by guest blogger Toni Becker, member of the Rodale’s editorial team
Regardless of our cultural, family, or religious traditions, at this time of year we can all rely on one constant: food, and lots of it! But how are you going to store it, transport it, and keep it fresh, and above all, safe?
The safest bet for protecting yourself from health effects ranging from heart trouble to brain damage is to ditch plastic altogether. Besides the potential for the toxins they contain to leach into food, disposable plastic bags, containers, and wraps are wasteful. It’s estimated that 1 trillion plastic bags are used and discarded each year. And, if not recycled, a single plastic bag could take up 500 years to degrade.
Have no fear! Non-plastic food storage solutions look great, work great, and do exist! Remember to bring your own containers to holiday dinners, too! You’ll get more leftovers to bring home.
Wrap It
These clever reusable food-storage wraps are perfect for storing leftover cheese and veggies. Made with organic cotton muslin, beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin, they create a seal when warmed by your hands. Food covered with them stays safe in the fridge and is easy to transport.
More wrap solutions from Bee’s Wrap:
- Package batches of homemade fudge, cookies, and other delicious treats in these storage wraps in medium or large.
- Keep breads crusty on the outside and fresh on the inside using these reusable baguette wraps.
- Don’t forget that heavenly sandwich made of leftover turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and farm-fresh veggies! Keep it safe to eat later with these sandwich wraps.
Need a unique way to transport a home-baked good? This hemp and organic cotton Furoshiki Kitchen Cloth is a fantastic way to bundle up a pie and thank your hostess for her hospitality at the same time. She can fold it into an apron or a grocery bag later!
Cover It
Add a lovely old-fashioned touch to your dishware with these cloth bowl covers. They’re a great way to preserve prepped food, transport prepared dishes, and cover leftovers. The set of 5 is made of organic cotton and hemp; each has a linen liner. The covers are handmade in the San Francisco Bay Area, and are breathable enough to keep fruits and salads fresh.
Store It
You’re going to need containers—lots of containers—to store baking ingredients and prepped food, share homemade treats, and package leftovers. This glass food-storage container, available in a 13-ounce or a 36-ounce size, is made of borosilicate glass with a food-grade silicone sleeve and a BPA-free plastic lid. Another option? Pick up a trio of containers with these food-grade stainless steel options, featuring nontoxic plastic lids in square or round shapes. The containers stack to save cabinet space.
Stack It
Pick storage solutions that store conveniently. Tiffins are a truly creative way to serve, transport, and store food. The sections can be stacked and securely clippped together to keep dishes separate. Available with one, two, three, or four compartments, the stainless steel and enamel tiffins are a dishwasher safe, nontoxic solution that keeps components of meals and leftovers separate and safe for transport.
Glass jars are the perfect everyday storage solution. They stack, last for years, and can be gifted filled with homemade jams, pickles, salsas, and DIY recipe ingredients. Screw-top jars are perfect for preserving an abundant harvest, and terrine flip-top jars are easy to use for storing pantry dry goods and leftovers.
Cork It
With several gorgeous walnut lid options, jars like this screw-top mason jar offer a unique way to keep leftovers fresh. Serve cocktails and spritzers in this shapely glass carafe, and make sure dry ingredients are ready for baking with this press-top glass jar.
Imagine gifting away your famous chocolate chip cookies in a blown-glass cookie jar with a beautiful walnut lid.
Enjoy plastic-free food storage, and kick the chemicals out of your kitchen.
Toni Becker is a part-time content creator at Rodale’s. She is also the personal chef, event planner, chauffeur, and best of all playmate to her young daughter. Her family of three lives in the woods where she finds time to write, cook anything she can from scratch, garden, and build her case of why she needs goats.
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