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Freezing with Less Plastic
Recently, I looked inside my freezer and was struck by how much plastic I saw in there. It was too much. I freeze a lot of left over or excess food so I can waste less, but freezer bags tend to be my go-to for these sorts of things. So I decided to find other containers I could freeze things in, and here's is what I found.
GLASS JARS
I learned from this little experiment that you can freeze effectively in glass jars. You just need to leave some room for foods that expand when they freeze, and you don't need to go out and buy a dozen new mason jars.
I like buying pasta sauce that is jarred, so I usually have a few empty jars in my cupboard. I recently made a large batch of chili and the leftovers froze well in the jar. The best part is, once the jar is emptied I can just wash it an use it again.
PYREX CONTAINERS
Over the course of the last year I have been switching from plastic storage containers to Pyrex ones with the snap-on lids. They wear better, they do not stain, and I can safely put them in the dishwasher. It turns out they are also great for storing frozen food. The same rule applies as it does for jars, just leave some room for the food to expand.
AS IS
Did you know you can freeze most fruit as is? No containers needed. Growing up my mom always made banana bread from very ripe bananas she had frozen. She put them in the freezer peel and all. When she wanted to use them, she would put them in warm water for 5 minutes and then the fruit could easily be pushed from the peel.
I had some fruit that I wanted to freeze already chopped up for smoothies and nice cream. So I sliced up the fruit, placed in on a baking tray, and put it in the freezer. Once they were frozen, I placed them in jars.
What I learned from this experience is that you can use less plastic, it's just a matter of choosing to find a way. Living a green lifestyle does not mean you have to go to the extreme and suddenly make your lifestyle sustainable in one short burst. Change one thing at time that is bothering you and over time you will be living a much greener lifestyle. Cheers!
