Quick take
- Heat is the big one. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says heat can cause or increase leaching of BPA and phthalates from plastic, and advises against microwaving food in plastic or running plastic containers through the dishwasher.1
- Glass and stainless steel are the AAP’s suggested alternatives.1 Glass has one catch: it can shatter with a sudden temperature change.7
- If you do use plastic, check the recycling code. The AAP suggests avoiding 3, 6 and 7 unless the item is labeled “biobased” or “greenware.”1
- Regulators disagree on BPA. The FDA says it’s safe at current levels in food, while the EU banned it in food contact materials, with the main transition ending July 20, 2026.356
What to do
You don’t need a matching set of anything. Most of the payoff comes from a few habits, all from the AAP’s advice for families.1
- Reheat in glass or ceramic, not plastic. The AAP says to avoid microwaving food or drinks in plastic when you can, including infant formula and pumped breast milk.1
- Lift off the plastic lid before you microwave. Plenty of glass containers come with plastic lids. The AAP’s advice on heating plastic applies to the lid too, and it says plastic wrap should never be heated or touch the food.1
- Hand-wash plastic containers. The AAP says not to put plastic food containers or utensils in the dishwasher.1
- Flip it over and read the number. The AAP suggests avoiding recycling codes 3 (phthalates), 6 (styrene) and 7 (bisphenols), unless the item says “biobased” or “greenware.”1
- Swap as things wear out. When a plastic tub cracks or clouds up, replace it with glass or stainless steel, the AAP’s suggested alternatives.1
Wondering about microplastics from containers? Our microplastics guide covers what the lab studies found, so we won’t repeat it here.
Not medical advice
This guide explains what pediatric and regulatory sources say about food storage materials. It isn’t medical advice. If you have a health concern about chemical exposure, talk to a qualified clinician.
Glass, stainless, silicone and plastic
| Material | The good news | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Glass | Iowa State Extension says “there are no hazardous materials to leach into food.”7 | Sudden temperature changes can shatter it. Several big U.S. glass kitchenware lines are tempered soda-lime glass, which doesn’t handle heat as well as borosilicate.7 Lids are often plastic. |
| Stainless steel | One of the AAP’s two suggested alternatives to plastic.1 | You can’t see what’s inside. Our stainless steel guide covers grades and what leaching tests found during cooking. |
| Silicone | Flexible and handy for lids, bags and sleeves. | In Germany, silicone food contact products must be heat-treated (“tempered”) after manufacture and may release no more than 0.5% volatile compounds by weight.8 Our bakeware guide covers siloxane tests on silicone molds. |
| Plastic | Light, cheap and unbreakable. | Heat can cause or increase leaching of BPA and phthalates, per the AAP.1 Codes 3, 6 and 7 are the ones it suggests avoiding.1 |
Keeping glass in one piece
- Don’t take a dish straight from the freezer to the oven, or vice versa.7
- Set hot glass on a dry potholder or towel, never on a wet or cold surface or in the sink.7
- Toss anything with chips, cracks or scratches.7
What regulators say
This is one of those topics where the experts don’t line up, so here’s who says what.
- FDA (U.S.): BPA “is safe at the current levels occurring in foods.”3 The FDA did amend its rules so BPA-based materials are no longer allowed in baby bottles, sippy cups and infant formula packaging, because industry had abandoned those uses.3
- European Union: It banned BPA and other hazardous bisphenols in food contact materials, including plastics, silicones, rubbers and coatings. The ban followed a 2023 EFSA report that found current BPA exposure posed a risk to consumers of all ages.5 Its main transition period ended July 20, 2026.6
- AAP: Its 2018 policy statement lists bisphenols (used in polycarbonate containers) and phthalates (used in clear plastic food wrap) among food-contact chemicals of concern, with endocrine disruption among the health concerns.2
See the evidence: phthalates and PFAS
Phthalates. In May 2022 the FDA revoked authorizations for 23 phthalates and two other substances because industry had abandoned those uses. That left nine phthalates authorized for food contact: eight as plasticizers and one as a monomer.4 The same day, the FDA asked for current use and safety data on the eight plasticizers, and it says it may use that information to update its safety assessments.4
PFAS. We found no published test of PFAS in home food storage containers. The EPA has found PFAS, including PFOA, in some fluorinated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers. It says these were used for household consumer, pesticide, fuel, automotive and other industrial products, and that the PFAS in their walls can leach into liquids stored inside.9 That work is about those containers, not kitchen storage.
What we don’t know
- We found no independent test that compares chemical migration from popular U.S. food storage brands. We don’t cover brand “BPA-free” claims here. Keep in mind that the claim is about BPA alone, not other bisphenols or phthalates.
- The AAP’s advice is about lowering exposure, not proof that a given container causes harm.12
- We didn’t check whether any U.S. rule limits volatile compounds from silicone the way Germany does, and we found no U.S. test of silicone food storage lids or bags.
- We didn’t look at food wraps, beeswax wraps or zip-top bags in depth. They may get their own guide.