How To Eliminate The Use Of Aluminum Foil In Your Kitchen

For many decades, aluminum foil has been present in almost every kitchen. Its use became popular to wrap food, transport it, store things in the fridge, and for cooking, in addition to many other things. However, aluminum foil is highly polluting and a large amount is wasted in homes.

Exposure to aluminum is very detrimental to health. We explain how to eliminate the use of aluminum foil in your kitchen.

The Health Hazards Of Aluminum Foil

Aluminum, when produced, pollutes enormously. It pollutes the water, cuts down trees, consumes energy, and emits a lot of carbon dioxide (CO2), although when it is melted, very toxic gases are produced and are present in acid rain, such as sulfur oxide or carbon dioxide. nitrogen. In addition, it is made from bauxite, caustic soda, and lime. Also in its recycling process, CO2 emissions and particles with a high FFC content are produced, which contribute to the greenhouse effect.

This aluminum product is very detrimental to health. A 2012 study shows that by eating food that has been wrapped in aluminum foil, this toxic material could end up inside them and we could, therefore, ingest them. The use of aluminum foil for cooking contributes significantly to the daily intake of aluminum through cooked foods, the study said.

In addition, its multiple uses have made it a waste that we tend to abuse. We don’t realize it, but we are accumulating huge amounts of this paper if we use it daily in our kitchen. Single-use silver foil is also an expense for our pockets. In the United States, more than 650 million dollars are spent annually on aluminum as packaging for sandwiches and take-away meals.

Below, we show you various alternatives to eliminate the use of aluminum foil in your kitchen and your day-to-day.

To Cover Food And Leave It In The Fridge Or Outside

Sometimes it is necessary to cover the food so that it does not spoil, or fill with dust or insects if we are going to leave it out of the fridge for a few hours. To perform this action, we normally use aluminum foil. If we put them in the refrigerator, we also cover them to prevent them from drying out and no longer being appetizing. All this will be solved with a pack of Tupperware or lunch boxes of different sizes. It costs nothing to pour food into them and we can keep it much more protected both in the refrigerator and out of it for days. If we have cooked a stew or a soup and we are going to eat it in a few hours, we can even leave it in the pot with the lid on. As you can see, aluminum foil is not only more polluting but less effective and uncomfortable to place. With this simple step, we will be avoiding wasting large amounts of aluminum.

To Roast Vegetables Or Meats In The Oven

Chicken skewers, roasted vegetables, or even roasted apples are delicious in the oven and until now the most common thing was to place a piece of aluminum foil on the tray because these foods cannot be placed directly on it. Baking paper is specialized for this task and is much less polluting; however, it is still a waste that we are wasting, so the best option we can give you is to always use an oven dish, preferably glass. For hearty roasts, we will use a large one, while we can have a smaller one to roast side dishes, such as vegetables or potatoes. Its price is not very high and it will serve us on multiple occasions, without storing waste. The most expensive part of this method is that later we will have to clean the oven dish, but if, freshly removed, you place it with warm water, a splash of soap, and a tablespoon of baking soda, half an hour later it will be very easy to leave it as new. in a few seconds.

Wrap The Potatoes Or Corn To Roast Them

It is incredible the number of cooking recipes that recommend us to wrap foods such as potatoes to cook them in the oven or on the grill. However, this is not healthy at all and dozens of studies show that in this way aluminum can pass into our bones, even our brains, due to the high temperatures that help melt the aluminum. In addition, we will be risking our health for nothing, since the food ends up cooking the same way without having to wrap it in this way. We suggest you stop doing it right now, your potatoes will be just as tasty, although don’t forget to prick them several times with a knife to prevent them from exploding.

Grill Food On Barbecue Or Grill

Many people also use aluminum to keep vegetables or small pieces of meat from slipping through the grates and getting charred. Nowadays, there are containers adapted to be able to pour your vegetables or food on them and place them later on the grill. be a great investment. If you don’t want to use these special pots, you can always buy several reusable stainless steel skewers. In them, you can comfortably insert your small pieces of meat, onion, vegetables, cherry tomatoes… a much more orderly and clean way of eating them. In addition, they will surely roast better since you can turn the rod until they are done on all sides.

Wrap Vegetables So They Don’t Dry Out

Another of the most common uses is to wrap vegetables with aluminum foil so that they do not lose their juice in the refrigerator. For example, onions, celery, half a tomato… However, we can also fix this with the Tupperware mentioned above, that’s what the mini-size ones are for. In this way, we will preserve our refrigerator from strong odors, such as the ones that can be caused by onions, and we will keep the food moist. Another trick is to cut the vegetables into sticks and store them in a glass of water in the fridge, although it will be necessary to change the water every three days.

Wrap Sandwiches For Picnics Or To Take To Work

This solution is sometimes not highly recommended, since after hours of sun the sandwich bread often becomes rubbery, so with this alternative we are going to guarantee better protection of your food, and with zero aluminum and waste!

To replace silver paper in this case, we will use specific alternatives that were created to preserve sandwiches or other foods. These are ecological wrappers that have been devised by people who had already realized how harmful aluminum foil is for this purpose. One of them is the “Boc’n Roll” wrapper, which is washable, so it will last us forever.

In addition, his invention has a curious story behind it: it was created by an 85-year-old Catalan grandmother together with her grandson in 2008. The product has one side with polyester and cotton (to protect food) and another with ecological plastic, which preserves it. shock and prevents it from deforming. The food can be wrapped adapting to its shape (so it will be the same for a mixed sandwich as for a baguette) and it closes with Velcro. In a year, a person can save between 60 and 100 dollars once the invention is purchased. Its price is 9 dollars.

But it is not the only product of this type that we can buy, fortunately, there is more and more demand. We have wraps, a silicone cover for sandwiches that protects them and makes them appetizing, even if they are filled with moist foods, such as tuna or lettuce. It also has the advantage that it allows us to see its content before opening it and that it does not tear easily, like aluminum.

There are also others made of cloth and reusable plastic. You will find your option at a very low price and you will always have your fruit or sandwiches protected for all the picnics you want to have.

With these simple tips, you will not only be leading a more ecological and healthy life, but you will end up saving a lot of money and you will forget to write this item on the shopping list forever.