View Full Version : Food Containers!
We recently had a family gathering for the new grandbaby blessing at Church. My children went to Costco to pick up some food for the brunch after. I could not get over the plastic waste from the huge clamshell containers. 3 large plastic containers for the croissants, another for the eggs, others for the fruit, cake, etc. As empty nesters we have the smallest available trash can. I ended up having to cut them up and nest them, but hey still took up about 1/3 of my dumpster. They really need to find a way to re-cycle that stuff.
Likewise, ordering takeout from Red Robin, Olive Garden, etc also produces a huge amount of plastic waste. We try to reuse the OG take out containers. Of course there was a pizza night so a couple of huge pizza boxes that can't be re-cycled (food waste on cardboard).
Maybe as we enter an period of much more expensive oil, recycling of plastics will come back into vogue. Hate the thought of filling our landfills with so much plastic.
iris lilies
3-12-22, 8:55pm
I too I’ve been recently horrified at the amount of plastic in food containers that just last long enough to get the food home then they get tossed? protecting the food during shipping is important, i guess, often long distances, but yeah it’s pretty awful.
I wonder why oil and chemical companies from which plastics are made aren't held more accountable for the massive amount of plastic out there.
ToomuchStuff
3-13-22, 9:50am
I wonder why oil and chemical companies from which plastics are made aren't held more accountable for the massive amount of plastic out there.
Kind of like wondering why the car companies aren't more accountable for drunk drivers.
You're right. As long as we keep buying it...
happystuff
3-13-22, 11:13am
Although we rarely eat out or get take-out beyond Chinese (cardboard boxes - yay!), I've often asked for non-styrofoam or non-plastic containers to take my leftovers home. In a friendly way! Minimally - and depending on the food - a few restaurants have been willing and able to wrap my leftovers in a piece of foil!
Teacher Terry
3-13-22, 1:25pm
Yes it’s really ridiculous! I wash them and then when I send people home with leftovers I use them.
One could bring their own takeaway containers--at least for leftovers.
Amazon Fresh has recently taken to wrapping their frozen foods in layers of paper, which replaces their previous plastic-wrapped fabric waste. And their plastic bags are supposedly biodegradable now. Washington has banned Styrofoam containers:
The new law, signed Monday by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, restricts restaurants’ use of disposable plastic items, requires recycled content in some plastic bottles and bags, and bans most uses of polystyrene foam, including cups, clamshell containers, packing peanuts, and coolers.
Supporters call it the nation’s toughest law on plastics. (KUOW.org)
Ridwell recycles clamshells here for a fee.
happystuff
3-13-22, 2:07pm
Yes it’s really ridiculous! I wash them and then when I send people home with leftovers I use them.
I do this same thing.
Chicken lady
3-13-22, 5:37pm
Back before the pandemic Dd took me to a really good Indian restaurant (took as in physically - i paid) the portion sizes were huge though, and we each ended up with a second dinner in a styrofoam clam shell.
a while later I suggested we go back. When I reached the point where I couldn’t eat any more, she said “I’m surprised you didn’t bring a container!” I pulled it out of my purse. She said “oh my god. At least you didn’t bring one for me.” I handed her hers. She rolled her eyes, but she used it.
there was a short period of time when we could recycle type one clamshell style packaging, but that is over, so I have given up buying a bunch of things that are packaged that way. I am baking more.
iris lilies
3-13-22, 8:10pm
I used to carry a plastic container or two in my car for takeout food from restaurant leftovers. But since Covid we don’t eat out that much so I haven’t done that in a while.
I do buy deli food often, but I use and reuse and reuse those containers.
The upper scale restaurants here for takeout use cardboard to make their aware customers happy, but it seems the third world cuisine places all use styrofoam
This is a bit far afield from clamshells, but it covers all the bases:
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-climate-crisis-is-worse-than-you-can-imagine-heres-what-happens-if-you-try?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR15wDsqgrvo4vV-0CP_0LVWSxwhDrJuxJnr3HgRgmBeXPBdcg0ZfTOoOBQ
It reminded me of Ed Begley and his long-suffering wife.
Chicken lady
3-13-22, 9:56pm
My Dh is the wife and I am the crazy one.
my Dd says that thanks to being raised by me and my heartdaughter (who is deeply involved in social justice) she “can never really enjoy anything.”
iris lilies
3-13-22, 10:02pm
My Dh is the wife and I am the crazy one.
my Dd says that thanks to being raised by me and my heartdaughter (who is deeply involved in social justice) she “can never really enjoy anything.”
well mom, your job is done. Thoroughly and excellently!
haha
My Dh is the wife and I am the crazy one.
my Dd says that thanks to being raised by me and my heartdaughter (who is deeply involved in social justice) she “can never really enjoy anything.”
That's kind of my take on fanatics of whatever stripe--they can suck the joy out of life itself. My mother used to suggest Ralph Nader would be a good match for me. Bwahaha! Maybe she secretly hated me...
EVERYTHING is plastic. It's cheaper.
Our county refuse and recycling department recently posted on its facebook page a reminder that plastic clamshell containers are not recyclable, even if they have the 1, 2 or 5 designation. I hadn't realized it before. I like to buy spring mix salad, but it comes in the clamshells. Ugh.
mschrisgo2
3-16-22, 2:50am
A very large part of the trash piles generated by the homeless people in their urban camps is actually packaging from the restaurant food that well-meaning folks donate. I keep suggesting that they need to take away a bag of trash every time they deliver more food… so far, no one seems to like my suggestion.
mschrisgo2 that is an excellent idea.
Little story: I remember back in 1991 when we went to India, they were starting to have issues with plastic. Previously the tea sellers used clay cups to serve. When done, you threw them on the ground and they disintegrated back to earth. Kept whole villages employed making the cups and there was no residual trash or need to wash.
When plastic cups came in, the whole system disintegrated. And plastic single use bags caused even more problems. Previously, mesh cord bags, woven baskets, fabric, etc. were used to carry things. They were reusable. Then the bags came and with them the problems of disposal and animals eating (due to food smell or taste). The plastic bags were flying around cities, villages, and the desert. Found the same thing in Egypt.
Chicken lady
3-16-22, 7:12am
Plastic is “cheaper” because we outsource the associated costs. If cultural expectations were to bring your own take home container it would reduce restaurants costs (slightly - unlikely to have any noticeable consumer cost benefit) and disposal costs.
my grocery store is phasing out “single use plastic bags” what this means is that you now get a much heavier “reusable” plastic bag that is an awkward shape and rarely gets reused or recycled.
when I was young we had a grocery store where you bagged your own groceries that let you bring your own bags, gave you empty boxes for free when available, or charged you 8 cents for a paper bag (8 cents was a lot more then - minimum wage was less than $4.) it was a very popular store, mostly due to low prices. But the quality and selection were fine. They did not have a big dumpster full of cardboard out back. Otoh, there was no curbside recycling so I’m sure all those cardboard boxes got land-filled from residential pick up.
ToomuchStuff
3-16-22, 9:41am
when I was young we had a grocery store where you bagged your own groceries that let you bring your own bags, gave you empty boxes for free when available, or charged you 8 cents for a paper bag (8 cents was a lot more then - minimum wage was less than $4.) it was a very popular store, mostly due to low prices. But the quality and selection were fine. They did not have a big dumpster full of cardboard out back. Otoh, there was no curbside recycling so I’m sure all those cardboard boxes got land-filled from residential pick up.
Sounds like Aldi's.
They did that here, although that store has changed so much. When I was a kid in scouts, we would go there and stock up on Grape soda to put in my foot locker for scout camp.
I looked after their last store redesign for Aldi's soda, which I haven't looked for in years. Kind of like me, about 10 years ago having a craving and searching stores for pudding pops. Sometimes get a craving for something from my childhood.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.