I normally save every plastic bowl that comes my way - empty margarine tubs, takeout soup containers, sour cream bowls, you name it. Lids, too. But invariably, the lids last longer around here, so I end up with, say, six butter lids and only two butter bowls.
When lid storage starts to overflow, I pull out the surplus - but I don't toss 'em. They go in a box on top of the microwave. That way, when I'm nuking something that might spatter, I can grab a lid, poke a few venting holes in it very carefully, and then use them as free 'splash screens'. If the lid gets cruddy, I can toss it or wash it, it's up to me. I'm just happy I don't have to clean tomato sauce spots from the microwave walls and ceiling every other day now!
I freeze in margarine containers, then thaw on defrost, approx. 1/2 defrosted then put in micro. container, of course who knows what is safe any more, but I have done this for 20 yrs. Also the unsafe plastic has a no. on the bottom, will look that up for you.
I also keep empty containers to reuse. I use the top of a container that a cake comes in from the grocery store. It is domed and can easily be poked for vent holes, and it doesn't touch the food. I save all these type of containers to store food in. You can see through them to tell what's in there. Also good for taking food places in, and if you don't get it back. Oh well!
I save lids and caps for various purposes. I think tho it would be safer to use a piece of plain white paper towels or some waxed paper in the microwave. I'm trying to get away from using plastics in the microwave. Those lids were never meant to be microwaved and you just don't know if any harmful chemicals are going into the food. You definitely want to be sure the lid isn't touching the food. Maybe you could just use a paper plate for this purpose instead and you could get quite a few uses out of it before you'd have to pitch. Also you don't have to worry about whether it can be recycled. Paper in the landfill is better than plastic.
It is my understanding that if plastic isn't labelled for the microwave that it sheds plastic particles. Altho invisible, we would still be ingesting it.
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