Reducing waste and saving money in this area isn’t so bad.
I grew up drinking hot chocolate. In college I tried teas. After having children, I began drinking coffee!
TEAS – I have tried loose-leaf and bagged teas. They do taste different. Right now it is faster to use bagged teas. Loose-leaf tends to get messy I guess? But it would be worth getting back into later. For loose-leaf, there are plenty of products that you can use to steep the leaves in the hot water. I have two different kinds. I would prefer to use tighter mesh in a container where no leaves or debris falls out. The ones I have don’t work very good. To save money and reduce waste? Loose-leaf IS better. Right now I get simple black and green teas. Knowing what you want and stick with it can save money too.
COFFEE – When my husband and I began drinking coffee around the time of our first child, he wanted to use a French Press. We would heat water in an electric kettle (I realized, it’s just as easy to use a stove kettle instead of a plastic electric one, but lately stove kettles have been burning on the bottoms, not being quality-made), pour into the French Press with the grounds already in, stir and let it sit to steep. Then press the mesh down, holding the grounds to the bottom as to not get it in the cup. It can be used for teas too!
Another one we tried was a percolator. That steeps as water boils it. It’s neat physics-wise. But according to my husband it tastes different. Maybe it depends on how long it steeps?
KUREG? – We decided we didn’t need one. It is wasteful and costly to use all those cups everyday. Then there is another kind that my parents use that uses paper filters? I learned you can easily use re-usable filters. So that is an option if we get a machine later.
So it looks like there are a variety of ways to save money and reduce waste in this area.
