Between packing lunches, finding missing shoes and reheating the coffee you made an hour ago, most parents have enough to think about.
The materials in your lunch boxes, drink bottles and kitchen utensils probably aren’t at the top of the list.
At Lorikeet Living, they’re something we pay close attention to. We look beyond how a product looks and ask a simple question: what actually touches your food, drink or body?
Here’s why that matters to us—and a few manageable places to start.
Why we look more closely at plastic
Plastic is convenient, lightweight and everywhere. But it can shed tiny particles, known as microplastics and nanoplastics, especially with heat and wear. Certain chemicals used in plastics can also transfer into food and drinks. Chemicals and particles are different things, although both are being studied. [1, 2]
Researchers have reported plastic particles in human tissue samples. What we don’t yet have is a dependable figure for how much plastic the average person carries, or a complete understanding of what those findings mean for our health.
Australian researchers are working to improve those measurements. They also caution against dramatic claims such as everyone eating a credit card’s weight of plastic each week. [1, 3]
Our thinking is straightforward: where a practical alternative can reduce unnecessary plastic contact, we prefer to consider it.
Some encouraging Australian news
In April 2026, University of Western Australia researchers published a study showing that changes involving food, kitchenware and personal care lowered some plastic-associated chemicals measured in urine within seven days. ABC News covered the findings too. [2, 4]
That doesn’t mean swapping one drink bottle “detoxes” your body. The study involved carefully planned changes and measured chemicals, not microplastic particles.
But it is an encouraging reminder that some sources of everyday exposure can be changed.
Start with the things you use every day
You don’t need to empty your cupboards or replace every lunch box tonight. Choose one habit or item that fits your family’s routine.
Reheat leftovers in a different bowl
Before putting yesterday’s dinner in the microwave, transfer it to a suitable microwave-safe glass or ceramic dish. Check whether the lid needs to come off.
Avoiding heating food in plastic is a practical step recommended by UQ researchers—and something you may be able to do with a bowl you already own. [1]
Give your coffee cup a closer look
A cup that looks like paper may have a plastic lining. UQ research reported in August 2026 found that plastic-lined takeaway cups released tiny particles when exposed to hot liquid. The study did not establish that drinking from those cups causes harm. [5]
When choosing a reusable cup, check the inside and drinking opening as well as the body. For us, glass or stainless steel contact surfaces are worth prioritising.
Check the lid on the kids’ drink bottles
A stainless steel bottle can still have plastic inside its lid, spout or straw.
Look at the whole path the drink takes. What holds it? What touches it when the bottle tips? What do lips meet when drinking?
A small silicone seal may be necessary to prevent leaks. We aim to minimise food and drink contact with silicone and explain where it is used.
Notice when things are wearing out
Deeply scratched containers or worn plastic chopping boards are useful places to start when it’s time for a replacement. Heat and scratching can increase particle release from plastic, according to UQ. [1]
Consider a suitable stainless steel lunch box, glass storage container or well-maintained wooden board. Choose something that suits your children’s ages, how you’ll use it and the care it needs.
It’s about more than lunch boxes
Our homes contain other sources of plastic particles, including fibres shed by synthetic textiles.
ABC’s October 2025 reporting explored how these fibres can collect in household dust. Regular vacuuming, damp dusting and washing little hands before meals are sensible ways to manage dust around the home. [6]
When you next need bedding or clothing, consider cotton, linen or wool to reduce sources of synthetic fibres. That doesn’t mean you need to replace everything, or that wearing synthetic clothing automatically sends plastic particles through your skin. [1, 6]
For personal care products, ingredients matter too. A glass bottle alone doesn’t tell you what’s in the formulation. The Australian study mentioned above also investigated personal care choices and exposure to plastic-associated chemicals. [2]
How we choose for Lorikeet Living
We ask about the details that can be easy to miss: the underside of a lid, a hidden lining, a coating or a seal.
For food and drink contact, we favour glass, stainless steel and suitable uncoated wood. We aim to avoid plastic contact surfaces and clearly explain materials using the information available from suppliers.
We also keep the science in perspective. Food Standards Australia New Zealand says the evidence is evolving and its current published view is that plastic contamination of the food chain is unlikely to pose immediate health risks to consumers. [7]
Choosing materials carefully is our precautionary approach. We don’t promise that a product will prevent illness or remove plastic already in your body.
We want to make the details easier to understand, so you have one less thing to investigate between school drop-off and dinner.
Start small. Reheat in a different bowl. Check the lid. Choose thoughtfully when something needs replacing.
Helping create healthier homes, one thoughtful choice at a time.
This article shares general information and Lorikeet Living’s material-selection approach. Research is developing, and reducing plastic contact does not guarantee a particular health outcome. We encourage you to explore the sources and make choices that suit your family.
A few useful reads
- UQ: Microplastics—what’s fact and what’s exaggerated?
- The Australian PERTH Trial, published in Nature Medicine, April 2026.
- UQ: Improving measurement of microplastics in human blood, March 2025.
- ABC News: Reducing plastic exposure can produce quick changes, April 2026.
- UQ: Plastic particles released from takeaway coffee cups, August 2026.
- ABC News: Hidden microplastics in our homes, October 2025.
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Microplastics in food, updated February 2025.