It seems like these days, there is no way to escape a health scare.
Whether it is just our imagination or not, it is hard to deny the fact that just about every modern convenience we have seems to have an underlying health risk.
To only make matters worse, the fact that by far and large these conveniences have yet to receive equally efficient replacements makes it hard to consider alternatives.
Either that or existing replacements completely bypass the ease of use these conveniences offer, thus completely disregarding the original reason for its use.
One of these conveniences is the humble plastic container.
Versatile and enduring, this storage device has been the staple of just about every modern home that exists today.
This is especially so in families with children – it is incredibly likely you grew up in a household that relied on plastic containers, or are even introducing such containers to your children for their use.
Not only is plastic tough and virtually unbreakable, but it can also be reused for what seems like forever.
You would think that reducing packaging waste and being able to bring around home-cooked meals would be great for helping the environment and for your own health.
Under just about any other circumstance, you would be right.
Unfortunately, when it comes to plastics, this sadly isn’t the case.
What with the recent awareness over the last decade about just how harmful the chemicals in our plastics can be, knowing about the harmful chemicals that are seeping into our food from our plastic containers is old news.
This information is now backed up even further by research recently released by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and by coverage from celebrities such as Kourtney Kardashian.
Like an increasing number of parents, she refuses to heat up any meals for her family in a microwaveable plastic container due to the worries about toxins such as BPA and phthalates from the plastic leaching into her family’s meals when heated.
This isn’t a baseless worry either – in fact, this is such a worrying problem that even the Food and Drug Administration is now actively working to combat this problem.
Sadly, this may not be enough.
There is now enough evidence to suggest that microwaveable plastic containers in and of themselves can be putting your health at risk too.
The AAP has even claimed that washing these plastic containers in the dishwasher may cause the harmful chemicals within to seep out.
In the meantime, consider other alternatives to protect your health and that of your family’s.
An increasingly popular option is that of airtight glass storage containers, like the picture above, for food.
This works well because glass is a stable substance, though unfortunately, you will have to trade fragility for this sort of food-grade safety.
If you find yourself unable to trade that sort of easy portability for food safety, you can also try looking towards collapsible silicone food containers for a peace of mind and similar usability to plastic containers.
Until you replace your plastic containers with safer options, throw out any that are scratched or have discolored.
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