Steel lunchbox Vs Plastic lunchboxNowadays, people’s awareness towards environmental protection and healthy lifestyle is increasing rapidly. People all over the world are moving away from harmful materials like plastic and turning towards sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. This change is especially visible in the containers used for food items. While earlier plastic lunch boxes and tiffins were common in every home, now people are giving preference to stainless steel tiffins and lunch boxes.

Stainless steel is not only strong and long lasting, but it also proves to be very safe for health and causes less harm to the environment. Therefore, the debate of plastic tiffin vs stainless steel tiffin is still going on. If you are also thinking of leaving the plastic lunch box and adopting a stainless steel one, but want to understand its benefits, then this guideline is for you only.

Dissolving plastic in everyday life

Plastic has become so integrated into our everyday lives that even if we think for a moment, it seems difficult to find something that is completely free from plastic. Plastic bags, bottles, containers, packaging containers, toys, electronics parts are prevalent everywhere. Plastic became so popular because it was light, cheap and easily molded. But this convenience comes at a very heavy price for both our health and the environment. Most plastics are based on chemicals made from petroleum. These materials deteriorate over time, crack, change colour, bend, start leaking and the biggest problem is that plastic is not biodegradable. This takes hundreds of thousands of years, due to which the collection of plastic in the oceans is increasing.

difference from health perspective

Why is steel lunch box better?

The safest option for health is that stainless steel (especially food-grade 304 or 316) does not contain any harmful substances in food. Plastic (even BPA-free) poses a risk of long-term chemical exposure, which may be linked to problems like hormone disorders, cancer (cumulative effect). Steel tiffins have been used in Indian homes for centuries and now science studies also say that steel is healthier than plastic. Glass is safest if you want to heat it in the microwave, but steel is the most practical and healthy for everyday carry to office/school.

Suggestion: Get a good quality 304 or 316 grade stainless steel lunch box. Avoid cheap Chinese steel, there may be a risk of nickel leakage in it. Replace old plastic boxes gradually, especially for children. If the budget is low, at least use steel for hot food and BPA-free plastic for dry snacks.