Today, I want to teach you about some secret toxins hiding in your kitchen. I want you to take a moment and think about plastic. Yes, you heard me! Plastic. All your to-go cups, your Tupperware, the countless grocery bags, cutlery, and all the food in your refrigerator that’s stored in throw-away containers. While we have never probably stopped to think about the amount in our home, we haven’t thought about how that affects our food. We all have heard “Save the Turtles” and “Stop the Straws” nowadays; you probably have heard people talk about microplastics in our oceans. But, what about us? If they aren’t recyclable or degradable, what happens to it in our bodies?
Well, the same thing! The harmful chemicals that make up plastics can cause issues, including hormonal disruption, immune system failure, neurological problems, and an increased likelihood of Alzheimer’s, childhood asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Now, while this may seem overwhelming, we can fix this very easily using my ditch and switch method! Start with one drawer, perhaps your cutlery or to-go cup drawer. Toss all the sippy cups, all the water bottles, and all the reused solo cups. This is especially important if you use any essential oils in your containers, as that can leech those plastic chemicals faster than expected into your food and water. You will want to replace all of these with glass or stainless steel. Now, those can be fancy glass cups or as simple as using mason jars for everything your home like I do. Another purge for you to do will be your storage containers. Throw away all the Tupperware that Aunt Marge got you as a gift and invest in glass storage containers. Now, I will say, I still use plastic lids (yep, here is a place I am still personally working to improve), but those are not touching the food itself, so I have let myself go with this one.
Making this switch is essential if you do any sort of meal prepping or weekly meal setups, as different types of foods can actually break down other food items or the plastic itself. This is one reason why I teach people to meal prep multiple ingredients but to keep their fruits, vegetables, and meats all individually separated until they are cooked or combined to eat.
If you are struggling with tossing the Ziplocks and SaranWraps, I highly recommend the BeesWax paper as an alternative. It is recyclable, biodegradable, and reusable.
When you look at the amount of plastics in your home, it can seem like an immense task but start with one thing or one room, and quickly you’ll see how easy it is to swap out items. You can give glassware as Christmas and birthday gifts; I know it isn’t a sexy gift, but what is better than you helping someone take care of themselves? Shop at secondhand stores for beautiful antique glass cups, and teach your children the importance of taking care of glass items. The process isn’t as scary as you think!
I will attach a bunch of links down below for all my favorite glass containers.
Glass Cups
Vozoka Beer Can Glass with Glass Straws
Drinking Glasses with Bamboo Lids and Glass Straw
Old Fashioned Iced Beverage Iced Beverage Glass
Glass Tupperware
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