How to Safely Reuse Food Packaging
Poor packaging is an integral part of the attraction in capitalist society, but for a number of reasons most people cannot change their food choices based solely on the materials that contain it. This is why I reuse food packaging when I can: of course it cuts down on waste, but I can also stock up on storage containers for free.
Welcome to Cheap Chow Week ! Food is now more expensive than ever, and it might seem like the only cost-effective options are fast food or instant ramen. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This week, we’ll show you how to buy, prepare, and eat food in a cost-effective way without sacrificing pleasure or taste.
Most food packaging is plastic; Due to widespread misinformation about plastic and food safety, one might think that the trash can is the only suitable place for an empty yogurt container. This is not true. Reusing plastic safely is a very simple two-step process. First, check the resin ID code that is printed inside the small recycling logo on the bottom of the plastic container. It tells you what connections the container is made of, which in turn tells you what you can and cannot do with it; most are dishwasher and freezer safe, but always google quickly if you’re not sure. Second, never assume that plastic wrap is microwave safe. All this mixture “in the microwave” releases dioxins into food! This item is completely bunk , but for a number of other reasons, plastic food storage items should not be placed in the microwave. If you’re bringing lunch to work, grab some sturdy, airtight, microwave-safe containers and use recycled items to organize your refrigerator.
Once these two dots are knocked out, all that’s left is to choose the shapes and sizes of food containers that fill the holes in your collection. I think this is actually the strongest argument for reusing food packaging: you can customize the size selection to suit your needs. Here are three of my favorites:
- Feta Buckets ( in brine ): These guys are flat, stackable and incredibly waterproof. I have a big and a small one, and I get really frustrated when both are used – I think I just need to get some more fetas.
- Yogurt and sour cream containers : I love the quart-sized gourmet containers , but having eight-ounce plastic tubs makes it easy to pound small amounts of food leftovers.
- Curry Paste Containers: I use Maesri brand curry pastes primarily because they are delicious and shrimp free, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that the containers are waterproof, (top shelf) dishwasher safe and perfect for the middle class … the size.
One potential downside to reusing food containers is persistent odor, but rinsing with white vinegar works wonders. If you are especially concerned about smells – and to be honest, even if not – glass packaging may be the best solution. Pretty much anything made of glass can be reused indefinitely, but keep in mind that metal snap-on lids (like jam jar lids) are designed to provide an airtight seal exactly once. An old can of Bonne Maman is a great choice for, for example, fried cream in a pressure cooker or lemon curd – just not canned pickles, jam, or anything you intend to store at room temperature.
Not everything can be reused, but disposable packaging is said to be absolutely usable. We should all be doing our best to reduce the amount of garbage we put in landfills, and this is one small way to do it (while saving some money).