Here at Houstonist we have not been really eating less, we have just been spending less on "going out" and we've taken the brokeass college student approach to eating in. No reviews and no advice as to the 100 best uses for those "many for one dollar" noodle packets or other such "no money cooking". Come to think of it, we should share some cheap, healthy eats. We'll get right on that.

On the odd occasion that we venture out for a meal, we always have to bring half or some of our food home. Stupid weight management program ideas coupled with our "clean plate club" upbringing force us to take what we don't eat, as we're chubby and forced into frugality, home so we can eat it an hour later, when no one's looking and the calories don't count for the next meal or tomorrow's lunch, whichever the case may be. Frustration. Enter stage right. Styrofoam go boxes or metal contraptions are the doggie bag containers du jour at most establishments. We take our meal remnants to work with us, where our owner employer has conveniently provided a microwave for our use. We are apparently inherently lazy and do not also bring along a separate plastic-ware container or dollar store plate to heat up our lunch. Styrofoam, in particular, is the scourge of our existence and offends our sensibilities, in general.

Read more about the evils of takout containers after the jump.

Polystyrene: These clamshells are not readily biodegradable. We have been trying to determine what, other than fill up valuable landfill space, one can do with them, once said food has been consumed. Technically, these containers are either manufactured from polystyrene foam or XPS foam that is injected into a mold to form the clamshell. It takes 500 years for one of these bad boys to biodegrade if composed of polystyrene. The degradation of such materials release potentially harmful liquid and gaseous by-products that may contaminate our ground water. Although it is possible to recycle polystyrene, it is not common practice. Over 100 cities in the United States have banned the use of these containers in restaurants. Biodegradable/compostable packaging is available, though not widely used. Houstonist would like to send a shout-out to Feast, at this time for using ecologically friendly takeout packaging (and preparing some of the most amazing meals we have ever had, anywhere). We don't know if you have had the pleasure of re-heating food in the clamshell. We have, the container warps, food just melts into it and it sometimes smells "funny plastic". We've decided for ourselves that this is a "bad thing" and such containers should be avoided at all costs.

Aluminium: We are not fans of the metal tins either. If properly rinsed, you can recycle them - we like this a lot. However, metal does not play well with the microwave - we don't like this. Again, this is sheer slacker on our part. We have to take the takeout out of the metal and plastic contraption, recycle that noise and repackage for reheating. We aren't asking for much, just a recyclable doggie bag that goes from fridge to nuke-o-blaster in one easy step. We will work on our sloth-like behavior, now that we've admitted our laziness, we only need to seek out 9 more steps to a cure.

In lieu of the City of Houston banning restaurants from using takeout containers that have a mind-boggling half-life, you can take the bull by the horns. Okay, it's potentially gauche, but, one could carry their own reusable plastic leftover container in one's purse or man-bag. If you see someone conducting themselves in such fashion - it's probably us.

Save the planet! Reduce, re-use and for the love of Houstonist, recycle. This includes composting all yard waste, coffee grinds, fruit and vegetable scraps, etc.

Filed in Food and tagged Doggie Bag, Polystyrene Clamshells, Recycling, Takeout Containers

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