What do you store leftover food in? follow up on chemicals/ autism thread

[Anonymous]

So does this include things like Gladware? I thought they were BPA free. I put mine in the dishwasher all the time - lids, too. Someone please chime in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the links to the Pyrex and Snapware.

What do you all put on top instead of the plastic lid when microwaving? Saran wrap? But that's plastic, too. Maybe a paper towel?

good ol' waxed paper

[Anonymous]

What leftovers?

<<<BURP!!!>>>

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So does this include things like Gladware? I thought they were BPA free. I put mine in the dishwasher all the time - lids, too. Someone please chime in.

me too...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids eat yogurt every day. Am I harming them because they're eating yogurt out of plastic containers? I understand not wanting to microwave the plastic, but why can't you send food to school in plastic containers?

Again, for me its about reducing exposure. I agree that there is plastic EVERYWHERE that it is not practical to avoid. Like your yogurt example. But if I can do small steps to reduce exposure, then why not? So I store and send food in glass or stainless steel and I never microwave in plastic for the kids (I will admit to eating the occassional Lean Cuisine myself) or put plastic in the dishwasher. My choice for my family, but maybe not for everyone.

[Anonymous]

This is a very helpful post. My husband has been trying to phase plastic out of our lives for awhile so it's probably only thanks to him that I don't microwave DS's food in plastic. Next step is phasing out the plastic storage. Too bad those containers be in a landfill forever when I throw them out. :/

[Anonymous]

If you do nothing else, at least stop microwaving your food in plastic. I read an article somewhere-- can't remember where/when-- that assessed the dangers of various consumer products with respect to toxins, etc., and attempted to determine what was a good idea vs. overkill. Not microwaving in plastic was definitely not overkill.

Re: BPA and autism. I haven't read anything about a link. The concern with BPA is that it is an endocrine disruptor. It is a synthetic estrogen-- Yes, actually created to be a synthetic estrogen for medical purposes! The fact that it creates an effective inner lining for food cans and makes clear plastic stronger was just a coincidence. How wild is that? The history, alone, of BPA should have raised eyebrows with regulators, but in the U.S. there is a presumption of safety unless proven otherwise-- a different standard than in Europe.

There was a study announced this week, though, on oxycontin and autism which had fascinating results. Oxycontin is a hormone that is known to make women more maternal and shy men more social. Researchers have known that some people with autism have lower oxycontin levels. In a small but well designed, double-blind study with autistic adults, subjects were given facial expression/emotional recognition tests, then treated with an oxycontin nasal spray and retested. Subjects' ability to recognize emotions significantly improved. The study is so exciting because it suggests possible future treatments and not just an understanding of the cause of autism.

[Anonymous]

I use glass food storage containers (Pyrex, or from Crate and Barrel).

[Anonymous]

I use pyrex containers with plastic lids and microwave them with the lids on - didn't occur to me not to since they touch little surface. Rethinking the lids now.

[Anonymous]

What about the liners in canned foods? Heard something about that being very bad for your health.

[Anonymous]

I've eliminated plastic storage items but, it recently occurred to me that I should stop using bottled water too since it all comes in plastic. I thought about switching to Brita and realized that the damn Brita pitcher is plastic too!!!

I asked DH about putting one of those Brita filters on the tap in the kitchen and explained my whole thinking on the water in plastic thing. He laughed at me--said he'd install the filter but, did I realize that the house water is sitting in plastic pipes? I didn't think about this and now it's bothering me too--any alternatives so I can get plastic-free water?

[Anonymous]

Take a straw to the Potomac... Oh, wait! The straw is plastic too!

[Anonymous]

To the Brita poster. The water is not sitting in the pitcher for a considerable period of time. You are drinking or using it and refilling it constantly so I would assume that it is just fine. I think the concern is for things that are there for a longer period of time.

[Anonymous]

I use a paper plate inverted over food in the microwave, works great and less likely to blow off. It was suggested as an alternative in some green article in the Post a few years ago. You can buy a big stack for only a few dollars.

European friends expressed alarm about microwaving food with plastic on top years back, I think the US is coming to this late. I don't think it's worth it to eat food heated in plastic, they know about BPA now, in a few years it will be another plastic.

Britta doesn't actually have the top certification for lead anymore, we are in DC so it's a real concern. We switched to Pur and the water tastes so much better too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about the liners in canned foods? Heard something about that being very bad for your health.

Yeah, I was shocked to learn on NPR that the lining of cans has BPA...apparently ALL canned food with the exception of Eden Farms.
This threw me for a loop because I constantly cook with/eat canned beans.