Good article.
"Though various plastics are marked as microwave-safe—and plenty of plastic lobbyists have defended them as perfectly safe—the term is somewhat misleading. It’s simply referring to plastic types that won’t crack or melt when heated, not their chemical makeup."
Wow. I honestly didn’t think much about microwaving stuff like tupperware before, but I think this convinced me to switch to glassware.
I started replacing my food storage containers with glass a few years ago. It's not only safer, but also nicer looking and easier to clean.
I didn't want my old plastic to go in the waste stream, so I use it for overflow dry goods, hardware storage, and household cleaning tasks.
We ALL need to do what you’ve been doing.
My household eliminated plastic and non-stick items. We’ve been using only cast iron and stainless steel for stovetop, glass and stainless steel for oven and mixing, glass and stainless for eating. Even the pets’ bowls are stainless steel.
Plastics and Teflon coatings are pure poison.
Pro tip for stainless steel: Bar Keepers Friend is an inexpensive, mildly acidic cleanser that makes short work of even the toughest cooked oils stuck to pans. Just be sure to wash & rinse afterward, so residue doesn't end up in your food.
It also works wonders if you have spilled something on your induction stovetop and forgetting that wiping it away with a fabric rag, thereby melting the rag on the burner...
Basically, that shit will take off plastic, the irony with the thread lol
If you have anything stainless steel BKF is a must-have. It's crazy how dingy my kitchen sink basin gets.
Is there glassware with lids that closes well enough to transport it?
I like my glasslock. Glass body, plastic/rubber top. They seal incredibly well, you can turn it upside down and shake and it won't leak.
Just don't microwave it with the top on. I just toss a damp paper towel over it before microwaving.
Yes, glass and stainless steel containers with air-tight lids exist. Some use a silicone or natural rubber gasket for the seal.
If you can't find those, canning jars (Ball, Mason, etc.) have been around for ages, and you can always wash and reuse empty jars that once held food from the market. You can avoid food contact with the lid coating by keeping the jar upright.
When I need a microwave-safe lid, I find that a damp paper towel or upside down plate works well.
Ikea has plenty of options, with either plastic lids or bamboo and silicone (neither of which are microwave safe)
Any suggestions for food storage containers without plastic lids?
Compact: Fido jar, wide mouth Ball/Mason/canning jar, emptied sauce jar.
Large: Saucepan, dutch oven, stock pot. (These are cheap at thrift shops.)
Stackable: Mixing bowls with bamboo lids, steel lunch containers with clamp-on steel lids.
In a pinch: Any bowl with a plate on top.
Yeah I'm starting to think about this as well
Ok... but what about the plastic in the microwave that's part of the microwave?
Ok… but what about the plastic in the microwave that’s part of the microwave?
I think a glass and steel microwave oven could look pretty damn cool, but until we have those, I simply try not to cook my food on the microwave's surfaces. :)
We're gonna be needing a probiotic that breaks down plastic in the future.
Breaks it down into what though? The article stated that several of these plastics are made of toxic chemicals. So if we are not careful, that could make things even worse.
Ideally into something that doesn't poison us, something that we could either safely absorb, or expel from our bodies all together.
At the end of the day, they're still carbohydrates and theoretically could be broken down into Co2/methane/alcohol or other short carbon components.
There are fungi that break down plastics. Maybe if we are lucky we can find a fungi that wants to feed off of the poisons that we eat and live in our bodies taking up what our organs can't safely absorb.
This is how we end up living in The Last of Us.
I for one welcome our fungal overlords. I look forward to a world of peace brought by the shared mycilial network.
Could also have a type of penicillin that we inject to clear the plastic out of our blood if we go that route.
Put the fungus in your blood, no problems will happen I'm sure.
Are there glass lids that can be used to cover food so it doesn’t scatter when it explodes? We already don’t use plastic/tupperware in the microwave but don’t have a lid if we need to cover it.
Damp paper towel.
Why damp?
It makes it much easier for it to stay in place. Mainly from the spinning, but if your food explodes a damp towel stays put way easier than a dry one.
Probably to prevent it from burning and to make it heavy enough to stay in place.
Unless you really really really go nuts with way too much time on timer, a dry paper towel is not going to ignite in your microwave.
It helps hydrate the food. Helps out with rice in particular
This is a good question, already covered in the other comments.
I will add here that exploding food has been much less common since I figured out how to choose a reduced power level on my microwave. (But I still cover the food anyway.)
I've always just used a bigger plate/bowl to cover things. They're much easier to clean than any plastic lid.
In the microwave, I always use the lid of a bigger glass bowl on top of my large, wide, glass, measuring-pitcher. It doesn't fit perfectly, but I turn the lid upside down so it doesn't slide when I carry it.
Pyrex/borosilicate dishes work pretty well here. Both Pyrex and IKEA do little single serving casserole dishes with a lid that work fantastic. Been using them for decades now
Alternatively you could upend a plate on-top of your bowl
Meh. Gonna die anyways. I'm probably 40% plastic by now. Might as well bump it up.
I reckon the hot dogs, pizza and other junk I'm having often are going to kill me faster than plastic is.
"the air we breathe is a poisonous fume"
Pretty much will turn into a cancer monstrosity in about 10 years. I really don't care. Death is inevitable.
After 30 years of putting plastic in the microwave … I think I'm fine, definitely not worrying about my sperm count ;)
Obviously, it's good they study this, but apparently the microplastic is already in everything and we don't really know what it's doing to humans. Good luck, trying to convince the fossil fuel industry to produce less plastic.
I actually disagree with this cooking MYTH.
But; it depends on the TYPE of plastic. Don't trust takeaway containers or soft and flexible plastics.
Hard and rigid plastics are in fact SAFE if marked as "Microwave-Safe"; they HAVE TO BE SAFE to have that marking.
DO:
As per the article:
"But what if my container is 'microwave-safe'?
Though various plastics are marked as microwave-safe—and plenty of plastic lobbyists have defended them as perfectly safe—the term is somewhat misleading. It’s simply referring to plastic types that won’t crack or melt when heated, not their chemical makeup. Supposedly microwave-safe products can still contain bisphenols, phthalates, and plenty of other potentially harmful ingredients."
Did you read the article?
I know plastic is scary but guys, you don't need to replace your entire plastic container selection - you could just, decant your food into a different container before microwaving it? The microwave is what's doing this, not the fridge.
I'd recommend getting a small borosilicate/Pyrex dish like This. I've been using two of them my entire life (did none of you get taught that microwaving plastic with food make it go funny as a kid?) And they last a good while. Provided you don't drop them. I think IKEA sells them and I've seen them around in my local kitchen store in non-pyrex brands. Also they're oven and dishwasher safe too!
Also I don't reccomend hunting for vintage Pyrex here - old pyrex chips super easily and constant use and slamming the lid on will chip the edges to hell and back. The European formula isn't actually the same as the old one so it's fine but unless you like glass chips in your cupboard and super sharp edges, don't go for it.
The microwave is what’s doing this, not the fridge.
Nobody said the fridge is doing this, but it doesn't prevent it, either. It happens through contact. The microwave accelerates it.
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