Mom’s VERY unusual pantry organization trick for rice, flour, and sugar sparks heated debate
- A mom has shared the unique way she stores pantry items, sparking debate
- Lakshmi reuses plastic juice and water bottles to store dry ingredients
- Some online thought the idea was “clever”, while others said it looked “ugly”.
- Others questioned whether it was safe to reuse plastic bottles over the long term
A mom has sparked debate after sharing the unusual way she’s organizing her pantry.
Lakshmi revealed that she recycles plastic juice bottles and water bottles and uses them as “jars” in her closet, prompting wildly different reactions on a popular Australian Facebook group.
While some praised their “clever” storage idea, others claimed the bottles were “ugly” and questioned why they didn’t opt for juices with more sustainable packaging in the first place.
Lakshmi had hoped the idea would inspire others to recycle or reuse plastic items as they can store up to 1.5kg and last a long time.
Lakshmi revealed that she recycles plastic juice bottles and water bottles and uses them as “jars” in her closet (pictured)
The picture shows a pantry organized by Lakshmi full of plastic containers and bottles filled with dry ingredients such as rice, noodles and flour.
“These Golden Circle bottles are Pearlpet bottles, clear and can hold up to 3lbs of anything, take up less space when storing and I have a water bottle cut in half that I use as a funnel to pop things in,” the captioned she mail.
“I keep all my powders and stuff in coffee bottles. I am very proud to say that my pantry is made up of 98 percent reused containers.”
While Lakshmi was pleased with the look of her pantry, some disagreed.
“These bottles from Golden Circus are not BPA-free. Please do not use them to store food,” one person wrote.
“How do you get the juice smell/taste out? I find as soon as you close them, no matter how well it’s washed, it always has that lingering smell of juice,” asked another.
A third added: “Be careful as some plastic containers are not meant to be used long term.”
“Some plastics are intended for single use only. The recycling number is five, six, seven for reusable,” explained another woman.
“Everything that is one, two and three is disposable and belongs in the wastebasket.”
Despite the concerns, many seemed happy with the concept and thanked Lakshmi for sharing the idea.
“Finally someone with a well organized pantry that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to make,” wrote one woman.
‘Best post ever. They really care about the environment and still managed to make it look modern,” added another.
Another woman said she uses old sundaes as water and food bowls for her pets, while another has turned old coffee cans into dry food storage containers.
Is it safe to reuse plastic bottles?
Most water bottle packaging has a number printed inside a triangle to indicate what type of plastic it is. You can also use this number to determine how safe it is to reuse.
If you see a “1” on your bottle, it means polyethylene terephthalate
If your bottle shows a “2”, the plastic is High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is a stronger, more durable plastic.
“7” is the ID code for plastic materials that do not fit into any other category
Not all plastics classified as “7” contain BPA, but some do.
If you come across a water bottle marked with a “2”, you can reuse it as long as it’s washed well and isn’t cracked or otherwise damaged
If you must reuse a plastic water bottle, be sure to wash it properly first
Source: WebMD