Choose the Right Containers When Storing Food at Home

Choose the Right Food Storage Container

• Use only food‐grade containers for storing food. Food‐grade containers are those containers manufactured especially to hold food, like Ziploc bags or Tupperware containers. Do not use non‐food grade containers like plastic or paper shopping bags or plastic trash bags to store food. Chemicals or dyes from these bags can leach into the food and contaminate it.

• Do not re-use food containers that are hard to clean or may contaminate stored items. Some food containers are hard to clean or have hard‐to‐clean lids; plastic water bottles and yogurt containers are good examples. Even though these containers originally held food (or water), they are hard to clean and should not be re‐used. Other single‐use items that should not be reused are disposable plastic utensils, plates and cups,
Styrofoam trays or take‐out containers, and plastic containers from cottage cheese, sour cream, chip dip, whipped topping, margarine and milk.

• Use single‐use wooden items only once. Some wooden food‐related items, such as popsicle sticks and
shish kabob skewers, are intended for one‐time use. If you want to reuse shish kabob sticks, buy the metal ones. Rather than reuse popsicle sticks, purchase one of the containers for making popsicles that comes with reusable handles. Or, use a new purchased popsicle stick every time.

• Take care when choosing containers for reheating. Numerous research studies have shown that using the wrong type of container when heating food in a microwave oven can transfer harmful chemicals into the food. Choose glass or microwave‐safe plastic containers, or white paper plates for microwave heating. Do not reuse plastic food containers from margarine, cottage cheese, or similar foods for microwave heating. Do
not use Styrofoam or take‐out containers in a microwave oven. Some ceramic pottery dishes are microwave safe; check the bottom of bowls, cups and plates for information on safe heating in these dishes.

There are some excellent online resources to help guide your food storage decisions.

Cupboard, Refrigerator, and Freezer Storage Charts (Kansas State) found online at:
http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/humannutrition/hrap/storage/stochart.htm

Storing Vegetables and Fruits at Home (Washington State University) found online at: http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1326/eb1326.pdf

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Prepared by Barbara Ingham, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, UW-Madison