Ditch The Liner

I keep seeing videos of people using plastic liner bags in the slow cooker so I’m sharing some info, hoping it’s helpful.

Plastics are made of multiple chemicals including phthalates and plasticizers. One component of plastic more recently found to be problematic, Bisphenol A, is a developmental, reproductive, and systemic toxicant. As it’s being phased out and we’re seeing many items with the claim “BPA Free,” it’s replacements including BPF and BPS may not be any better. Sometimes plastics contain upwards of hundreds of chemicals. When the plastic is in contact with your food or beverage, it will leech some of these chemicals into its contents. Storing food or drinks in plastic is not ideal.

Adding heat may exacerbate the issue. Heat can increase the rate at which chemicals leech from the plastic and end up in your food or drinks. This information has been spread far and wide following a study released by the Academy of Pediatrics in 2018 (Food Additives and Child Health – Pediatrics (2018) 142 (2): e20181410)

The study recommends not using plastic in the microwave to reduce toxic chemicals ending up in our food and, this, bodies. It also suggests keeping plastic plates, cups, etc out of the dishwasher as the heat there can cause the chemicals to release into the contents more readily afterward.

Now just imagine what can be transferred from the plastic and into your food when heated up for hours on end in a slow cooker. So not worth it. This convenience item can become a huge inconvenience if it contributes to poor health outcomes for you and your family.

If you heat up food in a slow cooker or microwave, ditch the plastic. And keep working on swapping your plastic food serving and storage pieces to materials that are #alittlelesstoxic Repurposed glass jars and containers make a great alternative to plastic for food storage and can be a no cost replacement as you begin or continue this health upgrade.

Further reading:
PMID: 34488348
PMID: 32720473