a coffee fan then that's okay! I am sure you don't want plastic particles in your tea either. Switch to a tea strainer (we love our ManaTea) and buy your loose leaf tea in bulk. Not only is this more cost effective, but you can play around with storing your teas in containers to fit your "aesthetic."

I hope you found these swaps simple and attainable! For more information behind our nontoxic living, check out Living Wisely Well in Instagram, and let us know your favorite kitchen swaps.

Here are some of our favorite products linked below!

Branch Basics

Stasher Bags

Reusable Produce Bags

Purity Coffee

Silicone Baking Mats

Stainless Steel Mug

Reusable Kcup

Let me know what products or home swaps you'd like to see!