Review - Plastic Free Straws

This is my 11th review on plastic alternatives. I hope these help give some ideas on plastic reduction or alternatives you can use in your daily lives.

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Eleven - Silicone Straws

In a review about silicone covers I described silicone as a hybrid between plastic and rubber. It's composed of silica which is mostly sand based. For this reason it can withstand freezing and heating conditions and is machine washable too. 

It's far less of a throw away item than regular plastic straws, but it does have the downside that it can take an age to rot down in the environment, causing a similar problem at the end of its life as plastic.

Below I'll suggest some alternatives to disposable plastic straws and explain why I plumped with the silicone choice in the end.

Paper Straws - many of the supermarkets have signed up to the Plastics Pact UK. On top of finding alternatives to plastic cotton buds (see my review on bamboo cotton buds if interested!) they are also committed to phasing out plastic straws by 2020.

However, I've never liked the feel of paper straws and hate when they start to go soggy. It could be tricky to find ones durable enough to be washed and used again, although they would be easier to discard at the end of their useful lives.

Bamboo Straws - bamboo is naturally anti bacterial and pretty strong, however I found my toothbrush made from bamboo does start to discolour slightly when water collects on it, so have been put off using bamboo straws as a result.

Metal Straws - I'm a bit put off by the thought of cold metal in the mouth, especially as I have sensitive teeth - yikes!

Glass Straws - this was my 1st choice. I like the glass set I bought that has different coloured ends to help choose whose straw is whose. However the glass has to be toughened for safety reasons and was quite thick. I have a painful condition called TMJ which makes it quite difficult for my jaw to handle.

Silicone Straws - I settled eventually on a colourful set of silicone straws. They have the advantage of being firm but flexible at the same time, so if you have a painful jaw condition like me they have a little give. The colours are pretty too and there should be no reason for us to need to replace them anytime soon. So, it's a ❤ love from me!  

Review - Silicone Storage

This is my 7th review on plastic alternatives. I hope these help to give you some ideas on plastic reduction or alternatives.

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Seven - Get rid of that Plastic Film for Good!

In my bid to reduce single use plastics the natural 1st choice was to get rid of cling film for good. Our family used cling film for many things (to cover cooked or raw items, seal end of opened packets, cover baked goods) but I've finally realised you don't need to rely on it at all. 

Now I reach for tin foil which can be washed and re-used again and then recycled, wax wraps I reviewed earlier, which are great additions to ridding your 'one time use of plastics project' and not only that they are pretty to look at (mine have bees on them and there are so many other cool designs too).

Here though, I review a new purchase I made via Amazon online that covers so many different eventualities. I bought a set that contains silicone pouches that can be sealed for storing liquids or solids, covers in all different sizes for topping bowls, and mesh bags which are great for storing fruit and veg. (I use these also for carrying fruit and veg recently bought in the store to save carrying them home in yet more plastic!)

So what is Silicone?

The base of silicone is sand (silica) but also additives are added to enable it to be formed into soft and hard materials. They are in fact, a hybrid between rubber and plastics. 

Tupperware plastic tubs are used by many and indeed have the advantage that they can be re-used, so not as bad as single use plastics, however I do find that tupperware doesn't cope too well with extreme temperatures. This is where silicone boldly shines through as it withstands heat from microwaves and ovens, can be frozen and cope with dishwashers too, so has multiple uses.

I have the storage set above plus some colourful silicone straws. Although you can buy glass straws and metal straws I found these were too difficult for my jaw, as I have TMJ, a painful jaw condition. Silicone is much more giving. There's no need to rely on straws of course, but it's nice to have them to hand, on the occasion where a straw might be preferred.

Amazon have a great selection of different sets of silicone storage that can include many different items, including lids, storage pouches, mesh bags and in some cases silicone straws too. So you can customise your options according to your lifestyle needs.

My Verdict?

I find the ability to try different products for different uses a great plus. The mesh bags are really handy and I love the smiley face on the lid covers. Some of our bowls are hexagonal but the round lids sit on top OK, as they are clingy enough to seal the edges just fine. The smallest one can be pulled tightly across a tin can.

I have used them in our oven with no problems and have redcurrants bought from the reduced shelf at the supermarket, which I stored in a silicone pouch in the freezer to prevent them going off. So they are doing their bit to reduce food wastage too. Also you can see the contents - with wax wraps it's hard to remember what's inside sometimes!

When newly bought, the silicone storage pouches required a bit of teasing to get them apart, they had clung to themselves so well. The seal that pushes across the top is also quite tight to start with so just a word of warning on that. 

They do sometimes take on stains from food but they seem to wash OK in the dishwasher. If you don't have a dishwasher a coating of baking soda may help.

I love the storage set and plan to continue using them so it's a ❤ love from me!