Good morning and Happy Thursday! I hope you guys are doing well so far today! I’m excited to be teaming up with Whole Foods Market on today’s blog post and chat about simple things we can all do to “green our routines” and be a little more environmentally-friendly.
Below you will find six simple ways to green your routine and there’s also a great giveaway at the bottom of this blog post that I think my fellow Whole Foods Market lovers will enjoy!
Six Simple Ways To Green Your Routine at Whole Foods
- Purchase Frozen Fish and Buy Sustainable Catch
As someone who loves almost any kind of seafood and prepares fish for dinner at least once a week, purchasing frozen and sustainably-caught seafood is a big one for me! While fresh seafood must often travel long distances by air, frozen seafood can make its way to retailers via a more energy-efficient mode of transportation. An added bonus is that modern flash-freezing means consumers still get high-quality seafood, often for less money than fresh seafood.
Additionally when purchasing wild-caught seafood, select options that are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or rated “Green” or “Yellow” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program and the Safina Center to ensure that your choice is sustainable.
- Bring Your Own Bags
I have a feeling a lot of you already do this (at least I hope you do!), but bringing your own reusable grocery bags to the store with you is such a simple way be a little more environmentally friendly. Plus, many Whole Foods Market locations offer discounts for customers who bring their own bags into the store! Win, win.
Fun fact: It’s estimated that Whole Foods has kept more than 150 million plastic bags out of landfills since eliminating plastic grocery bags from their stores in 2008.
- Choose Greener Cleaners
I started to pay more attention to the type of cleaners we use at home when I was pregnant and am definitely more cognizant of our cleaning supplies now that we have a baby at home. Whole Foods Market’s Eco-Scale Rating System mandates full ingredient disclosure on all household cleaning products (<— something that is not require by US law) in an effort to help shoppers identify a product’s environmental impact though a color-coded rating.
The orange rating is the minimum rating, noting that products with an orange rating do not have ingredients with significant environmental or safety concerns (such as phosphates or chlorine). Yellow-rated products meet even higher standards and green-labeled products are the top tier!
- Select In-Season Produce
This is another tip that is both great for flavor and for saving energy and resources! By shopping in season, you’re more likely to save money and enjoy deliciously flavorful produce while also purchasing food that has been harvested using less energy and resources during a time when it grows naturally.
- Shop In Bulk
Oooh the bulk foods section! I don’t know what it is about this section of Whole Foods, but I’m always drawn to it first. I love trying new foods and appreciate the way the bulk bins allow me to shop for the exact amount I want to use. They’re a great way to save money (I love buying chia seeds, nuts and nutritional yeast in bulk) and also cut down on materials and waste.
- Vote With Your Dollars
I cannot remember where I first heard this tidbit of advice, but it’s something I think about regularly when I am shopping. Whatever you purchase at the grocery store is essentially a “vote” telling brands that you like what they’re doing and want more of it. I would obviously prefer to see store shelves packed with food that is nutritious and produced with sustainability in mind and feel that by gravitating toward this type of food when I shop, I play a very small part in keeping the wheel running and encouraging the production of more responsibly-produced food.
Whole Foods Market Gift Card Giveaway
And now for that giveaway I promised you at the beginning of this post! One PBF reader will win a $100 gift card to Whole Foods Market. Sweet, right!?
To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment on this blog post telling me one thing you do on a regular basis to “green your routine” or tell me one of your favorite things to buy at Whole Foods.
I will randomly select a winner tomorrow morning.
Good luck!!
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Always ALWAYS bring our own RE-usable bags. Also we always recycle!
I love Whole foods, everything there. But my favorites are the hot food bar (busy mom of 3 kids under three!!! The got food bar is a Godsend) and the bulk bin section…oh, one more…. The amazing nut butter isle!!!
I use leftover peanut butter jars to store things and/or as containers for overnight oats. I love the freshly ground peanut butter at whole foods!!
I bring my own bags, walk to the store whenever possible, and try to buy local produce from farmers markets!
I use reusable grocery bags and try to bring my own travel mug to the coffee shop!
I leave reusable shopping bags in the car so I never have to remember to bring them along. I also put produce in a reusable bag when I shop so I don’t have to collect plastic bags.
I try to walk to as many places as possible. That way I can make the life of my car last longer, pay less in gas, produce less emissions, and get a great workout in! It’s a win-win 🙂
I look forward to shopping at Whole Foods because it seems like such a treat! I love the hot bar. I always bring reusable shopping bags with me wherever I shop to cut down on waste. I’ve never won any giveaways so I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
Buy produce in season!
I buy Tessemeas salad dressing from whole foods b/c I love how it is made with all Clean ingredients. To be green I buy frozen seafood and try to buy green cleaning supplies !
We always use reusable shopping bags!
I currently live in Cincinnati and the city offers and amazing recycling program– they literally take everything! I love it!
My favorite thing to buy at whole foods is definitely the sushi. Soooo good! Also, those tea cookies get me every time. ?
I cannot seem to leave WF without putting at least two flavors of granola from the bulk bins. I love being able to sample just a small amount and love snacking on it throughout the week.
I love the frozen veggie burgers from whole foods! They have a nut burger that is delicious and filling.
Hope yesterday was a fun day of celebration!
I I always use recycable bags. They are in the trunk of every car in my family.
I also bring my own cup for smoothie or coffee.
Love Whole Foods sustainable catch!
I love going to Whole Foods for their beer and coffee! The bar is a great place to hang out with friends and family!
I love WF! I always bring my reusable bags and am also in love with their nuts / seeds / dried fruit section. They have the best fresh ground almond and peanut butters!!
I always make sure to buy in season! I love love love the produce section at whole foods, but the bulk snack section (mainly the fun trail mixes and nuts) makes my heart so happy.
Our family stopped using paper towels and paper napkins. Instead we bought a bunch of flour sack towels and bar cloths that we just wash every week. We also use cloth napkins. It’s been an easy switch and actually has saved us $$ too!
I love the bulk bin section too, also the growler fill at the bar – less cans!
I love fresh ground peanut butter!!!
I love to buy the fresh ground honey peanut butter at Whole Foods. The german chocolate brownies from the brownie bar are also AMAZING!
I always use reusable produce and grocery bags!
I try to use my own bags for my grocery shopping, and I love buying dates rolled in oat flour from the bulk section. SO good!
I love their bulk foods and salad bar!
I always bring my fun reusable bags to Whole Foods. my favorite is my “okey dokey artichokey” bag that I got from WF!
We visit WF each week with the kids. Trying to get them in healthy habits early! We buy bulk items, especially, coffee, nuts and spices. The Whole Foods Kids Club has helped encourage eating whole fruit, they look forward to grabbing one to eat as we shop! The kids remind us to bring reusable bags into the store if we forget….yay,!
I often by in-season produce at the farmers market! This way I know where the produce is coming from and help support our local farmers. I have never shopped at Whole Foods but am very intrigued by their bulk foods section 🙂
We use reusable water bottles! Whole Foods’ Chantilly cake is the absolute best thing ever. love it.
I use reusable grocery bags when I shop and recycle.
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
I have a water bottle at work I use throughout the day instead of using multiple styrofoam cups.
We recycle as much as we can and I always buy frozen seafood.
I reuse all glass jars! I wash em and use them for canning, or storing my homemade ketchup and dressings!
I love getting food from the hot bar at Whole Foods, especially samosas!
I always keep a few reusable bags in my car for shopping!
I walk to work when I don’t have appointments outside the office.
I recycle as much as possible to green my routine! I also love to buy fresh produce at Whole Foods!
Love the tip about the fish!!
I’ve started using more eco-friendly cleaning products as well in an effort to be greener. Also how great that Whole Foods includes an eco-scale. I love when stores help its customers be more informed consumers!
I always bring my reusable shopping bags with me for grocery trips. Love not having all those extra plastic bags around the house.
I bike to work, yoga, errands, etc whenever possible! Whole Foods is a 5-minute walk for me, so it’s a win-win!
Most of the fish I buy is frozen and sustainably caught. And it’s just as delicious!
I try to “green my routine” by only going to the grocery store once a week. I keep a running list of things I need throughout the week and meal plan before I go. One trip a week saves money and time!
Lately I’ve been keeping Amazon and other boxes and using them as organization tools. This way I reuse the boxes and I don’t have to buy baskets or other things to organize closets and cabinets! I also am a sucker for Whole Foods salad bar. So good!
We make our own disinfectant spray and mopping solution using white vinegar, water, and a touch of Mrs. Meyer’s dish soap (from Whole Foods)! It saves SO much money and I don’t have to worry about my baby and my dog being on a floor washed with unsafe chemicals.
I stopped using ziplocs and plastic cups to transport smoothies and packed lunches and instead use mason jars and reusable containers
I always bring my own bags, and try to walk to the store, instead of driving, as often as possible 🙂
We use reusable bags and clean with natural ingredients! and recycle everything- Every little bit helps : )
I bring reusable containers for products in the bulk section.
I always bring my own bags, which I love, because they’re way easier to carry & I know they won’t break & drop my stuff everywhere.
The BF & I have a decent sized garden that yield us lots of fresh produce each year. So we know everything is super fresh. We were rolling in tomatoes last year, so we used the extras to can homemade pasta sauce & salsa. We opened some salsa up last weekend when we had friends over & it was DELICIOUS!
I love the nuts at Whole Foods! The pumpkin seeds are my favorite!
I try to avoid using those plastic produce bags since you don’t reallllly need them. I love all the produce options at Whole Foods, and their protein powder selection!