Make the Switch: Food Storage

Today I want to mention a really simple way to make your lifestyle one step healthier, by removing some plastic from your home. One of the easiest ways to do this is to switch your food storage to something less harmful.

Why do I want to avoid plastic? 
1. Plastic often contains toxic chemicals. We know to avoid BPA, but many manufacturers just substitute with BPS, another toxin (or various other toxic materials). Furthermore, plastic is made from oil and chemically rearranged to make a basically indestructible compound. This doesn't sound good for our bodies to me. I could go on and on, but essentially plastic contains toxins and that's why I don't want it in leeching into my food.

2. Toxins make you sick. All of these toxins can cause a variety of problems, from infertility, to cancer, to asthma and more. One study even claims that plastic is contributing to obesity because it causes stem cells to change to fat cells.

3. Plastics are horrible for the planet. They don't react with pretty much anything, making them very difficult to break down. So nearly every piece of plastic ever made is still around. And when some plastic does begin to break down through photodegradation with sunlight, it can be ingested by marine life and wildlife. Not only does this negatively impact the environment, but also our food supply as well.

Kick it out. 
Knowing this information, we can see why it is important to limit the amount of plastic we let into our homes as much as possible. And yet, plastic is EVERYWHERE! We drink water out of it, store our food in it, carry our laundry in it, make our kids' toys from it, etc. I think the easiest and most logical place to start, is with how we eat and store our food since that is actually going inside of us. So I am going to share tips from my own experience switching to non-toxic food storage with all of you!

1. Glass. Glass is a great alternative to plastic - it lasts a long time, is doesn't get stained, it doesn't affect the taste of your food, and most types can be reheated in the oven. I switched out my plastic containers for glass one at a time and looked for massive sales or found them at thrift stores. Pyrex is definitely my favourite though and is great quality. I got a 10 piece set for 60% off after Christmas this year! If you are in Canada, Canadian Tire has sales on this stuff almost weekly.

2. Jars. Another great alternative is to use glass jars for storing food. I save pasta sauce jars, or other food containers, along with using Mason jars. Jars are especially useful for storing soup, homemade tomato sauce, or broth/stock. I have used them for all sorts of things though - chopped veggies/fruit, extra cooked meat, homemade bread crumbs, nuts, etc. I also use glass jars for most of my pantry storage and it works wonderfully - I can see what's inside and easily label them, and I like how it looks too :)

The humble mason jar...

3. Stainless Steel. There are also stainless steel food containers - like this one! I don't have any yet, but I'm sure they would be great for packing lunches because they would be lighter than glass, and don't have the risk of being broken as easily (although I haven't even chipped any of mine and I'm not overly cautious with them).

4. Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags. I have a set of reusable sandwich bags that I made myself with an online tutorial that I found a few years ago (before I even knew what Pinterest was lol) and they are just simple fold-lock style bags with scraps of fabric I had on hand. Super simple and great for dry foods like crackers, bread, nuts, etc. I also purchased an Itzy Ritzy bag off of Amazon with my last textbook order, since I figured I was getting free shipping anyways. I have this one and I LOVE IT! I love that I can just throw these in the wash with my regular clothes and I'm good to go! Less waste, I'm not bringing plastic into my house, and it's one less thing I have to buy. That's one of my favourite side effects of a more simple and natural lifestyle - there are so many things I don't even have to buy at the store anymore (deodorant, face wash, food storage products, bread, etc.).

5. Packaging. Last but not least, consider the packaging of food you are buying. Try to avoid packaging that contains toxins (BPA lined cans, plastic wrapped snacks, etc.). Buy in bulk or buy whole foods with minimal packaging (think: fruits and veggies that don't have to be packaged at all, etc...I use reusable produce bags). My local farmers market is my favourite grocery store!

Start slow and switch things in your home one at a time - you will be shocked at the changes you have made in no time! What is your next simple switch?