For a health-conscious household, it’s important to prioritize healthful meals storage. Since we work laborious to purchase and put collectively full, pure meals as fairly so much as potential, we’re able to’t overlook our meals storage containers. Gone are the events of utilizing Tupperware to retailer meals.
Whereas plastic appears to be a useful and low price choice, it’s not a protected totally different. Even BPA-free plastic has BPS and fully totally different chemical compounds which may be even worse. And though plastic meals storage containers typically aren’t single-use plastics, it’s nonetheless a problem to make the most of plastic for meals storage.
Our household has labored laborious to transition to non-toxic and non-scratch cookware and fully totally different dwelling devices. For meals storage, plastic meals containers and plastic baggage are the normal fare, and it may very well be a hard swap. It took me just a few years, however I lastly phased out all of our plastic meals storage containers. Now we use glass, metallic, or silicone as a substitute. Though it could appear overwhelming at first, it’s actually compulsory for our household’s properly being.
Why Not Use Plastic Meals Storage Containers?
Though plastic appears to be most likely essentially the most value environment friendly and most interesting fully totally different, it’s maybe the worst concern it is attainable you may retailer meals in. Dangerous chemical compounds like BPA (or bisphenol A) and phthalates can leach into our meals, drinks, and our our our bodies. BPA is an estrogen-mimicking chemical that can disrupt hormones and finish in weight buy.
You’ll furthermore uncover phthalates in plastic, though they’ve been banned in Europe. They’re notably dangerous to males and boys (together with in utero).
Not solely does it hurt our our our our bodies, however it furthermore hurts the setting. Have you ever learnt that solely 9% of plastic is recycled? The remaining ends in landfills. There, it breaks down contained in the picture voltaic, emitting poisonous chemical compounds and greenhouse gases. Or worse, the plastic floats out to sea, endangering wildlife.
Other than being larger to your properly being and the setting, one totally different bonus to utilizing non-plastic storage containers is that they’re oven-safe. Which suggests it is attainable you may put them immediately in an oven or convection oven to reheat, which minimizes dishes in the long term. Some are even microwave-safe (although I don’t advocate utilizing one). And whilst you’re achieved consuming, the leftovers can go straight into the fridge or freezer.
Non-Poisonous Meals Storage Containers
As quickly as I first began my transition to non-toxic meals storage, there weren’t many choices. However the good knowledge is that now there are many choices for high-quality plastic-free meals storage. From glass to stainless-steel to silicone, the choices are pretty a few! They usually additionally cowl virtually any type of meals storage want it is attainable you may need, from storing leftovers to dry meals to on-the-go meals.
Fridge and Freezer Meals Storage
Storing meals contained in the fridge and freezer is essential to holding an exact meals kitchen. Whether or not or not or not you’re meal prepping, batch cooking, or making freezer meals, you’ll want protected storage to your meals. As a substitute of plastic baggage and containers, I now use these fully totally different meals storage containers contained in the fridge and freezer.
Don’t overlook, when storing liquids contained in the freezer, enable room for them to develop.
Glass
- Glass Mason Jars – These dishwasher-safe glass storage containers are my favourite on account of they’re low price 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– Though these have BPA-free plastic lids, they’re fairly low price and among the many many first containers I bought as quickly as I made the swap. These are good to retailer leftovers.
- Glasslock Oven Secure Meals Storage– I even have this set and use it frequently to retailer nearly the entire points. 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 as a substitute 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 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 fairly so much room inside the cupboards when not in use and are straightforward to stack contained in the fridge. These are good meal prep containers, too.
- Zip Extreme – These food-grade silicone containers are good on account of they arrive in fulfilling colours and a wide array of styles and sizes for storing fully one thing. They usually additionally’re dishwasher protected!
Stainless Metal
- Latching Stainless Metal Containers – These are good for storing factors that my children should entry usually like lower veggies or fruit on account of they don’t break! These are furthermore good for freezer storage since they’re non-breakable and match pretty fairly so much.
- Stainless Metal Meals Storage Containers – This set is freezer-safe, leakproof, air-tight, BPA-free, and stackable, so it saves room everytime you’re not utilizing them.
Meals Wraps
One totally different place we use plastic meals storage however couldn’t give it some thought is plastic wrap, wax paper, storage baggage, and aluminum foil. I furthermore ditched these as quickly as we made the swap.
- Beeswax Meals Wraps – I like these on account of it is attainable you may mould them to the kind of no matter bowl or dish it is worthwhile to make use of. In case you may need time, it is attainable you may even make your explicit individual do-it-yourself reusable meals wrap.
- Pure Parchment Paper – Pure parchment paper is nice for wrapping meats, fish, and so forth., ahead of storing.
- Silicone Lids – I furthermore merely as of late found these silicon suction lids that flip bowls you have already got into fridge storage.
- Meals Huggers – These are good whilst you might must refrigerate half a lemon, lime, and even an avocado. These create a very good seal so the meals doesn’t develop to be dried out or stale.
- Stasher Silicone Baggage – These may be present in all types of colours and sizes to retailer factors as a substitute of Ziploc baggage!
On-The-Go Storage
After we depart the home for journeys we use fully fully totally different choices than at dwelling. Glass is troublesome everytime you’re out and about because of security (it is attainable you may’t ship glass to the pool!). It’s furthermore heavier than fully totally different non-plastic meals storage containers. These are the containers we use to take meals with us as quickly as we depart.
- Zip Extreme – It was laborious to alternate plastic baggage for snacks and sandwiches at first, however now I like these silicone baggage.
- Silicone Collapsible Storage Containers – As quickly as I’ve to pack gentle, I want to make use of these 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 quickly as I’ve traveled to make my very private meals as shortly as I get there.
- Zipper Sandwich and Snack Bag – Good for dry snacks on the go.
- Stainless Metal Thermos – It is a good choice to take liquids on the go! It’s leakproof and could be utilized with room-temperature, chilly, or scorching meals to deal with them updated. I like this one on account of the lid doesn’t have the inside lip that collects meals and might get nasty.
- U Konserve Condiment Storage – I like these for hummus or do-it-yourself sauces that now we now have to cope with the go. They’ve good tight-fitting lids fabricated from silicone.
- Lunchbots Bento Space – These lunch containers are good for lunch (or dinner!) on the go.
Pantry Storage
One totally different place the place you’ll want non-plastic meals storage containers is the pantry. Your full dry meals together with grains, nuts, seeds, beans, flour, and so forth., want a non-toxic storage place.
- Mason Jars with Hermetic Lids – I like these glass meals storage containers with locking lids for factors I purchase in bulk.
- Zip Extreme – Their bigger meals storage baggage are good for storing dry devices on account of they stand up when full.
- Glass Jar with Lid – These may be present in bigger sizes for factors it’s possible you’ll must retailer a substantial amount of.
- Stainless Metal 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 hermetic lids.
- Glass Spice Jars – Within the occasion you happen to purchase your dried herbs and spices in bulk, these glass containers are an environment friendly choice to retailer them. I identical to the bamboo lids and customizable labels.
It is attainable you may be taught further about methods to cut back plastic in your personal house correct proper right here.
How do you retailer meals with out plastic? What’s your favourite non-plastic meals storage choice?