Discover some practical food storage alternatives to using plastic in the kitchen.

Whether you have made a commitment to going plastic-free in the kitchen for health reasons, to reduce your carbon footprint, or both, the decision can seem like a challenging one at first. Many of us are so much in the habit of grabbing those plastic containers and plastic wrap that switching to plastic alternatives can seem burdensome. Firstly, we must break the plastic habit, and then, we must fill our kitchens with healthy and sustainable alternatives.

But what should home cooks, lunch packers, and leftover lovers rely on? If you are new to plastic-free food storage, you might not realize the dearth of food storage solutions that exist outside of the world of plastic. There’s a plethora of old-school and more modern food solutions out there, and you just need a little knowledge and inspiration to get started.

Here are some of the easiest and practical food storage solutions to keep you plastic-free.

7 Plastic-Free Food Storage Solutions

1. Mason Jars – Whether you choose Ball, Kerr, or Golden Harvest brand jars, mason jars are the workhorses of the kitchen. Not only are they are a must for canning and preserving food, but they also work perfectly for storing food in the fridge and the freezer. When freezing food in mason jars, do make sure to leave at least one inch of headroom to keep the jars from shattering as the food expands through the freezing process.
2. Disposable Wax Paper Wrap – Wax paper is what our great-grandparents used to wrap leftovers and lunches in. Disposable wax paper is a paper wrap that has been made moisture-proof by the addition of wax.
3. Reusable Bee’s Wrap – Bee’s Wrap is a reusable alternative to disposable wax paper. It is made by infusing organic cotton with beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin, to create a washable, reusable, and compostable alternative to plastic wrap.
4. DIY Fabric Bowl Covers – You can make your own DIY reusable fabric bowl covers. They are perfect to store a salad in the fridge or to take a covered dish to a potluck. Here’s a tutorial to get you started.
5. Weck Glass Jars – Weck jars are an alternative to mason jars. They are from Germany and offer a lot more variety in the sizes and types of jars. They are perfect for storing everything from homemade dressing and jams to kimchi and sauerkraut. They feature glass lids with rubber rings and metal clamps.
6. Cloth Bags – Reusable cloth bags can be useful for storing bulk dry food items and for packing sandwiches, nuts, crackers, and other items in lunches.
7. Stainless Steel Containers –  From stacking metal tiffins and bento boxes to larger containers and bowls, stainless steel is a great temporary alternative to plastic in the kitchen. It’s perfect for packing lunches!

Related on EcoSalon

17 Surprising Sources of BPA and How to Avoid Them

A Handy Reference Guide to the 20 Greenest Materials

7 Myth-Busting Storage Solutions

Image: Pasta Jars on the Shelf via Shutterstock

The post 7 Amazingly Simple Food Storage Alternatives to Plastic appeared first on EcoSalon.

Mason jars: they’re available, affordable, reusable, reliable and even loveable.

For some historical insight, the beloved  mason jar was invented and patented by John Landis Mason back in 1858, and became popular because of the handy wide opening. Most used this wide opening for preserving food, but today’s DIYer has repurposed the jar into a myriad of clever uses.

Here are twenty of them.

Mason jars can be used for drinking, decorating, organizing, hanging, planting, baking, lighting, storing and feeding. Yes, even pie is a possibility.

Lighting

There are scads of ideas on how to set the mood with mason jar lighting. i.e.:

A chandelier made from a simple rustic board, rope and tea lights lit within mason jars.

Eco Solar Party lighting

Wintery Epsom Salt candles

Artisanal Photo Candles.

An efficient Oil Lamp.

Food

Mason jars are also the new way to party. They bring a casual feel to any event.

Especially when it comes to bubbly drinks.

Pies!

Rainbow Cupcakes!

Ice Cream!

Storage

Because you can see what’s in a mason jar, they’re fabulous places to put things…all kinds of things.

Cotton balls, Q-tips and other grooming products typically found in bathroom storage.

Bulk spice storage with chalk labels.

Fabric Wrapped for storage for things like…scissors.

Decorating

Stick a bunch of flowers in a jar for an unfussy decor touch.

As seen here in this Mason Jar Shelf.

A mid-summer clothesline strung with vases.

Pretty Painted Lady jars.

Utilitarian

Here are some ideas for the mason jar that are just plain useful.

The mason jar soap dispenser.

The Bee Feeding mason jar.

The Alfalfa sprouting mason jar.

Mason Jar Clip Art for…you know, clip art.

The Mason Jar Blender.

Ingenious. 

The post 20 Ways to Use a Mason Jar That Have Nothing to Do With Canning appeared first on EcoSalon.