Getting Rid of Plastic Food Containers

"New" glass containers for pantry shelf

My mind has been on plastic the last couple of days.  It is everywhere! In the pantry, in the fridge, kids plates and cups, the shower curtain, the bathtub, every single lotion and cosmetic container, the milk jug, the vegetable wrappers, indestructible packaging and on and on and on.  And yet, there is plenty of evidence that many plastics are just plain bad for you - not to mention the environment.  I've known this for a long time, but when I look in my cupboards and my refrigerator, there is plenty of plastic and in the past I have been complaisant about heating up food in the microwave in plastic containers.  NO MORE!

Part of my problem has been that I wasn't really sure what plastic is OK and what is not and there is always the thought that if the government let's manufacturers sell the stuff, it must be OK.  Well, maybe not.  I found a good website yesterday that clearly defines by recycling number, what the different types of plastic are and which ones ought not to be around food.  (Stay away from 7!) Here's the link to the list:  Exposure to Chemicals in Plastic.
 This site also provides lots of information on breast cancer, and the things one should do to reduce cancer risks.  Now I had breast cancer 20 years ago and had sort of stopped thinking about it, but in the last month two people close to me have been diagnosed with breast cancer and I've heard several stories of the fatal return of cancer in women who had been cancer free for years.  Ooops.  Maybe I should be paying more attention to these things.  If not for me, than for my daughter and my grandchildren.

So today I got rid of the antique plastic containers I've been using in the pantry because you know they probably have BPA, as well as all of the plastic kids' plates, bowls and glasses just to be on the safe side.  My house is still full of plastic, but I feel a little better about the food.  Besides, I like the look of the glass jars full of goodies, don't you?

Oh, and of course, I don't really want to throw the old plastics away.  The containers will get use as storage organizers for non food items, but I'm not sure what to do with the kids plates etc.  I should give them away, but if I think they are not a healthy idea, how can I give them away just because other people aren't as worried??