Food Storage Products the Eco-Friendly Way

Save Money by Reducing Food Waste with Eco-friendly Food Storage

food storage glass jars

Organization is crucial in the kitchen. Unlike clothes or books, food that isn’t stored properly can go to waste in a matter of hours.

Continuing my series on organizing the home by storing things in an eco-friendly way, today I look at eco-friendly ways of food storage.   By storing food properly, you can:

  • avoid food waste which is not eco-friendly (food sent to landfills takes up space, rots and releases methane, one of the greenhouse gases), and
  • be even more eco-friendly by using green storage products
Food Abundance
Food Abundance in Stores

Food waste, by the way, is edible food that is purchased and discarded.

Here are some quick facts

food waste
food waste

Our food waste habits come from our parents, it seems.  If we are shown not to waste food as a child, we will continue that behaviour as adults.  But as adults, if we are used to wasting food, it is difficult to change.

How to Avoid Food Waste

Here are some of the best ways to cut the losses:

  1. Honestly examine what you actually eat, and draw up menus for the week ahead.
  2. Make a shopping list from this list, so you know you’ve got everything you need.
  3. Freeze or refrigerate leftovers so they do not spoil before you can eat them.

Spontaneous purchases are shown as the most wasteful – that’s why menu planning is so effective.  Menus also save you time, especially on busy weekdays.

But don’t consume products beyond their sell-by dates.

With leftovers, allow them to cool, then store them within two hours in small containers in the refrigerator or freezer.

Food Storage Products

Be eco-friendly by choosing the right type of food storage products.

Your main choices are plastic containers, plastic bags, plastic wrap / cling-film, and glass or steel containers.  Let’s look at those from an eco-friendly perspective.

Plastic in general is not eco-friendly (see Death by Plastic).  Apart from the environmental issues, chemicals from plastic can leech into food, and some may trap food smells (e.g. diced onions).   However, some plastic containers are made from recycled plastic, and re-usable plastic containers are better than disposable items, such as Styrofoam trays or single-use plastics, for example.  And plastic is lighter than glass and does not break.  So I am not saying avoid plastic at all costs; it does have its place, but if you are going to use plastic, please make it recycled and sturdy.  And don’t use it in the microwave.

food storage glass jars Glass containers are eco-friendly as they are completely recyclable, reusable and non-toxic.  They don’t stain, nor do they trap smells.  Most glass containers can safely be used in the oven, microwave and dishwasher.  They are transparent so you can easily see what you have stored inside them.  But they can break or chip, and are heavier than plastic.   Glass containers with glass lids can be quite expensive, so you could compromise by glass jars with plastic lids which are cheaper and readily available (if you’re heating them, remove the plastic lid first).  Another fun bargain alternative is to look for vintage Pyrex storage – look on eBay (tip – search for “refrigerator dishes”) or at your local thrift store/flea market.  (Check for cracks and chips).

food storage mason_jarsAnother type of glass container is the canning or mason jar, widely available in stores.  You can find them at garage sales, thrift shops, and flea markets. Again, you will need to watch for cracks and chips.

Ceramic containers have similar pros and cons to glass.  When buying new or vintage, make sure they are lead-free.

Stainless steel food storage containers have many of the attributes of glass.  They are available at restaurant supply stores – they are used in professional kitchens because they are durable and long lasting.  You can also find them on eBay – this will save money because stainless steel is a bit more expensive than plastic.  They are not transparent, and you will need to transfer to another dish for the microwave or stove.

Some more ideas:

  • Instead of plastic sandwich bags, use organic cotton or hemp bags.   Or reuse unbleached wax bags, which are biodegradable and compostable – many supermarkets now offer them.
  • Instead of covering a bowl with plastic wrap / cling-film, buy reusable bowl covers instead, or simply cover a bowl by placing a plate on top.
  • If you want to use aluminium foil, remember that you can use it more than once.  Also, foil made from 100 percent recycled aluminium is now available.

With today’s tips, you can save money by reducing your food waste, and be kind to the environment by sending less food to the landfill and by using eco-friendly food storage products!

If you enjoyed this article, please Share, Like, Pin or Tweet it (buttons below) – thank you!

Warm regards,

signature Clare

 

 

 

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated.


Tags

eco friendly, food storage, green, organize your home, storage


  • It pains me to throw any food out after I purchase it. This makes for some pretty interesting last minute recipes. One of the best food storage ideas was for tomato paste. By freezing it by the tablespoon I’m able to organize my home and always have the perfect amount without discarding a can that is mostly full.

    • I like that idea! Mostly I buy the glass jars of tomato paste, which keep happily in the refrigerator till finished, but sometimes I can only get the cans so that’s a great way of storing the rest! Thanks!

  • Hi Green Goddess,

    Striving to be ecofriendly in our food storage is an excellent stewardship of the planet which more people could do.

    Happy Dating and Relationships,

    April Braswell

  • Some more very easy ideas to help minimize plastic waste in our daily lives… Thanks for the good ideas.

  • Clare, thanks for the eco-friendly tips for storing food. Your site always has great info for the eco-friendly person.
    Scott Sylvan Bell

  • Wow What eye Opening statistics…. And maybe a double edge sword where the food manufactures could argue that they need to add MORE preservatives to their foods so they last longer and won’t go to waste.

    All the laws about food are also a bit crazy. Where Safeways and King Soopers can’t even donate their leftover deli food or sell a roasted chicken after it is 4 hours old.

    Great post. I use Stainless and Glass for nearly everything! It also lasts so it saves monrey in the long run!

  • Thanks for sharing the Eco-friendly tips about storing food, I like the ideas. Using environmentally friendly products is always good to help to reduce the pollution.

  • Nice tips!
    However, I am trying to find the most efficient sandwich wrap. I made my own lunch bag out of recycled canvas and foam, and I put my food in a zip-loc bag. I have used my sandwich bags over until they are worn out, but my Wife wants to eliminate the plastic for environmental reasons. Using Pyrex sandwich containers is doable, but what about the carbon footprint of all these alternatives? And what about Freezer Paper? All of these alternatives have ups and downs. Someone should make up a chart or something…

    • Hello John, I’m delighted to read you’ve made your own lunch bag out of recycled materials, that’s great!
      I’m with your wife in wanting to avoid plastic. Freezer wrap has similar problems to plastic bags – most people use it as a single-use disposable item.
      Anything that we manufacture using resources, then use just once, and then throw away, is lousy for the environment.
      Whatever we use will have an environmental impact, we can’t avoid that. So you’re absolutely doing the right thing by looking at containers that are infinitely reuseable, like your Pyrex container. The resource impact is spread over the life of the product, and when you re-use it continually for several years, then you’re making efficient use of it.
      You’re right, all products have their pros and cons, but as a general rule, re-usable is always the way to go. Single use (or only-a-few-uses) items are to be avoided. We need to move towards a circular economy, that works for a finite planet.
      Thanks so much for your comment!

  • I just love using glass containers for my food storage and glass kitchen utensils for dining as they are non-toxic, eco-friendly, and make me contribute my part towards a sustainable future. If you too are looking for affordable eco-friendly kitchenware, you can find them at Vedessi where you can buy a wide range of eco-friendly products for your household.

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