Cling film, foil or plastic boxes?

[BecauseImWorthIt]

I'm trying to become more eco-aware. We recycle a lot, and I no longer buy plastic carrier bags (unless I forget to take a bag with me when I'm out).

I suddenly realised that I use a lot of cling film, which must be very environmentally unfriendly - but what is the better alternative? I don't have a huge amount of room for a lot of plastic boxes, and I suppose that they must be pretty environmentally irresponsible in their own way as well.

Is foil a better alternative, or is this environmentally unsound as well? Surely it's not biodegradeable?

Help!!

don't know but I hope someone else does! I have this dilemma every morning when preparing packed lunches.

How about greasproof paper that could be recycled?

I htink plastic boxes are possibly a better idea as they can be re used so many times. they can also be recycled ie form the takeaway, or large margarine cartons, coleslaw pots etc.

Foil can be washed and recycled.

Clingfilm seems to be the worst.

We use plastic boxes. dh has had the same tupperware box for 7 years now. Things like marg containers we use to store leftovers or for taking cake into work.
I hate my plastic box shelf as everytime I open the door they all hurl themselves on the floor and I can never find the right lid. So I've treated dd to a bento box type packed lunch system. Probably cost a fortune environmentally to make.

This one was a 'modern morals' dilemma in Times2 the other day...will try and find link. Boxes best, but you can reuse foil.

We use plastic boxes. I hardly ever use cling film and foil only on occasion.

I save things like marg containers and coffee cans to use round the house and you can also donate them to nurseries or call the council - a lot of folks have a use for things like this in allotments and gardens.

Paper bags are good, as you put them into the compost bin afterwards. when storing stuff in the fridge, I usually put it in a dish/plate and place another dish over the top, rather than used foil/clingfilm. every little helps!

Never buy clingfilm.... or foil.

When I encounter any sort of packaging or spare plastic bags, I decide if the bags are clean enought to reuse for food items, if so... that's what I put the packed lunch items in. Bags that magazines come in, party bags, bags that toys come in, bags that almonds were sold in, bags inside vitamin bottle, bag the organic apples came in -- list of sources is endless. I have enough to put sarnie and biscuit each in a different bag each day for both DC. As long as it's clean and not previously held toxic contents. Only hassle is space to store them all.

Tip: kids eat more fruit if it's put in lunchbox inside a party bag.

In the fridge: Put a plate on top of a bowl as a cover, or use a larger plastic bag to encase entire bowl.

What else does one use clingfilm for?

ds takes a no wrapping morning tea to kindy inside a tupperware sandwich keeper. Whatever the environmental impact of making over time it must be better as we don't buy little packets of raisins, wrap a sandwich, mut an individually wrapped museli bar etc.

I also have some Gladware which is reusable, recyclable, microwaveable, freezable etc. Leftovers go into the fridge in it, and can be warmed up and even eaten from it.

I continually ask dh not to use clingfilm or kitchen towels as we have reusable alternatives.

DS's school have a "Nude Food" policy.
If they have a lunch box with no wrapped food inside they get a voucher on which they write their name and put it in a hat. Once a week a couple of vouchers are pulled out of the hat in assembly and the children get a small prize (50cent voucher for the school canteen I think)

I invested in proper brand Tupperware lunchboxes for my children ... they have compartments in them (one big enough for a sandwich and three smaller ones) and are built so that they are pretty much airtight so the sandwiches don't dry up or fruit doesn't go too brown.
Pricey but worth it.

I use greaseproof paper bags as they are easier for DD to open than clingfilm and have less toxic chemicals. I do then put the sandwiches in an insulated lunchbox though -less environmentally friendly than a tin one perhaps but keeps the food cooler (it can get quite hot inside the classroom).

I love those tupperwares Ghosty - we use them on holiday as I am gluten free and ds is allergic to lots of stuff. A sandwich has been known to keep fresh for 2 days in one - and we put yohurt in one of the segments and it doesn't move over - amazing.

Loving Nude Food.

Worth every penny of $26 each hey 20p?

what do you wrap cheese in? Surely if not clingfilm it would have to be foil?

In the paper it comes in

But the cheese dries up if you do that!

Mine doesn't.
If it is a block of cheese ready wrapped I open it carefully and we usually use enough in one go to be able to fold over the packet and clip it with a clothes peg.
They always give plenty of paper at the cheese counter.

I shall have to try harder then!

ghosty - I love the nude food policy and I am going to suggest it next week!

If nothing else it may make the mums who pack nothing but crisps, cheesestrings and lunchables think about it for a minute!

Perhaps we don't leave it long enough for it to dry up. We eat cheese at least one meal a day and it gets used in cooking.
Also, we keep it all in a box in the fridge once we've wrapped it up in it's original wrapping.

Nude food is a fab idea.

Cheese could go in plastic tub with lid.

Have cupboard full of empty pasta sauce tubs of varying sizes, great for left overs and freezing extra portions etc.

Tupperware cheese keeper - I bought mine off Trade Me (which is like ebay) so I guess that's extra green.

Nude food for the cheese string mums means unwrapping the cheese string and putting in a tupperware. it reduces the schools waste bill (which I guess is one of the reasons the school does it) and stops them needing help opening packets, but make no mistake the cheese string would still be taken.

We get big packets of crisps in our house and empty them into a tupperware. A few may go into a lunchbox a couple of times a month, my main problem isn't the fat or the salt but the silly little packets - remove that barrier and ds can have them.

The Nude Food thing IS good isn't it? It is a double whammy to help with the healthy food thing and to reduce rubbish in the school.
Children also have to take any rubbish home.
My DS's teacher says that DS has the healthiest lunch out of everyone in the class (whole grain roll with cheese and ham and baby spinach leaves or lettuce and a mandarin)

I have been known to send ds in with a snack to kindy with a explanation note - such as his organic, stoneground no added salt corn chips;

"Dear kindy teacher/parent helper - these actually only contain corn and canola oil so please do not tell my son he is not allowed to have chips at kindy"

or his jam sandwich;

"Dear kindy teacher/parent helper - this jam is only fruit and sugar and the bread is wholemeal - it is probably healthier than the MSG laden reconsitituted meat product on factory made white bread that doesn't get a letter home."

Funnily enough ds doesn't come home and tell me he's not allowed to take certain food anymore.