Plastic bags are out – reusable tote bags are your easy answer to the latest plastic bans rolling out across Australia. Here are 4 essentials we love to carry in our tote bags – plus, check out our new range of sustainable, stylishly-designed market bags to take you everywhere from the supermarket down to your local farmers’ market.

A water bottle

With summer fast approaching, you won’t want to be caught out without your H2O! Studies suggest that 75% of us are chronically dehydrated, causing a number of symptoms, including the following:

• Headaches
• Dry skin
• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Fluid retention

That’s why we always keep a bottle of water handy when we’re out and about to keep our fluids up during the day – but bottles of the plastic variety tend to leach harmful microplastics and contribute to environmental pollution. That’s why we use sustainable, reusable bottles instead. You’ll save money as you won’t be buying water bottles over and over, and you’ll be investing both your health and the environment too. Sounds good, right? If you’re looking for a quality, stylish bottle to be your new on-the-go companion, look no further than our latest range of insulated bottles – take a look at them HERE.

A keep cup

Never be caught out at the café without a cup again! With plastic laws rapidly changing, we’ll soon to find alternative ways to get our caffeine fix to go – why not get ahead of the game? Start reducing your environmental impact – and stop burning your hands – with a reusable cup to take to all your favourite coffee shops. The International Coffee Association found we drink around 600 billion cups of joe every year, leading to countless cups in landfill and our oceans. Sustainability Victoria revealed that Aussies throw away 2.7 million coffee cups every year, and wildlife are the biggest victims of this pollution, with 8 trillion tonnes of plastic invading our oceans every year, and a resulting 100, 000 deaths of marine life.

So, if you’re ready to combat those scary figures, get out your favourite keep cup and drop it in your tote bag. Don’t have a keep cup? We’ve got you covered – head on over HERE to check out our range of reusable drink bottles and cups to enjoy your morning coffee in.

Sunscreen

Sun safety is important – even when it’s cloudy out. A whopping 90% of skin ageing is attributed to sun damage, with those who apply an SPF sunscreen of 15 or above showing an almost 25% reduction in ageing than those who skimp out on protection.

But it’s not just about looks – the more serious side of skipping sunscreen is the increased risk for skin cancer – here in this sunburnt country, skin melanoma is the fourth most commonly diagnosed form of cancer and it takes around 2000 lives every year. Some sobering research reveals that skin melanoma was Australia’s 10^th most common cause of death by cancer in 2020. So, drop a tube of sunscreen in your tote bag and don’t forget to reapply throughout the day!

Snacks

Having healthy snacks to have on the go will prevent you from splurging on the office chocolate cake or stopping in at your nearest supermarket for sugar-laden, ultra-processed snacks like chocolates and chips. The dreaded 3 o’clock slump affects many of us, with that familiar feeling of fatigue hitting right around the time we need to be buckling down on work or family commitments. But there are some things you can do about it – this is because the foods we eat play a major role in our energy levels, and it all comes down to their effects on our blood sugar levels. High-sugar foods and refined snacks tend to spike these levels, resulting in anything from headaches to fatigue, mood swings and brain fog. Not conducive for work, is it? Luckily, there are a number of healthier snacks to keep on hand so you don’t end up going overboard on blood-sugar spiking foods. Here are a few ideas:

• Additive-free, plain popcorn
• Fresh fruit like bananas and apples
• Crunchy veggies like cucumber, carrot and celery
• Cheese and strawberries
• Egg muffins
• Baked kale chips
• Peanut butter or hummus – these are satiating, tasty foods to dip your other snacks in!

Now for the tote bag itself – we've got just the thing! Get your hands on one of our all-new market bags to be your ultimate shopping companion, while protecting the environment and saving a fair few dollars. Find the full range HERE. 

Keen for more health tips and tricks? We’re here to help. Join us for the 8-Week Program where we’ll be quitting sugar and turning our health dreams into a reality. When you sign up with us, you’ll have access to clear-cut meal plans, community support and exclusive access to our sugar-free content. Here’s what’s on offer:

1. 8 weeks of meal plans and shopping lists.
2. 90+ member-only recipes.
3. Community forums to share your journey.
4. Support and guidance from the I Quit Sugar team.
5. Exclusive content from our panel of experts.

So, if you’re ready to ditch sugar and the host of maladies that come with it, it’s not too late to JOIN NOW!