Your mission, if you choose to accept, is to begin phasing out your plastic food storage containers.
Impact Ratings: 
Level of Commitment: Baby Steps
Last time we talked plastics, I challenged you to start with drinking containers: glasses, water bottles, and bottled water. Now it’s time to move on to food. You can’t do much about the fact that you have to buy things like milk and cottage cheese in plastic (nos. 2 and 5 respectively, safer plastics), never mind all the plastic bags that food is stored in (no. 4, another safer option). But once you get home and make a wholesome meal, is it really worth it to put it in a plastic container? Click here to be reminded of the hazards of plastics.
In case you need more convincing, I came across a quote about BPA last week in Dinner Diaries by Betsy Block: “Few chemicals have been found to consistently display such a diverse range of harm at such low doses.” (from EWG, March 2007) Good grief.
Steps to Getting into Glass
- Take a wander through your cupboards. Make mental notes of everything you see that is glass or ceramic that has a lid. Try to default to using those first for storing leftovers, cut fruit, meal prep items, etc. BEFORE you open the plastic cupboard. Sometimes you’ll be acting out of the box; for example, you might use a casserole dish with a lid to store fruit slices, or a coffee mug to store soup leftovers.
- Keep all your glass jars from store bought items. I store soup, yogurt, applesauce and more in spaghetti sauce jars. Sunflower seeds for salads are in an olive jar. Homemade ranch dressing in a pickle jar. Pizza sauce in my freezer in salsa jars.
Free is a great price for “new” food storage containers! - Birthday coming up? IOU on a Mother’s Day present? Put glass dishes with lids on your list.
I received some great 1, 2 and 3-cup sizes from Anchor-Hocking, and I already owned a nice set of bowls made by Pyrex. Both are so helpful to have around, but I have had troubles with Anchor’s lids warping (just the 2-cup size), even with no microwave use. To their credit, the company has been more than helpful, sending me replacement lids without problem not once, but twice. They tell me they’re working on getting a new supplier for the lids, moving to an American company from a Chinese one. Props to them for taking steps (but you might not want their 2-cuppers until they make the switch!).
Both companies promise their lids are BPA-free.
Also read “13 Reasons I Love Glass Storage Containers”
Baby Steps to SafER Plastic Containers
I understand if you just don’t have enough glass containers or room in your budget to make this switch. Just do what you can with the steps above, and follow the guidelines below for the times you still use plastic (my plastic container cupboard is still full and in use, if you’re wondering. We live in a baby steps household!).
- Look at the recycle numbers on all your plastic containers. You must at least recycle or repurpose for non-food uses anything with number 3, 6 or 7 on it. (See this post for a mnemonic to help you remember the safe plastics.) I didn’t think #3 was actually used for anything until after my last plastics post, when I glanced at the bottom of my big container that I (used to) store biscuit mix in. Number 3!? Yikes! That container is now my compost catcher next to my sink…
- Be cognizant of what you’re putting into your plastics:
- Avoid putting steaming hot food into plastic. This is where you prioritize for glass dishes or at least wait until the food cools considerably.
- It would make sense that liquid foods (soups, sauces, beverages) would have more surface area touching the inexorable plastic container than, say, cut lettuce, rolls, or shredded cheese. I prioritize liquid and tomato-based meals to go into the glass dishes and settle for loose solid items in plastic.
- Be careful what you do with plastic containers filled with food: No microwaving your plastics! If I didn’t convince you to cut down on microwave use in general, at least make a firm commitment NEVER to microwave anything in plastic, ESPECIALLY those not made for mics like margarine tubs and plastic wrap. You’re just asking for trouble there.
Tupperware Note
I would be remiss if I didn’t address the fact that almost everyone has old Tupperware hanging around their cupboards. These usually don’t have recycle numbers on them. Here is a helpful article about Tupperware safety, where I learned that most (but not all – see link for a list) Tupperware products do not contain BPA.
Related Giveaway
Stephanie at Keeper of the Home has a timely giveaway ending this Thursday. Check out her post here to sign up for a stainless steel ice cube tray! I’m a big fan of freezing food in cubes, so this is something I am definitely going to look into.
Find more Kitchen Tips at Tammy’s Recipes.
Other plastics Missions:
Don’t Drink BPA
Targeting Plastic Bags
If you missed the last Monday Mission, click here. Don’t want to miss another? Sign up for an email subscription or the reader.
More good stuff:
- Homemade Chicken Stock/Broth
- Intro to Super Foods Series
- How to Use More Beans
- Praying in the Kitchen
- Hand Sanitizers in the Home
- Happy Uses for Tomatoes
- Crockpot Tuscan Beef Stew
Hungry for more? Related posts:
This is great, as it has been on my heart for a while now to be better. One product that has helped me take baby steps are these kind of plastic bowl covers (http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Clear-Covers-Fruit-Pattern/dp/B0000CF4NC). They’re still plastic, but they are re-usable and go over my glass bowls and plates (and are not plastic wrap). So, that’s better, right?
Now, what do I do about my husband taking leftovers to work for lunch? We have had to search long for a plastic container that will not leak on his briefcase. My heart aches, though, that every day he pops that in the microwave and eats out of it. Any suggestions?!?!?
Jenny’s last blog post..Memorial Day Daybook
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Katie Reply:
May 26th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I had been waiting nervously for someone to challenge “Mind the Mic” with the lunch at work issue. I didn’t have any ideas other than sandwiches and cold leftovers, so I wouldn’t have been much help. My husband still uses the microwave at work, but he’s really good about not using plastic in it (this is a new-ish development for us). Here’s how:
(1) We have enough Pyrex and Anchor glass bowls, 2-cup size, that are perfect for one serving, that we almost always store our leftovers in them. I’ll make one or two single serve sizes out of leftovers for him to take right away after dinner, then he can just grab something without having to dish it out of a larger container. *They do not leak at all!*
(2) This one really depends on your workplace, but he has a sink available to him in the lunch room, so he can take a regular plate and use it to “nuke” things that might have traveled in a ziploc bag or something. He also is really good at rinsing the glass 1-cup size of yogurt before he comes home so we don’t have stinky dishes! (Just a little love shoutout to my sexy husband. Who knew rinsing dishes could earn the sexy title?)
I did a quick search on your bowl covers, but I couldn’t find any info on whether they contain BPA or phthalates. They’re definitely better for the earth b/c you don’t have to throw them away, so that’s pretty neat.
I’m glad the Monday Mission was fitting for you!
Katie
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If tupperware doesn’t have the BPA, is it still a good idea to phase it out of my storage supply? I have over 50 fancy Lock n’ Lock containers that keep my food so fresh–I would hate to discover they were actually making my food dangerous!
Thanks for encouraging us to take baby steps toward healthier homes!
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Katie Reply:
May 27th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
What recycle number do the Lock n Locks have on the bottom? All my Gladware is no. 5, Tupperware brand doesn’t usually have a number, and cottage cheese tubs are 5 as well. 2, 4, and 5 are BPA-free. Glass is safe and has never been questioned that I know of, but researchers seem to be finding new issues with plastic all the time. My personal theory is: trash anything that is 3, 6 or 7. Move toward glass but don’t throw away your plastics, just don’t buy new when they start to wear out. It’s possible that 2, 4 and 5 could have issues we don’t know about, so I use caution. Great question!
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Twitter: sarahsmusings
// May 27, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Crate and Barrel has some great glass containers with plastic lids (and some old-fashioned styled “refrigerator dishes” with glass lids as well) – I’ve been planning on buying a few for help with leftovers too! This way your hubby could take leftovers to work (carefully) without worry about leaking (because of the plastic lid) and then heat it up without the lid and sans plastic. . . plus, what I love about glass is that it doesn’t retain odors or color like some plastic does, and it won’t warp in the dishwasher!
Best,
Sarah
Sarah’s last blog post..Daybook
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One of the ways that I store leftover I learned from my mother-in-law and her mother. This came from the depression when money was a real issue. I bought some shallow bowls from Correlware and I put the leftovers in those and cover them with Correlware platess. It keeps the food just as fresh as a plastic container and you can microwave it right from the fridge,, and if it’s a small enough portion, eat it from there too without dirtying another dish! Also, I often use canning jars to store leftover soups, stews, and sauces in the fridge.
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I am so interested in reduced plastic contact with food storage that I am putting plates over Pyrex bowls in the fridge just like my Mom did many years ago! Mason jars have taken over my Tupperware cabinate, but awareness that the inside of the lids are plastic coated has me carefully avoiding contact of food with the inside of the lids!
Cheryl´s last blog ..Second Chances
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The glass container vs plastic container, pros and cons. Some like it in glass, some worry easy to break especially there are kids around. For me, I would prefer the glass container, definitely safe to use.
Winson´s last blog ..Desiccant Color
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Katie Reply:
January 18th, 2010 at 12:17 am
Winson,
Katie
There’s a third option – stainless steel containers. They are lighter and not breakable, but also still safe as far as not leaching chemicals. Their downside is that you can’t microwave them, but you can’t have everything! I’ll be hosting a giveaway in Feb or March of some cool stainless steel containers!
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