The plastic-less journey that lead to a sustainable meal delivery service in the Illawarra.

There was a life before plastic.

I just don’t know about it.

And many of us don’t know either.

But I have questioned people who are older than me, and they can recollect some early childhood memories where things were wrapped in glass and paper. Some recollect even needing to return containers! Sounds familiar?

Put aside the mayhem it causes from its simple existence, plastic is fantastic: versatile, waterproof and convenient. No wonder it’s literally everywhere. I just think we weren’t planning to even have it in our drinking water and in the air we breathe.

My journey to fight waste started a long time ago, specifically when I was 9 years old. I was a young eco-warrior, but in a world of consumption, little did I know about how waste was impacting our planet. My journey started small, influencing my mother to change her ways with the knowledge I’ve gained in school, but it didn’t stop there.

I became obsessed.

I was obsessed with the waste situation, and most of my questions all started with why. But the main question that remains today is:

Why are we doing this?

Why is it so easy to do the wrong thing?

Why is it so unspoken about?

I found all the answers through my journey.

I left the nest in 2009 when I was 16 years old, living all by myself in an apartment I was renting with some help from my dad and my modest pay from the equivalent of Officeworks in Canada. I lived in a household where food was a powerful love language. My mother would cook sauces on the stove all day on her days off and roast the most beautiful pieces of meat. But, left to my own devices, I needed to feed myself. There was no way I was going to revert to eating frozen meals: I was going to learn how to cook.

I banked on all the cooking books and online recipes I could find, printing recipes and annotating them with a score and some changes. I was passionate about learning new techniques. I was most certainly more passionate about cooking than my studies. I just loved making a delicious meal. And I loved making it easy for myself. So early on, I’ve mastered the art of meal prep. But, what about the waste?

It’s always been on my mind. Since my very first shop by myself, I couldn’t help but notice the packaging. Although, at the height of my glorious 16 years of old of age and my tight budget, substitutions weren’t a focus yet.

So, in the beginning, my contribution to reducing my waste was limited to avoiding chips and packaged bananas. But I had the desire to get better and do better.

In Canada, we have long snowy winters that can feel magical at some times. But, one of the most disheartening moments of the year for me was when spring sprang. Our majestic beautiful snow would melt every year, uncovering all the treasures humanity would leave to be forgotten in the snow—chip packets, beers, cigarettes, and dog poo.

It was one of my first “ah-ah” moments – it starts with the little things.

By 2016, I cut out all packaged fruit and vegetables and prioritized jars instead of plastic packaging.

Did I say how long of a journey it’s been?

In 2019 I moved to Australia and many adventures happened. Through it all, I became what I like to call a fake vegetarian. I was already very fond of legumes and plant-based protein options so it was one easy way to cut plastic out of my life, so the call wasn’t too hard.

The progression was slow because I enjoy meat! I’ve been raised in a family where we eat meat three times a day. But after understanding how meat is farmed and how bad it can be for the planet, I decided that I didn’t want to participate in that economy anymore. I’ll eat it seldomly without questioning if someone cooks up a storm and invites me over, and I’ll love every bite of it, but I won’t buy it.

Again, some questions keep me from buying things like:

Where does this come from?

What has it gone through before reaching my plate?

What is it actually made of?

And then, my emerging love for the ocean. Realising that all packaging I use might end up in the ocean was a big moment for me, fuelling my desire to cut plastic completely out of my life.

Since 2022, it’s been pretty strict for me. I’ve been aiming to reduce it to zero, but I’ll admit, it can be excruciatingly hard. Saying no to plastic means you’re often saying no to convenience. And in this fast-paced world, it’s pretty damn hard. But I wanted to be better, and that still drives me to this day. I’ve learned how to make my tofu, my wraps and my pasta from scratch. I cheat, rarely. Like a diet, if it’s too restrictive, it isn’t going to last. So I can’t claim that I’m living a zero-plastic life. There’s still room for improvement.

Am I making my life harder? Yes. Is it worth it? For me, a thousand times yes.

I feel so much more connected to my humanity by making my food from scratch. Understanding what’s in my food, how it’s made, and knowing where it comes from makes me feel so much better about myself and really helps me honour my body.

I’m not delusional. I know most of us won’t get a pet cow for fresh milk and try to make their own bread every day. But what I do believe in is this:

Even if you work 80 hours a week, you can do one little thing better.

It starts small.

It starts just one meal at a time.

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Want to start doing your part without sacrificing convenience? Browse our meal selection! Our circular plastic-free meal delivery service ensures you eat well without feeling like you’re skimming on sustainability.