The first potatoes and my plastic free packaging recommendations

Hi there. This is my first harvest of potatoes from the Waffle plot this year. They are Arran pilots and have the most gorgeous whisper thin skins that scrape off in a flash. They are currently boiling in a pan and the lamb tagine is in the oven. The tagine recipe is from this book below, from when the doctor told me I had slightly high cholesterol. I think my cholesterol is fine these days, but probably best to keep it that way, and this recipe is really yummy anyhow.

One of the many benefits of growing your own fruit and veg means that there is no plastic packaging. For several years now I have been trying to reduce the amount of plastic I buy, but I find this really challenging. Plastic is everywhere. It’s such a great invention in many ways, so cheap and durable, but so terrible for our planet. I got inspired to reduce my plastic buying after swimming with turtles in the Caribbean one year and learning how dangerous plastic in the sea is for all our marine wildlife. I decided I really didn’t want to kill the turtles. I came home raring to go and each week tried to reduce one or two bits of plastic in my weekly Ocado shop by choosing different products. In the end I got too busy to do this and a bit demoralised at how hard it is. Something may look like it’s plastic free and then on arrival you find it actually has loads of it inside the box. I was pleased yesterday that this pasta arrived as the Waitrose one was out of stock. It is just a cardboard box so completely plastic free packaging. Marvellous.

I will try to buy this brand more often. Although I always have a dilemma about how much more I am personally willing to spend on my weekly shop to save the planet. Plastic free often means more money on your plastic card.

I often buy Charlie Bigham’s ready meals. They come in a wooden box with a little bit of plastic over the top. They are obviously much better than the thick black plastic trays that can’t be recycled.

I have gradually been trying to swop my toiletries and make up to plastic free alternatives. The changes I have made have stuck for the most part and I am developing healthier buying habits for a few items. I would personally recommend:

1 A bamboo toothbrush. I love mine, it seems to last for ages. I think I got it in Superdrug. It has no fancy tongue scraping bits or anything on it, it’s just a brush. I’m really happy with it and will probably buy another one when this wears out.

2 Bamboo cotton buds. I buy these from eBay. A bit more expensive than plastic ones, but still affordable.

3 Lipsalve in a tin rather than a plastic stick. This isn’t my favourite make, but it works.

4 Non disposable razor. I used to buy plastic disposable razors. I now have a Boots’ own razor that came with about 6 new blades in a pack. I think it’s a men’s razor as I refuse to pay more for something that is pink rather than blue. It works well and has saved me throwing lots of plastic away.

There are 2 swops I have tried that are OK, but I am not loving them..

1 BECO honey blossom shampoo bar £4.00 from Waitrose. This is my first ever shampoo bar. It lathers well. It lasts for ages. But I‘m not sure it gets my hair quite as clean as my usual shampoo. After a day I feel like I need to wash my hair again whereas with my normal liquid shampoo it would be a couple of days. (I wash my hair every day at the moment anyway, since at the beginning of lockdown I heard the virus can survive for quite a while on/in your hair, and I didn’t want to take any chances!). I would maybe try a different shampoo bar, or just continue to alternate this one with my normal shampoo as I do now.

2 The White Teeth Box dental floss. I don’t like the fact you throw away a whole little plastic box when you finish the floss usually, so at much greater expense of over £4. I bought this one from eBay.

It is so much smaller than it looks here, in its tiny glass jar. I actually love the packaging. It’s really cute. And it would be great for travelling as it is so small and you can buy refills. The floss itself, however, I don’t really like. It’s a bit hard and doesn’t glide as well as my usual Oral B. I will use it but I don’t think I’ll buy it again.

So, I am now looking for your recommendations for plastic free packaging products that do the job and are not mega expensive for…

deoderant, toothpaste, dental floss, shampoo bar, moisturiser, sun cream, shower gel, liquid hand soap, lipstick, eyeshadow? Anything else? So I can stop worrying about the turtles etc. You can comment as always below. Or you can email me here.

Have a great weekend everybody. I’m leaving you with this lovely clematis flower I found in the garden yesterday when I thought both our clematis plants had died a long time ago. It’s hiding behind a hosta and a fern. Such a discovery! I love it.

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