Good morning
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Stainless steel baby/kid plates that are microwave safe
Unhealthy Obsessions: Meal prep
I’m a recent convert to meal prep / batch cooking and I’m sure this is the high that comes from being a beginner, but sign me up for life. (We’re two weeks in.) There’s always food in the fridge! I’m not eating fruit jerky I found in my purse for lunch!
Here’s my very entry-level process. I’m batch cooking on Sundays and that gets us through to Thursday-ish.
Saturday: Fill in the coming week’s menu (while catching up on Love Island. No spoilers PLEASE!).
☐ Dinner main 1
☐ Dinner main 2
☐ Lunch
☐ Veggie side
Sunday: Place the grocery order & pick it up; Cook after our toddler is asleep (again, while catching up on Love Island). I can’t explain how satisfying this is? Meal prep at night while snacking with a candle lit? Feeling in control of MY LIFE and my fridge? Vibes are high.
I’ll let you know in a future issue if the wheels fall off. But so far, so good. Anyway, this section of the newsletter is about LINKS and I have a handful of them, inspired by my beginner’s luck with meal prep.
🍋 A Niçoise is the easiest lunch if you’ve prepped the components. The dressing is a hit; Molly Baz-inspired variation to swap the honey for capers and garlic for something more savory.
🍋🟩 Jazzing up our big weekly rice batch has become an obsession. Yes, it’s a Chipotle copycat recipe. No, you shouldn’t judge me. I use a rice cooker and mix all the ingredients right in at the end.
📋 A very cute way to celebrate home cooking, via Jenna O’Brien.
Health @ Home: Plastic-free kitchen edition
It’s still Plastic-Free July and I’ve been thinking about microplastics A LOT. We’ve covered them throughout Sway’s four-year (omg) lifespan but we’re probably a tad overdue to share a plastic-free kitchen edit: plus, it corresponds nicely to all this talk about late night meal prep.
A growing body of research indicates that exposure to microplastics could be harmful. Reducing unnecessary exposure in our homes is a prudent approach. Once again: The precautionary principle in action.
Because microplastics are ubiquitous, reducing our exposure at home is meaningful work (this is the same story for chemicals of concern and really the backbone of Sway): that’s where we spend the majority of our lives, and it’s one of the few environments that we have some control over.
Heating plastic food containers can release millions to billions of microplastic particles, along with additives like plasticizers. So plastic-free food storage is a great place to start. I’m also including cooking utensils that make contact with hot pans for the same reason, and cutting boards: plastic cutting boards can release microplastics through mechanical shearing.
Lastly, in the spirit of Plastic-Free July, a note about silicone, because it’s evvvverywhere in kitchen/baby feeding gear: Silicone has earned a bit of a health halo, especially as a swap for plastic. Rightfully so, but there’s nuance here.
Most silicone products are ultimately headed for the landfill, and researchers are still learning about how silicone degrades/whether it sheds particles with long-term use. I use silicone at home but the GOATs like glass, stainless steel, wood and solid bamboo are always the go-to when the application makes sense.
Glass food storage:
I’m partial to glass: I need to see my leftovers when I scan the fridge…with expediency. (It’s dangerous having a fish taco place down the street.) I also want my food storage to be microwave safe. But more power to the stainless steel food storage stans!
Both of these sets are made with glass and food-grade silicone on the lids/gasket only.
PlanetBox, Square Glass Food Storage 6-Piece Set: $40
Bentgo, Signature Glass Food Storage Set (8-Piece): $40
Also, for little ones, Junesday Stainless Steel Plates (microwave safe, btw!) coupled with their silicone lid make a lot of sense for leftovers. (And I mean. Just look at their product design!)
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Solid wood cutting boards:
Cutting boards have always felt like one of those things you should buy from a local maker. You might even wind up with regionally/locally sourced wood if you do. But if you’re in a pinch and need to source one online, my recs are:
Look for FSC-certified wood to ensure it’s sourced from responsibly managed forests.
Go with a solid piece of wood (to avoid the need to vet glues).
Check the finish: Food grade mineral oil is going to be by far the most common finish you see on a wooden board. Mineral oil is derived from petroleum, so it’s tied to the fossil fuel economy. From a sustainability perspective, I’d prefer a plant-based/beeswax finish.
Zero Waste Cutting Board, Avocado: $110 (on sale)
Solid One Piece Maple Wood Cutting Board, Adirondack Kitchen: $57.80 (not FSC-certified wood, though, as far as I can tell, but a solid, 😉 more affordable option)
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Solid wood or solid bamboo cooking utensils:
Both are a great alternative to plastic, particularly when coming in contact with hot surfaces. Many readily available options are finished with mineral oil, but Bambu’s line uses plant-based oil. The price is RIGHHHT. This is a good find.
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MEET ME AT MIDNIGHT 9 p.m.
Jennifer @ Sway