Expert Recs: 11 Kitchen and Home Essentials That Are Kind to the Planet

Nick Green, cofounder of Thrive Market, shares the organic pantry staples and kitchen favorites he turns to at home.

Jun 22, 2022 - 16:00

Expert Recs: 11 Kitchen and Home Essentials That Are Kind to the Planet

Nick Green, cofounder of Thrive Market, shares the organic pantry staples and kitchen favorites he turns to at home.

Founded in 2014, Thrive Market is on a mission to bring your favorite health food store products directly to you. The membership-based program starts at $5 per month, a fee that most users say is well worth it for the massive catalog of pantry staples, beauty, cleaning products, and even wine options they offer. We asked Nick Green, the CEO and one of the cofounders of Thrive Market, to share his top pantry and kitchen items that his family loves, and are kind on the environment, too.

Nick Green, pictured here with his family, is the cofounder and CEO of Thrive Market.
Photo by Elisha Knight

Kitchen Tools That Are Worth the Price Tag

"This compact-yet-powerful Nutribullet is an everyday essential for me; I’ve used it for years to make protein-packed smoothies, but you could even use it for homemade nut milks. The cups and lids are also dishwasher safe, which makes it super easy to clean."

NutriBullet takes its best-selling personal blender to a new level with a more powerful motor for optimized nutrient extraction. Compact yet powerful (not to mention a great value), it combines a 1200-watt motor with cyclonic action and specialized blades to effortlessly pulverize and puree even the toughest ingredients at the push of a button. It's an easy way to make everything from protein shakes and green smoothies to nut butters and milks. The innovative design allows you to blend right into the cup for fast meals on the go, any time of day.

"This is a new-to-me tool that I have yet to master. It’s like a second pair of hands in the kitchen—there are so many functions and options to learn (including a sous-vide method, a kneading dough mixer, a fermentor, and more). It’s been fun learning how to use all of its functionalities!"

The Thermomix TM6 is made with state-of-the-art technology to not only allow you to cook thousands of recipes but to do it with ease. With our multi-layered cooking feature, you can simultaneously cook your entrée, sides, and dessert simultaneously. You will be amazed with the 24 different cooking functions that allow you to explore endless possibilities in the kitchen.

What You’ll Need to Start a Sustainable Pantry

"Summer has officially started in Southern California, and since I’m a big tea drinker, I love making sun teas with our regeneratively-grown Nepali Green Pearl loose leaf tea and these reusable tea bags."

Here's the tea: You shouldn't need to make waste to sip on a refreshing beverage. These Reusable Sun Tea Bags are great for steeping iced tea out of your favorite bulk tea leaves or making cold brew exactly how you like it. After you brew your bev, these unbleached linen bags can be washed + dried for reuse again and again.

"This plastic-free brush is amazing—one end of the brush is rough and the other is softer for different types of veggies, and it’s compostable once it wears out."

Brusha, brusha, brusha your veggies without plastic using this compostable fruit and vegetable brush.

"This tiny-sized brush is beloved by our eldest; she’s in her ‘helping’ phase, so it’s perfect for lending an extra hand in the kitchen."

If you could use an extra hand in the kitchen, look no further than this all natural children's dish brush! It's designed for youngsters learning how to do dishes, or who want a fresh brush for their kitchen play set!

"Made from 100% certified organic Koroneiki olives, our extra virgin olive oil is grown, harvested, and bottled on a single estate in western Crete. This is always in our autoship order."

Earth-Friendly Snacking

"When the pandemic hit and movie theaters went dark, family farms across the U.S. were left with an overwhelming surplus of kernels grown for the country’s best theaters. Instead of letting them go to waste, we at Thrive Market bought some of that excess so you can pop movie theater–style corn fresh at home. Fighting food waste never tasted so good!"

For Summer Outings

"We’re so lucky to live close to the beach, and this lightweight-yet-durable cooler keeps all our kids’ drinks and snacks cold during those long days in the California sun."

Tall enough to chill most bottles of wine and keep the essentials fresh while you take the scenic route.

"You can feel good about giving your kids these sweet treats: it’s free of preservatives and added sugar, too! These convenient pouches are squeezable, resealable, and a family favorite."