Comments on: Q & A: BPA-Free Freezer Storage

By: Wardeh

Wardeh — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:01:24 +0000

Jami – I got ss cookie sheets through Azure – the norpro brand. And they stink. So flimsy. They bend out of shape all the time in the hot oven, making a loud pop that disrupts whatever you’re doing. Startles me every time. I am still using my old aluminum muffin tins – but I always use paper liners so the food doesn’t touch the aluminum. That doesn’t seem quite so urgent a fix as we’re making it work for the time being. Thanks for your suggestions!

By: Wardeh

Wardeh — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:57:55 +0000

Katie – thanks for those details! I am not surprised that you’ve already hunted down that information.

Jory – I don’t know the difference between Ziploc bags. I agree that it is hard to avoid plastic sometimes. I use Ziplocs when there is no other choice. I frequently wrap things in natural waxed paper or parchment paper (like muffins or cookies) and then put them in a zipper bag for the freezer. It not only makes reusing the bag easy (no mess) but my food doesn’t touch the plastic. I also wrap dehydrated tomatoes in the wax paper bags as you mentioned and then put those in a ziploc for the freezer. So, all good options!

I’ll keep my eye out for a blog like that. Kimi @ The Nourishing Gourmet ( http://thenourishinggourmet.com ) does many dairy-free subs and often makes grain free recipes, not necessarily gluten-free, but if there aren’t grains that would work too. Nuts are usually optional in many recipes – I think you’d like her blog.

By: Jami

Jami — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:41:17 +0000

For cookware I use mostly glass pans, SS stock pots (but ceramic is much healthier) and cast iron for my skillet. I like wooden and SS utensils.

It’s muffin tins and cookie sheets that I have a hard time with…. I need to upgrade in these areas and could use advise.

By: Katie

Katie — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:11:41 +0000

My vote is for free storage – glass jars from spaghetti sauce, etc. Do be careful of cracking, but they’re great for soup and broth especially. I don’t really worry about the plastic lids on my Pyrex, because the food hardly/rarely touches the lids. Also, the Gladware style plastic storage is no. 5 plastic which does not contain BPA, and even plastic bags, no. 4, are BPA free. Who knows what the next problem in plastic will be and if these will be safe, though.

I second Jory’s question about safe cookware. Always tons of info out there on that issue!
Katie

By: Jory

Jory — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:06 +0000

One more thought:

What about Natural Value brand ziplocs, saran wrap, sandwhich bags, etc.?

Also for future Q&A I would love to hear what cookware everyone feels is safe and why. It seems like almost every kind of cookware has some major
flaw. Id love to hear the collective minds sort through this issue.
Thanks and blessings,
Jory

By: Jory

Jory — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:05:36 +0000

On jars and hot broth:

i just leave the lids off in my freezer until they are fully frozen. If I dont do this, they crack….everytime!

So, what about #4 plastic ziploc type bags (not ziploc brand?). Western Family uses #4 plastic and they dont have that yucky smell that Ziploc brand has. I wonder if they are okay for things like frozen fruit from summer harvest. We have limited freezer space so jars would be tough to use. Anyone have any thoughts? I need something moldable.

I know it would be better to be rid of plastic altogether but when there isnt a better way…? Also, what about buying the natural value waxed paper bags and filling them with fruits or veggies and then freezing them in plastic? Just a thought that occurred to me as I was reading the posts.

By the way, I got my Family grain mill. I love it! My favorite thing so far is that I can roll my own oats. I also love the fresh taste of the flours.

On more questions…not concerning this plastic/glass issue: Is there are blog out there that is GF, DF and mostly nut free that follows the NT lifestyle of eating and living? I hope to be like your family Wardeh, that can now eat these allergens but in the meantime I have been creating so many of my own recipes (along with a fair share of failures) that I’d love some shortcuts to basic recipes.

Blessings,
Jory

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:12:11 +0000

Thanks to everyone for the terrific ideas! I appreciate your insights!

By: Jami

Jami — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:27:14 +0000

Wardeh, to clarify – I do not pre-heat my jars.

They are canning jars, and I’ve never had any problems with the jars and hot liquids. This is my personal experience and may or may not be what others experience. In the beginning before I deduced the problem with curved glass shapes I had jars crack in freezing, but none since.

I will add that old peanut butter jars (large) work nicely for freezing as they have a steady cylindrical shape, with no curves, and wide mouth, but I would not trust these with hot liquids.

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:03:43 +0000

I use Ball wide-mouth pint glass jars for freezing broth, soups and purees. Ball says they are freezer safe and they have a fill line. I sometimes use Kerr wide-mouth pints too and haven’t had any breakages yet but I am careful not to overfill. I don’t leave the lid off to freeze them.When I need broth I run some lukewarm water and let the jar sit in it for a little while and then am able to slide the broth out into a saucepan to finish thawing. I like to have a freezer full of turkey broth, some with meat, at all times. It is especially nice to have if someone is sick and wants broth or just for quick meals.

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:44:19 +0000

I recently read an article stating that Pyrex changed their manufacturing, their dishes are not as good as they used to be. There have been many “explosions” of the glass dishes upon heating.
If your dishes were purchased several years ago they are supposed to be okay, it is the last I think 10 years, maybe 5 that they changed.
So be careful! A friend of mine had one explode in her oven, she said it was a mess, and ruined all the food that was in it, obviously!