Pyrex Storage: 7 Reasons Why It’s Better Than Plastic – Part 1

If you trying to save money, shrink your environmental footprint and live a healthier lifestyle, then switching over to Pyrex storage containers could be a good choice for you.

My wife and I had been using plastic containers  for a long time before looking into Pyrex storage containers.  However, we encountered a few problems with plastic, which led us to look for better alternatives.

So, with these problems in mind, we researched and found Pyrex.  With the intention of completely switching over to Pyrex storage from plastic, we immediately purchased several large sets of the Pyrex storage containers over the web, and they were delivered in less than a week.

When they arrived, we were like two kids on Christmas morning, ripping into the boxes, unpacking, oooing and aaahing over the hefty weight of each bowl.  We loaded up the dishwasher two times to get all of the bowls washed (the lids have to go on the top rack).

It’s been a long-term love affair ever since.

We have owned our several sets of Pyrex storage containers for over a 3 years now, and have completely replaced all of our plastic containers… I can honestly say that we are set for life.  The Pyrex storage (lids and bowls) still look brand new.

These containers have impressed us so much that we decided to start our own “fan site” to spread the word about these bowls.  So, lets jump right in.  Here are the 7 reasons why Pyrex storage containers are better than plastic:

Reason #1:  No Discoloration on Pyrex Bowls

No mater what the advertising says on the box, reheating food in plastic will eventually stain the container.  That is because some food contains corrosive acid that will eat away at the inside of the container.  Tomato sauce is especially acidic and can essentially “eat through” the protective coating on most plastic storage.

Pyrex storage containers, on the other hand, are non-porous borosilicate glass… which is extremely resistant to acidic and basic foods.  Borosilicat glass was first used in test tubes (for chemistry) as it is resistant to bonding with the compounds inside.  This characteristic make Pyrex storage perfect for cooking, food storage and reheating.

Reason #2:  Pyrex Storage Does Not Warp

Plastic is susceptible to warping in the microwave.  Even if the plastic itself doesn’t get hot, the heat coming off of the food inside gets hot enough to warp plastic food storage.  After the bowls warp, they are pretty much useless and have to be thrown out.

Once again, Pyrex storage containers are made out of borosilicate glass, which is the same stuff they use in labs for high-temperature experiments.  This stuff doesn’t crack, break, melt, or deform in any way during heating and reheating.  As long as you take the lid off of the bowls before microwaving, these containers will last forever.

Reason #3:  Pyrex Does Not Leak Harmful Chemicals Into Food

Some plastics leak harmful chemicals when heated.  The most noteworthy being Bisphenol A (BPA).  These chemicals, especially BPA, can cause some pretty nasty health problems, such as diabetes and even leukemia.  Just type “BPA and plastic” into Google and read about all the dangers that plastic food storage has exposed us to.

Pyrex storage doesn’t leak chemicals into our food.  Ever.  Not even during reheating.  Borosilicate glass just doesn’t do that.  I feel much safer storing and reheating my children’s food in our Pyrex bowls.  Note:  Just remember to take off the plastic lid off of the bowl before heating.  We use a small microwave safe ceramic dish to eliminate “splatter” when reheating.

Click Here to Continue to Part 2

FAQ: How do you know for sure that Pyrex won’t contaminate food?

Question:

I am concerned about all of the harmful chemicals in cookware (non-stick coatings, etc) and food storage containers.  You mentioned in your main article about Pyrex storage not leaching harmful chemicals into the food, but I am still suspect of just about anything these days.  How do you know for sure that Pyrex won’t contaminate food?

Answer:

Let me start out by saying that I am not a chemist, however, I did go to a 4-year university and was required to take several semesters of chemistry and biology classes.  Those classes included a lab portion, in which we would use test tubes, beakers, and other lab equipment to conduct experiments.

Almost all of this equipment was made of Pyrex glassware.

The reason why labs use Pyrex is because it doesn’t contaminate the experiment.  You see, most laboratory experiments require precise measurements.  Any chemical that leaches out of the container has the potential to change the results of the experiment to a very large degree.

Therefore, any chemical leakage from the container would NOT be tolerated by any scientists worth his or her salt.

I hope this answers your question sufficiently.

Thanks for writing in.