I hope that everyone’s weekend was wonderful. Our daughter Elena just turned four and had a lovely little birthday party on Saturday, so it was a busy weekend for us! Meanwhile, I have been working on a few new themes for The Nourishing Gourmet. I hope you enjoy them. Here’s a little sneak peak.
Fall Essentials
Apples, squash, stews, soups and more hearty meals are on the menu this time of year. I have been not so sadly putting away my summer recipes and enjoying fall’s flavors. Fall is my favorite time of year. I thought it would be fun to do a “Fall Essentials” series sharing some of the recipes that I feel are essential for this time of year for my family. Look for this series to start this week. And if you have any recipes that you would like for me to feature, let me know in the comments!
Reducing Plastic Consumption
We are drowning in a sea of plastic. As soon as you start reducing plastic, you quickly realize how hard it is to avoid it. This series will be going over some of the dangers of plastic and how to reduce your dependence on it. I am really excited about talking about this important topic. I have some great products to review (some given to me by companies to be part of this series, some I’ve bought and used myself for a while) and hopefully some interviews too! If you have ideas or thoughts on this series, I would also love to hear them in the comment section.
Exciting times.
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I will be very interested to read about plastic and the alternatives. I make dinners bulk ahead of time and for the amount I am freezing I find I use a lot of plastic baggies for things like soups and other things. I know plastics are not the best and I have tired freezing in mason jars (they broke).
I did read that the herb purslane can absorb BPA and turn it into a substance that is not harmful. This is when it is in the environment and somehow the plant absorbs and neutralizes or changes it so that it is not BPA anymore. I wonder if eating the plant can neutralize stores in our bodies?
I would love to see for the recipes, some healthier treats since we are headed into holiday seasons! Preferable GFCF!
I’m super excited for both of these series, and fall is my favorite time of year also. I made chili last week even though it was still 90 outside. 🙂
It’s not exactly fall in Miami but still yum! I am really looking forward to the tips on reducing plastic. I do my best to use glass but am always looking for great ideas.
I’m looking forward to the fall series also. I just got bags of chicken necks & backs & feet so that I can make a lot of stock to have on hand for soups.
I have enjoyed summer, but our CSA was really heavy on cucumbers & zucchini this year. So I’m happy to make some other things. (Though I was thrilled to score 6 ears of sweet corn today – last day – at a farm market. How could there ever be too much sweet corn?)
Looking forward to the new themes…and what to do with the summer squashes I blanched and froze 🙂
Squash and Pumpkin are really in season here in Utah and I’d like to get some in bulk at the Farmer’s market and hope to do something with it for later winter months. Recipes welcome!
I think it’s great that you’re going to do a series on plastic…I’m really looking forward to it!
Looking forward to tips on reducing plastic.
I try to use plates for lids on leftovers when possible and use pyrex containers with plastic lids as often as I can. The lids eventually break though – especially if frozen or put in the dishwasher frequently.
I buy rectangular baskets to put toys in when I can find them on sale or at yard sales.
Thank you for addressing the plastic issue. I want so badly to reduce the amount I use but don’t have the time in my working mom day to figure out how to do it. –
Hi Kimi , I just love your site its fabulous , I always try to reduce plastic as much as I can, I make mesh bags and I use them when I purchase my fruit & vegetables ! I try to reuse as much as I can , it is so hard some times purchasing products with out plastic wrapping ! If I use plastic zip lock bags I keep them in the freezer and just keep reusing them over and over ! In my sons lunch box I have lots of little plastic containers to use for all his food ,then I just wash every night and reuse ! I haven’t brought plastic food wrap for well over 18 months ! So I certainly try to do my very best to recycle,reduce and reuse ! My blog is all about reducing, reusing and recycling ! and lots of other great tips for saving money as well !
Kudos to you. It’s not just about the food; it’s also how we serve/store it and how we prepare it. Plastic is a menace to our health and is an expensive to recycle, if it get’s recycled at all. I recycle jars for food storage in the refrigerator or in the freezer or pantry. It does not stain or pick up odors and is easy to identify. If you use glass in the freezer, it must only contain dry food such as grains, seeds or nuts and contain a negligible amount of liquid.
(Liquids expand when frozen and cracks the glass)
I’ve been storing bread in a brown paper bag and then slipping it into a plastic freezer bag to freeze. I wonder if this helps?
Also, when I’m freezing some items such as shredded cheese, I put a layer of natural parchment paper in the bag first but I’m not sure if it prevents contamination or not.
Even freezer paper has a layer of plastic on one side. I’ve been reversing it so that the paper side is touching the food.
I’ll be glad to read about some other ideas you will have in your up-coming research. If you come across anything about whether or not any of the above ideas work, I’d be greatly interested.
Thanks!
I have been eyeing these food covers for quite sometime now. They are fabric dipped in beeswax and plant extracts so they are flexible and reusable. They even have wraps for sandwiches and such. They seem like a great plastic wrap replacement. My only issue is they are spendy….
http://www.abeego.ca/collection.html
Hello Allegra,
Thanks for eyeing us. I understand your issue with the price of Abeego. I invented Abeego and it acutally took me a full year to understand the real value of Abeego. The beauty of Abeego is that it is durable, when cared for with biogradable soap and cold water they generally last a full year. I have had many customers praise Abeego for the lifespan, who knows, I might be working myself out of a job ;). The other benefit of Abeego is that it is breathable. Living food much prefers a breathable environment, rather that suffocating in a plastic container. As a holisitic nutritionist, my main focus was to encourage people to eat living food, I created Abeego as a way to keep my living food alive. Please contact me if you have any questions about Abeego. I am always happy to chat.
Toni Desrosiers
Founder
Abeego Designs
I got a free set of Abeego flats when I updated my Mothering magazine subscription. It’s been wonderful! The free set of three sizes has been all I’ve needed, but I am planning on buying a couple of pouches to replace those dippy ziploc bags that are still being used around here.
I froze whey in a quart jar with 1 1/2″ – 2″ of the jar unfilled, with no problem. A problem I did discover with my glass jars, though, is that after they went through the dishwasher and dried thoroughly, I put the lids on them, then when I went to use them again, they smelled terrible – very detergent like – so I wasn’t about to put my precious whey in it! 🙁
This sounds exciting! I am benefitting from years of thoughtful concern about food and now, food storage. I appreciate everyone’s comments. There is such a reservoir of information collectively. Many things are going on in my life, but I am moving in this direction. The mutual excitement regarding upcoming topics draws me in. Thank you for sharing your passion and genuine concerns for health. I’m coming along!
You might enjoy reading “Slow Death by Rubber Duck”. I just finished this and it has much information to use.
Warmly,
Tonya
Hi Kimi,
Really looking forward to reading about avoiding plastics. I work full time and bring both breakfast and lunch to work…carrying glass is not an option for me…but I am open to ideas. I do use some plastic storage bags for little items of food…ei carrots…but I wash/dry them out for re-use….something i HATED doing when I was a kid growing up!
I replaced nearly all my plastic food storage containers with glasslock containers, made of tempered glass with BPA-free plastic snap-tight lids and silicone gaskets. I really like these containers. They aren’t oven-proof (though I have put them in the oven on very low temps to keep things warm), but they are great for freezing, fridge storage, and dry-goods in the cupboards/pantry (soaked nuts!). The clear glass somewhat reduces my husband and son’s “refrigerator blindness” (inability to see what is practically right in front of their nose).
The most common shapes are rectangles & squares (makes the most of boxy fridges, shelves, & cabinets) but there are also round containers, plus a “shaker” jar. They also make sets and larger containers with lid handles, but they can be hard to find in stores.
Costco sells a nice set of Glasslock containers at a good price (currently there is a $6 Costco coupon good for a few more days on a set), and I’ve seen individual containers at Ralph’s (Kroger-owned) & BB&B. Target carries a limited selection, but it does include the newer design with slightly sloped sides for easier nesting when empty, plus sets of 2 containers. Home Goods (discount housewares owned by Marshalls) has sometimes stocked the less commonly stocked containers.
Additionally, stores that cater to Asian-immigrant communities also stock Glasslock (made in Korea) in sizes and configurations not stocked at the mainstream stores I mentioned earlier. In San Diego I found a tiny rectangular glasslock container at a housewares store that caters to the Japanese-American community – I bought all four on the shelf because it’s such a handy size and they are so hard to find. The store manager was kind enough to set aside a few more from the next order and call me when they were in. Several Asian supermarkets/housewares stores in the LA region are listed as retailers.
When one of my large container lids needed replacing (someone trashed it at a potluck, where all of the other foods were purchased in disposable containers), I emailed the US distributer to ask about buying a new lid, and was sent a replacement lid at no cost (though there was a several week delay before their initial response). So my experience with glasslock has also included good customer service.
http://www.glasslockusa.com/
I have no affiliation with glasslock other than as a satisfied customer, btw.
I replaced all of our plastic storage (lots of leftover takeout containers) with glasslock and about 10 months ago (after baby was born I made some strict changes to household routines!) and have been so happy with it. I am happy to hear that they have a new design with sloped sides for nestling! My only complaint is that you can’t nestle them very well so they take up a little more space but they’re excellent and completely worth the investment (not very pricey!) There is an 18 piece set on Amazon for $48 – not too bad at all and a lot cheaper than buying individual pieces at the grocery store. And I feel great knowing that we aren’t microwaving/freezing those nasty containers and contaminating our food.
Both series sound great. I’m looking forward to reading both of them. I can tell I will learn so much.
When freezing food in mason jars, always leave an empty headspace to allow room for the expansion of the liquids.
Hi Kimi-
The link to the Cold Remedy Tea: Garlic, Lemon and Tea doesn’t work. Also I didn’t see a contact me link anywhere so that ‘s why I’m leaving a comment here. Thanks for all the great information.
Well, here in Australia, we are just coming out of Winter so, probably won’t appreciate all the soups and hearty food as much – 🙁 but can always save the good ones till next year…… Interested in your perspective on Tupperware as I have so much of it – it is BPA free so am hoping it’s still OK to use????
looking forward to your fall recipes…can’t have too many of them! good for posting on the plastic issues.
I went on a campaign to reduce my plastic usage years ago when I discovered I’m actually allergic to plastic, and many other petrochemicals. I’ve been using glass food storage containers for years. I also use pint, quart, and half pint jars in the refrigerator and the freezer. You can buy white plastic lids for the canning jars at the supermarket. Since the food doesn’t touch the lid, I feel okay about using them, rather than the metal lids that rust over time.
Anchor Hocking used to sell a great line of glass storage containers. I haven’t seen them lately, but intend to go looking again. I got some at Target years ago.
My grocery store has paper bags available in the produce department so I bring my produce home in paper, then transfer them to cellophane bags that I buy from The Living Source in Waco, TX. I’ve been buying from them for years. When I bake my gluten free bread, I put the loaf in a cellophane bag, then put a light weight plastic bag over the cellophane, to protect the bread from drying out.
I’m waiting to see what other tactics you will recommend.
Barb