The No-Straw Challenge

After researching straws about a month ago (see “What’s the Deal with Straws?”), I wrote at the end of that post that I wanted to challenge myself to 30 days straw free—and I did! From mid-March to mid-April, I took on the no-straw challenge and wanted to share with you a few things I learned.

The straws I purchased to keep in our car—there's one for each member of our family.

1. A couple days in, I realized that I need to keep a straw or two in the baby bag (if you have little ones). Because, while I didn’t need a straw, there were a few times when I went to meet a friend for lunch or when our family went out for dinner that I forgot our one-year-old daughter’s sippy cup and had to use a straw for her.

   
   

2. You can select the “no straw” option when you order ahead at some restaurants. For instance, I went to Smoothie King (a company I plan to Spotlight because of their “Viofoam” cups—more on that later!) and found a “no straw” button, which I’d never seen (or noticed) before. It was easy enough to check that box and then I used the straw from my reusable water cup, which I already had in the car.

   
   

3. That brings me to my third tip: store reusable straws in your car. The day I ordered the smoothie, I just happened to have my water cup with me, but if I hadn’t, I guess I would have just waited until I got home to drink it, which kind of defeats the purpose of grabbing a quick lunch while running errands. (Also, popping off the lid doesn’t work when the drink is quite full and you’re sloshing it around in the car.) All that to say, I was about a week into this challenge when I researched some straw options and settled on Softy Straws stainless steel four-pack, which comes with its own carrying case. I like this option because (a) you need the straws to be durable enough that they can hold up over time and can puncture into the drink without bending, (b) I wanted to have at least one straw for every member of my family*, and (c) I like the color-coded silicone tips so everyone knows whose straw is whose.

   
   

4. After each use, wash and return the straw to its pouch (or case or whatever you’re using). Maybe this is obvious, but I think it bears saying that if you bring the straw inside, it may never return . . . and so, it won’t be in the car when you need it (speaking from experience). So here’s the system I developed: after we use the straw (say, for my ten-year-old’s occasional after-school snack at McDonald’s), she brings the drink inside, I wash the straw (in the dishwasher), and when it’s time to unload, I place the straw with my purse so that the next time I go to leave, it’s already there, ready to make its way back to the pouch with the other straws stored in my console.

   

   The pouch our Softy Straws came with.

5. Lastly, it matters that you say “No straws, please” at restaurants. First, because if you live in the South like me, straws will be given to you by default, not at your request. Second, and perhaps most important, because if you think, when the waiter drops straws on your table, No big deal—we just won’t use them, you might be wrong. Your one-year-old might find those straws you so carefully set aside and use them as chew toys, rendering them trash despite your best efforts. Bottom line: you’re better off asking for no straws specifically or sending them back with the waiter right away.  

That’s about it! I hope this helps as you consider your own straw-free challenge. Overall, the hardest part for me is remembering to say “No straws, please” at the front end of any sit-down dining experience.

Other than that, I find life with no straws to be pretty doable—even for a lifestyle of daily drop-offs and weekly practices and lots of time spent “on the go.” 💛

---

* You might consider more if you tend to get multiple drinks at a time (say, a coffee and a water) and could use more than one straw per person.