Okay, I’m taking another try at this. Last time I wrote an article about replacing my plastic freezer bags with Pyrex, I forgot the lids are plastic. I contacted Pyrex and they assured me that the lids are BPA free, but I understand moms wanting to get completely away from plastic touching their food…whether it be in the freezer, fridge, snack table, or packed in a lunch box.

Here are some awesome alternatives to storing your food in plastic. The new types of materials that parents are using are glass, stainless steel, and bamboo. I love these funky little bamboo bowls that are sold in most specialty stores. They are called Mini-Me’s Hand Coiled Bamboo Bowl and are completely food safe for hot and cold items. Since cleansing my house of all plastic plates and bowls coded with resin 7, I’ve had a tough time replacing them with something light (I get worried handing over my heavy Denby bowls to toddlers). They are expensive but would be a great gift or investment and look so cute. Very functional for daily cereral, fruit, snacks, etc. They are not suitable for dishwasher or microwave and in some family’s homes the no dishwasher rule is a tough one to follow.
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In a previous article about Tupperware using #7 plastics, I had questioned if the company would recall or refund money if a customer was concerned about their product being made from polycarbonate #7 plastic.  The issue being the widely controversial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) that is a material used to produce polycarbonate plastic.  With so many other companies recalling massive amounts of products because of parents and consumers worried about the BPA controversy….I really was expecting a different answer than I received.
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In your purge of kitchen plastics, you might have noticed that Tupperware products are not coded with resin codes.  This is because Tupperware products have a lifetime guarantee and were not intended for recycling (hence they were not labeled with recycling codes). In a time where parents are concerned about what types of plastic holds their food and beverages, I wanted to find out what types of plastic they use. Here is what I emailed Tupperware:

I noticed your products do not have recycling codes on the bottom. What type of plastic is Tupperware made from. Is it BPA free? If not, do you have a recall list of products?

I received lots of good information back from their representative that anyone can view on their website.  From their response I have good news and bad news about Tupperware.  Which would you like first? 
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I received a question from Jackie regarding an alternative to wrapping her food in plastic to store in the freezer.  Funny enough I was wondering how to eliminate wrapping meat that I buy to freeze in plastic wrap, then popping them into a freezer bag.  I’m no longer comfortable with having my food in close contact with plastic and I’ve realized I have a serious addiction to plastic baggies that I’m trying to break.  They are just wayyy too handy to use.  BUT - after googling Pyrex glass food containers, I’ve found my solution to both of these problems.  We know that glass baby bottles have been recommended rather than plastic for babies and toddlers, well it’s back-to-basics with all food storage. Pyrex is a name that has been around forever and they are very cost effective.  I find it shocking how expensive Tupperware is and they don’t code their products with a plastic recycling code.  Really, it’s scary to know what kind of plastic they use…and it costs a fortune! 

With food storage, Pyrex products can go into the refrigerator, freezer,  microwave, or oven.  They are also dishwasher and microwave safe. Unlike the plastics we are so suspicious about, they won’t absorb food flavors, odors, or stains…including tomato-based sauces.   I always wondered after storing left-overs with tomato sauce, why my plastic was stained from sauce. Well now I know the cheap plastic was probably leaching BPA into my food.  Lovely.

Pyrex is also made in America.  If you’ve purged your kitchen of all plastic containers, it’s time to start fresh with a quality product..and won’t it be nice to have lids that match the container?  <smile>

If you divide up bulk food to freeze from Costco, etc., this 6 piece set looks great for larger items.

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I received a question from Leslie wondering if Ikea plastics contained BPA.  Her concern was the children’s tableware line that I think every family I know owns!  The popular line ‘Kalas’ that includes the colorful tumblers (cups), plates, bowls and cutlery are perfect for kids and is the only tableware plastic my kids are now using.  Everything else has been recycled or thrown out.  When I purged my cartoon character plates and glasses, I found they were all coded number 7, while these from IKEA were coded 5.  They are also inexpensive, easy for kids to use, and dishwasher safe.  Well a few weeks ago I emailed IKEA and asked them to confirm their children’s tableware was BPA-free.  Here was their response but according to other sites; it just might depend on when and where you purchased them from IKEA:

Thank you for your interest in our products. The IKEA product range is subjected to comprehensive tests and complies with the strictest applicable laws and safety standards, and we have detailed regulations on the use of chemicals and other substances in the manufacturing process. If one country tightens its rules, we introduce these new regulations on all IKEA markets, whenever possible.

IKEA is in control of the product development process and through our trading areas we work closely together with our suppliers in place, which is an advantage when it comes to securing product quality. Please be aware that the bisphenol A (BPA) is not allowed in any plastic IKEA product.

A product risk assessment is made during the development of the product. Tests and follow-ups are done both before we start the production and then on continuous basis. We test our products according to our own requirements and applicable international standards/legislation at accredited internal and external test laboratories.

At IKEA, we test our products regularly and we put demands on our suppliers to have verification test reports and certificates available within 24 hours.
The number of tests will vary by product and will depend on the initial risk assessment of that product.

If you have any further concerns about our products, please do not hesitate to contact us.

According to the Z-recs most (I repeat…most) of IKEA’s products are BPA-free…here are their findings.  Please note that any of the products listed with BPA from IKEA, I could only find on the American site (www.Ikea.com).  So I included 2 pictures of the 2 lines that have been sited by Z-recommends as having BPA.  If these items look familiar you need to contact your local IKEA and ask them if they have a recall list for their products.  The Canadian site (www.Ikea.ca) appears to be correct in their statement about their tableware currently not containing BPA.  I say currently because I used that blue spoon in the below picture this morning to give one of my kid’s breakfast.

BPA-Free Products
Cups: Kalas Tumblers, Grossby Tumblers
Utensils: Kalas 18 Piece Cutlery Set, utensils in: Mata set, Mumsa sets, Hungrig set
Tableware: Mata Dinnerware Set, Mumsa 5-Piece Set, Grossby
Mata Bib, Barnslig Djur Bib, Kladd Bib

Products Containing BPA!!
Cups: Hungrig cup (part of 6-Piece Set)
Utensils: (check for imprinting on items not listed here as BPA-free)
Tableware: Hungrig 6 Piece Set (plate, bowl, and cup), Mumsa 3-Piece Dinnerware Set (sippy bottle is polycarbonate)

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