Food is loved by everyone across the globe. It is hard to argue with the fact that food drives many cultures and enriches them. Many people bond over food, they come together in marriages over food and they even help each other out during hard times with food. Food is not just important for us human beings to survive but definitely a binding force that keeps us together and united as one. With the food we consume on a daily basis, comes the need for packaging that can not only keep the food items safe but also look aesthetically pleasing to the eye while being safe for the environment. But how do you do all of this in one packaging?
Well, we have solutions for you that will not only enhance your aesthetic appeal and allow you to sell more food items, but also protect the environment in the process and keep the food inside safe from the elements. So, are you ready to learn more about them? In this blog post, we will go over all 5 of these options in detail. A great example is custom packaging like custom cereal boxes that can make for a great packaging style.
We will also include 3 types of plastics you absolutely need to avoid at all costs because they can be harmful to you as well as the environment. With that said, let’s dive right in and get started!
5 Distinctive Food Packaging Ideas
-
Glass Containers
Glass has a lot of benefits not only when it comes to packaging food but as a material itself. It is reusable as you can store anything in glass containers whether they are bottles or bowls, they are recyclable as they can be melted and repurposed into different shapes, and it is durable and easy to clean.
Now that we know the benefits of glass, let’s talk about how it is a good option as a food packaging material. Unless broken, glass containers have a lifespan of 3.5 times that of plastic containers which means they will last you a long time and keep the food content safe inside.
There are a few things you need to keep in mind. Glass cannot be sealed airtight using more glass. Which is why it is not ideal for transporting foods over long distances. However, there is a solution to this. You can use plastic lids for these glass containers to make sure they are sealed tight for the ride. Also, ensure you use lids that are free of bisphenol-A (BPA). It is a known endocrine disrupter and causes infertility in both males and females.
-
Stainless Steel
There are so many benefits to using stainless steel food containers. For once, they are rust-free as stainless steel is an alloy and does not catch rust. This means the lifespan of these containers is far more than glass containers, let alone plastic. Secondly, they are durable which means they are ready to be flown many miles overseas to other countries and you won’t have to worry about their safety. The food inside is kept safe and fresh as well.
Thirdly, they are heat resistant which means that if you leave them in the sun for some time, you can expect to maintain the integrity and freshness of the food inside. This is great as many stores have sunlight coming inside and food containers often happen to be the targets. This can all be prevented with a stainless steel container.
These containers use silicon lids to ensure they are sealed properly. Just make sure, as we mentioned before, the lids are BPA-free and you are good to go!
-
Bamboo
Bamboo has a lot of benefits as well. To start, it is biodegradable which is an added bonus on top of all the other things we are about to discuss. You are not only saving the environment in the process, but you can also advertise how green and biodegradable your packaging is to your customers and expect more sales! Besides being environmentally safe, these containers are also highly durable as bamboo is wood after all. This toughness goes a long way, literally when you have to transport goods over long distances. The heat-resistant abilities also shine through, making this an all-around safe and unique option for packaging food.
However, you do need to keep in mind that containers for food made from bamboo are much less durable than glass or stainless steel since those are sturdier materials. If you use a combination of these materials like using a bamboo lid and stainless steel or glass for the container body, you can create a hybrid that is better than those materials used individually in containers.
-
Rice Husk
Rice husk is basically a byproduct of rice farming. The benefits it carries are low cost, biodegradable and renewable. Low cost means you can not only save big time on the packaging but pass these savings along to improve other aspects of your business like marketing and logistics. Biodegradable is, once again, great for the environment and also great for marketing as it gives your company a good look in terms of reputation. Renewable means you are not using something that you have to extract from the Earth and burn in order to create packaging. The material is renewable and easily accessible. Once again great for the planet.
In one study rice husk is shown to have absorbent properties in which it absorbs pollutants from its environment which is great as it won’t let these pollutants get to the food inside. Products normally made from this packaging material are lunch boxes and shatterproof serving bowls.
-
Gelatin Films
Gelatin films are becoming more and more popular due to their non-toxic properties and reliable film forming. They are cheap to make as well which can be a great cost-saving for your brand. The film-forming properties are great as they are safe to consume according to the FDA, and create a barrier between the food and the outside environment to protect it.
These films are also infused with anti-microbial cellulose which does not let any bacteria or other harmful microbe grow on it. This is an even better option in terms of the safety of food. As a result, you have lower common food poisoning.
Now that we have discussed what 5 special food packaging solutions are, let’s talk about 3 types of plastics you need to avoid at all costs.
3 Plastics To Say No To
-
Single Use Plastic
As the name suggests, single-use plastics are ones that can only be used once and cannot be recycled after. These include straws, beverage bottles, bottle caps, styrofoam cups, and more. By stopping their use, or replacing them with biodegradable options.
-
Plastics With BPA
As we discussed earlier, BPA is bad for your endocrine system and can cause infertility in both genders. These plastics should be banned from being used and you should avoid them at all costs.
-
Plastic Takeout Containers
These containers never end up in recycling bins as they are often thrown on the streets. Or into the wrong containers. This means they are not being recycled and hence just creating landfill sights all over the place which is never good.
As you can see, there are a lot of unique options for you when it comes to packaging your food. If you made it to the end of this blog, we believe you are more than ready to start using these options for your own packaging needs.
For further information, please visit the FAQs section below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of glass is used for packaging?
Various types of glass used for packaging are
- Type I – borosilicate glass
- Type II – treated soda-lime glass
- Type III – regular soda-lime glass
- Type IV (NP) – general-purpose soda-lime glass
Why glass is used as a packaging material?
Glass is virtually inert and impermeable, making it the most stable of all packaging materials. There is no risk of harmful chemicals getting into the food or drinks that are packaged inside. No additional barriers or additives are needed.
What foods can be stored in stainless steel containers?
Since stainless steel is inert to acids and alkalis found in foods like milk, meat, cooked foods and raw vegetables, you don’t have to worry about storing things like tomato sauce in these containers. In comparison, plastic containers leach 55x faster.
