Inspiration
Once upon a time, I was inspired to do more good for the earth than I was doing. Soooo, I decided to give up Glad Wrap. No problem! I had half a roll left. Ha! I would use it sparingly...that's the plan. I did use it sparingly.
Gone
Yes, it ran out. Had I expected more to come from the roll like clowns spilling from a tiny car? Now, it is real--no more Glad Wrap. Before I tossed the box, I looked in it several more times that day. Satisfied that all of the roll was really gone and no more would appear, I discarded the box, sadly and slowly, knowing I would never see that cheerful yellow box in my kitchen again. Goodbye, dear one.
Lots of whining
Yes, I complained and whined about how much I missed Glad Wrap. This was a friend of at least 45 years! Wouldn't you miss a faithful friend? Never mind I had to pay for each visit out of my pocket. Never mind I deliberately ripped its innards and threw all unceremoniously into the trash and sent it for a ride on a nasty truck, a ride to a horrid, smelly place to live beneath the earth forever. Oh, I whined to anyone I trusted not to look at me like a nut. " I really miss my box of Glad Wrap!"
Substitutes
For much of my life, I never even knew about Glad Wrap. My mother put a saucer over leftovers in the refrigerator. We used Cut Rite waxed paper for school sandwiches. She also used it for putting over food in the refrigerator. At one point over 50 years ago, she used the little shower bonnets made just for food. We had Reynolds foil.
As it turns out, I was already using many other methods of storing leftovers. My transition to "no Glad Wrap" was difficult, nevertheless.
In the picture, top right clockwise: blue sandwich box, old; Smuckers glass pb jar with Pet milk; pecans in Ball, half-pint, wide-mouth canning/freezing, canning jar topped with plastic lid that is sold to make the reusable jar useful for storage; glass bowl with celery inside covered with little lemon "shower cap;" fruit "shower cap;" white bowl with saucer for a cover; half-pint, short freezer jar, reusing canning lid and ring; 4-oz. Tupperware storage. See, I can do other things. Why do I go for the bad boy? He wastes my money and the resources of the earth! Glad, shame on you, bad boy.
What's new?
Very little. I purchased the little "shower cap" covers in a Publix shortly after I gave up Glad Wrap. I have had the other items for years and used all of them often. I use quart canning jars to store cooked, dried beans. But, if I store them in a bowl, I use a dinner plate as a cover. I just will not give up Tupperware. Nor will I stop using the plastic sandwich box.
Quite parsimonious
As it turns out, I was further along to being a miser with the storage purchases than I thought, even with the Glad.
A gift
A friend finally just bought me a box because she knew how much I missed my Glad. I was ever so grateful. I think I hugged the box. No, I am sure I did. Well, after almost 2 years, I . RAN . OUT.
Sneaking around
Just before Christmas, I stealthily approached the aisle with Glad. My fingers trembled as I snatched the last box off the shelf. That sweetie was mine.
Shock!
When I opened the box, I startled. The Glad was RED. Now that was a shock, almost like a Scarlet Letter in a box, labeling me and shaming me each time I opened the box and ripped off a sheet. I know how Hester felt. Then, RED taunted me each time I opened the refrigerator or the vegetable crisper drawer. The mischievous Frugal Fairy had the last laugh. Do you know exactly how hard it is to figure out which vegetable is which? A small amount of cabbage, celery, onion, and other items were all in the own little swaddling of red, too many layers. No, it is not easy to ascertain what is what when I am having trouble bending, seeing these is my own shadow, and in a hurry.
PS
Glad is the only plastic wrap that does not have plasticizers in it. At least, it is the least toxic--not a good attitude on my part...sigh...sigh...sigh. So, that bit of the health scare does not bother me. Yes, I do believe that most plastic is not healthy to use. Tupperware gets a pass as do my sandwich boxes.
Your turn
Have you given up plastic wrap or consumable products for you food storage needs? What do you use?
I too try to use VERY little cling wrap. and Glad is my brand; good to hear it's the lesser of all the evils
ReplyDeletemy turn? well, i use no rolls of paper or plastic..so, save every glass jar i use or find..yard sales are a good source of free jars..
ReplyDeletefrom soup to nuts, leftovers to jam, short to tall, i use glass pyrex bowls with glass pie dish for lids or glass pan lids as well.
some plastic re-useable containers have made their shameful appearance in my fridge, but i try to recycle them as un-returnable food gifts or as miscellaneous nuts and bolts tamers (like ribbons or pins).
glad to see you gladless.
I wont buy any disposable product, I prefer to use what I have.
ReplyDeleteI do use plastic as in bread bags and wrapping from *clean* food that comes in i.
I use plastic for storage but I don't buy it. I don't use it in the microwave, I use glass there. I use glass as my main storage containers but would rather re-use what plastic I have than throw it all away. And plastic doesn't break as easily as glass when it is dropped and as things get dropped a fair bit here...
Red gladwrap? I supose there is a point to it being red?
Barb.
Dmarie, I figured with very little use, I could make this roll last three years. But, I may have to give it away if I cannot endure RED for three years. yuck
ReplyDeleteNadine, I was saving all glass jars and had to toss the ones I could not give away. I use them for storing raisins and such so that the raisins stay fresh longer.I told exbf to keep the glass or plastic jars, and he keeps bringing them back...lol.
Barb, Yes, not breaking is the one advantage to saving plastic jars that food comes in. This week, I carried hot water to hens pen in a plastic Miracle Whip jar and put dry oats in a plastic pb jar. I knew if I fell on ice from here to the pen, I did not want to land on a broken piece of glass. RED is for the holidays. I just hate it and want clear wrap. Glad has red, green, yellow,at least.
We are are all of one accord except for Dmarie and I who use a smidgen of Glad.
Contrary to the last comment I made, I do not throw away ALL glass jars. I keep the canning jars, but I have so many spaghetti and Smuckers pb jars that soon they would outnumber the canning jars! They must be culled. PP
ReplyDelete