For a health-conscious family, it’s very important to prioritize healthful meals storage. Since we work onerous to buy and put collectively full, pure meals as rather a lot as potential, we’ll’t overlook our meals storage containers. Gone are the instances of using Tupperware to retailer meals.
Whereas plastic seems to be a useful and low-cost alternative, it’s not a safe different. Even BPA-free plastic has BPS and totally different chemical compounds that might be even worse. And although plastic meals storage containers typically aren’t single-use plastics, it’s nonetheless a problem to utilize plastic for meals storage.
Our family has labored onerous to transition to non-toxic and non-scratch cookware and totally different dwelling items. For meals storage, plastic meals containers and plastic baggage are the standard fare, and it might be a troublesome change. It took me a few years, nevertheless I lastly phased out all of our plastic meals storage containers. Now we use glass, metal, or silicone instead. Although it’d seem overwhelming at first, it’s truly very important for our family’s effectively being.
Why Not Use Plastic Meals Storage Containers?
Although plastic seems to be essentially the most reasonably priced and greatest varied, it’s most likely the worst issue you can retailer meals in. Harmful chemical compounds like BPA (or bisphenol A) and phthalates can leach into our meals, drinks, and our our bodies. BPA is an estrogen-mimicking chemical that will 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 hurt our our our bodies, nevertheless it absolutely moreover hurts the environment. Have you learnt that solely 9% of plastic is recycled? The remaining ends in landfills. There, it breaks down throughout the photo voltaic, emitting toxic chemical compounds and greenhouse gases. Or worse, the plastic floats out to sea, endangering wildlife.
Aside from being larger in your effectively being and the environment, one different bonus to using non-plastic storage containers is that they’re oven-safe. Which means you can 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 recommend using one). And if you’re carried out consuming, the leftovers can go straight into the fridge or freezer.
Non-Toxic Meals Storage Containers
After I first started my transition to non-toxic meals storage, there weren’t many decisions. Nonetheless the great data is that now there are various decisions for high-quality plastic-free meals storage. From glass to stainless-steel to silicone, the alternate options are fairly a number of! They normally cowl practically any form of meals storage need you would possibly want, from storing leftovers to dry meals to on-the-go meals.
Fridge and Freezer Meals Storage
Storing meals throughout the fridge and freezer is important to defending an precise meals kitchen. Whether or not or not you’re meal prepping, batch cooking, or making freezer meals, you’ll need safe storage in your meals. In its place of plastic baggage and containers, I now use these varied meals storage containers throughout the fridge and freezer.
Don’t neglect, when storing liquids throughout the freezer, allow room for them to broaden.
Glass
- Glass Mason Jars – These dishwasher-safe glass storage containers are my favorite on account of they’re low-cost 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-cost and among the many first containers I purchased as soon as I made the change. These are good to retailer leftovers.
- Glasslock Oven Safe Meals Storage– I even have this set and use it frequently to retailer just about each factor. 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 instead 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 skin retains the glass from turning into too slippery when it’s frozen.
Silicone
- Xtrema Silicone Meals Storage– I like these collapsible fridge storage containers since they don’t take up rather a lot room throughout the cabinets when not in use and are easy to stack throughout the fridge. These are good meal prep containers, too.
- Zip Prime – These food-grade silicone containers are good on account of they arrive in pleasing colors and a wide array of configurations and dimensions for storing completely something. They normally’re dishwasher safe!
Stainless Metallic
- Latching Stainless Metallic Containers – These are good for storing points that my kids need 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 a bit.
- Stainless Metallic Meals Storage Containers – This set is freezer-safe, leakproof, air-tight, BPA-free, and stackable, so it saves room when you’re not using them.
Meals Wraps
One different place we use plastic meals storage nevertheless will not give it some thought is plastic wrap, wax paper, storage baggage, and aluminum foil. I moreover ditched these as soon as we made the change.
- Beeswax Meals Wraps – I like these on account of you can mildew them to the type of regardless of bowl or dish you could use. If in case you may have time, you can even make your private hand-crafted reusable meals wrap.
- Pure Parchment Paper – Pure parchment paper is good for wrapping meats, fish, and lots of others., sooner than storing.
- Silicone Lids – I moreover simply these days discovered these silicon suction lids that flip bowls you already have into fridge storage.
- Meals Huggers – These are good if you would possibly wish to refrigerate half a lemon, lime, and even an avocado. These create seal so the meals doesn’t change into dried out or stale.
- Stasher Silicone Baggage – These can be found in every kind of colors and sizes to retailer points instead of Ziploc baggage!
On-The-Go Storage
After we go away the house for journeys we use completely totally different decisions than at residence. Glass is troublesome when you’re out and about because of safety (you can’t convey glass to the pool!). It’s moreover heavier than totally different non-plastic meals storage containers. These are the containers we use to take meals with us as soon as we go away.
- Zip Prime – It was onerous to alternate plastic baggage for snacks and sandwiches at first, nevertheless now I like these silicone baggage.
- Silicone Collapsible Storage Containers – After I’ve to pack gentle, I prefer to make use of those BPA-free collapsible containers. After we’re carried out consuming, we merely break them down and it takes up hardly any room. I’ve even taken them in my suitcase as soon as I’ve traveled to make my very personal meals as quickly as I get there.
- Zipper Sandwich and Snack Bag – Good for dry snacks on the go.
- Stainless Metallic Thermos – It’s a good option to take liquids on the go! It’s leakproof and will be utilized with room-temperature, chilly, or scorching meals to take care of them modern. I like this one on account of the lid doesn’t have the within lip that collects meals and can get nasty.
- U Konserve Condiment Storage – I like these for hummus or hand-crafted sauces that we’ve to sort out the go. They’ve good tight-fitting lids manufactured from silicone.
- Lunchbots Bento Discipline – These lunch containers are good for lunch (or dinner!) on the go.
Pantry Storage
One different place the place you’ll need non-plastic meals storage containers is the pantry. The whole dry meals along with grains, nuts, seeds, beans, flour, and lots of others., need a non-toxic storage place.
- Mason Jars with Airtight Lids – I like these glass meals storage containers with locking lids for points I buy in bulk.
- Zip Prime – Their greater meals storage baggage are good for storing dry gadgets on account of they come up when full.
- Glass Jar with Lid – These can be found in greater sizes for points you would possibly wish to retailer various.
- Stainless Metallic Canister Set – These are good on account of they aren’t breakable! I retailer my espresso beans in definitely one among these on account of they’ve airtight lids.
- Glass Spice Jars – For individuals who buy your dried herbs and spices in bulk, these glass containers are an efficient solution to retailer them. I just like the bamboo lids and customizable labels.
You can be taught additional about straightforward strategies to reduce plastic in your own home proper right here.
How do you retailer meals with out plastic? What’s your favorite non-plastic meals storage alternative?