Food storage!

[Elephantay]

We are only doing delivery and drive up ( local farm) for groceries right now. Being really careful to wipe packages and wanting to transfer food into storage containers in the pantry and fridge. My goal is to eliminate single use plastic! I've been slowly accumulating storage, adding an item or two every once in awhile....
We have a few large silicone gallon zip bags that we use for bread, some fruit containers by rubbermaid, and some pop-top containers in the pantry for baking things, nuts, pasta etc.
What do you all use? Any tips for storage or good reusable storage?

 

[barkley]

We are only doing delivery and drive up ( local farm) for groceries right now. Being really careful to wipe packages and wanting to transfer food into storage containers in the pantry and fridge. My goal is to eliminate single use plastic! I've been slowly accumulating storage, adding an item or two every once in awhile....
We have a few large silicone gallon zip bags that we use for bread, some fruit containers by rubbermaid, and some pop-top containers in the pantry for baking things, nuts, pasta etc.
What do you all use? Any tips for storage or good reusable storage?

color me confused. how does it work to eliminate single use plastic by virtue of continuing to buy items in it and then transferring those items in multi usage plastics (or glass or silicone)? i get in theory how it was helping to eliminate single use when (pre-covid) people were using reusable shopping bags vs. the plastic ones at the stores b/c it meant that not as many bags were going out of the store=fewer bags needed by stores=ideally fewer bags manufactured but if a person is still buying items in single use plastic containers and just switching to throwing them away sooner vs. later-i'm sorry i just don't get it.

as for storage-i find the variety of plastic containers sold at the dollar store to be very good. very airtight, microwavable, freezer safe. kind of hit and miss on microwaves but for pure storage they are great and come in a variety of sizes and styles.

 

[starry_solo]

So, I guess my family is bad in that we either eat out of the take-out containers (not often) or just move what we want to eat from the take-out containers to a plate and then put the take-out containers in the fridge....

 

[Elephantay]

Sorry! I can see how its confusing. In an abundance of caution due to covid (and other health concerns), and because we spend an annoying amount of money ( to me) on paper products, we have been gradually switching to reusable items. We are trying to eliminate using paper towels, ziplock bags, etc. We don't have antibacterial wipes so are taking things like bread out of the packaging, and have been baking our own, and putting it into a reusable silicone bag.
We get produce locally and need our own transport bags so we have washable bags, and produce saver type reusable containers and reusable bags in the fridge so we don't need to use plastic wrap around and for everything.
I was wondering if people may use thrasher bags or whatever or have a type of container they like for the pantry. The pop tops ones I have are a little annoying, but I can easily see whats in them and already have them ( they were a gift) so we use them.

 

[e_yerger]

FWIW, there have been many recent studies that show that it’s not as crucial to wipe down all of your groceries and packages that come into your home etc. Just make sure to wash your hands after putting groceries away.

 

[Elephantay]

So, I guess my family is bad in that we either eat out of the take-out containers (not often) or just move what we want to eat from the take-out containers to a plate and then put the take-out containers in the fridge....

Not at all! We've done the same until recently. But we have to be extra careful now with precautions due to the virus due to a potential health concern in our family.

 

[Elephantay]

FWIW, there have been many recent studies that show that it’s not as crucial to wipe down all of your groceries and packages that come into your home etc. Just make sure to wash your hands after putting groceries away.

Thanks- Ive been happy to hear that too. The virus has definitely had us change our habits, and this is part of what we are doing, but also I'm hoping that over time we will save a lot of money by not constantly buying plastic wrap and baggies and paper towels, etc.

 

[e_yerger]

Thanks- Ive been happy to hear that too. The virus has definitely had us change our habits, and this is part of what we are doing, but also I'm hoping that over time we will save a lot of money by not constantly buying plastic wrap and baggies and paper towels, etc.

I feel that! These are the personal changes i’ve made to reduce plastic waste:

1. Bought reusable cloth produce bags. They can be thrown in the wash.
2. Bought microfiber clothes to use with spray cleaner. I find these work much better at sanitizing and removing enough of the product so it doesn’t feel wet. I find other clothes leave too much residue behind.
3. Buy meat products in bulk packaging, and then breaking down into reusable freezer ziplock bags.

i’ve bought all of those things on Amazon
Articles about washing groceries:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/23/health/groceries-takeout-coronavirus-wellness-scn-trnd/index.html
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safet...uring-covid-19-pandemic-information-consumers

 

[barkley]

3. Buy meat products in bulk packaging, and then breaking down into reusable freezer ziplock bags.

so do you run these through the dishwasher to sanitize them? i would be petrified to reuse on meat b/c of cross contamination. i buy meat in bulk as well but use a vacuum sealer and get the rolls so we can custom size them (less waste than the premade)-i've found that if you buy them directly from the manufacturer's website they have great sales (at least twice a year 3 for the price of 1 on multi roll packs).

 

[Elephantay]

I feel that! These are the personal changes i’ve made to reduce plastic waste:

1. Bought reusable cloth produce bags. They can be thrown in the wash.
2. Bought microfiber clothes to use with spray cleaner. I find these work much better at sanitizing and removing enough of the product so it doesn’t feel wet. I find other clothes leave too much residue behind.
3. Buy meat products in bulk packaging, and then breaking down into reusable freezer ziplock bags.

i’ve bought all of those things on Amazon
Articles about washing groceries:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/23/health/groceries-takeout-coronavirus-wellness-scn-trnd/index.html
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safet...uring-covid-19-pandemic-information-consumers

Would you think the cloth produce bags would be good for bread- so it wouldn't get stale? The silicone bags I have aren't good for bread, it gets almost gummy after a few days.

 

[e_yerger]

so do you run these through the dishwasher to sanitize them? i would be petrified to reuse on meat b/c of cross contamination. i buy meat in bulk as well but use a vacuum sealer and get the rolls so we can custom size them (less waste than the premade)-i've found that if you buy them directly from the manufacturer's website they have great sales (at least twice a year 3 for the price of 1 on multi roll packs).

The dream is to have one of those, but i don’t have the counter or storage space for a vacuum sealer. It will be going on our wedding registey

we just soak the bags in dawn dishsoap and let them fully air dry between uses.

 

[e_yerger]

Would you think the cloth produce bags would be good for bread- so it wouldn't get stale? The silicone bags I have aren't good for bread, it gets almost gummy after a few days.

Are you buying a fresh loaf or pre sliced? I buy presliced, so i just keep it in the plastic bag.

there are plenty of zero-waste blogs and forums out there that i’m sure will have great solutions for you!

 

[Elephantay]

Are you buying a fresh loaf or pre sliced? I buy presliced, so i just keep it in the plastic bag.

there are plenty of zero-waste blogs and forums out there that i’m sure will have great solutions for you!

Most of the time we are making it at home. I know I can research more, I just thought I would try here- theres another post about what people have done differently lately and it got me thinking...thanks for your help!

 

[barkley]

Would you think the cloth produce bags would be good for bread- so it wouldn't get stale?

amazon sells cloth bags specifically for bread storage-you could check out the reviews and see what the pros and cons are of using cloth as well as if the cotton or linen ones work best.

 

[bearzabout]

We use canning jars for food storage. We do a lot of canning, but really love to reuse the jars for storing leftovers and food. We have both quart and pint jars. Plastic lids are most convenient for every day use, but we also just reuse a used canning lid. The glass will last a lifetime and we love that we can see the contents so easily. We can reheat food in them in the microwave and freeze leftovers in pint size wide mouth jars. Freezer labels are cheap and easy to take off.

We make chicken, ham or beef broth from every bone that comes into our house. Costco chickens make the best broth!

We use a reusable plastic bread storage box with slicer guide to store our homemade bread. The slicer guide really helps keep slices the same size. We use coconut oil in the bread so it stays fresh for days.

 

[wishuponastar1984]

We set the take out containers on the counter to serve out of them to a plate and then any leftovers are transferred to Pyrex Snapware (there are also plenty of knockoffs at TJ Maxx and such) as it seals the smells and I like that the base is glass which makes it easy to reheat. Just remove the plastic lid and reheat in the oven or microwave. Easy peasy. The snap lids are also great for when folks return to work and taking lunches since the snap close lids make it less likely to spill or leak in a lunch bag.

 

[MrsPete]

I'm also trying to avoid single use plastics -- and plastics in general. Things I do:

- For several years I've been buying old-fashioned Pyrex refrigerator boxes from ebay. I love them for leftovers because they fit so nicely together in the refrigerator, and we can just rewarm them /eat from them for lunches. Because I always buy the same brand, the lids are all interchangeable. They're nice and heavy, and I've never broken one. The negative: they're rather expensive.
- I keep those refrigerator boxes near the stove for convenience -- but I keep the plastic wrap and ziplock bags in the pantry, where it takes an extra step to reach them.
- I have one of those silicone "flowers" that can be a lid for any bowl. Works great. I want to get a few more in different sizes. It's better than using plastic wrap over a bowl.
- I like to buy large packages and transfer the contents to glass containers for my pantry storage. Bugs are a problem in the South, and glass looks nice in the pantry. Unlike plastic, glass doesn't turn yellowish and crack with age, and "collected glass containers" look good together.
- We have reusable beeswax-covered sandwich wraps (bought from etsy), which I like very much.

Not long ago I attended a recycling program, and I learned so much. I thought I knew about recycling, but I was throwing a lot of items into the bin by mistake -- now I'm trying very hard to avoid buying certain things. Things I've been trying to change about my purchasing /recycling:

- I've started a box under my sink, where I keep "plastic wrap" type things -- the plastic from toilet paper, meat wrap, etc. -- and I know now where to return it to the grocery store. You can't recycle that from home.
- I won't buy cookies that come in a bag + a tray. Instead, I choose a type with a bag only.
- We aren't big milk drinkers -- mainly I use it for cooking -- but I buy only cardboard milk cartons, never plastic jugs.
- I love yogurt, and I've always felt bad about those individual containers. Now I make it in my InstaPot (super easy and takes only 10-15 minutes of hands-on work). It lasts about 2 weeks in Mason jars and I add my own fresh fruit (and no sweetener), so it's considerably more healthy than store-bought. My co-workers are insane for the stuff.
- We've never been bottled water drinkers -- a reusable bottle is really no effort.

I've really decreased my use of plastics since attending that program, but I could do so much more -- I think this is an ongoing project. I can't see any way to avoid buying plastic-wrapped meat, peanut butter jars, and other such things.

 

[Searc]

Most of the time we are making it at home. I know I can research more, I just thought I would try here- theres another post about what people have done differently lately and it got me thinking...thanks for your help!

I make bread in a Le Creuset dutch oven and it stays in there on the stove until it's finished.

 

[LJSquishy]

Stasher handsdown makes the best silicone zip close bags.

For other refrigerated food storage I use Duralex Lys square glass containers (hand wash & don't microwave lids) because they're super durable but also fully nest together when they're not being used. For freezer storage I use wide mouth canning jars for things like bone broth/soups/etc and for other stuff I'll use Stasher bags.

For the pantry I use glass hermetic jars for nuts/seeds/etc.

 

[sweetpeama]

From the title I thought you were asking about how to go about setting up a short/medium/long term food storage to have on hand for things like you can't get out for some reason or your income has been cut severely. And how to store the items if you don't have a large pantry or a spare room/basement to store them.
I have done food storage for emergency preparedness in a home that is under 800 sq ft and in a home that is over 3000 sq ft for a family of 4 plus as a single person in everything from a single room with a shared bath and access to a cafeteria for breakfast and lunch weekdays plus a small kitchen (fridge and microwwave only. The women's dorm had the dorm parents-elderly couple in their late 70s and mid 80s-take the toaster oven away because it was dangerous and someone might start a fire. The men had dorm parents in their 30s and they had a toaster oven. Women couldn't go into the men's dorm but they were kind enough to cook the things for us and bring them out and we would eat together on the steps) to a glorified efficency apartment to that under 800 sq ft house that I did share with a roommate for a short while.
Needless to say I have stored food under beds, in closets, behind couches in plastic totes along with on shelves in panties, in a large kitchen, and in basements and even in garages for canned goods.
Dry hot cereal I generally transfer into a hard plastic container that I can remove the lid-I have a variety of styles because when I mention certain ones I want for gift giving occasions I end up getting something similiar so some are push button lids and others are a hook style. Plus when you have been collecting things for over 20 years syles change. The one exception is a hot cereal was originally manufactured in my town and moved to another town in my state (less than 2 hour drive away) when it was going to be completely shut down and some families banded together to puchase the equipment and moved it using their own pickup and trailers. You can get the cereal in a 1/2 gallon pail and we have one of the 7 grain that I use in place of oatmeal in the same recipe as my oatmeal cookies. I will add chocolate chips and raisins and make what we call cowboy cookies. The cereal has high-protein, hard red spring wheat, soft red wheat, soft white wheat, oats, barley, rye, triticale, and spelt. It comes in a roasted and an organic variety.
My regular brand of flour I can get in a plastic style bag with a resealable top and I have started to purchase sugar both regular and powdered and brown in containers that can be resealed. I have powdered sugar that comes in bags and others in a can similiar to a pringles can with a lid. This is because there are times that we take items to a group that we use powdered sugar in and we need to use the one that is in the can because we have one kid (my 15 year olds best friend) who is allergic to corn. Most powdered sugar that you can purchase off the shelf at places like walmart have corn starch in it to keep it from sticking. In the cans tapioca starch is used to prevent the caking and clumping together. It does cost more and it is a sweeter tasting especially for things like frostings so we use the bags for when we go other places or just make something for our family. While most of my recipes that use powdered sugar call for 2 pounds a time so I use a bag or two and don't have to keep it from spilling I like the ones in the containers for when I need to just sprinkle a little on something like crepes or french toast.