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Those dreaded 100 calorie mini packs became all the rage a few years ago and unfortunately it's a trend that even in this age of eco-awareness, has not yet disappeared. Individual food packaging adds so much extra waste to the planet. Seriously, for every handful of Oreos you eat, you're gonna throw away another bag? That doesn't make much sense to me. And what's more, an article in Science Daily says that mini packs do absolutely nothing to help you trim your waistline. Because of their emotional attachment with food, "chronic dieters" are most likely to abuse the 100-calorie packs and overeat. Those with an emotional attachment to food are not hindered by the end of the bag because all they do is open another bag and go at it. Did you know that up to one out of every $11 you spend at the store pays for packaging? Also, when all packaging is accounted for, it adds up to about one-third of all the trash that's thrown away in the United States.
Skip the waste of individually packaged foods. Here are some tips to controlling your packaging waste:
- Buy your nuts, dried fruits, rice, grains, and oats from the bulk section of the store to reduce packaging.
- Substitute heavily packaged junk food for whole foods like dried fruits, nuts, homemade granola bars, and homemade cookies.
- Use your own bag whenever possible.
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