Each night as I prepare my son’s lunch for pre-school the next day, I write a little note that I tape onto the Tupperware: “Please heat and serve on a paper plate.”

I cram a folded paper plate into his tiny lunch box and hope his teachers don’t think I’m off my rocker for being so particular. My worry stems from renewed concerns about chemicals used in many plastic baby containers, including sippy cups, bottles and bowls. Some studies have raised the question: Are plastics safe?

Two recent stories in the Sun-Sentinel and Los Angeles Times laid out the issues well enough for me to feel justified in being extra cautious about how my son’s food is stored and prepared. As always, the studies are not definitive and are open to interpretation, leaving parents and doctors to discern what they’re comfortable with.

Of course, I only came to learn about the leaching of chemicals from certain plastics AFTER my son was weaned off the bottle. I spent a year nuking those plastic baby bottles in a microwave, inside a contraption that was specifically designed to sterilize them. Sure, I protected my son from food-borne bacteria, but I also may have exposed him to harmful chemicals. Talk about mother's guilt.

What's your take on plastics?

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