Zero Waste Kitchen Essentials: Small Swaps, Big Impact | Vessel Blogs
It’s unfortunate but true: the kitchen is one of the most wasteful places in the house. Between single-use plastics, food waste, and over-packaged everything, it can feel like a sustainability black hole. But it doesn’t have to be.
A zero waste kitchen doesn’t have to be a minimalist Pinterest dreamscape. It just requires making a few intentional swaps and ditching the disposable mindset. That’s where we come in. At Vessel Refills, we’ve stocked up on the best low-waste goodies for your kitchen – from dish soap to convenient storage solutions – so you can focus on what matters: feeding yourself, your loved ones, and your compost bin.
Start with what you have
Before we even dive into the shiny sustainable swaps, let’s get one thing straight: the most eco-friendly kitchen tool is the one you already own.
Have a drawer full of mismatched containers? Use them. Got a stack of ratty dish towels? They make great cleaning cloths! Sustainability isn’t about aesthetic perfection, it’s about using what you have and reducing what you toss. If you’re brand new to the low-waste life, start by simply noticing your habits. How much plastic wrap are you going through each week? Are your cleaning products housed in single-use plastic? Are you throwing away food that could’ve been composted?
Being aware of your habits helps you make informed decisions on swaps that will be easy to incorporate into your routine for lasting, impactful change.
Swaps that actually make a difference
The kitchen is a prime place to reduce your environmental footprint. According to the EPA, food waste makes up over 20% of landfill content, and that doesn’t even count all the plastic packaging.
So, what can you do? Here are our go-to zero waste kitchen essentials you can grab from our kitchen collection to get started:
1. Reusable dishcloths & UnPaper towels
Say goodbye to rolls of paper towels and hello to Swedish dishcloths or UnPaper Towels. These cuties are absorbent, washable, and way more fun than something you use once and toss.
2. Bulk refillable dish soap
Most dish soap comes in plastic. Ours? You can refill it in your own container – glass, plastic, whatever works. Just bring a clean container and fill as much or as little as you need.
3. Glass jars for storage
Glass jars are the backbone of a zero waste kitchen. Pasta, rice, oats, tea, snacks? Store it all without microplastics or mystery residue! Pro tip: reuse old sauce or pickle jars (and check out our blog on how to remove sticky labels).
We also love thrifting glass storage jars! So be sure to check your favorite local thrift because they usually have some really adorable and practical options to choose from that won’t break the bank.
4. Silicone storage bags
One of the easiest swaps to make is switching from plastic ziplocks to silicone food storage bags. You use them just like you would a ziplock (most can even go in the freezer and the oven!), but instead of tossing them in the landfill when you're done, you'll just clean it out. Either give it a wash by hand or toss it in the dishwasher and you're good to go. Buy it once, use it forever.
If you're not ready to commit to changing up your routine, try hand washing your plastic ziplock baggies a few times before tossing them. This will give you a feel for how easy it is to incorporate into your routine and also helps keep plastic out of the landfill longer, thus lowering the carbon footprint of each bag significantly. After all, it's only a single-use plastic if you inly use it once!
Let’s talk Plastic wrap (and why you don’t need it)
Plastic wrap is one of those things we’ve been taught is essential, but spoiler alert: it’s not. Between beeswax wraps, silicone food covers, and a good ol’ bowl-over-a-plate trick, you can ditch cling wrap for good.
Not only do these alternatives work better (no clingy mess), they also keep food fresher. And they won’t end up in a turtle’s digestive system, which is nice. Much more polite. I’d hate it if microplastics ended up in my digestive system without my knowledge... wait…
Bulk is better (for the planet and your wallet)
Shopping in bulk reduces packaging waste and lets you buy only what you need. Whether you're cooking and cleaning for one or keeping house for a bustling den of angry, feral gnomes, there’s no need to overbuy and waste. At Vessel, we offer bulk refills of:
…and more! Plus kitchen brushes, loofah sponges, and bamboo pot scrapers to make your dishwashing station both functional and pretty dang cute.
We encourage you to bring any clean container (peanut butter jars, old tupperware, takeout containers) if it’s clean, can hold liquid, and has a lid, it can be your next vessel. If you’re wondering what else you can bring or how to shop at a refill store, be sure to check out this recent blog post.
Don’t forget the compost
If you cook at home (or even just make toast), you’re probably producing food scraps. Tossing them in the trash creates methane gas in landfills, which is terrible for the planet. Composting is one of the most impactful changes you can make for climate health. And we promise, it’s not gross if you’re doing it right!
Start with a countertop bin or even an old plastic margarine or ice cream tub. When it’s full, drop your compost in your green bin or bring it to a local collection site (check WasteFreeSD.org for San Diego options). And if you’re really about that earthworm life, join our upcoming worm bin workshop and build your own system at home.
The one-swap mindset
If all this feels like a lot, take a breath. The goal isn’t to be zero waste overnight. It’s to make one new swap, stick with it, and build from there.
Maybe this month you commit to replacing paper towels with swedish dishcloths. Next month it’s switching to refillable soap. By the end of the year, you’ve transformed your kitchen habits without even realizing it. That’s how change sticks.
Visit Vessel for your zero waste kitchen starter pack
Whether you're new to sustainability or you’ve been living that crunchy life for years, we’re here to support your low-waste journey. Come shop our Zero Waste Kitchen Collection, ask us questions, or just stop by and say hi. We love seeing your jars, your quirky containers, and your commitment to the planet.
We’re not trying to make your home look like an Instagram ad. We’re trying to make sustainability actually something you can sustain – for your life, your budget, and our shared future. :) tysm.