Here is a simple way to help the environment and save yourself a few pennies: invest in reusable napkins.  The cost is a bit more upfront than your standard package of paper napkins-about $2.00-$3.00 per napkin-but the long-term savings is big. Think of all the paper you are tossing after each meal.  We have 5 people in our family-if we eat just one meal a day at home using paper/disposable napkins we are using 1,825 paper napkins per year.  Our usage was far greater since most meals involved more than one napkin per person-yes, we are messy- and we usually ate at home for at least 2 meals a day. The number of disposable napkins we were using was mind boggling.

The switch to reusable napkins was simple. I found my napkins from various vendors at Etsy.  There are all sorts of creative designs and materials available. If you are ambitious and one of those  talented people that can sew-I most definitely am not- try making your own.  Once you have them, use them and throw them in the laundry.  I also use them in lunch boxes-although they don’t always make it home at the end of the day.