Every Bit Counts: We don't need to be perfect, we just need to start

As you know, our one, simple Blisshaus rule for the grocery store is: Just...   skip...   the plastic! Simple? Yes!Easy?  Not so much, right?   Picture this: you walk into the store, determined to steer clear of plastic, and suddenly it's everywhere! Plastic bags for your apples, liners in cereal boxes, shrink-wrap on cheese... It's like a plastic jungle out there! But fear not, plastic-free shopping is totally doable. And after just a few trips, finding those plastic-free gems will become as easy as pie! 🥧 ( hurray to the local pie company that packs their pies in cardboard boxes like the donut shop) Now, let's dive into some tips: Tip 1: Go Naked for Fruits & Veg Skip those plastic bags in the produce aisle and let your fruits and veggies roam free! Toss 'em right into your basket. Bonus points for stuffing spinach into cute cotton bags. I promise, your checkout clerk will be totally chill as they weigh your apples - no need for plastic bags. Tip 2: Buy Paper-Wrapped Loaves of Bread  Say no to plastic-wrapped bread that lasts for ages. Grab those freshly baked loaves in paper bags instead. They're tastier and have fewer additives. Then, at home, wrap your bread up in beeswax cloths or simply a cotton towel to keep it soft for a few days. (toasting also revives your bread should it start to dry out) Tip 3: Be Your Own Olden-Days Milkman Ditch those plastic jugs for milk in good ol' glass bottles from local dairies. Pop your empty glass bottles in the dishwasher and get a sweet refund when you return 'em. And hey, we get it, sometimes you need those giant plastic jugs, especially with hungry teenage boys around! But we know you'll love your glass bottles in the fridge - they look cute, save the planet, and support your local farmer - now that's what we call a win-win-win. Tip 4: Go Old-Fashioned for Soda & Juice With soda, simply reach for cans instead of big plastic bottles. Glass bottles are where it's at for juice and water. They're way better for the environment and keep that fizz intact. At home, we simply drink tab water and fizz it up with our soda stream maker - mountains of plastic bottles saved. Now THAT's worth popping a (glass) bottle of fizzy champagne!  Tip 5: Squeeze the Condiments Bottle Before You Buy It & Buy Only Glass Skip the squeeze bottles and opt for condiments in good ol' glass jars. Show off your ketchup-bottle-banging skills and enjoy those family dinner memories when a big blob of ketchup lands on your plate! And there you have it - combined these 5 steps easily eliminate half of the plastic waste you produce at home. Plus, remember, it's not all-or-nothing. J ust aim for the plastic-free option whenever you can. You'll feel like a plastic-dodging superhero in no time!- after all, we are still smarter than the average plastic bottle! 😘 Photo courtesy to our beloved Straus Family Creamery in Northern Cal. This is not an ad - we just love you, Straus, so much. Thank you for the great work!

... when you buy condiments & honey Our vacation pantry on our last trip to Maui Only 40 years ago, condiments, juices, sodas, and even milk all came in glass bottles. Today, you have to search quite a bit to find ketchup in glass at your store. However, the quest for glass is worthwhile! Glass can be endlessly recycled, so it is the material of choice for Blisshaus joy. Plus, the glass bottles look way better in your fridge than the plastic stuff.Making the switch is easy: When you are at the store, simply give the containers a solid squeeze. If it's plastic, skip it. Reach for the brand in glass instead. It's that easy.And when you find your favorite condiments in glass, we even give you permission to stock up.  We usually recommend you don't by multiples so that you can keep your shelves less crowded. But hey, if you L-O-V-E those pickles and they give you bliss, go for it.   Here are our 3 tips for skipping plastic when you buy your condiments in the store: Next time you reach for ketchup, mayo or mustard, squeeze the container and only buy it if it's made from glass. Skip broth in tetra paks because those are still extremely difficult to recycle. Use bouillon cubes instead. (yep, the pantry above has a few tetra paks left, but once those are used up, the family promised to switch to bouillon cubes.) Look for salt in paper cartons. There are several Kosher Salt brands that come 100% plastic-free. Let's bring back the new, old way of living and choose only products packaged in glass.After all, most plastic does not get recycled. Even when it is, plastic is not meant to be recycled. This means when it is being recycled, plastic produces all sorts of bad by-products. Why not avoid all that and make the switch to glass?  PLUS now you can show off your ketchup-bottle-banging skills to your kids. And no worries if you end up with a big blob of ketchup on your plate - admit it, this is the stuff dinner table memories are made of! Bonus Tip: The one thing our kids kept on begging for were those cute, squeezie honey-bear bottles.  We looked high and low for a cute alternative to that plastic bear - and voila! After a long search, we found the perfectly cute honey bear jar that you can refill either directly at your farmers' market or with honey from a traditional glass jar. There's nothing quite like our London tea time with the little bear on our table! And there you have it, another simple tip to skip the plastic. Show us a photo of your plastic-free condiments section in your fridge: Tag us at #blisshaus or send us your photo to hello@blisshaus.com. We love to see & share how all of us are healing our planet one kitchen, one trip to the store at a time! Click here to get your own Honey Bear Jar Wishing you many blissful moments in your home, - Wiebke & the Blisshaus Crew

BRING BACK THE HANDSOME MILKMAN... BOTTLE ... and skip that ugly plastic jug You might be lucky enough to remember the milkman. That handsome guy who made his rounds in the neighborhood. We truly should bring him back - complete with his uniform and spiffy hat!Short of that, skip the ugly plastic jugs in the dairy aisle and look for milk in glass bottles instead. The better grocers in your area likely carry one or two brands by local dairies in glass, for sure. This milk is more expensive than the milk in plastic jugs. But we think it's worth it because milk should be expensive and it should come in glass. Producing milk takes tons of labor, water, and land. Sometimes, if things are super cheap, there's a reason for it. Just say'n.Note: We understand that, if you have teenage boys at home who glug up gallons of milk, you might have to buy cheap gallons of milk in plastic jugs. Remember, 'near' plastic-free is better than giving up altogether - so if you need to, use your plastic-hall-pass for the jugs and let the teenagers glug away. Bonus Tip: Don't forget to get the $1-$2 refund on the bottle. When empty, pop your glass bottle into the dishwasher. Once clean, slip it into your grocery tote by your front door. That way, it's easy to remember to bring it back to your market for your refund.Photo courtesy to our beloved Straus Family Creamery in Northern Cal. This is not an ad - we just love you, Team Straus, so much. Thank you for the great work! And there you have it, another simple tip to skip the plastic. Show us a photo of your gorgeous glass bottles in your fridge: Tag us at #blisshaus or send us your photos to hello@blisshaus.com.We love to see & share how all of us are healing our planet one kitchen, one trip to the store at a time! Wishing you many blissful moments in your home, - Wiebke & the Blisshaus Crew