There’s something about a pantry filled with glass jars, burlap sacks, and cloth-wrapped goods to fuel a desire for wholesome eating. Storing food this way reduces your dependency on plastic, which is good for your health and the environment. Here are five eco-friendly food storage solutions:
1. Mason Jars
Mason jars don’t just make food look appealing. They’re also safe, cheap, eco-friendly, and versatile. Use large jars for storing grains and flours, medium jars for taking salads to work, and small jars for single-serving desserts or make-ahead breakfast parfaits. Mason jars are also great for storing soups, on-the-go smoothies, dried herbs, and cut veggies.
2. Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags
These earth-friendly alternatives to plastic baggies are cost effective and fun. When made from organic cotton, cloth baggies are safe for storing and transporting food, as well as washable and biodegradable.
3. Glass and Stainless - Steel Food Storage Containers
If you like the convenience of stackable containers and snap-on lids, these are for you. Glass and stainless-steel food storage containers are eco-friendly alternatives to plastic ones. Although they’re typically more expensive than plastic varieties, they last longer and are dishwasher safe! The key is to choose tempered glass and food- grade stainless steel. >
4. Beeswax Wraps
Sometimes you need to cover up food without transferring it to a storage container. A green alternative to plastic wrap and aluminum foil is beeswax wraps. Beeswax wraps are malleable enough to fit snuggly around the tops of bowls or fold into transportable snack pouches. Most importantly, they can be washed and used over and over again to wrap cheese, sandwiches, bread, and other room-temperature or cold foods.
5. Burlap Sacks
Forget about storing your potatoes, onions, garlic, and other root veggies in plastic bags. Burlap sacks are a more eco-friendly and functional option. They provide a dark, dry environment to keep root veggies fresh and are made from woven plant fibres – you can even compost them when they wear out. Look for varieties that have removable cotton liners for easy cleaning.
Eco-friendly food storage is one more way to help reduce your ecological footprint and support your overall well-being – and it’s more cost effective in the long run, too!