The Hidden Dangers Of Reusing Margarine Tubs For Food Storage

We all have that relative (or maybe we are that relative) who has a plethora of margarine tubs proudly washed and stacked like trophies waiting to sub in for those overpriced food storage containers. Alas, it turns out this seemingly ideal way to upcycle waste doesn't really help save the world, but it sure can make us sick. 

These containers fall into the category of single-use plastics. Single-use plastics are manufactured a little differently than their reusable counterparts. For one, they're manufactured using chemicals which help improve durability, flexibility, and UV resistance. However, these containers are also prone to leaching those very same chemicals into whatever contents are inside, like your food.

Some of the chemicals found in these containers include bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and PFAS (aka forever chemicals) all of which can do extreme damage to the body as well as increase the risk of infertility, poor fetal development, and cancer. Single-use plastics open the doors of your body for more microplastics to enter and factors like darker color and high temperatures can cause these plastics to leach these harmful chemicals at a faster rate than they normally would. For this reason, it may be best to avoid eating from plastic to-go containers as well as your stash of empty margarine tubs. In this day and age, can we really avoid eating or drinking microplastics? Well, we can at least try our best.

Look around your kitchen and question what is working for you and what is working against you. Is your plastic cutting board making you sick? How about your mixing bowls? It's daunting, but taking steps to reduce the plastic in your kitchen will help mitigate the amount of chemicals and microplastics entering your bloodstream through your food. Replacing well-intentioned margarine, takeout, and Cool Whip containers with glass is a good start. Even if you can't replace them yet, try to avoid using them for now if your health is important to you.

Replacing every piece of plastic right away isn't necessary or realistic, but choosing alternatives like wood, bamboo, or glass in the future is a good idea. Reusable plastic has been sold to previous generations as a long-lasting alternative to breakable material like glass. Recycling single-use plastics has also been hardwired in many of us as a way to help the environment. With that in mind, our homes are likely (understandably) filled with the stuff. But it doesn't have to be this way. Throw out your old butter tubs and keep plastic containers away from high temperatures to save yourself from the real dangers contaminating your food.