It’s not normal to have your food smelling like Tupperware. However, if you experience a weird taste in your food after storing it in Tupperware, it might indicate that your container is either too old or damaged from prolonged or wrong use.
Why does my food taste like Tupperware? The reasons why your food smells like Tupperware could be many. Perhaps your container is very old or warped, so it’s no longer safe for use. If your Tupperware is not safe for the microwave, but you used it in the microwave, this might also cause your food to smell weird.
Consider throwing out the container if it’s broken or more than 10 years old. You can even consider deep cleansing your containers if you find all your Tupperware smell the same.
How To Get The Plastic Taste Out Of Tupperware?
If your Tupperware tastes like plastic, you can use a couple of different remedies to remove the taste and odor from the container. Depending on the cause of the smell in the first place, you can use a few other remedies.
Because Tupperware is made of plastic, there are many ways that the plastic can become unsafe for storing food. For example, if you use a container that is not microwave-safe in the microwave, you might end up with food that smells like plastic because of the heat.
Other than this, when your Tupperware is too old, it can have a lot of scratches and cracks where food particles can get stuck, so when you use the same container again, you end up with a weird smell.
You can use these different methods to get the plastic smell out of Tupperware:
Baking soda
Since it is non-abrasive, you can safely use this product to remove the grease, smell and grime build up in your containers
Vinegar
After washing your containers thoroughly with soap and water, use a splash of vinegar for final rinsing. Or you can let it sit in a vinegar bath for a few minutes before washing it all over again with soap and water. This gets rid of all the grease and grime in your containers.
Use salt
This is a famous kitchen trick for storing containers that tend to trap odors. After washing your container, add a pinch of salt to absorb the smell as you keep it stored in your kitchen cabinets.
Sunlight
Your containers may need a day out in the sun to get rid of their weird smells. Let them sit out in the sun with their lids off, and the odors are likely to fade away.
What Should You Do If Your Food Tastes Like Tupperware?
If your food tastes like Tupperware, you should probably check your Tupperware container and consider the condition of the container before jumping to conclusions.
If it is old, warped, and cracked, it’s probably why your food has a weird smell. If you’ve used it in the microwave, although it is not safe to use, the heat can cause certain chemicals to release from the container so that it can have a plastic-type of smell.
If your Tupperware is too old for use, you can give it back to the manufacturer. This is the extraordinary thing about Tupperware because they give a lifetime guarantee on their products. The company is ready to take back your old containers and use them to make new ones.
So instead of throwing it out in the trash, you can recycle your old Tupperware. You can also repurpose your old containers for other DIY projects, such as making them into a pot or a container for non-edible items like stationery.
Should You Worry If Your Food Tastes Like Tupperware?
There’s not a very catastrophic outcome if you’ve consumed food from a Tupperware that smells bad. Especially if the reason is that the container is either old or not washed properly, you’re probably safe. However, prolonged use of such containers can have detrimental effects on health.
Especially if you store food with powerful aromas, such as garlic or onion, you’re sure to be left with a container that smells weird. Turmeric or other food coloring used in your food can also cause some stains that are hard to remove.
A container marketed as food safe should not have any plastic or weird smell coming from it unless you’re using it in the wrong way, like popping it in the microwave or oven when it’s not safe for use in these appliances.
Other than these external factors, your containers should not smell like plastic. However, there are several causes for your containers to smell weird. It could be because of food that was previously stored, not washing the container properly after washing it, or wrong storage systems.
How To Clean Your Tupperware Properly?
Tupperware can be a headache to clean, especially if you are constantly storing food items that have intense aromas and colors. The best way to clean your containers is to use the right kind of dish detergent, wash it with warm or hot water, and make sure that it dries properly before putting it back in the cabinet.
Depending on what you have stored in your container, the cleaning process can vary. Always start with a preliminary rising. Ensure that you get all the visible food items out of the container. Use a warm or hot eater if there is a lot of grease and grime. You can also soak the container in soapy water for a few hours if you think it will take time to get the stains out.
You can also use newspapers to stuff your containers if you’re keeping them stored in your cabinets for long. However, you need to wash the container before you use it. You can also soak it in vinegar for a few minutes to get the smell, grease, and stains out, and then rewash it with water and soap.
Final Words
Like any other plastic container, Tupperware poses a risk to your health if you are not using it via the manufacturer’s recommendations. It is best always to check if your containers are microwave friendly or not before you use them in the appliance. If your containers don’t have a label indicating this, you can check with the manufacturer to make your label so you don’t forget.