For food storage and reheating, glass, plastic, or ???

[Jennifer Murphy]

For decades, I have used plastic bowls like from Tupperware to store leftovers in the frig or freezer and to reheat it in the microwave. I do not, of course, put them in the oven.

One of my daughters-in-law is something of an organic and homeopathic believer. She asked me not to use those plastic bowls to prepare food for the grandkids. She said that heating food in them in the microwave causes the plastic to release toxic chemicals.

Does anyone know if there is any truth to this?

I bought a few glass bowls. They are OK, but they are heavy, they are noisy, and they are hot so when I take them out of the microwave that I have to use mittens, whereas I can take the plastic bowls out with bare hands.

Does anyone know if there is a type of plastic or other light-weight non-glass bowl that is not toxic?

Thanks for any tips.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I usually use Pyrex glass dtorage containers of various sizes with snap-on plastic lids for liquids or stuff packed in liquid (read canned vegetables). Yes, the containers get hot in the microwave, but the snap down handles can be used to lift them out of the microwave. My only complaint is those glass containers take up a tremendous amount of storage space.

For solid stuff like leftover pizza I use plastic zipper bags and reheat the contents in my air fryer oven on the toast setting, without the bag of course.

 

[Andy M.]

We store leftovers in plastic saver containers and reheat them on a plate or bowl as appropriate. SO doesn't like to reheat in plastic saver containers because the acids in the foods damage the plastic and they're not pretty anymore.

 

[thymeless]

Reheating in plastic is about pthalates, thus many will say BPA FREE anymore. So yes there is truth to it. These chemicals are plasticizers and what keep the plastic flexible. But they can leach out under the reheat temperatures especially for oils or fats tomatoes and sugar as those will often heat faster and hotter than other parts of the food you might be reheating. But even the dishwasher temps can trigger BPA in older plastics. Generally fine for storing, use something glass for heating in the microwave. I do use a plastic cover in my microwave quite a bit but it's not in contact with the food so it doesn't get hot or transfer chemicals. It's BPA free but that's not everything in this issue either.

Pthalates have developmental impacts that are undesirable.

It's also can apply to plastic wrap depending what you're reheating with plastic wrap you should bear in mind what is in contact with and how hot it will get. generally the plasticizers don't transfer from plastic wrap ti? about 250° so in a lot of ways you're safe except for again tomatoes oils fats and sugar.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

We store leftovers in plastic saver containers and reheat them on a plate or bowl as appropriate. SO doesn't like to reheat in plastic saver containers because the acids in the foods damage the plastic and they're not pretty anymore.

Just remember to find something to cover your plate or bowl because certain food items, especially beans, tend to explode when you nuke them. Then you are on the stepstool scrubbing out the inside of the microwave instead of eating the food while its still hot!

 

[GotGarlic]

For the reasons others have described, we reheat in our regular serving dishes or the plates or bowls we will eat from. We have a plastic cover for covering the item to prevent splattering and plan on using hot pads to remove them from the microwave. By the time the rest of the plating, etc., is done, they're usually cool enough to carry to the living room (where we usually eat) on their own.

 

[taxlady]

Like Andy and GG, I tend to store stuff in plastic and reheat in something else. The something else is usually the serving dishes or plate it will be served on. We have a plastic spatter guard, but seldom use it. I do thaw food that is in plastic, long enough to make it easy to slide out of the plastic container, but only stuff that is marked as food safe in the microwave.

I liked post #4 by @thymeless.

 

[pepperhead212]

I also store things mostly in plastic, though some things in wide-mouthed mason jars. I'll thaw things just long enough to remove them from plastic (usually pints) and put into bowls, or glass, to finish heating in the MW. Often I just put it on low, for much longer, when I don't even need to cover, but otherwise, I have some silicone covers that go over anything.

 

[Jennifer Murphy]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

I did a little checking. I found several websites that claim that FDA says that plastic containers that are BPA free can be used in the microwave.

I then founnd several such products on Amazon. This one is from Rubbermaid. I alreqady have a few of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WZPV3FQ/

This is another one.

Amazon.com

There are several others.

Comments?

 

[taxlady]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

I did a little checking. I found several websites that claim that FDA says that plastic containers that are BPA free can be used in the microwave.

I then founnd several such products on Amazon. This one is from Rubbermaid. I alreqady have a few of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WZPV3FQ/

This is another one.

Amazon.com

There are several others.

Comments?

The containers in the first link look like the ones I have from Rubbermaid. They seem to work well. The one we use for storing ice cubes that we made in ice cube trays has developed a crack. It may have fallen on the floor while very cold, several times.

The second, I have one container from them. It might be a fluke, but the gasket stretched and won't stay put anymore, so I can't properly seal it now. Also, I find that glass in the freezer is really cold to the touch and that makes it more difficult to handle.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I reuse an assortment of glass and plastic food containers, hillbilly Tupperware, for storage. No tears are shed when I have to toss one into the recycling bin and replace it.

I heat food in clear Pyrex casseroles with Pyrex covers

If I don’t have a cover for a Pyrex bowl or custard cup I use a ceramic coaster, saucer, or plate of the appropriate size.

Straight sided salsa or peanut butter jars with tight fitting metal lids are great for short term storage of strong smelling foods in the fridge or freezer.

It’s not glamorous but it’s free.

 

[taxlady]

I have some large, straight sided, plastic mayo jars. I use one to store coffee (ground or beans) in the freezer. I often use one to store frozen "stock pellets". In never intentionally defrost either one of those with the contents in them. I just take out as much as I need and either use it as is or defrost in something else. I will admit to keeping (too many) decent looking jars, especially with straight sides, for lots of storage uses that don't involve the freezer.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I have some large, straight sided, plastic mayo jars. I use one to store coffee (ground or beans) in the freezer. I often use one to store frozen "stock pellets". In never intentionally defrost either one of those with the contents in them. I just take out as much as I need and either use it as is or defrost in something else. I will admit to keeping (too many) decent looking jars, especially with straight sides, for lots of storage uses that don't involve the freezer.

Me too!

After an avalanche or two, I weed them out and limit myself to 3-6 nice little plastic containers, bottles, boxes, bags, or cans.

Then the cycle begins again.

I try to be vigilant about this because over the years I’ve been tasked with cleaning out the hoards of family and friends who have died.

 

[taxlady]

 

[Aunt Bea]

Your post reminds me of the 70s when everybody had dusty old mason jars filled with beans, pasta, etc… for display and rarely for use.

 

[dragnlaw]

I try to use plastic baggies for the freezer, as experienced by others, hard plastic has a tendency to crack upon landing on the floor from the top shelf of the freezer. You can rescue food from a cracked plastic container - but certainly not from a shattered glass one. I never use glass in the freezer.
I also find it easier to wiggle them around for space. I "try" to keep all the smaller pkgs in a large bin on the freezer shelf. Soups are in one, vegies another, meats... etc.. at least that is my intention (but you all know how that path is paved.)

Defrost in the micro just long enough to get it out of the bag. Even soups.
Then reheat in either dish to be served on or eaten on.

I used to freeze a lot of things in old margarine buckets or other such things, why buy when you can reuse! But after the first couple of times I defrosted them and/or reheated in them - they either warped or discoloured. Somehow I was uneasy with that and stopped - quite a few years later, sure enough, BPA's reared their ugly head. (I sprained my wrist while patting myself on my back)
I still stored things in them but never used them in the micro.

 

[dragnlaw]

Aunt Bea - I used my Grandma's ancient canning jars to display dried flowers - LOL.

 

[Marlingardener]

Love little jars, plastic trays that cheeses come in, and reusable plastic containers. I save them all and my husband asks why we have so many. Well, the little jars are handy for storing dried herbs and sometimes giving them away, the trays fit under plant pots, and the containers, well I'll find a use for them someday, and we will have plenty!

 

[CharlieD]

No plastic for cooking. We already have plastic in our bodies, to preven more exposure do what you can, at least do not cook in plastic.

 

[Anitha Kishore]

I always use stainless steel cookware for cooking and glass boxes for storing! This is a long-term use and has no bad exposure.