How to: Plastic-free storage

In Germany, 18 million tons of food ends up in the trash every year. 10 million tons of that could be avoided. Just imagine how long you would have to nibble on 10 million tons.
According to Tafel Deutschland, almost 7 million tons of food waste comes from private households. We can start there and make a difference. The BMEL Nutrition Report 2019 reports that 58% of respondents cite shelf life problems as the main reason for wasting their food, followed by portion sizes that are too large (21%) and incorrect quantity planning when shopping (12%).

You can extend the shelf life with careful storage and critical evaluation of the best-before dates. Here are our favorite plastic-free storage options, their advantages and what they are best suited for.

stainless steel boxes
The all-time favorite. They come in all sizes and shapes. As a simple lunch box or leak-proof for your lunch to go. The stainless steel boxes are perfect for leftovers, greens or open packages of tofu, cheese, etc. They are high quality and almost indestructible. They are quite light, which makes them perfect for eating on the go.

Advantages:
- indestructible
- practical for on the go
- unbeatably stylish

Suitable for: leftovers, open packaging, greens, food to go.

(bee) wax cloths
Perfect for half-eaten food such as fruit, vegetables or bread. They replace cling film, so they can also be used perfectly to seal bowls etc. Our popular bowl covers also do this job very reliably. They can be washed after use and reused.
By the way, it also works very well if you want to freeze something. Wrap up bread, cakes or anything you want to keep for longer and put it in the freezer.

Advantages:
- lightweight and space-saving
- malleable
- also ideal for freezing

Suitable for: Storing (or freezing) bread and baked goods or sliced ​​fruit and vegetables, snacks and sandwiches to go.

cotton bags and vegetable nets
Not only are they a must-have for shopping, but they are also a practical storage option for fresh fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apples and broccoli.

Advantages:
- light, little space
- replace all plastic and paper bags

Suitable for: Purchasing and storing fresh produce, purchasing dry products and baked goods, freezing baked goods.

storage jars
You can store pretty much anything in jars. Be it meals, sauces or smoothies in the fridge or the whole range of dry goods in the cupboard or pantry. Whether you use a jar with a screw top, a Weck jar or a snap jar , food stays fresh for a long time when it is hermetically sealed. We also use jars for preserving, bottling or freezing.

Advantages:
- real all-rounders
- cheap

Suitable for: storing dry products and liquids, preserving, freezing and canning.

What about plastic boxes?
Let's be honest: even though we don't like plastic, we still have a good old Tupperware container every now and then. So if you have one, don't throw it away. That wouldn't be sustainable. Try to use it for as long as possible, don't buy new ones and avoid materials that aren't BPA-free.