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I was interested to read the thread on using parmesan cheese lids on glass canning jars...very neat idea!
I have been going anti-plastic for a little while now....have not used nonstick pans in some time and am converting over my plastic cooking utensils to wood and metal (back to what we USED to have! )
Just was wondering if any of you out there are doing similar things, and what you have found to replace some of your kitchen items.
Becky
Taste of Home Field Editor
"It's not cooking if you're not making a mess."
I'm not too worried about the plastic thing because you would need so much amount of plastic in your system to do any harm at all. It is bad, if you ingest large amounts, but not many people will ingest such quantities of plastic. They experiment and find out that some plastics are not good for you- but you would have to have a lot of plastic in your system for it to have any effect.
I have some glass containers by Rubber Maid and other brands for microwave and freezing- so they do "double-duty". I still use plastic microwave containers for reheating and storage because the plastic is not a big issue. I just keep the Parmesan cheese lids with the containers so the lids will always fit. The part about the plastic is really just scaring some people, and it isn't something to be that concerned about for an average person.
Keep Smilin'! A good laugh- for any reason- will do anyone good!
Although I would not COOK or BAKE in plastic I also use 4small microwave safe containers for storage and re-heating food to warm.Don't use the microwave for cooking.
Still have lots of Corningware, small and larger. Bought a bunch of old 1 gallon glass jars restaurant pickles and such used to come in. Paid 25 cents each with lids, all in like new condition. They make great storage containers for beans, pasta, ect,ect.
The bulk food I have for storage is in 5 gallon food grade plastic buckets with air tight lids, all stored in a cool, dry basement. Solved the storage of seasonal clothing and bedding by having 4 35 gal garbage cans with wheels. In summer I have all my winter things and winter bedding in them and in winter the summer things are in them. Store them in the garage, they are mouse proof and easy to movasier to open than the lids on the large plastic Totes; latter are finger nail breakers.
Some plastic does come in very hady
Yes, I've been interested in following the parmesan cheese lids thread as well. I'm glad you started this little thread here, because it's something I've been thinking about too.
The only things we use "food grade" plastic for is storing food, both dry bulk foods like wheat, rice, oatmeal, etc., as well as foods in our fridge/freezer. I guess we also have plastic juice containers and use plastic wrap when we can't find the proper lids for our glass jars. We don't use a microwave. We only cook with stainless steel, cast iron, stoneware, and glass. And wooden and stainless steel utensils are the way to go! (Still need my rubber or silicon spatulas, though. . . . . ) ;-)
I think it's correct, that a good part of the harm with plastics comes when they're heated up. I don't believe there can be a "microwave safe" plastic. And I heard a long time ago that teflon is great, so long as it's not heated up either.
- Cathy
Wow, I'm jealous of your glass gallon container finds!! Would love to find some of those myself, I wish now that I would have been more alert when I worked in food service and they were still shipping some of our items in those jars. I have plenty of quart jars around though that would work for beans, noodles, etc.
Gallon Jars. I must have 5 or 6. I never really did care to store in plastic. It always seemed to have an odor. I do use quart freezer zip locks for the veggies we raise and blanch for the freezer. We just don't throw away glass jars, no matter what size. Fewer and fewer foods and condiments are being packaged in glass and pretty soon glass will be a thing of the past. I cook around 40 jars of various fruit jams and put them all in odd glass jars with lids for freezer storage. We acquired our dishes and cookware 62 years ago when we got married and back then there just wasn't much plastic stuff. I was never one to replace what I had with the "new and improved" items that hit the market.
Using plastics are really hazardous and cancerous. It's safe if we use stainless spoon, fork, utensils. If you want, you can use native tools such as pots, banana leaves, bamboo and etc.