Have you ever thought about how many food containers you throw out every day? It seems that every store-bought item comes packaged individually in plastic, surrounded by a cardboard box, wrapped in more plastic. You can recycle what you can, but too often the plastic containers that food comes in are not recycled and non-recyclable. There are actually a lot of easy ways to fix this problem however, making your food choices responsible ones. Here are some ways that you can store food without harming the environment.
Buy in Bulk
If you buy your food in bulk whenever you can, you can store it and keep it for a long time. This will not only stop you from using unnecessary packaging, but it will save you money as you do not have to go to the store so often to replenish your supplies. This also saves gas from trips to the store.
Reusable Containers
When you do buy your food in bulk, use reusable containers to store it. Plastic is the most common and readily available, but it is better for the environment if you use glass or metal, as their production is not as harmful to the environment as the production of plastic. They will also last longer. If you do buy plastic containers, wash them by hand so that you can extend their lives and not have to buy new ones.
Canning
Canning is the process of making food or treating it to be stored for a long time. People most commonly use canning for storing jam or pickled foods, but you can use canning for anything from nuts to sauces, and even salsa. It is all about storing whatever you might have a need for.
Be Selective
When you are buying food, keep eco-friendly options in your mind. Try to buy as many room temperature foods as you can, so that you don’t need to use the fridge. Don’t buy more food than you need, or a lot of food that will soon go bad. If you are not sure if you need extra of something, try to go without. When you think you might have extra, buy non perishable food that you can store and save.
Use Recycled Products
Another thing to look for is food that uses recycled and environmentally-friendly packaging. You should not have to pay any more for these products, as they are saving money through using recycled products. Not only can you do your part, but you can reward eco-friendly companies for caring about the earth.
Use Recyclable Products
For the times that you do have to buy new food, use products that come in recyclable packaging. A lot of states provide recycling pick-up services, so recycling is just as easy as throwing something away. If your state doesn’t offer this however, it is not hard to have an extra trash can for items to be recycled, and then periodically take it to a recycling plant.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lee Flynn is a freelance writer and has interests in outdoor survival and freeze dried meals.
Thank you for this post. Plastic has always been an issue when it comes to food storage and food packaging, and it is time for people to become aware of this problem and the ways to solve it or at least to reduce it, by using Biodegradable packaging.