Environmentally friendly way to store meat?

23rochelle23
23rochelle23 Posts: 269 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone have any brilliant ideas as to an environmentally friendly way to divvy up meat for the freezer? I currently use plastic bags and feel guilty everytime I do

Replies

  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,353 Member
    I invested in reusable plastic bags. I have snack, sandwich and quart sizes. They actually work pretty well for freezing since the reusable plastic is thicker than baggies. They aren't as transparent though, so be sure and label! I use labels made for canning jars. Easy to write on and they come off easily with water.
  • swirlybee
    swirlybee Posts: 497 Member
    You can also use butcher paper. Just make sure you wrap it 2-3 times if you're going to keep the meat in the freezer for longer than a couple of weeks. And make sure you use freezer tape to seal.
  • marobirob
    marobirob Posts: 4 Member
    butcher paper and wax paper.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    edited November 2018
    Butcher paper works well. I personally just use plastic and then reuse it until it's ready to fall apart. They go a long way before I have to toss them.
  • 23rochelle23
    23rochelle23 Posts: 269 Member
    Thanks guys

    I’ll be looking for some butchers paper this week! Great idea :-)
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I also have feelings about the ziplocs but I try to reuse them - I'll generally put the new whatever into the bag with the last same thing in it until it's not really usable any more.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    My neighbor stores his frozen fish in milk cartons filled with water. Says they are much better that way. But nothing lasts long enough in my freezer to matter. I wonder if it would work with meat?
  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
    I am switching over to glass for my freezer storage. Freezer grade Mason jars are available, and the metal lids and rings are much more durable over time than any plastic I’ve used. I’ve got a dozen each of 1/2 pint and 1 pint sizes, and want to get a dozen of the 2pt.

    My long term use of plastic storage options has never been as satisfying as I hoped, and I have begun to wonder about how to identify, detect or measure the degradation of plastic (that is containing the food I eat) into individual components over time.
  • 23rochelle23
    23rochelle23 Posts: 269 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    I hate to break it to you, but if you are eating commercially produced meat (ie not hunting your own), the environmental impact of producing that meat for you to eat far outweighs the environmental benefits of not using plastic bags.

    If you truly want to reduce your environmental impact related to the food you eat, reducing the amount of meat you eat is the way to do it.

    I am in no way, shape, or form a vegetarian, but I do want to point out that meat production does have a tremendous environmental impact.

    I’ve already got celiacs so limiting what I can eat even more would make me the most annoying person to feed ever.. However there is no point in using plastic which can be easily replaced so as to not ruin the environment any more... also meat is delicious.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    23rochelle23 wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    I hate to break it to you, but if you are eating commercially produced meat (ie not hunting your own), the environmental impact of producing that meat for you to eat far outweighs the environmental benefits of not using plastic bags.

    If you truly want to reduce your environmental impact related to the food you eat, reducing the amount of meat you eat is the way to do it.

    I am in no way, shape, or form a vegetarian, but I do want to point out that meat production does have a tremendous environmental impact.

    I’ve already got celiacs so limiting what I can eat even more would make me the most annoying person to feed ever.. However there is no point in using plastic which can be easily replaced so as to not ruin the environment any more... also meat is delicious.

    If meat is okay because it's delicious, why isn't plastic okay because it is convenient?

    I don't see how one argument is any more compelling than the other.
  • 23rochelle23
    23rochelle23 Posts: 269 Member
    Because I asked for ideas I’m willing to be slightly inconvenienced but not to change my diet 🙄
    It’s not your life so you don’t have to understand my reasoning in all honesty- thanks so much for your input though!

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