Recycling - plastic-free food storage

Grandmother knows best!

Caroline Topping looks at how to store food without single use plastic

It has become more and more of an issue for me to mitigate my purchase of items wrapped in packaging with the thought that somewhere, if I return my packaging, somebody is recycling it. I have therefore decided that I will try wherever possible to refuse packaging. This leads on to a whole new dilemma and one I believe our grandmothers knew the answer to, but with our faster pace of life and higher dependence upon convenience, it has been forgotten! So how do you store food without single use plastic? When I look in my fridge and cupboards I see fruit, veg, bread and cheese either laying there free of packaging, but deteriorating quickly, or in some form of ‘protection'! I try to purchase my shopping from independents and free of packaging, taking my little nets and 'bags for life' and asking the shop to load my bags with mushrooms, grapes and other goodies, and then I cycle home with them safely in my pannier bags and basket. But once I get them home, the quandary arises… how do I store my food to give it the longest lifespan? I typed my dilemma into Google and found 'Eco With Em'! What a hero she is, offering some great tips and real solutions. Here they are: Leafy vegetables, cut the ends off the stems then store in glasses of water in the fridge, or on your counter/ window sill. Onions and potatoes, store in a basket in a dark space. Wrap your lettuce as individual leaves in a tea towel and place in the fridge. Wrap bread in a cloth (or pillow case) and store in a wooden bread bin. Put leftovers in the clean jars you have been storing for these occasions, or cover with a plate and refrigerate. Stand celery and float carrots in water. Wrap beans and peas in a damp cloth. Store whole items like stoned fruit, bananas and tomatoes in the freezer. Use bees wax wraps for cheese. This is a great starting place for ideas and to provoke thought. If just a few people try these tips and reduce their waste, then we will be heading to an emptier bin, less potential pollution, landfill and better use of our raw resources. For more wise words and lots of interesting stuff, have a look at

ecowithem.com

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