Jackiesue posed this question when I complained that my Tupperware had not been returned. So, let's explore this question--What did people use/do before Tupperware.
I do know when I was younger, a child and beyond, my mother never stored anything in any plastic. She put things in bowls and on plates to store in the refrigerator. So, horror of horrors, she did not put an airtight lid on the food to keep it fresh. For years he put on a little thing like a shower cap complete with the elastic around the edge to hold it onto the bowl. It was not airtight. It was not water tight. But, nothing lingered in her refrigerator like it does in mine and most other people's refrigerators.
The storage item I remember most is waxed paper. This was put over food and sort of folded under around the plate or bowl, certainly even less secure than the shower cap arrangement. We carried sandwiches to school wrapped in waxed paper. There was no plastic wrap or Tupperware to secure our sandwiches. We were very careful getting our sandwiches out of the paper bag for lunch. I never spilled the sandwich or fillings from the waxed paper wrappings. I learned to be careful, even at the early age of seven. Before that, I don't remember lunch at school.
Some serving dishes dishes came with a matching lid that just set loosely on the top. We did not have many of those. But, there was no need for the shower cap or waxed paper. The dishes with lids that I remember were pottery or ironstone. Mama also put huge pots with their lids in the refrigerator on occasion. I am quite sure odors could escape from dishes and merge with other dishes.
Then, sometimes she turned a plate or saucer over a bowl as a lid. You can imagine how secure that method was--not at all. I suppose, depending on the bowl and plate, it might have worked a bit. This had to be removed from the refrigerator carefully so that the bowl did not slip from under your thumb.
I remember seeing tea towels over things in the refrigerator, but I have no idea what she covered with them. We called dish towels "tea towels" back then.
All these methods were very insecure. Nothing was sealed. Everything could evaporate, spill, or dry out. Since there were no margarine tubs, we did not even have those fairly secure lidded items. We did have cottage cheese, but I have no memory of her using those, although she may have.
When we got a freezer when I was about fourteen, she did buy the square plastic freezer containers. they had lids which were not air tight as the labels would have you believe. When she needed more freezer containers, there were no Ziplock freezer bags with a sealable zipper that turned a different color when sealed. At least we did not have them. I wonder when those were common. Mama washed out bread bags for weeks in the summer and dried those. She would double the bags in order to get a better barrier and possibly secure against leaks. In these she only put green beans and not anything with liquid like peaches.
Other than the freezer containers, I don't know if there were other options like freezer bags. Were there? I do know she filled an upright freezer in the late 50s and early 60s.
One summer when Daddy worked at the capitol in Jackson, MS, she took him to work everyday, brought him lunch, and picked him up. One day, she brought him spaghetti, toast, and iced tea for lunch. She brought the spaghetti and the tea in quart jars. These had the advantage of having lids and bands to avoid spillage. She wrapped the jars separately in towels and put them in their own paper bag. He poured the piping hot spaghetti onto a plate and drank from the quart jar.
The effect of all this was the guys working with him wanting the same lunch. They raved to Daddy after she left. Mama brought spaghetti for all. They insisted on giving her money. Well, from then on, she catered lunch with what would be dinner items, especially for men who ate from a paper bag. She brought dishes from home for everyone. She said she hated to take their money, but we could not afford to feed men lunch with generous portions of meat and lots of vegetables every day.
I have two of the lunch plates with the plastic lid and inner waterproof vent for microwaving. I paid dearly for one and bought the other for a dollar or two at a yard sale. They have paid for themselves many times over with lunch savings. I let exbf have them for lunches I packed him, warning him not to microwave for too long. When one came back all funny looking in the bottom of one section, I quit giving them to him. And, I yelled at him. He microwaves them for five minutes when two minutes would do!
However, I put his baked potato in a pint jar this last week and put carrots in another. I give him food in pickle relish jars and jelly jars, telling him I do not need them back. He returns every last jar! ugh Often, I put food in a storage or sandwich bag to send home with him.
Because glass is so dangerous, I do remember Mama had a solution that was not Tupperware--aluminum. Yes, good old safe aluminum for the children. There were four different colors that worked well for the four children. I remember being sad when we did not have those. I don't know what happened to them. We went back to glasses.
I gave my children Tupperware glasses when they did not drink from a small glass or a coffee cup. I did have one sippy cup that all three of my children used. I bought a set of tiny Tupperware glasses in 1968. They were just the right size for a baby hand. Later, I did buy a set of avocado green plastic tumblers that I still have. I need to get rid of those. They were short and had a bit larger diameter. But, they had no lid and were not Tupperware.
As soon as I married, I was invited to Tupperware parties. I introduced my mother to Tupperware by buying some for her. The first thing I got her was a straight-sided tall container with a lid and the spout. She made orange juice in it. I have a recipe from her that says, "one Tupperware container of powdered milk." It must have been for rice pudding or something milk-heavy since that container held over a quart if I remember correctly.
I never went for the serving items from T. I mostly have the cereal bowls, snack containers, and drinking items with lids. Of course, everything from Tupperware has tight lids or seals as they call them. Well, I did buy two serving items under pressure. I certainly never used them for company. There were little separate bowls I used in the refrigerator. The Jello mold was a mistake, since I may have used it twice. However, it worked as a bowl for whatever, but not on the table.
One of the first T items I bought was the set of snack containers. I used these to carry my lunch to work. It was years later before I bought the cereal bowls. Well, that is what I use the bowls for and for storing leftovers.
Now, I use pint or quart jars, Tupperware cereal bowls, foil, waxed paper, and Glad Wrap. I suppose I use glass mostly. I never buy T anymore. Maybe once every ten years I do buy T. But, it is always something small, although not inexpensive.
I love the spaghetti holder! However, at around $10 each, I will not be purchasing more of those.
I do believe T is safe. I am not going to rant against T or encourage anyone to buy it.
Your turn
Now, don't hold back. What did you do before Tupperware? What did your mother's generation use?What do you use now? I know I will get tirades against the dangers of plastic. That's okay! But, don't let that deter you if you use T without fear like I do. I have to say that even though I am not heavily into buying Tupperware, I DO LOVE TUPPERWARE. What are your opinions or predilections?
