Open here

We all remember the saying, "He's so weak he couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag." I relive that saying each day except that the bags I am trying to get open are usually not paper, but plastic.

In our zeal to keep everything sanitary and fresh we are buying prepackaged foods more and more. They do stay fresh and they are protected from dirt and germs from excessive handling. But after we get back home we begin to yearn for the old days when we asked the butcher for a three pound roast, he cut it off, wrapped it in butcher paper and we took it home.

Now if we buy a roast it will be on a Styrofoam dish, usually with a small square of some absorbent material underneath the meat, supposedly to catch any moisture from seeping through the wrappings. It will then be wrapped tightly in a plastic wrap at least two thicknesses deep. On top of this will be the sticker telling us the weight, price and information on safe handling of the meat.

What it doesn't have is any direction for how to get the package unwrapped, or what to do with the materials after finally reaching the red meat. Parts of the wrappings might be recyclable but unless you are heading for the recycling center that very day, it will have to be washed to remove any meat drippings or your storage area will get smelly very quickly. If you don't recycle, then your trash bag will fill up quickly and cause more clutter in some area of your kitchen or utility room.

OK, let's move to less messy purchases. How about a box of Wheaties? It comes in a nice sturdy colorful box. At the top it does have provisions for keeping the box closed tightly after the first use by inserting the tab in the slot on the other flap of the top. Inside the box there is some empty space before the bag with the cereal is found. (The package sometimes tells us that this is due to settling during shipping.) The bag of cereal is sealed tightly at the top and also has a seam down one side of the flakes. The trick is getting a bowl full of food from the sack without destroying the sack for further storage and freshness. It takes some planning. I find that starting at the side seam and pulling the two sides apart at the top sometimes works well. If it doesn't, then there is always the option to find a clip-type clothespin to hold the ripped sack together. I find staples don't work too well as they invite even further tearing.

We like to have a bit of ice cream for dessert from time to time. Each brand of the goodie has a different method of getting into the box. The one that says, "Open Here" is helpful for getting the top opened from the bottom, but lifting the lid to actually get into the ice cream takes a little extra care. We have found that torn ice cream cartons make the dessert have a rather unpleasant flavor when served a day later. The more expensive brands package their product in a round or oval container with a sturdy lid that simply lifts off. What a clever idea. It is almost worth the extra price.

Plastic wrap, aluminum foil, cling wrap, and even the old fashioned wax paper are staples in most of our kitchens. If the food we buy doesn't add to our trash quickly enough, we add our own wrappings after each meal to protect the leftovers, to cover things in the microwave, or to keep some-thing warm or cold.

I think I better take a break. I have a carton of Dr. Pepper bottles on my cabinet. The bottles are held together by plastic rings. I can get the bottles out by pulling down and out but I must destroy the rings to keep wildlife from becoming strangled in them if they are disposed of incorrectly. And if I twist the bottles while getting them out of the holder, the drink might foam over when I unscrew the top.

Progress is wonderful. It seems it left me behind somewhere. I'm still fighting my way out of that paper bag.