Paying for Packaging: It's Time to Stop

ShareThis

Next time you take a walk through the grocery store, take a look at the packaging — especially on relatively expensive items. Any item with a lot of packaging always costs more than its counterpart without. Hamburger Helper offers a great example: not only does it come in a box, but there are packets within the box. Compare the price of a box or bag of pasta, with less packaging, and a few spices (which is not all that far off from what Hamburger Helper is). In such cases, we aren't just paying for packaging — of course convenience is a key pricing factor — but the connection is still there.

Reducing the Packaging in Your Cart

One of the easiest strategies is to buy in bulk when possible. The packaging on small, convenience-sized containers of common staples — like oatmeal — adds up very quickly when you compare it to the packaging on one large container. Another option is to choose to buy from locations that don't rely as heavily on packaging. For instance, at many farmer's markets, you simply bring your own bags. Similarly, many food co-ops actually require you to bring in containers to purchase certain items, like grains. There are even a few grocery stores that offer you the same option. Investing in a few reusable bags and containers can help you get away from buying pre-packaged foods.

Lastly, cooking from scratch can be a key strategy in minimizing packaging. There's far less packaging on "ingredients" (which also happen to be cheaper) than on mixes and meals that are practically ready to go.

It is important to make a conscious decision, however, if you want to stop paying for packaging on your food. It's very easy to have a blind spot when it comes to the paper and plastic your food comes wrapped up in. Unless you're paying attention, a small jar of mustard and a big bottle will seem to have roughly the same amount of packaging materials. But when you consider their relative size, one size certainly requires more jars than the other.

A Bigger Impact

There's additional value in reducing the packaging we buy than simple costs. There is no doubt that there's a huge environmental impact made by each piece of packaging that winds up in the trash and even recycling such items isn't the best option. The best solution is to not use more packaging than is absolutely necessary in the first place.

It's not always an option, but making an effort to focus on reusable packaging or less-harmful packaging is a step in the right direction. You can minimize the plastic packaging you need, for instance, without hurting your own bottom line.

Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.

Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.


Guest's picture

We pay not only for the tangible materials of packaging, but also the advertising and design costs that went into those boxes, bags and bottles. I've noticed that the prettier the package, the more expensive the product, even if the the actual products are essentially identical.

Guest's picture
Kari

Today I used this reason to help me not buy some chocolate bars. They were individually wrapped in two layers plus an outer layer wrapping all three of them together. I was leaning towards not buy them because of the price and health factors and then realizing what a waste all the packaging was helped tip the scales.

Guest's picture

Hamburger Helper is a great example. We make a version we enjoy just as much (if not more than) the boxed stuff. Just egg noodles, hamburger, and various spices and seasoning!

Sure it may seem like a lot more money at first with the spices and seasonings costing so much, but if you think about it you get a lot of uses out of those spices and can use them for many different meals. Same goes for many different things.