Monday 3 June 2019

Shadow Boxing

 It is 20 years since a company in South Korea started producing "Lock&Lock" storage boxes. For devotees of kitchen organisation and food storage, this was hailed as the greatest thing since the Tupperware 'burp' 50 years earlier.
L&L does what it says, and locks in flavour, freshness- and liquid. I've occasionally bought boxes [usually when on offer] and particularly like my lunch box with 3 inner removable sections. They have lasted very well and certainly keep going when cheaper boxes have split.
But why am I mentioning them now? surely we are supposed to be avoiding plastic and saving the planet etc?
I am not advocating a reversal of all my attempts to be mindful of waste and avoid single-use plastic. But on the other hand, I cannot quite cope with Bea Johnson, Queen of Zero Waste, who admits to a love affair with Le Parfait jars [french equivalent of Kilner] and keeps all her fridge and freezer contents in these glass receptacles.
This is horribly inefficient use of space, my wire & plastic freezer drawers could not cope with the weight - and I am concerned about dropping the frozen glass jars, or expansion causing them to crack.
So thank you, BJ, but I will continue my careful use of other containers.
I was very pleased therefore, to discover that L&L, following on from their original white 'classic' range, have brought out a multicoloured green/eco range.
Very intelligently, they have developed a way of gathering up the scrap plastic from the manufacture of their boxes, to make other boxes. But because these are a hotchpotch of bits,the plastic is a sludgy grey. So they add random food-safe dyes and end up with boxes which are consistent in shape but unique in colour. I love the way the light shines through in a rainbow of colours!
I think this is a good thing, and it is worth paying a little more [around 15-20p per box] to know my boxes are made from scrap which would have gone to landfill. [Yeah, I know it probably doesn't cost L&L more but I'm encouraging a good principle]
The wrappers are recyclable cardboard, and the lids fit boxes of different volumes.
I just bought these, mostly for Liz's birthday but a few for myself. 
The green one top left is just the right size for 2 portions of soup to go in the freezer. The smaller ones will hold cheese - the littlest one just right for carrot sticks or olives for a Rosie-snack.
I bought these from Harts of Stur - a fantastic Dorset kitchen shop, celebrating its centenary this year. Still run by the same family it is a lovely shop to wander round and they do mail order. Not as well known as Lakeland, but sometimes cheaper!

5 comments:

  1. What a daft idea to put glass containers in the freezer!Also, those particular jars can be tricky to open and close for some folks with joint issues.I'll stick with my freezer drawers full of recycled plastic containers for the time being. Thanks for the link to the kitchen shop. Have a good week, Angela.

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  2. I love glass jars for dry storage - a real mix and match in my house mind as they are re-used produce jars, bought in charity shops or cheap supermarket ones, but like you stick with reusing plastic storage boxes in the fridge and freezer - from the view of a good use of space, weight and fear of breakages too. Never quite trusted that glass wouldn't crack.

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  3. Bahh forgot to add that I really like those pre-consumer waste colourful boxes - could make it easier to organise a freezer and figure out what's in the box if a label falls off!

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  4. I'm sure that from weight & safety point of view, plastic is better in the freezer - but I too like glass containers for dry goods in the pantry

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  5. Those boxes are nice! I reuse most of the plastic containers I get or put them in the recycling bin. I reuse a lot of glass jars, too, or will recycle them. I store things in glass jars in the cupboards and fridge, but, I generally don't freeze things in them.

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