Here at Refill It we are all about trying to offer help and solutions to this problem. This may mean going back to the 'old fashioned' way of cooking.
Did you know that it's much much cheaper to cook using a slow cooker rather than the oven. It's coming into stew weather so it's a perfect time to try out some new wholesome recipes which will keep you and the kids full for hours after eating.
On average, they use about 1.2kW over the course of 8 hours, says Hometree. This means a slow cooker will only use around 162.5w per hour, which works out at just 5p per hour. Leaving your slow cooker on all day (let's say eight hours) will only cost around 40p, while your oven will cost 34p in just 20 minutes. - Google Sept 22.
That's a huge difference in price!
Our Kandy Kitchen range in store offer three tasty and delicious stew recipes. These are: Mediterranean Stew, Cawl Welsh Lamb stew and Deep South Beef Stew. These meals are £5.99 each and feed 4, that works out at £1.50 per person!
However, if meat is not for you or you find it an option that is too expensive, there are some delicious non meat and vegan option out there. Beans and lentils are really, really filling and also provide a great source of protein.
We have a variety of beans and lentils in store for you to try. They are a fraction of the cost of meat and also you can buy small amounts to try them until you find the ones that you like.
Check out this link for a great range of vegan/ non meat alternative recipes.https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/meals-menus/g33598365/vegan-slow-cooker-recipes-ideas/
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Have you looked at the packaging to see exactly what's in the products and what you're cleaning your home with or washing your clothes and hands with?
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Have you looked at the packaging to see exactly what's in the products and what you're cleaning your home with or washing your clothes and hands with?
If not then I set you a challenge to take a look at the back of some of the cleaning products in your home and do a little google search of some of the ingredients; I think you may think again before using them, especially when there are more friendlier versions out there that do just as good a job or even better!
You may have read on the packaging that "this product may cause irritation if inhaled or comes in contact with eyes". This is because many of the household cleaning products that you use around the home contain something called "Volitile Organic Compounds" or more commonly known as "VOC's".
There are numerous VOCs in everyday household products, although this may not always be clear from the ingredient label. The most common VOCs in our homes, with documented effects on human health, include [2]:
Some of these ingredients can attribute to health and skin problems such as asthma and eczema, endocrine and immune disruption and can even contribute to some cancers as these products are carcingogenic!
Source: https://www.safehouseholdcleaning.com/
Now hopefully I have you attention, because at Refill-It we have a range of cleaning products that are natural and chemical free and are actually made here in Yorkshire.
"We don't use Parabens, Chlorine Bleaches, Thiazolinones, Sulphites, Methylisothiazolinone (CMIT), Gluten, SLS, ALS, ALES, Formaldehyde or Phosphates." Source: www.miniml.co.uk
All their products are plant based formulas so in turn are Vegan and also cruelty free.
They also offer a complete closed loop system, which means that when you refill your bottles from home at Refill It and the 20l drums are empty, we return them and they are washed and reused by the team at Miniml.
There are also many other products that can be used around the home and work place which have natural anti bacterial properties and clean just as good and in come cases better than those with all the chemicals in. Lemon juice form making chrome shone is a good one, used alongside vinegar and Bi carb, they not only keep limescale at bay on those pesky taps, since we live in a hard water area, they are in fact a much cheaper alternative than chemical laced cleaners.
What is Plastic Free July?
Plastic Free July began in Australia, in 2011. The aim of the movement is to educate and encourage people globally to reduce their plastic waste. As the movement has grown, more people than ever are taking part, with 140 million participants recorded in 2021.
Watch the video to learn more!
Every July, the Plastic Free Foundation challenges us all to participate and make new habits which have long term benefits to the environment - and hopefully continue them beyond July! If you ever worry that your participation is small, impact surveys by the Plastic Free Foundation show that waste was reduced by over 2.1 BILLION tons - 300 million kg of which was plastic waste, due to participation in the movement. Every person’s contribution matters!
How do I Join?
Joining the challenge costs nothing and may even save you money! The Plastic Free Foundation website provides a wealth of resources to help you to succeed in reducing plastic consumption, and waste in general. You can visit the Plastic Free July website here to learn more about joining the challenge to Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle.
How can we help you?
At Refill It, we’re committed to help you with anything you need to begin your journey to Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle. If you’re not sure where to start, we can help. No question is too small and there’s no such thing as a silly question! So pop in store, email us, or drop us a DM on our socials! We also offer a home consultation service, if you’d like support in making your home more eco-friendly. Contact us for more info!
So, what are you waiting for? Take the challenge, and join the movement to a more sustainable, plastic free environment!
Join us for next week’s blog post for a guide to recycling your plastic waste!
References
Plastic Free Foundation. (2022). About Us. Plastic Free July. https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/about-us/
Plastic Free Foundation. (2022). Plastic Free July. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/get-involved/what-you-can-do/reduce-reuse-recycle/
]]>Special occasions are also a time when waste increases due to packaging materials and cards. With only a few days to go until Father’s Day 2022, we thought we’d create a guide to show how we can help with any last minute panic, without compromising your eco-friendly values.
Keep reading to find out what Refill It has to offer in store, to suit a range of tastes and budgets. At the end of the post you can find a link to a free, personalisable Father’s Day eCard, which helps to cut down on paper waste! The eCard can be modified in Canva and sent via text, email, or on social media.
What’s available in store?Here at Refill It, we have a great selection of gifts to show your father or grandfather how much you appreciate them! These are available for local delivery until Saturday 18th June, or in store right until the last minute. So, if your schedule has been super hectic lately and you haven’t had time to get anything yet, we’re here to help you! We have a wide range of gifts available, at differing price points, to suit all budgets. Keep reading to find out what’s available!
The Impeccably Groomed DadFirst up, if your dad is into his personal grooming, or is the fine bearer of a magnificent beard, give our range of Rugged Nature products a try! Rugged Nature is a UK based small business, with a focus on personal care products, made with all natural ingredients. We currently stock the following items (many of them on sale!)
Rugged Nature Men's Wash Bag £25
Rugged Nature Hair Clay 100g - Vegan - Available in Lemongrass, Cedarwood, & Sandalwood £7.60
Rugged Nature Beard Oil 50ml - Available in Lemongrass, Cedarwood, & Sandalwood £10.60
Rugged Nature Hair Wax 90g - Available in Lemongrass, Cedarwood, & Sandalwood £7.60
For the ultimate shaving treat, try the Plastic Free Safety Razor, together with the Shaving Gift Set. From the coconut shaving foam bowl, to the Peppermint Shaving Foam with Yorkshire Honey from local small business Bee Clean, your father can enjoy an indulgent shaving routine, whilst still reducing waste.
Shaving Gift Set - £25
If you have a funky Father, why not try individual soaps, or make a giftset up from our soap range from the Space Monkey Soap Co? These soaps are chemical free, cruelty free, ethical, vegan friendly soaps guaranteed to make your Dad smile, and smell super fresh! We recommend ‘Brick Top’ for Far East flavours, and ingredients to calm inflammation, and ‘Little Green Coffee’ for an exhilarating morning wash to blast off the sleep cobwebs! These are amazing value for money at only £5 each, so they’re perfect for a high quality product at an affordable price. We also have many more scents in stock!
The Coffee Connoisseur
Does your Dad love his morning (afternoon and evening) coffee? We stock a range of coffees from the fantastic Yorkshire based company, Recent Beans. Recent Beans offer a range of ethically sourced, premium coffee beans, which are hand roasted in store then delivered to us. Take your coffee connoisseur Dad or Grandad on a trip around the world, from their own home, by choosing a selection of rare Arabica coffee from Vietnam through to Columbia Acevedo. At only £3 per 100g, these coffees are a fantastic, budget friendly introduction to the Recent Beans coffee experience.
The Foodie Dad
Last, but not least, is our foodie Dad! If your Dad is a Gordon Ramsey fan, or a baking master, like Yorkshire’s own James Martin, we have everything you need to give him a foodie gift fit for a pro-chef. We recommend Charlie and Ivy’s Bread Dipper gift set (£12), and the Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil Gift Box, which contains a Honey and Mustard Dressing to die for! For individual ingredients, we stock vinegars and oils from Aspalls, Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil, and Duvichus, and a wide range of dry cooking ingredients.
Charlie & Ivy's Bread Dipper Gift Set - £12
Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil Gift Set - £12.50
If your Dad is a BBQ king, you can make your own BBQ rub gift set from the herbs and spices we have in stock. Some recipes require lots of different spices, which can get expensive when experimenting with new recipes. As all of our herbs and spices are weighed exactly to your needs, find a recipe and ask us to mix the required amounts together in one bag. This will give a variety of BBQ rubs, ready to go, without spending a fortune! Keeping dad happy at the BBQ for the summer season!
Free Father’s Day eCardAs promised, if you’re looking to cut down your paper waste, here’s a link to a free digital eCard. Follow the link and personalise with your own photos. This can be done in minutes on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Father's Day Card
When you've added your pictures, download the video, then send via any digital method. Not only does this save paper waste, it also allows your Dad to keep the video on their phone!
If you’re a complete beginner with Canva, here’s a link to a screen recording showing how to add your own photos.
Father's Day Wishes
If you’ve been struggling to find a suitable Father’s Day gift or present for Grandad on Father’s Day, we hope that this guide has helped. Please call in store or contact us to ask more about delivery days and opening times! We hope you have a fantastic day celebrating all of your amazing dads and grandads.
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We are always on the look out for more products that appeal to you, the customer. With the local farm shop closing at the beginning of the year I was made aware that there was no where in Selby anymore that sold the delicious Brymor Ice-cream.
As it is a favourite with the local community with its delicious flavours and the fact it is made here in North Yorkshire I embarked on stocking this wonderful product in our store. The other great things about Brymor is that they offer Vegan alternatives.
Not only can you purchase this ice-cream on a cone or in a tub to eat as you go, but you can also buy 1ltr tubs in store too (the flavours are limited due to space but we can order to demand)
Obviously the ethos here at Refill It is to reduce the amount of plastic waste we produce so we are offering a refill on ice-cream too so you can bring in your empties and you can therefore purchase as much or as little as you like. If you order online its to the nearest 100g.
Watch this space as we may venture out into milkshakes!
]]>All treats are £2.50 per bag, click the link to find out more.
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These fantastic eco-friendly crayons are now in stock!
Perfect for birthday presents, Christmas presents and stocking fillers, they are handmade from natural products so they’re non-toxic and don’t contain paraffin wax.
Bring out the creative side in your favourite little people – choose from a variety of fun shapes to help develop the child’s grip and fine motor skills. They come in lots of beautiful colours and are great for early years mark-making.
Priced at only £8.60, these crayons are available to order online now.
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