Trying to lower your plastic waste? Strive these intelligent eco-friendly decisions to freezer baggage – from beeswax wraps to silicone baggage and an entire lot additional.
One among my prime meals waste suggestions is to make buddies collectively collectively together with your freezer. Freezing meals not solely reduces meals waste and lowers your meals funds nonetheless in addition to considerably advantages the setting.
In any case, meals waste is accountable for 8% to 10% of greenhouse gasoline emissions worldwide. To place that resolve into perspective, the aviation enterprise contributes spherical 2% of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Meals waste has an infinite have an effect on on the planet, and any steps we’re going to take to minimise it is merely concern. Nonetheless together with freezing your meals, you presumably can too assist the setting by reconsidering one of the simplest ways you freeze your meals.
Take freezer baggage. Yearly, we get by billions of freezer baggage all through the UK alone. These useful nonetheless typically single-use plastic baggage contribute to air air air pollution and waste. Plus they’re constructed from plastic, which is derived from non-renewable fossil fuels.
Fortunately, there are lots of eco-friendly decisions to freezer baggage obtainable that not solely assist the planet nonetheless in addition to protect your meals fashionable. Let’s strive one of the simplest ways to make freezing greener.
Sustainable Alternate decisions To Freezer Baggage
Ready to battle meals waste and plastic waste on the identical time? Listed beneath are my prime sustainable decisions to freezer baggage to know. Use the hyperlinks to skip to a specific part of this publish, or protect scrolling for the publish:
Plastic Freezer Baggage & Tubs You Already Personal
I frequently advocate that it’s essential to by no means bin factors all through the set up of sustainability, so most definitely in all probability probably the most sustainable different is frequently to make the most of what you have already got.
So when you will have a stash of freezer baggage, then perceive that they are usually reused loads of occasions. Whereas they aren’t made to be reused indefinitely, should you cope with them, they are going to final for for for much longer than their single-use nature. That is way more environmentally good than binning your space of luggage, and buying for one issue new.
To clean your freezer baggage flip them inside out (so that you can presumably get into all the nooks and crannies) after which wash them utilizing cool or heat water, washing-up liquid and a sponge or supplies. Scorching water can injury the plastic, so it’s best averted.
As shortly as clear, it’s essential to then allow them to air-dry. I uncover inserting them over a picket spoon helps the air to maneuver into. It’s greatest to then retailer them flat, pretty than scrunched up, to assist additional lengthen their life.
The equal goes in your outdated plastic Tupperware containers. You may protect utilizing these to freeze your meals till they break.
Glass Containers
I’ve been utilizing glass storage containers for loads of years now and positioned they are going to come up all that my freezer can throw at them. I’ve tried loads of absolutely fully totally different producers and really worth the glass storage containers obtainable at John Lewis.
They’re terribly sturdy, freezer-safe, reusable and non-toxic. The protected lid helps to maintain up your meals fashionable and free from contamination. Plus, they’re straightforward to scrub and could be utilized for a wide range of capabilities earlier the freezer – and may even be used all through the oven (as quite a bit as 250°C, excluding the lid) and microwave.
The principle concern I like about them is that, not like plastic Tupperware, these storage containers don’t cope with the color of no matter meals you’ve been storing in them. So should you’ve saved meals that accommodates turmeric, it doesn’t stain yellow, and should you retailer meals that accommodates tomato then it doesn’t flip pink. Gamechanger!
The one concern I don’t love is that they take up barely additional room all through the freezer and your storage cabinets, in contrast with freezer baggage.
Reusable Silicone Baggage
Silicone baggage have gained reputation as a sustainable quite a few to plastic baggage. Created from food-grade silicone, these helpful baggage are reusable, dishwasher-safe, and freezer-friendly – relevant for long-term storage (as quite a bit as 12 months).
They arrive in fairly a couple of sizes and kinds, permitting you to retailer each solids and liquids with ease. Moreover, silicone is a sturdy provides which can stand as a lot as excessive temperatures, making it splendid for freezer storage. Plus, they’re easier to retailer than cumbersome tubs.
There are fairly loads of absolutely fully totally different producers obtainable in the marketplace providing reusable freezer baggage:
I’ve been utilizing Stasher baggage for fairly some years now, and I like them. I exploit them for all sorts of meals storage – from freezing meals to popping lunch in after I’m out and about, to storing chilled or dried meals in. I pop them all through the dishwasher as quickly as they need to be cleaned, they typically frequently come out wanting good.
Merely assure they’re completely dry prior to storing them to stop mould development. I sit mine on an upturned glass till it’s fully dry.
They’re terribly versatile, so I even use them after I’m travelling. Correct proper right here I pop liquid merchandise all through the luggage, akin to sunscreen, to comprise any potential leakages.
There’s zero discovering out curve with silicone freezer baggage. Merely use these as you’d a normal freezer bag, and wash after every use.
Irrespective of heavy use, my baggage aren’t displaying any indicators of harm. Which suggests that whereas the upfront worth was way over a pack of unusual freezer baggage, I actually really feel complete the cost per use has been heaps decrease. Plus, that worth per use will proceed to decrease the extra I exploit them.
Beeswax Wraps
Beeswax wraps are a pure and eco-friendly quite a few to plastic wraps and freezer baggage. Created from cotton materials coated with beeswax, these wraps are washable, reusable, biodegradable, and compostable.
To make the most of them, merely wrap your meals all through the beeswax wrap and use the heat of your fingers to mould it into kind. The wraps create a breathable barrier that helps defend the freshness of your meals whereas decreasing plastic waste.
You may freeze meals that has been wrapped in a beeswax wrap. By trial and error, I’ve discovered it’s greatest for short-term freezer storage. Function for no quite a lot of month, to assist defend the integrity of the beeswax.
Beeswax wraps are quite simple to make – I’ve obtained a helpful tutorial on one of the simplest ways to make beeswax meals wraps. Nonetheless don’t concern should you’re not DIY-minded, they’re straightforward to select up on-line. A few of my favorite areas to select up beeswax wraps embrace:
To assist your wraps final so long as attainable, I’ve put collectively a helpful knowledge on one of the simplest ways to handle beeswax wraps. This talks you through all my prime strategies to maintain up them in the best state of affairs.
Vegan Meals Wraps
In case you modify to a really plant-based life-style then beeswax could also be a no-go to you. Don’t concern, you will nonetheless embrace the enjoyment of reusable meals wraps as many producers current wraps constructed from vegan waxes, pretty than beeswax.
These are reusable, washable and freezable and work the equal technique as beeswax wraps, merely with out the beeswax. As quickly as additional, I would use them for short-term freezer storage solely (no quite a lot of month).
Locations to select up vegan meals wraps embrace:
Stainless Metal Containers
Stainless-steel containers, like this set from Elephant Space (obtainable at Purchase Me As shortly as), are one totally different sustainable and eco-friendly different for storing your meals all through the freezer.
These containers are sturdy, light-weight, and proof in direction of rust and corrosion. They’re furthermore obtainable in fairly a couple of shapes and sizes, making them relevant for storing various meals. Merely depart a spot on the prime to permit any liquids house to broaden as they freeze. And as many producers aren’t leakproof, be sure to retailer your containers upright all through the freezer.
Irrespective of being a sustainable quite a few to freezer baggage, to be dependable they don’t seem to be the storage reply that I flip to first.
They’re usually costly to purchase and hulking to retailer. And in distinction to glass storage containers, you will’t use them all through the oven or microwave to reheat your meals. So that they positively lose parts on practicality. Nonetheless, should you’re searching for a really recyclable and plastic-free quite a few then it’s an avenue to seek out.
Glass Jars
Glass jars aren’t only for jam! Most jars may additionally be used for freezer storage. Jars are reusable, dishwasher-safe, and might be present in a wide range of sizes. This makes them good for storing the entire thing from soups and sauces to fruit and veggies.
Select wide-mouthed jars for simple filling and entry to your frozen objects. I’ve discovered that outdated peanut butter jars and vegan mayonnaise jars work significantly correctly, and point out you don’t want to purchase one factor new.
I’ve discovered that there are 4 golden pointers on the subject of freezing meals in glass jars to keep away from breakages:
- Solely use wide-mouthed jars. Bottles are a no-no, as they don’t current sufficient house for meals or liquid to broaden because of it freezes.
- Don’t overfill your jar. Go away spherical two inches of headspace, to provide house in your meals to broaden because of it freezes.
- Assure your meals is totally cooled prior to inserting it all through the freezer. This avoids any temperature shocks which can put stress on the glass.
- Everytime you first put your meals all through the freezer, place the lid in your jar loosely. As shortly as completely frozen, you will then tighten it. This provides house in your meals to broaden.
Recycled Tin Foil
For objects which could be too cumbersome to slot in any reusable storage containers, wraps or jars, then an extra eco-friendly quite a few to freezer baggage is recycled tin foillike this one from Bower Collective.
Recycled tin foil is constructed from recycled aluminium, decreasing the necessity for virgin supplies. Plus it makes use of 95% quite a bit a lot much less power to provide than commonplace foil manufacturing, making it an extra sustainable different than commonplace tin foil.
Recycled tin foil presents an surroundings pleasant barrier within the course of moisture, micro organism and air, serving to to maintain up meals fashionable with out the necessity for plastic. It’s relevant for freezing most meals in the long run (as heaps as 12 months) – aside from one factor terribly acidic, akin to citrus fruit.
Nonetheless, it’s not my prime different. Whereas it’s constructed from recycled supplies, tin foil is usually handled as a single-use product. Nevertheless it could be fastidiously washed and reused as quickly as additional. And irrespective of being recyclable, an excessive amount of tin foil does find yourself in landfill. In truth, higher than one in 5 (22%) UK adults don’t recycle family aluminium.
Take into accounts recycled tin foil your final resort if not one in every of many fully totally different picks are relevant.
To Sum Up
Freezing meals is an environment friendly technique to battle meals waste and its impacts on the setting. Nonetheless, you will go additional and assist the planet way more by contemplating what you freeze your meals in.
Plastic freezer baggage don’t have to be your first numerous on the subject of freezing your meals. There are heaps of eco-friendly decisions to plain plastic freezer baggage obtainable in the marketplace. Whether or not or not or not you go for glass or metallic storage containers, silicone baggage, meals wraps, recycled foil, or budget-friendly glass jars, there are heaps of one of the simplest ways to kick single-use plastic to the kerb.
PS: Attempt my knowledge to eco-friendly bin bag decisions and sustainable decisions to kitchen roll for additional methods to chop your plastic utilization all through the kitchen.
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