I have to admit that until recently I was pretty cheap frugal when it came to purchasing food storage. I have a ton of Ziploc and Glad
Plastic storage is cheap, readily available and really convenient. But is is safe?
There’s been a bunch of news coverage lately about plastic food storage containers leaking chemicals into food. I’m not a scientist and I’m not even going to attempt to understand how plastics are made, but even before all the talk about plastics and chemicals, I’d been considering switching to all glass storage
Glass vs. Plastic food Storage, which is better?
Why chose glass food storage containers?
1. Glass storage containers are safer than plastic
Many plastics (even those labeled BPA-free) can leach chemicals into your food, especially when they are heated up. I’ll be honest, I use the microwave a lot. Far more than I probably should, but that’s a post for another time. So if I continue to microwave, I’d like to do so safely in glass.
2. Glass storage containers don’t stink.
Have you ever had an onion flavored strawberry? I have and it was disgusting. Plastic containers retain odors and can alter the taste of the food you store in them. I don’t know about you, but I like my strawberries to taste like strawberries. Random trivia, as I was typing that last sentence, I thought of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when “Willy” says, “The snozberries taste like snozberries”. Thanks to Urban Dictionary I now know that a “snozberry” is not what I thought…
3. Glass storage containers are more sustainable and eco-friendly.
Glass can be recycled indefinitely and each time it’s just as good as structurally sound. Plastic breaks down each time it’s recycled and eventually isn’t useable anymore.
4. Glass storage containers are sturdy and stain-proof.
Glass doesn’t warp out of shape when you fill it with hot foods or liquids. It also doesn’t stain when you store pasta sauce in it (my plastic containers stain horribly).
What about plastic storage containers?
1. Plastic storage containers don’t break.
If you’re clumsy like me, you don’t have to worry about breaking your foot when you drop a plastic storage container on it (you do have to worry about the hot food that was in it!). There’s also no risk of plastic storage shattering, the way that glass can if you poor cold liquid into a hot dish.
2. Plastic storage is inexpensive.
You can buy plastic food storage containers at most of the “big box” stores very inexpensively. You can buy a package of 2-4 containers for less than $5.00 at my local target.
3. You can toss plastic storage if it gets gross.
If you’re lazy or forgetful and only clean the fridge once a month (guilty!) this is key. I know I can’t be the only one who finds leftovers in the back of the fridge, moldy and unidentifiable.
4. Your friends won’t “steal” it.
Seriously! There’s no incentive to keep a cheap piece of plastic food storage. Feel free to bake a casserole and stick it in a plastic container. If your friends are cool they’ll wash and return it. If not, you’re out $5.00 and there are no hurt feelings or weirdness, the same way there would be if they “lost” your, “fancy” RE: expensive glass storage container.
Why I’m I choosing glass…
Glass storage
What do you think? Am I a crazy Hippie? Do you use glass or plastic storage?
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