It’s a sad truth, but unfortunately, the majority of food storage containers are unsafe. More and more research is coming out, every day, that the plastic food storage containers that the majority of us use are actually harmful to us.
When we store food in plastic containers, there’s a good chance that the plastic chemicals within the container will actually leak into our food. Now, sometimes, this does take a while to happen, and, naturally, since the chemicals released are so small and minuscule, we won’t notice that we’ve been ingesting them.
As time passes, however, studies are showing that these chemicals can affect our bodies in less-than-positive ways. They can affect our brains, as well as our lungs and our stomachs, among other parts of our body.
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This is especially true if you heat up food that is stored or on one of these plastic containers in the microwave. This melts small chunks of the plastic, causing the chemicals to soak into your food. Along with that, washing these plastic food storage containers in the dishwasher exposes them to relatively intense heat, which weakens the plastic and makes it significantly easier for the plastic to seep into your food.
Due to the lack of safety found in most food storage containers, we’ve put together a buying guide that will enable you to find the safest food storage containers for yourself. We’re going to take a look at materials that more and more food storage containers are being made out of, and the advantages and benefits of purchasing food storage containers that use these, as opposed to plastic food storage containers.
Now, let’s dive right into it!
What Are The Safest Food Storage Containers?
Here are the four safest food storage containers. Using these food storage containers, you can easily and safely store your food, without worrying about any health risks or issues.
Glass Food Storage Containers
Fortunately, there are quite a few glass food storage containers on the market. Many of these are “specialized” and designed by brands that are in the business of putting together containers designed specifically for storing foods. And others are more general, such as the always handy, and always reliable, mason jar.
One of the reasons glass food storage containers are so great, is the fact that they don’t contain any toxic chemicals. Usually, that is. Because, unfortunately, some of the glass food storage containers that are made in China, and other parts of Asia, have traces of cadmium, as well as lead, in them. However, this isn’t too common, and you can find many glass food storage containers that are safe and non-toxic.
Along with that, glass is a recyclable material, so it’s good for the environment. You can wash it in the dishwasher and store it in the freezer, without any problems. And many of the tempered glass food storage containers are actually really durable, many of them won’t even shatter if you drop them.
Stainless Steel Food Storage Containers
Just like glass food storage containers, stainless steel food storage containers are also quite ubiquitous. You can find quite a few of them, at just about any (online) store, and many of them are inexpensive and very well-made.
With stainless steel food storage containers, you can wash them in the dishwasher, and they won’t melt and release nasty chemicals. You can also put them on the stove, to cook various dishes in, and you can put them in the oven, as well. If you have specific foods that need to be frozen, then you can also put them in the freezer, as well as the fridge.
In comparison to glass food storage containers, stainless steel food storage containers are quite a bit less fragile, too, and they tend to last a bit longer, due to this durability.
If you’re searching for a good, strong, durable stainless steel food storage container, you should take the time to search for ones that are marked as “Type 304”. Stainless steel food storage containers that are “Series 200” are quite good, as well, but they don’t last as long and lack the same durability.
Ceramic Food Storage Containers
Ceramic food storage containers are an excellent type of food storage container since they lack the heavy metals and nasty chemicals of other types. This is due to the fact that they are made from more “natural” materials, rather than a purely artificial environment.
Ceramic food storage containers can be a bit less durable than the other types we mentioned above. However, you can still use them in the microwave, on the oven, in the freezer, etc.
Finding food storage containers made of ceramic is a little more challenging, since they are a bit newer, and far less prevalent than stainless steel food containers, for example, but they are out there. You will have to pay a bit more, though.
Silicone Food Storage Containers
Silicone has various similarities to plastic food storage containers, but it also contains a couple of key differences, and these differences make silicone a significantly better material for a food storage container.
While both silicone and plastic are polymers, silicone has been shown that it is a bit more durable than plastic, and it doesn’t release nasty chemicals into your food, even when exposed to intense heat. Although, some of them are less safe, in that regard, so make sure to do your research, if you choose to purchase silicone food storage containers. But, for the most part, they are safe and you can use them in the microwave, and you can store them in the fridge and freezer.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, finding the safest food storage container for yourself isn’t that difficult. There are a wide variety of great options out there, and the four that we’ve listed are definitely some of the best, but, they are by no means the only choices.
Remember to do your own research, as well, and to consider the kinds of foods you intend to store and what your main uses for these containers will be.
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