7 Ways to Skip Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals with Holiday Meals
December 18, 2009 by Alicia
Filed under Bisphenol-a, Buzz, Eating Gear, Food Storage Containers, PVC
For most families, food is a central part of our Christmas and New Year celebration. So why not be prepared to skirt unwanted chemicals with your Holiday meals? Who knows – you might get to show off some of the non-toxic ninja skills you’ve learned from us 
- Buy fresh produce and broths, soups, etc in Tetra Pak (cardboard “brick” cartons are made of safer layers of paper, aluminum and polyethylene (#2) and are also recyclable). You’ll effectively remove the risk of BPA in epoxy linings of aluminum cans, glass jar lids and the bottom of some frozen cardboard boxes.
- Skip meat and cheese blocks wrapped in clingy plastic wrap – it’s often made from PVC (even in health food stores). Opt for cheese in packages with Ziploc-style closures, and plastic packages that have been heat-sealed, because most of these bags are made from polyethylene. And ask your butcher to wrap your meat in paper. Keep in mind that we’re talking about commercial plastic wrap, not Cling Wrap or Saran Wrap made for home use.
- Use glass, stainless steel, silicone, wood or BPA-free plastic dishes and storage containers for meals and leftovers
- Microwave leftovers in glass or silicone instead of plastic
- Don’t reuse PET (#1) plastic food containers or cook/heat food in them – even if recommended by the manufacturer.
- Look for non-recycled cardboard boxes when ordering takeout meals like pizza, as they are less likely to contain BPA.
- Skipping polystyrene and Styrofoam containers (#6) is unavoidable at most restaurants, so bring your own reusable to-go container for leftovers.
Have any other suggestion? Share them with us in the comments section!
Are the Tetra Pak containers BPA-free then? I've been wondering for a while, but have continued to use them because it's the only way to get rice milk.
Please clarify #6. Don't you mean that non-recycled cardboard containers are LESS likely to contain BPA?
Hi Karma,
Every Tetra Pak (also called aseptic cartons) we've researched has been BPA-free. The NRDC also lists this type of packaging as BPA-free as well at http://www.simplesteps.org/health/youths-adults....
Another example of BPA-free Tetra Pak is the O.N.E. water brand. You can see the details on that at http://www.foodbev.com/news/one-water-is-launch...
Alicia
Yes, of course – thanks for pointing that out. That obvious oversight has been corrected now.
Alicia
Are the Tetra Pak containers BPA-free then? I've been wondering for a while, but have continued to use them because it's the only way to get rice milk.
Please clarify #6. Don't you mean that non-recycled cardboard containers are LESS likely to contain BPA?
Hi Karma,
The Tetra Pak (also called aseptic cartons) we've researched have been BPA-free (although that doesn't guarantee all are, so it's worth a phone call to your rice milk maker). The NRDC also lists this type of packaging as BPA-free as well at http://www.simplesteps.org/health/youths-adults....
Another example of BPA-free Tetra Pak is the O.N.E. water brand. You can see the details on that at http://www.foodbev.com/news/one-water-is-launch...
Alicia
Yes, of course – thanks for pointing that out. That obvious oversight has been corrected now.
Alicia