Sustainable Nutrition: Reducing Packaging
Oh man, packaging can be super convenient and simultaneously harmful. The waste adds up more quickly than you think. I struggle with this one a lot, especially when it comes to protein bars. So I’m gonna share a couple of ways that I’ve worked on reducing my single-use plastic and recipes that you can use to help you on your sustainable nutrition journey too!
It’s in the bag: Bringing a reusable bag (or four) is a really easy way to reduce your waste. There’s a variety of sizes and cooler bags now that make it so convenient to grab what you need. You can also get produce bags like the ones here (no affiliate link, just sharing). They’re great for things like potatoes, avocados, peppers, apples, and more.
Make it: A protein bar is convenient but there are a couple of things to consider. If you tend to feel more hungry between meals, you may need more food volume. This means having the same calories as a protein bar but using more food to get there. For example, 200-250g of non-fat Greek yogurt with 15g of granola, 100g of mixed berries, and 16g of peanut butter. If you like power balls as a quick option, that’s great too! It may not be as high in protein so make sure you up your protein in your next meal.
A couple of my go-to recipes are the donuts and almond chocolate chip power balls.
3. Have grace: We can’t ever be perfect so take small steps. Doing something is better than nothing. As with nutrition, if you slip up, get yourself back to it. Maybe you need to keep bags in the trunk of your car.
I hope that you’re feeling inspired to live a more sustainable life! If you missed the first blog post about how to choose better environmental options, you can read it here!