12 NON-PLASTIC CONTAINERS TO KEEP YOUR FOOD FRESH
When plastic became mainstream in the ‘50s and ‘60s, it started to invade our kitchens: plastic bags, plastic chopping boards, plastic beakers… One looming presence that remains today even as we move away from the plastic that can leach into our food, pollute our oceans and overload our landfills is food storage. Tupperware from supermarkets, takeaway containers and cling film are all convenient ways of storing leftovers, but they're not ideal in the long term for either your health or that of the planet. Fear not because there are more and more options out there for non-plastic food storage that does an amazing job of keeping all your dishes and ingredients fresh without leaching yucky chemicals into them and I’ve listed my favourites below.
That said, we also don’t want to be ripping through our kitchen cupboards and throwing our plastic into the trash. Use those plastic containers to store other bits and pieces around the house or recycle responsibly. One way of making them more food-friendly is to line them first — so for example wrap your sarnie in paper/wax wraps first and then use your airtight plastic container to keep it fresh and avoid getting squashed at the bottom of your bag. Likewise they can continue to be used to store dried ingredients — just avoid heating or freezing food in them, or using them to store anything wet/fatty or acidic such as tomato sauce.
ELEPHANT BOX LEAKPROOF LUNCH BOX
This two-compartment lunch box holds so much food and never leaks, so you can bring it with you if you’re going to the office these days, or want to pop up some lunch over to a neighbour. It’s made from non-toxic, hygienic and easy to clean stainless steel and sealed with a silicone lid, and the divider is removable if you’re just using it for one dish.
Another stainless steel lunch box, this one has three compartments so you can take a full meal with you on the go. It isn’t leakproof, so works best for sandwiches and snacks, rather than any soups or stews.
Kilner jars are a classic for a reason. Use these babies for storing your flours, grains and pulses. If you’re lucky enough to live near a bulk grocery shop, bring them with you to stock up on those store cupboard essentials.
Kilner are best known for their jars, but their glass food storage containers are just as good to keep around. This square box is compact, stackable and plastic-free (apart from the clippy bits on the outside)!
GLASS CONTAINERS WITH BAMBOO LIDS
These glass containers are sealed with eco bamboo lids that are naturally antibacterial and look great in your fridge. They come in a set of 4 stackable boxes of different sizes. Plus, you can actually use the lids as mini chopping boards!
Beeswax wraps are a fantastic alternative to cling film. They are plastic-free and reusable for up to a year, at which point they are fully biodegradable and compostable. Use to cover the tops of dishes or wrap baked goods — make sure neither are hot. Take good care of them — that means no washing up liquid or detergent or hot water which would melt off the wax. Just do a quick rinse under lukewarm water, dry and use again. For this reason don’t use on meats or fish.
KEEP IT FRESH PRINT VEGAN WAX WRAPS
If your household is vegan, non-beeswax wax wraps are just the thing. They are made using a blend of vegan waxes and organic cotton. Just use as above.
Sandwich bags are very useful, but they’re also very… single-use plastic. Stasher silicone bags are a great alternative. While plastic-like (a mix of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and silicon) they are way more inert than usual plastic tupperware and their lightweight rubber feel proves very useful to, well, stash stuff. They are washable and reusable — I would personally avoid cooking, heating or putting anything liquid in them (especially something reactive such as acidic foods like lemon or tomato sauce). They come in handy for me for carrying crackers, seeds, mixed nuts and dried fruits and sarnies.
PAPER BAG STYLE VEGAN SNACK POUCH
Made from vegan leather, you’ll want to show off this pretty snack bag everywhere you go. It’s washable and reusable of course, and super chic to boot.
If you get frustrated shopping for fruit and veg and being forced to carry it in individual plastic bags lest you juggle it all the way to the till, these ones are for you. Just stash a few of these cotton produce bags in your bag when you head to the market or supermarket.
THERMOS-STYLE INSULATED FLASKS
For both hot food and hot drink — or indeed anything you need to keep cool while you’re on the go — these are the way to carry liquidy products such as soups, stews and Golden Milks on the go. Make sure that they are stainless steel-lined rather than plastic — inevitably many have plastic used in the top part of the flask, which isn’t ideal but a far better alternative than carrying your soup in a plastic tupperware and then microwaving it when you get to work.
PYREX-STYLE OR CERAMIC CONTAINERS
Check out charity shops and carboots for old school-style food storage — I’ve picked up many dishes over the years that have lasted a lifetime for someone and continue on their way, used every day or at least once a week in my own home. For example, I love casserole oven pots, made from inert substances like glass and ceramic, which come with matching lids. I use these to cook, freeze, fridge and countertop-store in! And then of course there’s good old-fashioned glass jars — if it ain't broke, why fix it?