Step 6: Get rid of plastic storage containers for meals

tup

Plastic storage containers sometimes erroneously and generically called Tupperware ( that’s a brand!) – are they Good? Bad? or plain Ugly?

UGLY! No euphemism or gentle way to say this – STOP USING THEM! As mentioned in my previous post, many plastics used for food and beverage storage are potential sources of Bisphenol A or BPA which is a plasticiser, used to make clear, hard plastic. A group of researchers from the Institute of Environmental Medicine in Stockholm, Sweden recently reviewed all the research (46 studies) on whether BPA is toxic to the developing nervous systems of newborns. They concluded that even though the studies have been conducted according to standardized protocols, the research “…may overlook sensitive effects of BPA, and possibly other potential endocrine disruptors, especially in female offspring.” In addition to developmental toxicity, BPA has also been linked to obesity in children and adults as well as to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, reproductive disorders, breast cancer, and more. Brrrrrrr

And for those of you who heat your food in them, ARE YOU OUTTA YOUR MIND? Even those stating that they are microwave safe- just transfer your food to a ceramic or glass plate to heat it. Please! Heat makes the plastic leach it’s chemicals into the food. Here is an American Scientist article on it for you to have a look at and raise your eyebrows in shock and horror.

So, what do you do with the tuppers/ plastic storage containers you already have? No point throwing them away for they can’t be cleanly recycled, if you do find a place that recycles them. You could give them away, use them to store non-food items like crayons, meds or whatever or better still, store them in a dark, dark corner of your home and never, ever use them again.

And …now what? :-O

Here is an alternative made of stainless steel and which is ideal for travel too:

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Here is an alternative made of glass and perfect for storing your meals in the fridge:

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With a glass lid
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With a metal lid

2 thoughts on “Step 6: Get rid of plastic storage containers for meals”

  1. I have tried to come up with uses for plastic containers around my home. We have crayons in a coffee can and use larger containers for kitchen collections like small lids and cookie cutters. What about using some for storing homemade soap or cotton balls/swabs? Decorate the right size container to use as a pencil holder. Finally, empty jugs can be filled with water and frozen for use in a cooler. I use plastic buckets in my storage room for various items.

    I’m not sure that I want to store containers with no use indefinitely, but I do try to purchase items with as little packaging as possible. Cooking from scratch with fresh food reduces the amount of waste we produce.

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