What we pack our lunches in...and other confusing questions

Hi Everyone

Sorry for the hiatus!  I mean, really, who starts a blog and then disappears without completing the promised topics?  ME!  That's who.  Due to circumstances beyond my control, I haven't been able to continue the discussion on school lunch, but here I am, back as promised.

I have spent a lot of time reading and thinking about BPA, phthalates and all the other yucky stuff that is reportedly present in the products in which we store our food.  It's really gross when you think about it.  But, the information changes so rapidly that it is hard to follow and know what to react to.

So, here's the deal, as I see it.

The studies on BPA are new, and not totally conclusive.  Some people think that BPA is just an environmental risk and others are totally scared by the studies showing traces of plastics found in our blood (eeew).

BPA is a chemical used in the production of plastics to make hard plastics (think old Nalgene water bottles).  BPA is also used to line the inside of many canned food containers to prevent acids in the foods from damaging the aluminum.  So, by logical extension of this information, unless you eat NO canned foods and use NO plastics, you will likely have some BPA in your blood (again, a gross idea). 
BPA has been linked to metabolic derangements and cancer.

So, how do you know if your plastics contain BPA?  Well, as with these two examples below, many things now say "No BPA" if that is the case.

If you have found a random piece of plastic in your cabinet and don't have a clue if it contains BPA, you can look at the bottom and figure out if it contains BPA.  The plastics that contain BPA are #7:

When plastics are heated, the harmful chemical can leach into food that is stored within that plastic.

It is best to not microwave the BPA-containing plastics!  Also, even washing these plastics on the top rack could be dangerous - plastics should be handwashed!

If you want to send your kids' lunches in plastics, that is ok.  Just use something that doesn't contain BPA, for sure!

Recently, my mom bought these containers for my kids:

They are very cute with owls on the top - and BPA/phthalate free...

And, that brings us to phthalates.  Yet another nasty thing in plastics!  yuck! 

So, in short - # 7 plastics are bad.  If you have them, don't microwave them.  If you have them, hand wash them.  Also, for other # plastics...just don't microwave them!

Next post...phthalates!  Woohoo!