Tips to Help You Save Water in the Kitchen

In Partnership with Finish Canada

Today I’m partnering with Finish Canada to share a few quick tips to save water in the kitchen, helping you live a little more sustainably. Canada is home to 20% of the world’s freshwater resources and 35% of Canada’s water is renewable. However, there are many places where the abundance of water and water quality is threatened. I’m excited to share that Finish is partnering with the Nature Conservancy of Canada to help preserve Canada’s freshwater supply. Together through this campaign, we’re hoping to help Canadians and people across the world implement small changes to make a big impact. If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m all about taking small, simple steps to living more simply and sustainably.

Alright, let’s get into the tips!

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Partnership Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Finish Canada and some items listed below were gifted as part of this partnership. I earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) on sales made through the Amazon storefront link which helps to support this blog as well as my other social channels. As always, thanks for your continued support!

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Soak, don’t rinse

The first tip is to soak your produce instead of rinsing it under the tap. This helps to save water because instead of keeping the tap running using both energy and water, you can sufficiently clean your produce in one large bowl of water. This tip also goes for stubborn pots or dishes. Instead of running the tap to clean these dishes, let them have a good soak and the food should come off easily.

Use a vacuum flask

This tip is especially useful during the fall and winter seasons. JT and I turn on the kettle in the morning to start our days with a cup of coffee. We then pour the remaining hot water into a vacuum sealed flask so that throughout the day we have access to hot water whenever we need it. This saves energy and water because you don’t need to turn on the kettle for a new pot of water each time you want a hot cup of tea or a hot drink.

Try waterless cookware

I’m just learning about waterless cookware now and am quite impressed by how it works. These pots don’t look drastically different than your regular every day pots, but they are supposed to help save energy and water while helping you make delicious, healthy meals. After a little bit of research on my own, the thing that makes waterless cookware unique is that it is consists of three layers. The main outer layer is usually made of stainless steel, while the heating surface of the pot is often copper or aluminum. The middle of the pot is usually made of iron. I found that the pots heated up significantly faster than my usual ceramic or cast iron pots and pans. This in turn helps to save not only energy, but also time. When cooking with waterless cookware, you’re supposed to allow the steam to help cook your food which reduces the amount of water you need to use when cooking. Check out my YouTube video to see the little experiment we did with our veggies.

Reuse water when cooking

When you’re in the kitchen preparing meals, try to reuse water where possible. For example, when you’re making pasta, save some pasta water to be added to the sauce instead of turning on the tap for water. If you like to boil your veggies, save that water to make your own veggie broth with any vegetable scraps you’ve saved up.

Use appropriately sized pots

My final tip is simple! Whenever you’re cooking, choose an appropriately sized pot for whatever you are making. Specifically, when boiling, select a pot that will have just enough water to cover your food.

Don’t pre-rinse your dishes

Opt to use the dishwasher when you can, but make sure it’s a FULL load. This will help save a ton of water and is a lot more energy-efficient. Don’t forget, that when you use the dishwasher, you don’t need to pre-rinse your dishes. Simply scrape off the larger chunks of food and let the dishwasher do its job.

More sustainable kitchen swaps

I also wanted to mention a few of my favourite sustainable swaps specifically for the kitchen. You’ve most likely heard me mention these, but if you haven’t given these a try, I highly recommend making these simple changes. These are all swaps that I’ve been using for over two years and haven’t looked back.

Beeswax Wraps

Beeswax wraps are probably my favourite kitchen swap because they are SO useful and effective. They are the perfect alternative for cling wrap and help reduce food waste and keep your food lasting longer in the fridge.

Swedish Dish Cloths

I honestly can’t get enough of these dish cloths. Swedish dish cloths are made of cellulose plant fibre so they are not only super absorbent, they are also compostable at the end of its life. I use Swedish dish cloths or old rags to wipe up spills on my counters and table top surfaces. You might not be at the point where you can cut out paper towels completely, but these are a great swap to at least help you reduce the amount of paper towel that is used in your household.

Reusable Straws

Reusable straws are probably the most accessible swap you can make these days. They also come in various materials like glass, silicone, stainless steel, and bamboo, so you can choose what you prefer and what best fits your lifestyle.

There are so many more swaps I could mention, I’ll leave a link to my eco-friendly storefront so you can shop some of these swaps when you’re ready to make the change.

I hope these tips were helpful and inspiring. It’s all about taking small steps to make big changes. These tips will not only help you save water but will also help you save energy and money in the long run. I’ve also filmed a new vlog over on my YouTube channel walking you through some more simple sustainability tips while putting Finish’s Quantum Ultimate dishwashing pods to the test. If you can’t get enough of these water-saving tips or want to learn more about Finish’s commitment to water conservation, head over to www.skiptherinse.ca to learn more.

Earth Week Tips: Low-waste Kitchen

Part I: Sustainability in the Kitchen

This week is Earth Week 2020! It’s looking a bit different than the Earth Weeks we’ve had in the past because we’re all staying indoors. Because of current state that our society is in, I’ve also found it more challenging to be plastic-free in certain areas that I was refusing plastic and also not being able to use reusables where I could previously. If you’ve felt discouraged by this, I hope these posts encourage you to continue pressing on and just doing what you can!

I’ve always found that Earth Month is a great way time to encourage people and get people thinking about how to live more sustainably and take care of our planet. Although we’re staying home this week, I wanted to share some of my favourite swaps and sustainability tips in 3 different areas of our life and home…starting off with the kitchen!

If you take a step back and consider your own kitchen, how much waste do you create? For me, the kitchen was one of the most wasteful areas in my home, so even making a few changes has helped me reduce significant waste. 

Zero Waste Swaps: Kitchen

Here are some of my favourite kitchen swaps.

Beeswax Wraps

Beeswax wraps were a swap that I had heard of early on when I first started learning about sustainability and looking into different swaps I could make. They are an excellent swap for traditional plastic cling wrap. I’ve gone 2+ years without cling wrap now and can tell you that you really don’t need it. Beeswax wraps are great for reducing food waste and preserving your food so that it lasts longer.

I typically use the wraps directly on my produce or over bowls to store leftovers. You use the warmth from your hands to mold the wrap over whatever you are covering and then pop it into the fridge — works like a charm!

Things I recommend:

• Abeego

• Ten and Co

Reusable Silicone Bags

Next up — reusable silicone bags. I believe these were the first sustainable swap I had ever purchased. They are a swap for plastic sandwich bags and can be used the same way. I personally use them for freezing things, storing leftovers, and for on-the-go snacks.

My personal favourite are Stasher Bags, because they are made of 100% pure platinum grade silicone, a standard even higher than food grade silicone. This standard passes all U.S. safety requirements and European standards. They are extremely durable and have lasted me for 2+ years. They are also a certified B-corp, which means that their factories and suppliers must maintain very good and responsible practices.

With the rise and “trendiness” of sustainability, sometimes the rush to make sustainable swaps can be even more harmful. I bring this up because, particularly with reusable silicone bags, I see a lot of cheap alternatives that are being sold everywhere, and while I think it’s great that everyone is wanting to make more sustainable changes, I think it’s also important, when making these swaps, to consider the product carefully. What is it made of, how was it made, and what are the conditions these products were made in?

Things I recommend:

• Stasher Bags

Compostable Brush/Sponge

Many sponges these days are made of synthetic material, which means that they can’t be composted. A simple swap for this is to switch to natural, compostable sponges or try a compostable dish brush. 

There are a variety of options out there, like pot brushes with a wooden handle and natural fibre bristles, there are coconut scrubbers and also natural plant-based loofahs. Choose one that best fits to your liking and make your swap! 

Things I recommend:

• Natural Fibre Pot Brush

• Compostable Sponges

Refillable Dish Detergent/Dish Washing Block

This is one that I’d say I’m still in the process of experimenting with. Currently I use a solution of Castile soap and water to wash my dishes, which my husband and I have been doing for a few years now. The only complaint we have with this is that sometimes it’s a bit too liquid-y and is not as grease-cutting as we would like it to be. So now, I’m currently exploring other options like using a  refillable dish detergent from companies like Unscented Co. or Public Goods. Another plastic-free option is a dish washing block, which I find fascinating, but it may require a bit of convincing in my household.

Things I recommend:

• Refillable Dish Detergent: Unscented Co., Public Goods (you can get 15% off your Public Goods order with the code CANDICEPGA)

• Dish Washing Block: No Tox Life

Making my dishwashing solution of 1 part Castile soap to 10 parts water — so simple and quick!

Old Rags & Swedish Dish Cloths

This swap can be a simple upcycling project or you can spice up your kitchen with some cute Swedish dish cloths. These are a great swap for paper towel in your home to wipe up spills and quickly clean up countertops.

If you’re wondering, “what about paper towel for food preparation”, as many people use paper towel to dry off meat or fish before cooking it. This is something that I’ve been thinking of and currently don’t have a “swap” for, but I think, if you really have a need for paper towel in your life, just be more mindful about what brand you purchase from and how much of it you purchase and what the paper towels are made of. Maybe choose something that contains recycled or post-consumer content. And even if you simply reduced the amount of paper towels you use, is already a great step towards reducing your waste.

Things I recommend:

• Swedish Dish Cloths: Ten and Co

• Paper Towel: Seventh Generation

Look how absorbent this cloth is!

Sustainable Habits in the Kitchen

Now that we’ve talked about the swaps, let’s consider a few things (that don’t cost a thing) to keep in mind and be a little more sustainable in the kitchen.

Food Waste

First, food waste. Did you know in Canada, more than a third of food produced and distributed never gets eaten?* Food waste in the home is actually a huge environmental issue and can be reduced at the consumer level with a few changes. 

To reduce food waste:

• Make a list, and buy only what you need

• Learn how to properly store food to prolong its life

• Eat those leftovers!

• Reuse food scraps

*National Zero Waste Council, 2018. A Food Loss and Waste Strategy for Canada.

Upcycling

The kitchen is a wonderful place to upcycle. My favourite things to upcycle in the kitchen are old jars and containers. You simply clean them out with hot soapy water and reuse them! They make pretty vases for plants, they can be restored into a DIY candle, and they can simply be used for more food storage. Take things like old t-shirts and cut them up into small squares to use as rags.

Garbage/Recycling/Compost

Learning to properly dispose of, compost, and recycle things at the end of its life is really important. As I started to learn more about sustainability, there were so many things that I thought were recyclable or compostable that actually are not. Not recycling or composting properly can often contaminate an entire batch of recyclables or compost material, so that’s why it’s important to learn how to recycle and compost properly. Check out your local city’s guide on recycling or composting. There are often great resources on what goes where and how to properly do these procedures.

As you can see, by simply taking a look at the kitchen, there are already so many changes we can take on to be more sustainable. Don’t be overwhelmed and don’t feel the need to tackle everything all at once. Pick one and start from there.

And as always, I'd love to hear from you and your kitchens! What kind of swaps have you made? What are your best sustainable kitchen tips?

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This post is not sponsored but may contain some gifted items and affiliate links. If you decide to shop through the links above, I may make a small commission that helps support this blog and my Instagram. I only share products and brands I love and support. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Candice Tay!