For a health-conscious family, it’s necessary to prioritize healthful meals storage. Since we work laborious to buy and put collectively full, pure meals as considerably fairly a bit as potential, we’re in a position to’t overlook our meals storage containers. Gone are the occasions of using Tupperware to retailer meals.
Whereas plastic seems to be a helpful and low worth selection, it’s not a safe utterly completely different. Even BPA-free plastic has BPS and totally utterly completely different chemical compounds which might be even worse. And although plastic meals storage containers sometimes aren’t single-use plastics, it’s nonetheless an issue to benefit from plastic for meals storage.
Our family has labored laborious to transition to non-toxic and non-scratch cookware and totally utterly completely different dwelling gadgets. For meals storage, plastic meals containers and plastic baggage are the usual fare, and it could very effectively be a tough swap. It took me just some years, nonetheless I lastly phased out all of our plastic meals storage containers. Now we use glass, metallic, or silicone in its place. Although it may seem overwhelming at first, it’s truly obligatory for our family’s correctly being.
Why Not Use Plastic Meals Storage Containers?
Although plastic seems to be possibly most likely essentially the most worth setting pleasant and finest totally utterly completely different, it’s possibly the worst problem it’s potential chances are you’ll retailer meals in. Harmful chemical compounds like BPA (or bisphenol A) and phthalates can leach into our meals, drinks, and our our our our bodies. BPA is an estrogen-mimicking chemical that may disrupt hormones and end in weight purchase.
You’ll moreover uncover phthalates in plastic, although they’ve been banned in Europe. They’re notably harmful to males and boys (along with in utero).
Not solely does it harm our our our our our bodies, nonetheless it moreover hurts the setting. Have you ever ever learnt that solely 9% of plastic is recycled? The remaining ends in landfills. There, it breaks down contained within the {photograph} voltaic, emitting toxic chemical compounds and greenhouse gases. Or worse, the plastic floats out to sea, endangering wildlife.
Apart from being greater to your correctly being and the setting, one utterly completely different bonus to using non-plastic storage containers is that they’re oven-safe. Which suggests it’s potential chances are you’ll put them instantly in an oven or convection oven to reheat, which minimizes dishes in the long run. Some are even microwave-safe (though I don’t advocate using one). And whenever you’re achieved consuming, the leftovers can go straight into the fridge or freezer.
Non-Toxic Meals Storage Containers
As shortly as I first started my transition to non-toxic meals storage, there weren’t many picks. Nevertheless the great information is that now there are various picks for high-quality plastic-free meals storage. From glass to stainless-steel to silicone, the alternatives are fairly a couple of! They normally moreover cowl just about any kind of meals storage need it’s potential chances are you’ll want, from storing leftovers to dry meals to on-the-go meals.
Fridge and Freezer Meals Storage
Storing meals contained within the fridge and freezer is crucial to holding an actual meals kitchen. Whether or not or not or not or not you’re meal prepping, batch cooking, or making freezer meals, you’ll need safe storage to your meals. Instead of plastic baggage and containers, I now use these totally utterly completely different meals storage containers contained within the fridge and freezer.
Don’t overlook, when storing liquids contained within the freezer, allow room for them to develop.
Glass
- Glass Mason Jars – These dishwasher-safe glass storage containers are my favorite on account of they’re low worth and versatile. Quart and half-gallon-size jars work good for storing soups, sauces, broth, and even leftover casseroles and sides.
- Pyrex Glass Containers with Lids– Although these have BPA-free plastic lids, they’re pretty low worth and among the many many many first containers I purchased as shortly as I made the swap. These are good to retailer leftovers.
- Glasslock Oven Safe Meals Storage– I even have this set and use it normally to retailer practically all of the factors. They’re good on account of they’re BPA-free.
- Glass Meals Storage Containers with Bamboo Lids – This meals storage container set has bamboo lids in its place of plastic. They’re leakproof too!
- Ello Duraglass – These are good glass meals storage containers on account of the lids lock into place. They’re freezer-safe and the silicone sleeve on the pores and pores and pores and skin retains the glass from becoming too slippery when it’s frozen.
Silicone
- Xtrema Silicone Meals Storage– I like these collapsible fridge storage containers since they don’t take up considerably fairly a bit room inside the cabinets when not in use and are easy to stack contained within the fridge. These are good meal prep containers, too.
- Zip Excessive – These food-grade silicone containers are good on account of they arrive in fulfilling colors and a big selection of sizes and styles for storing totally one factor. They normally moreover’re dishwasher safe!
Stainless Metallic
- Latching Stainless Metallic Containers – These are good for storing elements that my youngsters ought to entry normally like decrease veggies or fruit on account of they don’t break! These are moreover good for freezer storage since they’re non-breakable and match fairly considerably fairly a bit.
- Stainless Metallic Meals Storage Containers – This set is freezer-safe, leakproof, air-tight, BPA-free, and stackable, so it saves room everytime you’re not using them.
Meals Wraps
One utterly completely different place we use plastic meals storage nonetheless could not give it some thought is plastic wrap, wax paper, storage baggage, and aluminum foil. I moreover ditched these as shortly as we made the swap.
- Beeswax Meals Wraps – I like these on account of it’s potential chances are you’ll mould them to the type of irrespective of bowl or dish it’s worthwhile to utilize. In case chances are you’ll want time, it’s potential chances are you’ll even make your particular specific individual do-it-yourself reusable meals wrap.
- Pure Parchment Paper – Pure parchment paper is sweet for wrapping meats, fish, and so forth., earlier than storing.
- Silicone Lids – I moreover merely recently discovered these silicon suction lids that flip bowls you already have into fridge storage.
- Meals Huggers – These are good when you can should refrigerate half a lemon, lime, and even an avocado. These create an excellent seal so the meals doesn’t develop to be dried out or stale.
- Stasher Silicone Baggage – These might be current in all kinds of colors and sizes to retailer elements in its place of Ziploc baggage!
On-The-Go Storage
After we depart the house for journeys we use totally totally utterly completely different picks than at dwelling. Glass is troublesome everytime you’re out and about on account of safety (it’s potential chances are you’ll’t ship glass to the pool!). It’s moreover heavier than totally utterly completely different non-plastic meals storage containers. These are the containers we use to take meals with us as shortly as we depart.
- Zip Excessive – It was laborious to alternate plastic baggage for snacks and sandwiches at first, nonetheless now I like these silicone baggage.
- Silicone Collapsible Storage Containers – As shortly as I’ve to pack mild, I need to make use of those BPA-free collapsible containers. After we’re achieved consuming, we merely break them down and it takes up hardly any room. I’ve even taken them in my suitcase as shortly as I’ve traveled to make my very non-public meals as shortly as I get there.
- Zipper Sandwich and Snack Bag – Good for dry snacks on the go.
- Stainless Metallic Thermos – It’s a good selection to take liquids on the go! It’s leakproof and could also be utilized with room-temperature, chilly, or scorching meals to take care of them up to date. I like this one on account of the lid doesn’t have the within lip that collects meals and would possibly get nasty.
- U Konserve Condiment Storage – I like these for hummus or do-it-yourself sauces that now we have now now to maintain the go. They’ve good tight-fitting lids fabricated from silicone.
- Lunchbots Bento House – These lunch containers are good for lunch (or dinner!) on the go.
Pantry Storage
One utterly completely different place the place you’ll need non-plastic meals storage containers is the pantry. Your full dry meals along with grains, nuts, seeds, beans, flour, and so forth., desire a non-toxic storage place.
- Mason Jars with Airtight Lids – I like these glass meals storage containers with locking lids for elements I buy in bulk.
- Zip Excessive – Their greater meals storage baggage are good for storing dry gadgets on account of they get up when full.
- Glass Jar with Lid – These might be current in greater sizes for elements you can should retailer various.
- Stainless Metallic Canister Set – These are good on account of they aren’t breakable! I retailer my espresso beans in a single amongst these on account of they’ve airtight lids.
- Glass Spice Jars – Throughout the event you occur to buy your dried herbs and spices in bulk, these glass containers are an setting pleasant option to retailer them. I much like the bamboo lids and customizable labels.
It’s potential chances are you’ll be taught additional about strategies to reduce plastic in your particular person dwelling right correct proper right here.
How do you retailer meals with out plastic? What’s your favorite non-plastic meals storage selection?
