While using plastic with hot foods is not preferable, it is actually much much worse to be using plastic with oily foods.
Some interesting information here: https://www.fukushihoken.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/shokuhin/eng/faq/category07/43.html .
Quote:
The packaging used for frozen foods is highly heat resistant and may be heated in a microwave. Such packaging will not deform or melt in a microwave. Packing which is labeled as being safe to use in a microwave will not melt as long as you follow the heating instructions on the package.
Yeah, in spite of the above assurances, I wonder how hot the oil in oily foods can get when microwaved inside of a plastic bag, as in the case of frozen microwave foods sold in plastic bags.
The worse thing of course is that most hot foods are also oily ones. Unless we are just putting hot tea in plastic bags, even milk tea is immediately a lot worse.
This.
Make it a habit to always carry your own containers, cups, chopsticks, etc. when eating at a night market or buying coffee, and you don’t have to deal with that. The more you do it, the more common it gets, people will follow your example, and before you know it everyone does it and you won’t get stupid reactions by the vendors any longer.
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I never get stupid reactions from vendors when I do this, and I’ve been doing this for many years. On the contrary, I often get lauded for being eco-conscious. Same when I insist on them not giving me plastic bags at the greocery store.
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A backpack trekking through the city (or country more importantly) is not a bad idea, carrying all the essential culinary tools.