Tupperware: The best alternatives
Living free of plastic is a trend. Tupperware and other plastic boxes are practical, but they also have ecological disadvantages. However, there are also good alternatives to plastic.
Plastic-free can alternatives
To keep food supplies or leftovers from the last meal, you can use glass, ceramic or similar containers. dodge. If you need a break-proof container for transporting bread and butter, there are alternatives here too.
- Storage jars made of glass are advantageous: you can immediately see what's inside. These are best if they are provided with a rubber seal in the closure, as is the case with mason jars. In this way, your supplies are well protected against pests and moisture.
- Another stylish alternative: ceramic or dolomite boxes. The lid or the entire can can be made of bamboo, for example. In addition to their positive environmental balance, they are an additional visual ornament for your kitchen.
- In normal empty jam and preserving jars, storing leftovers in the fridge works just as well. You even get this "for free". You can also freeze food in it. Make sure to fill the glasses only two-thirds.
- As an alternative to the plastic drinking bottle, there are already numerous glass bottle alternatives. For children or for safety in a backpack on the go, also with a protective cover.
- If you do not use Tupper boxes, you do not have to switch to paper bread bags. There are - ecological and fair - bread bags made of cotton. You can use them as often as you like and, if necessary, wash them out briefly in between.
- In order to pack packed lunches including vegetables and fruit, you can use unbreakable cans made from renewable raw materials. They are made in an environmentally friendly manner from innovative material (bio-polymer) from sugar molasses, natural minerals and waxes.
- It is even more natural to take your food with you or to bring your lunch in wood. Such wooden cans are real eye-catchers and have a special appetite for their contents.
- It is also best to use glass dishes to heat dishes in the microwave.
- Plastic cutlery doesn't have to be either: there is now a wide alternative range of spoons, roasters and salad servers made of wood. Or you can use stainless steel.
Comparison of sustainability of Tupperware
Of course, Tupperware and Co. are not absolute green buildings. Most companies are based on contemporary environmental standards and set goals in terms of sustainability and health. For example, Tupperware emphasizes the following:
- According to the manufacturer, all Tupperware products have been BPA-free since 2013. Products that were manufactured before could still contain residues, but the pollutant evaporates after a certain period of use anyway.
- Discarded goods are taken back by Tupperware and the material is recycled. Kitchen roll holders or bottle holders are made from 50 percent recycled material, for example.
- Inferior recycling material is said to find its way into other companies, for example to manufacture flower pots.
- 80 percent of the Tupperware sold in Europe is also produced in Europe. This eliminates long transport routes for the finished goods.
Tupperware lasts a long time - but is made with petroleum
Tupperware is synonymous with lunch boxes, bowls and camping tableware made of plastic. However, you should decide whether it is advisable to buy such products based on your ecological requirements.
- The advantage of Tupperware & Co: You can store food safely and well over a long period of time and keep it fresh. Some containers are even suitable for heating food in the microwave.
- But there are also disadvantages. For example, production is at the expense of oil reserves. The materials polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are synthesized from alkenes (ethene, propene) from fossil fuels.
- Manufacturers also use polycarbonate (PC) material for drinking bottles and microflaskware. This has long been produced using bisphenol A (BPA), a hormonally active pollutant. You should avoid this substance if possible.
- What is an advantage on the one hand becomes a decisive disadvantage on the other: PP, PE and PC materials are extremely resistant to decomposition. Such containers therefore allow the plastic mountains to grow worldwide in the long term.
- Conclusion: You protect the environment if you continue to use your existing containers, but switch to alternatives when buying new ones.
If you care about ecological behavior, then it is worth taking a look at our tips on environmental protection in everyday life.