A Beginner’s Guide to Reducing Your Kitchen Trash by Half

Forget the “zero waste” fantasy of fitting a year’s worth of trash in a mason jar. For most of us, that’s not the goal. The real goal is to stop wasting money on disposable products that barely work in the first place.

My take is simple: a few smart swaps can make your life easier, save you cash, and, as a bonus, cut your kitchen trash by a shocking amount. This is about practical changes, not perfection. Here’s where I think you should start.

Swap #1: Break Up with Paper Towels

We all do it. A small spill on the counter, greasy fingers, drying a few washed berries, we mindlessly rip off a paper towel, use it for five seconds, and toss it. It’s a habit that costs a surprising amount of money over time and fills up your trash can with… well, barely-used paper.

The Better Way: Get yourself a Nano towel (my top recommendation) or, as a great alternative, a small stack of Swedish dishcloths. Both are ridiculously absorbent. Use them for your daily cleanups, giving them a quick rinse and wringing them out between uses. When they get properly dirty, you just toss them in the dishwasher or laundry.

The Payoff: This is the easiest, most impactful first step you can take. You’ll stop running out of paper towels at the worst possible moment, and your trash will be noticeably lighter. I was skeptical about how much of a difference this would make, but it’s been a game-changer in my own kitchen.

Swap #2: End the War with Plastic Wrap

Is there any kitchen product more infuriating than plastic wrap? You can never find the end, it clings to itself but not the bowl you’re trying to cover, and you use a massive sheet for one half-eaten avocado. It’s pure frustration, followed by waste.

The Better Way: A combination of beeswax wraps and silicone stretch lids. Beeswax wraps are brilliant for wrapping up sandwiches, half a lemon, or covering a small bowl. For everything else, silicone lids are your new best friend. They create a true airtight seal on almost any container: round, square, you name it.

The Payoff: These solutions actually work better than the disposable stuff they replace. Your food stays fresher, and you’ll never have to fight with a roll of cling film again. That alone is worth it.

Swap #3: Upgrade Your Food Storage Game

Take a look in your food storage drawer. I bet it’s a chaotic jumble of stained plastic containers, mismatched lids, and a half-used box of Ziploc bags. Those cheap containers get warped, hold onto the smell of last week’s spaghetti, and eventually crack, forcing you to throw them out.

The Better Way: Invest in a decent set of glass containers. They don’t stain, they don’t hold odors, and they can go from the freezer to the microwave to the dishwasher without any issues. For everything you used to put in a plastic baggie, get a few reusable silicone bags (like Stasher bags). They’re perfect for snacks, marinades, or freezing leftovers.

The Payoff: This is an investment, but it’s one that pays off. You’ll stop wasting money on endless boxes of disposable bags and replacing cheap plastic containers. Your food will last longer, and you’ll feel way better about not microwaving your food in plastic.

You don’t need to do all of this at once. Just pick one. When you run out of paper towels, decide not to buy more and get some cloths instead. When you finish that roll of plastic wrap, try some beeswax wraps.

The point is to replace things as they run out with a better, reusable option. It’s a gradual process that makes a massive impact over time. You can absolutely do this, and it’s not nearly as hard as you think.