Inside This Post: Here are 8 waste free and non-plastic food storage containers you can’t live without. Reduce plastic exposure & chemicals by using safe, non-toxic means to store food.

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8 Waste-Free & Plastic-Free Products You Can’t Live Without

We all know how bad plastic is in the kitchen. When temps rise, the chemicals leech into our food from pots and pans, cook ware, kitchen utensils and food storage.

I personally found that switching most of my kitchen where there was plastic or toxic materials to glass, stainless steel, silicon and wood was quite easy. But, it was the food packaging and lunch box materials that took me longer, and a lot of trial and error to find products I liked and worked well.

Plastic in particular carries hormone-disrupting chemicals (BPA) and I was saving wrapping food in aluminum, which is not a food-grade aluminum, means the material when in direct contact, absolutely leeches aluminum into the food it’s holding.

Pizza with a side of aluminum? No thanks!  

All my foolish ways of packing lunches with plastic food containers, plastic bags and wrapping leftovers in aluminum, were done.

Waste-free, plastic-free and less chemicals was now the wave of our house, and a very positive thing.

I want to share with you the solutions I’ve found for food storage and food packaging so you don’t have to go through trial and error at your house, too.

These are my favorite ways to ditch the plastic (and chemical exposure) and use less wasteful, yet safe options for lunches, food storage and in the kitchen.

 

Here are 8 Non-Plastic Food Storage & Lunch Containers 

Stainless Steel Lunch Containers 

This was my first big purchase to use for my kid’s lunches and I know they’ll hold up for a long time. These are easy to use, can be washed in the dishwasher without worrying the plastic is unsafe, and allow additives to get into my kid’s food.

These nesting stainless steel containers are non-toxic (100% high-quality, food-grade stainless steel) and have silicone lids so they’re plastic-free and safe. They come in a set of four so they can hold a variety of foods, and keep them all separate and safe from leaking or squishing together. It also makes storage nice and tidy because the sit right inside of one another.

 

Glass Lunch Containers 

I love our BPA free pyrex glass food storage set because I use it for food storage, leftovers and the kid’s lunches. They are a bit heavier to pack in a lunchbox but hold a good size amount of food, and the lids are BPA free and safe to use.

I really only use the round glass containers in my kid’s lunches but it keeps fruit well and unlike the lunch boxes with compartments, doesn’t let the food touch and get smushed together.

 

Lunchskins Parchment Paper Bags 

This is one of the easiest – and my kid’s favorite – switches we made for lunch time. Lunchskins makes these biodegradable, parchment paper bags that are perfect for sandwiches and other snacks like pretzels, dried fruit, etc.

These comes in a variety of fun prints (I think that’s their favorite part) and are non-toxic. They’re:

• Made from all natural glassine (pure wood pulp) sourced from FSC-certified forests
• Durable W/pleated sides for more storage-perfect for sandwiches, pastries, or large cookies
• Self-adhesive, peel away strip and fold to seal in freshness (with a little spot to write a fun note or their name)
• Non wax – they are not treated with petroleum-based paraffin wax, soy or other types of raw wax

Mason Jars 

Honestly, I use mason jars for everything in our house. We use them as drinking glasses, for smoothies, to store food, I make our elderberry syrup in them, and I use the smaller size mason jars to hold food in my kid’s lunch boxes.

• The 8oz size mason jars are good for on-the-go soup, overnight oats, pasta and even small salads.
• The 4oz size masons jars are better for snack size options like cut-up fruit, dried fruit, vegetables, beans and crackers.

 

Silicon Storage Bags

I love my silicon storage bags and find they work really well.

These silicon storage bags come in a set so there’s a large size and regular size. I’ve replaced all my zip top plastic bags with these because they’re BPA, BPF, PVC, BPS & latex free. They can be used for up to 30 years, so this isn’t a short-term solution, they’ll literally last forever and save a lot of money along the way.

I love that these reusable silicone bags are a much smarter alternatives for daily life!

 

Reusable Beeswax Wraps

Plastic wrap and aluminum foil were some of the first things to go in my kitchen and you’ll want to ditch them too. Plastic wrap is made of petroleum and can add phthalates and other indirect additives to your food, especially when reheating or the contents are hot liquids, fatty or citrus. Aluminum foil is not food-grade aluminum, so the metal actually leeches into the food it’s attached to.

I ditched these two products and replaced them with bee’s wax wraps, which can be used over and over again over the course of one year.

These natural products are reusable, and a kitchen game-changer. They’re biodegradable, and all you do is use the warmth from your hands to soften the bees’s wrap so you can form it over a container, bowl or piece of food like an apple or cheese. As the wrap settles, it forms a seal to store the food safely.

Made from organic cotton and sustainably harvested beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin. Bee’s Wrap fabric and printing are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard. 

Unbleached, Non-Toxic Parchment Paper 

This is another baking staple I keep in our home. I don’t use sprays or non-stick pans but when I’m baking, I use parchment paper in stead.

I keep a stack of pre-cut, unbleached and non-toxic parchment paper in a kitchen drawer just for this reason. You never know if I’ll be in the mood to whip up a loaf of hot banana bread for breakfast or not, but I’m always prepared!

 

Produce Stand Bags Made From Natural Fibers

I know you’re trying to cut down on plastic, but what about all the plastic bags you get at the grocery store or even at Farmer’s Markets? I like to bring my own bags for groceries and use these organic produce bags to put my vegetables in so they’re not inside plastic bags.

These Product Stand Reusable Bags Made from Organic Mesh can be used or vegetables, grains and even your kid’s toys!