Ever wondered how chips and popped corn can stay “fresh” and not go stale for month (even years) on the shelf, but a day after you open it after you purchase from the store those once crispy chips ain’t so crispy anymore? Or have you ever air-popped corn yourself and tried to store it for the next day….all to wake up the next morning to stale popped corn? There’s a reason!
In short, it’s the packaging! Yes, ingredients DO count and are super important. Ingredients do play a part in preserving….but that’s not what I want to point out in this post. Say the ingredients ARE in fact, good. You checked. All seems clean, no chemicals, no gums, all real food. But how does that real food stay fresh for so long inside a box and bag?
I’ve often bought bagged spinach (I mean, hey, it’s so convenient!) and the very next day after I open the bag the leaves are wilted. But whenever I buy non-packaged spinach, they seem to stay fresh longer in my fridge. The reason is that bagged spinach isn’t as fresh as you think. It’s actually being preserved by the chemicals sprayed into the bag. DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION?
Chips, Crackers, and Cookies:
These are not filled with just air, but of nitrogen gas. Filling the bags with nitrogen keeps them from being crushed, and if filled with oxygen, the fat in the chips (for example) would oxidize and taste funny. Now nitrogen is a part of the air we breath, but I’m pointing this out because it is still aAnd most of these bags are made out of polypropylene (a moisture barrier) and in order to strengthen the material, many have a thin aluminum coating on the inside.
Salad Bags:
Similar to chip bags, bagged greens and ready-to-serve salad mixes are made of polypropylene, and also filled with nitrogen gas. Now, to be clear, nitrogen is a part of the air we breath so I don’t want there to be any confusion….but just pointing this out to 1) inform you and 2) note that’s one way leaves and chips stay fresher longer (being preserved) and then go rancid super fast after opening, which makes us more prone to consume rancid goods unknowingly (thought the product may look ok) Unlike chips and crackers, salad greens need to breathe with a little bit of oxygen. Ever see tiny needle holes in those bags? Those microperforations allow oxygen to come in and carbon dioxide to flow out.
And unlike chip and cracker bags, the inside of these bags have a thin, anti-fog coating to eliminate condensation….making it easy to see the beautiful leafy greens.
But What If It’s Organic?
Yes, even organic food can be packaged in toxic packaging. Fewer than 40 synthetic substances can be used in organic packaged foods as opposed to an estimated 2,000 synthetic chemicals can be used in conventional packaged foods (crazy!). So organic packaged food is much better than conventional, but is still allowed per this report.
I’ve reached out to several health food companies asking what they line their bags with, but I either got no response or ones like this:
But even without asking, it’s a no brainer. Just look at the inside of the packaging. And if a company doesn’t use the conventional method, they will proudly make sure it’s known to the public! One company I know that used compostable packaging is Hnina Gourmet. I’ve known them for years personally and they make sure they only use safe, recyclable, non-toxic packaging for all their raw, sprouted treats (another reason why they are so expensive but you get what you pay for and they sure are worth it!) Vapour Beauty is another brand that used toxic free packing for your organic makeup. Any if you are curious about anything, reach out to the company yourself! Be your own advocate.
Now, all this said, it doesn’t mean I will never buy a bag of chips or packaged spinach again in my life. However, I will be making more conscious decisions when purchasing items. In fact, it not only is healthier to buy fresh veggies and make your own chips, but it’s also cheaper and less wasteful! The point of this post is to inform you (not to scare you) of what may be leaking into your food beyond the ingredients. There’s more thought and ingenuity than you realize. That’s why whenever I can, I always make food and snacks from scratch. Just something to be mindful of. I’ve always been one to eat less packaged snacks and have noticed a HUGE difference in my digestion and health….Eating a packaged product won’t kill you (obviously) and I do it too! And if I see you eating a bag of chips, popped corn, a bar, or crackers on Instagram, I won’t flag you down or judge. Haha We all need to live our lives….just live it with more knowledge.
As always, appreciate your support and look forward to hearing your thoughts on Instagram!
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814615302715
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3385451/
https://www.polymersolutions.com/applications/film-layer-analysis/
Thank you for this information! Your blog posts are always so informative! 🙂
I cannot express how thankful I am for your content. Four days ago, I was tracking macros restrictively while eating the most artificial diet possible. Thanks to you, I am now on the road of Whole Foods and listening to my body, feeling my best, and focusing on my biggest passion which is training. I wanted to ask a few questions — do you limit nut butter consumption or frequency? I’m worried that that will cause weight gain for me. I do eat the clean kind. Or how do you recommend avoiding weight gain?
Thank you a thousand times over, and especially for changing my life and continuing to do so. I’ve got a lot of improvements to make, but thanks to you I am excited to make them.
I have been loving all of your blogs posts! I recently have made a massive switch from tracking macros and eating the most artificial diet possible, to (becuase I was inspired by you) listening to my body for when I’m hungry and consuming only completely whole unprocessed foods! Your content has already began to change my life 4 days in. I know that I have finally found my permanent lifestyle thanks to you, I just need to get better! I wanted to ask you, since I have recently made the switch. How can I avoid over consuming on sun butter and cashew butter? I don’t want to put on weight but I love those so much and I make sure to buy the one ingredient ones. Also, how do you prevent overeating in general without tracking macros? I really could use some advice. Thank you so much Bethany for all of your content and changing my life!
My husband and I were literally just talking about why the bagged spinach goes bad so fast. I never even thought if the packaging being a cause if this. I get so frustrated bc I often feel like we have to toss the last serving or two and it feels so wasteful. Thanks for sharing.
Oh my! I never even thought to consider this! Thank you so much Bethany.
I had no idea! Do you know if the same goes for frozen foods?
Actually no! One reason why I like frozen foods…however I cannot speak for all brands (there are just too many out there)
Wow. Amazing post. As always you do. Thanks. You are AWESOME!!🙏😍😘🌹
So glad you brought this up! Prior to reading this, I just thought to buy unpackaged goods because it was a waste of plastic, yet this is ANOTHER strong argument to not only avoid wastefulness but to realize you may be putting a lot more into your mouth than “organic spinach” or “paleo crackers.”
Love it!!
Thank you so much for recognizing our work at HninaGourmet (& HninaHemp). Yes, all of our packaging is compostable. Our see through cello bags are made of wood cellulose. Our truffle boxes are made using compostable recycled paper made with wind energy. What’s the point of doing pure product if the packaging is dirty. All boxes checked….literally.