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I have noticed recently a lot of people asking, “Are plastic food containers safe to reuse?” Considering how many people are clueless over whether they can re-use their plastic food containers or whether they need to buy new ones every time, it seems well worth it to take a few moments to address the matter.

Whether or not you can reuse your plastic food containers depends on their quality.

Some plastic containers for food storage are not reusable—at least not reliably. The reason is that they are designed cheaply out of low quality plastic. You can usually recognize these containers just by picking them up and noticing how flimsy they are. If you end up having to wash them in hot water (which is probably going to be a necessity at some point), the plastic may actually melt or form craters. At that point, chemicals from the plastic may seep into your food, which is obviously not good for your health.

Cheap plastic containers may also be subject to scratches, or they may crack over time. This is a problem as well, since bacteria can lodge inside scratches and grooves, posing yet another food safety issue. Trying to remove it can be challenging, though not impossible.

Finally, one more common issue with cheap, flimsy plastic is distortion. When you subject flimsy plastic to heat and let it cool again, oftentimes the plastic will simply deform. So even if it is not actually damaged, you may not be able to seal the lid on properly anymore. At that point, the container is no longer airtight, and bacteria can get in.

You might still find other uses for damaged or deformed plastic food containers (plastic containers are incredibly versatile and can be used for many purposes), but you should not be storing food in them anymore.

So when you are shopping for food containers, make sure that you are buying reusable plastic food containers with reusable plastic food lids.

These are going to be sturdy containers which are made out of high-quality food grade plastic, and which can hold up to high temperatures without breaking down or melting or cracking.

If you purchase high-quality plastic food containers like these, you will be able to wash them in hot water time and again without any melting or distortion. Containers like these can be used again and again, and should last you for years if you take good care of them.

So are plastic containers for food reusable? It all depends on what you buy. If you purchase low-quality containers to try and save a few dollars, you will actually end up spending a lot more money over the long run because you will have to keep replacing your containers. But if you spend a little more and buy high-quality containers from the get-go, you will end up saving a ton of money over time because you will be able to use the containers you buy indefinitely.