The Clear Gold Standard for Non-Toxic Storage

Besides being beautiful and letting you easily see what’s inside, glass containers are chemically inert. That means:

• No Leaching, Ever. Unlike plastic containers—which can release harmful chemicals (BPA, phthalates, microplastics) when they heat up or age—glass won’t interact with your food. You can store hot bone broth, cold cuts, or even acidic tomato sauce without worrying about invisible contaminants seeping in.

• Flavor and Nutrient Integrity. Because glass doesn’t absorb odors or flavors, your meals taste just as you intended. Your next-day steak won’t pick up a “plastic” aftertaste; your homemade broth won’t take on lingering notes of last week’s soup.

• Safety and Purity. When tiny fingers clam up on a glass cup, there’s no chemical trade-off. You’re giving them a toxin-free vessel, and giving yourself peace of mind too.

Got a pantry full of plastic? Making the healthy swap to glass might be more affordable than you think! Here are some low to no-cost ideas for going plastic-free.

Mason Jar: The Low-Cost Everyday Workhorse

If there’s a poster child for glass food storage, it’s the classic Mason Jar. They can be easily bought online for less than a dollar a jar, or if you’re willing to do a little hunting, at local stores for less than that. Here are some ways to use them to quit plastic:

1. Leftovers and Meal Prep

2. Bone Broth & Stock: Pour hot broth straight into a wide-mouth quart (32 oz) jar; seal and freeze. Defrost in the fridge and heat in a saucepan or the microwave.

3. Dinner in Two Minutes: Batch prep meals and spoon them into a wide-mouth pint (16 oz) jar. Reheat in the microwave or oven, and tip it out onto your dinnerware (or eat it out of the jar and you’ll cut down exponentially on doing dishes!).

4. Baby Food & Toddler Drinks

5. Meat Purees: When I started making pureed salmon and beef for my then six-month-old, I used the 4 oz jelly jars to store and feed. Baby gets a great view of his food and no plastic leaching into it.

6. Mason Bottle Straw Tops: This platinum medical-grade silicone straw top is a staple in our house. I put it on an 8 oz regular mouth jar(which hasn’t broken yet, despite being dropped from table height–twice! But if you don’t want to give your toddler glass, they also have a stainless steel jar).

7. Beverages & Hydration

8. Water, Iced Coffee, Broth Sippers: Use a lid with a straw hole on a wide-mouth pint, quart jar, or stackable drinking glass for splash-proof hydration. Skip plastic completely with a Made in USA glass straw.

9. Infused Water: Drop in a sprig of rosemary or a few berries into a half-gallon (64 oz) jar, fill with water, and let it steep in the fridge. No plastic floating around.

10. Pantry Storage

11. Dry Goods: For items like coffee, salt, or spices, Mason Jars keep everything visible, organized, and airtight.

I love these one-piece stainless steel lids for everything–from storing pantry goods to refrigerating leftovers to freezing baby food.

Repurposed Jars: A Zero-Cost Solution

If you’re already enjoying spaghetti sauce, jam, salsa, or pickles from the grocery store, you’re halfway to a plastic-free pantry—all those glass jars can be reborn as your new favorite storage vessels. My own “aha” moment came when I realized how many jars I tossed out each month. Instead of letting them accumulate in the recycling bin, I started setting them aside, washing them, and peeling off labels. Now I have a ready supply of 8 oz to 32 oz jars—without ever spending a dime.

Here’s how I give preloved jars a second life:

1. Clean & De-label

2. Many labels can be pulled right off the dry jar. Start at a corner and go slowly, as this helps to keep the adhesive attached to the label instead of the jar.

3. For labels that are a bit more stubborn, soak the jar in warm, soapy water for 15–20 minutes. Then rub off the paper label and use a scrub pad or a dab of olive oil to remove stuck on glue.

4. Match Lids & Repurpose

5. Save original lids whenever possible—many screw-tops seal airtight even after multiple uses.

6. For lids that are rusty or can’t be reused, repurpose these as open-jar storage for things like extra utensils, glass straws, or keeping writing utensils within arm’s reach.

7. Sort by Size & Function

8. Keep a “Prep Station” shelf in your kitchen where 4 oz and 8 oz jars live—perfect for small purees, condiments, or toddler snacks.

9. Use 16 oz and 32 oz jars for batch-cooked broth, shredded beef, or diced chicken. These sizes also double as drinking glasses or “meal in a jar” containers you can take to work.

10. Reserve any odd larger jars (like 64 oz vessels) for pantry staples like coarse sea salt, collagen powder, dried herbs, or even bagged snacks.

Because these glass jars were already paid for by enjoying the food inside, you’re essentially getting premium non-toxic food storage for free! Over time, you’ll see just how quickly a “no-cost” collection grows: every bottle of pickles or jar of tomato sauce becomes tomorrow’s fridge essential.

Bonus: Choose Foods Sold in Glass

The benefits of going plastic-free start at the grocery store. When you opt for products packaged in glass, you get non-toxic benefits from the very start:

• No Hidden Plastics. Many commercially packaged foods (spice blends, bone broth, sauces, even fish oil) come in plastic-lined cans or BPA-coated pouches. Glass packaging eliminates that worry entirely, so you can be certain nothing leached into your meal before it even hit your shopping cart.

• Superior Freshness & Flavor. Glass doesn’t impart off-flavors or odors. A store-bought bone broth in a glass bottle won’t have picked up a plasticky taste from being stored in a plastic bottle or “paper” (plastic-lined) carton. If you’re feeding little ones purees or smoothies, that subtle difference matters.

• Instant Reusability. Every glass jar or bottle you buy becomes tomorrow’s storage option. You’ll quickly notice fewer trips to the store for new containers.

Your Glass Storage Action Plan

With Mason Jars (new or repurposed) and foods already sold in glass, you eliminate hidden plastics, preserve flavor, and you can build a low or no-cost, non-toxic food storage system that grows organically alongside your grocery routine. Plus, glass reinforces a real-food kitchen: no off-flavors, no warping, no toxic leaching.

Here are a few suggested steps for making this your reality:

1. Stash & Repurpose. Collect glass bottles and jars from pantry staples. Wash, remove labels, and start reusing them for your own meals.

2. Purge Plastic. Audit the plastic containers you use the most, especially if any are used in the microwave or with acidic or fatty foods. Swap these out for glass first.

3. Set a Simple Goal. Make a game of it and challenge yourself! (e.g., “Replace all leftover containers with glass by month’s end”)

4. Celebrate Small Wins. Comment with a photo of your glass-only fridge or a successful batch of broth stored in jars!

Next time you bring home a new glass-packaged sauce or jar of pickles, pause and think: “How many future jars of broth, baby-food portions, or meal-prep meals can this bottle become?” You’ll never miss that plastic clutter again.

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It sounded like progress. It sounded safe. But here’s the truth: “BPA-free” doesn’t mean non-toxic.

It usually just means “swapped for something else equally harmful.”

What Is BPA, Anyway?

BPA (bisphenol A) is a synthetic chemical used to make plastics clear, rigid, and shatter-resistant. You’ll find it in:

• Plastic food containers and water bottles

• Can linings (canned food and drinks)

• Receipts

• Baby bottles (especially older ones—please don’t thrift these 😬)

BPA is known to be an endocrine disruptor, meaning it can mimic estrogen and interfere with hormone function, especially in developing children and pregnant women. Exposure to BPA has been linked to a range of serious health effects, including impaired brain development, early puberty, infertility, increased risk of obesity and metabolic disorders, thyroid dysfunction, immune system disruption, and even higher rates of hormone-related cancers like breast and prostate cancer.

After years of public pressure, BPA started disappearing from labels.

But manufacturers didn’t remove it. They just replaced it.

The BPA-Free Trap: Meet BPS and BPF

When companies removed BPA, they often swapped it for other bisphenols like:

• BPS (bisphenol S)

• BPF (bisphenol F)

These don’t show up on ingredient lists, but they act the same way in the body, or worse. Research has shown that BPS and BPF can still bind to estrogen receptors, affect metabolism, and interfere with brain development in children. In some cases, the effects of these bisphenols were worse than BPA.

So while a “BPA-free” label might make a product feel safer, it often just means “different plastic, same problems.”

How to Avoid BPA and Its Substitutes

The best way to protect your family is to switch to safer materials and smarter habits. Here’s where to start:

• Swap plastic for glass or stainless steel: Store leftovers in glass containers, use stainless steel water bottles, and cook with wood, bamboo, or steel utensils.

• Choose fresh or frozen over canned foods: Many canned goods are lined with BPA or its substitutes. Opt for glass-jarred or frozen options when you can.

• Never heat plastic: Microwaving plastic—even “safe” kinds—accelerates chemical leaching, especially into fatty foods. Always use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel.

• Skip thermal paper receipts: Receipts are often coated in BPA. Opt for email receipts or wash your hands after handling them.

What I Use in My Home Instead

Instead of aiming for perfection, I’m aiming for a home that supports my family’s health, one small choice at a time. Here’s what I’ve switched to over the years:

🥛 Tableware:

• Glass Ball Mason jars. These wide-mouth ones make excellent drinking glasses, and matching stainless steel lids make storing leftovers easy.

• Insulated stainless steel mugs like this one from Yeti. I replaced the plastic straw with these excellent Made-in-the-USA Hummingbird glass straws.

• These Made in USA 18/10 stainless steel flatware sets will last generations. The American Industrial design has a beautiful matte finish that doesn’t show fingerprints or scratches.

🥣 Food Storage:

• Glass containers. You can repurpose glass jars from pickles and pasta sauce for a no-cost storage option, or invest in a set of oven-and-microwave-safe glass containers. My favorites are the Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers because the lids are interchangeable between all sizes. The lids are made from StainShield™ (Tritan™) plastic, which is free of bisphenols, phthalates, and PFAS. (I still don’t let my food touch them though.)

• Microwave-safe steel? Yes! For taking lunch to go, I love this microwaveable stainless steel lunch box.

🍼 Baby & Kid Items:

• Replace plastic baby bottles with a Mason Bottle nipple top. Compatible with any Regular Mouth Mason jar, these Made in USA nipple tops are medical-grade silicone and easy to clean. Part of a modular system that grows with your kid:

• Mason Bottle straw top cups for older kids. These tops are compatible with any stainless steel or glass mason jars, and the straws are medical-grade silicone.

• Stainless steel bento boxes or divided trays make great kid plates. They’re shatterproof, and a matching lid makes storing leftovers easy.

• This stainless steel utensil set for babies and toddlers is Made in USA and includes a feeder spoon (for you to spoon feed) and self-feeding spoon and fork, for when baby is ready to try it on their own!

🍲 Cookware:

• No plastic in the microwave. Ever. Heating plastic releases hormone-disrupting chemicals into foods, especially when in contact with fatty foods.

• One of my favorite cooking utensils is this remarkably simple and comfortable Made in USA stainless steel cook’s spoon. My second favorite is this unusual little server spoon, also Made in USA, that does as great a job cooking ground meat as it does serving casserole. Options abound for ladles, tongs, and turners too. Just make sure it’s all stainless steel, without aluminum (which can’t go in the dishwasher) or plastic handles.

• When you need a gentler touch, wood cooking utensils are an excellent alternative to steel. Make sure they’re uncoated (no varnish or paint that could get in your food) and treat them weekly with grass-fed beef tallow or beeswax. This quirky but surprisingly useful cowboy spatula is Made in USA (Texas, of course) from mesquite or pecan wood.

• For ease of use and cleanup, I swear by stainless steel cookware. Heritage x Eater stainless steel cookware is Made in USA and will last you generations. You can transition to these heirloom pieces over time, starting with your most-used pot or pan.

• If you need nonstick cookware, the Titanium Pro line from Our Place is a very impressive no-coating invention! Its nonstick properties come from the pattern impressed into the titanium interior and work very well without any PFAS or Teflon. The largest 12.5” fry pan will handle everything from a family-size batch of eggs to weeknight dinners for a crowd.

• When it comes to baking, I love glass bakeware like this surprisingly inexpensive 10-piece Made in USA set from Anchor Hocking.

A Gentle Reminder: It’s OK to Transition Slowly

You don’t have to throw everything away today. Instead, transition at a speed that makes sense for you, starting with your most-used items. Rather than panicking, this is about making smarter swaps where you can.

Start with the things that touch heat or fat. Those accelerate leaching and are worth prioritizing:

• Microwave containers —> Glass containers

• Coffee cups with plastic lids —> Stainless steel or glass Mason jars

• Non-stick (Teflon or PFAS-coated) pans —> Stainless steel pan

• Plastic baby bottles or sippy cups —> Stainless steel or glass jar with a Mason Bottle straw or nipple top

If You Take One Thing Away From This Post...

“BPA-free” is marketing, not safety. Real safety comes from using non-toxic materials that have stood the test of time, primarily glass, steel, or wood.

They’re beautiful. They’re durable. And they’re a whole lot better for your family’s health.

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Every swap in this post (and a few hundred more) lives in the free, searchable catalog at GoodDefault.com. Subscribe below for more simple swaps for a less-toxic home.

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If you choose to make a purchase through some of the links on this page, I may receive a small thank-you commission as an Amazon affiliate—at no cost to you! Thank you for your support!

Personal Care Items to Rethink

These are some of the most common culprits found in our daily routines.

• Deodorant & Antiperspirant: Conventional options often contain aluminum salts (which block detox pathways like sweating) and fragrance blends linked to hormone disruption and skin irritation.

• Toothpaste & Floss: Some flosses (especially “glide” types) are coated with PFAS, and many toothpastes contain synthetic preservatives, artificial flavors, or fluoride, which may be something you choose to avoid.

• Lip Balm & Lipstick: What goes on your lips often ends up inside you. Many mainstream lip products contain lead, parabens, PFAS, or petroleum-based waxes, especially in long-wear formulas.

• Body Wash & Lotion: Often full of fragrance, parabens, and artificial dyes that do nothing for your health—but everything to irritate your skin and burden your system.

• Makeup: Foundation, mascara, and powders can contain PFAS for waterproofing or talc contaminated with asbestos. Fragrance and dyes are also common.

• Period Products: Even “cotton” tampons can contain fragrance, pesticide residues, and plastic applicators—delivering toxins to the most absorbent areas of your body.

If you’re curious about where to start, you can find a full searchable list of the products I choose for my own family at GoodDefault.com!

Ingredients to Avoid

Here’s a list of toxins you can avoid with a close look at the label and packaging.

Fragrance / Parfum

A legal loophole. Manufacturers are not required to disclose the individual chemicals used to create their proprietary scents. This catch-all term can include phthalates, synthetic musks, and hundreds of harmful undisclosed chemicals. If you see “fragrance” or “parfum” and the brand doesn’t fully disclose what’s inside it, skip it.

Parabens

Look for anything ending in -paraben (e.g. methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben). These are common in moisturizers, lotions, and makeup as preservatives and have estrogenic effects.

Phthalates

Rarely listed by name. Instead, they often hide in:

• Fragrance/parfum (they help scent stick to skin)

• Plastic packaging or applicators

• Flexible plastics (like squeezable tubes)

• Vinyl labels or coatings on packaging

Tip: Avoid “long-lasting” fragrance or flexible plastic packaging when possible.

PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)

Almost never named directly. Be cautious of:

• Waterproof or long-wear makeup (mascara, foundation, lipstick)

• Non-stick or “smooth glide” claims on floss and applicators

• “Stain-resistant” or “moisture-wicking” fabrics in packaging, wipes, or pads

Tip: If it boasts water resistance, grease-proofing, or long wear, it may contain PFAS—even if not disclosed.

Aluminum Salts

Look for ingredients like aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly, etc.—most often found in antiperspirants.

Artificial Dyes

Typically labeled as:

• FD&C or D&C followed by a color and number (e.g. FD&C Red 40) — these are common in shampoos, lotions, lipsticks, and kids’ products.

Tip: Brightly colored products are usually artificially dyed.

BPA & Plastics

These won’t be on a product label—but look out for:

• Plastic containers with recycling codes #3 or #7

• Glossy coatings (especially thermal receipt paper, toothbrush handles, applicators, floss picks)

• Scented or colored tampons and pads (may have plastic coatings or BPA-laced components)

Tip: Choose glass, stainless steel, bamboo, or paper packaging when possible.

Did you know? The skin is not just a barrier—it’s a sponge. If you wouldn’t eat it, think twice before putting it on your body.

Low-Toxin Swaps to Start With

For a full, searchable list of the non-toxic products my family uses, check out GoodDefault.com! I only recommend the products that we use and love–and I keep this list updated each time I find a new swap.

• Natural deodorant instead of antiperspirant: Look for solid sticks with essential oils or gentle formulas free from baking soda and fragrance blends. For a ridiculously simple deodorant option, try a “salt stick” crystal deodorant.

• Floss: Use plant waxed silk or charcoal floss without PFAS coatings. My favorites are these BPA, PFAS, and PTFE-free floss picks.

• Toothpaste: Try one made with non-nano hydroxyapatite (a fluoride alternative) and no artificial flavors, like this USA-made prebiotic mineral toothpaste.

• Lip Care: Choose organic balms or lipsticks, and avoid “longwear” products. For a super simple and healthy lip balm, try my DIY tallow balm recipe!

• Skincare: Look for unscented or essential oil–scented versions based on tallow, shea or cacao butter, or other nourishing whole ingredients that you’d also find in your kitchen pantry. My favorite supplier is Bello Tallow—most of their products are tested for PFAS.

• Makeup: Start with brands that test for heavy metals and list every ingredient. EWG Verified brands like this one are a good place to start. Avoid “waterproof” or “24-hour wear” products which can include PFAS.

• Period Products: Opt for organic cotton pads or organic cotton tampons without applicators, or try reusable options like medical-grade silicone cups or washable cotton pads.

A Note on Mindset: Grace Over Guilt

Rather than a race, lowering your family’s toxic load is an ongoing journey of discovery. You don’t need to do everything at once. Focus first on what you use daily, like your deodorant, toothpaste, and lip balm. Start there. Replace products with healthier swaps when you run out.

Every small change you make contributes to a larger impact. By choosing safer alternatives, you’re protecting your health and also supporting brands that prioritize transparency.

Here’s How to Maintain Your Progress:

1. Create a “Clean Catalog”: As you discover new products and make healthier swaps that work better for your family, consider keeping a list or a capsule collection of your favorite new finds! This will help save time when you do the shopping and keep your choices conscious and intentional.

2. Share With Your Community: Share your journey with friends and family. Start conversations about toxic ingredients and encourage others to join you in exploring healthier options.

3. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge your efforts! Every product swap is a step towards reducing your toxic load and enhancing your health. Celebrate these victories, no matter how small.

Remember that change doesn’t have to happen overnight. It’s perfectly okay to take your time, research better products, and find what works best for you and your family. You can build a healthier future one thoughtful choice at a time!

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What you’ll get here

Room-by-room swap guides. The kitchen, the laundry room, the bathroom shelf, the kids’ table. Each post explains what’s actually in the conventional products — fragrance loopholes, bisphenol musical chairs, PFAS coatings — and exactly what we replaced them with, after testing them in a real house with a real toddler.

Label-reading skills. I’d rather teach you to spot the problem in fifteen seconds at the store than have you memorize a hundred brand names. Posts like the toddler-snack label guide are about making you the expert.

DIY recipes when DIY genuinely wins. Tallow lip balm, whipped body butter, a two-ingredient all-purpose spray. When the homemade version is cheaper, cleaner, and takes twenty minutes, I’ll show you. When it’s not worth it, I’ll say that too.

The catalog, always. Every product mentioned in any post lives in the free, searchable catalog at GoodDefault.com — filterable by category, with notes on why each item made the cut.

What you won’t get

No sponsored placements, ever. Some links are affiliate links (they cost you nothing and help keep this running — I’ll always tell you), but no brand can pay to be on the list, and products get removed when they reformulate or when better testing comes out. I use everything I recommend. This list started as the one I made for my own family; it still is.

Who I am

I’m a former engineering director turned stay-at-home mom, which means I bring a slightly unreasonable level of research rigor to questions like ‘which salt has the least lead in it.’ Everything here gets tested in a real house, on a real budget, with a real toddler. This publication stays focused: better household defaults, one practical swap at a time.

Start here

If you’re new, these three posts cover the biggest wins first: Hidden Toxins in Your Skincare, The Truth About BPA-Free Plastics, and The Best Budget Glass Food Storage.

Grace over guilt, always. You don’t have to fix your whole house this week — you just have to make the next swap.