No-Plastic Straws and Slowly Getting Away from Plastic

No-Plastic Straws for Toxin-free Sipping!

You probably know that plastics can be toxic (more about that here) and we've already gotten most, but not all, of the plastics out of our lives around here…

• I've gotten rid of the plastic around my hot coffee with better options like this SS percolator, or for daily use we use a ceramic pour-over coffeemaker.  (More here:  Are Keurig Coffee Makers Safe? A Cup of Coffee Without Plastic Toxins Please!)

• I use a lot of these glass storage containers with lids for leftovers.  Although, confession:  I do still use baggies for some things, as long as the food isn't warm at all when it goes in…

• For the younger kids here are some safe sippy cups.

• These are good baby bottles or these ones — since formula goes in there warm and you never want anything warm by plastic!

• We still use these stainless steel cups for regular daily use.

• This post has info on which portable water bottles are safe for kids (or adults) to take to work out or for sports practices.

• In case you know anyone who makes their own homemade baby formula (or read my post about homemade baby formula here because everyone should be very afraid of the conventional stuff!), this pitcher is made of the safer plastic, polypropylene, and is actually for mixing up homemade baby formula, but we use it for lots of different things around here like smoothies or salad dressings.

But I still used straws in my coffee and my drinking water daily!

I just couldn't find a better alternative, however I finally found these no-plastic straws and I'm so excited…

Here are my favorite no-plastic straws:

• I use these no-plastic straws for my coffee and tea.  While I wouldn't use silicone for higher temperatures such as baking (my blogging friends Katie and Sarah actually suggest only using silicone for room temperature or cooler temp uses), at least these are much better than plastic straws.  According to the manufacturer they are, “certified 100% food grade silicone.  Our certification also includes a heat tolerance test over 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  This heat test makes us safe for both your hot coffee (as that's usually at 160 to 180* F) and also safe in your dishwasher on the sanitize setting (which is usually at 180* F).  Silicone is known to withstand extreme heat and cold without degrading.  It’s easier on your teeth than metal/glass straws.”  I double checked and the hottest I can get my hot water tap is 178*.  These also have a smaller opening which is better for sipping, and they come in 4 colors.  I also like how you can just clip them shorter if needed.

• I use these no-plastic SS straws for my ice water or other cold drinks.

• By the way, here's my stainless steel cup — it keeps ice water cold for hours, even in a hot car!  These come in a lot of colors too.  (The handle is sold separately.)

• And here's my SS coffee cup — these don't keep drinks hot as long as they keep them cold, but it still stays hot a lot longer than you'd expect, and you can pick your favorite color — or get white like I did, and pick a fun color for your handle!

There you have it, my favorite no-plastic straws, and one more way I've gotten more plastic out of our lives.  Did I miss anything?  How else are YOU getting rid of plastics?  Let me know in the comments.  🙂

More you might like:

• Everyone getting sick around you?  Check out these 10 tips for building up your immune system

• 5 plastics safety tips

• Are Keurig Coffee Makers Safe? A Cup of Coffee Without Plastic Toxins Please!)

• Did you see the recent post on my other blog?  Why I don't want our kids to grow up to be good people.

• Have you seen this video with my friend Megan explaining how she's been losing a pound a day and how she makes cauliflower bread and pizza crust