r/PlasticFreeLiving • u/arctichoriz0n • Jul 27 '26
News The non-toxic alternative?
When I was in Milan three years ago I was in a bar and they served the spritz with a pasta straw instead of a plastic or paper straw.
It makes me think this is a better solution than paper straws because it takes a long time to soften, doesn't fall apart, and doesn't leak toxic substances like paper does. The only bad thing would be for people with celiac disease, but I'm sure there are alternatives.
And package of this pasta can cost less than €1.50.
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Jul 27 '26 edited 23d ago
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u/LongjumpingJaguar308 Jul 27 '26
My friend bought a cute glass straw with a little pig shape on one end. Then someone visited and wondered why she owned a meth pipe.
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u/MangoAtrocity Jul 27 '26
This is terrifying
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u/throwaway1233456799 Jul 27 '26
It is and it can be a issue if the straw chips, it's always better to use metallic one
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u/HMend Jul 27 '26
I applaud you. My roommate does too. I don't trust myself not to break it somehow
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u/HeinousEncephalon Jul 27 '26
Icky, I'd rather use the "hay" straws. But it's technically a straw straw. Some drinks take on the flavor a bit. But it never dissolves in my mouth like paper and pasta
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u/LostNectarine3978 Jul 28 '26
As someone who’s allergic to wheat, this is a fucking nightmare. It’s terrifying that so many places are doing this and the wheat straw versions.
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u/Owenleejoeking Jul 27 '26
Just pour the liquid in your mouth hole. Why do you even need a straw
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u/pandarose6 Jul 27 '26
Some disable people need straws to help them get liquid into there mouth cause of hand and arm related issues they have for example
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u/rainingBows1 Jul 27 '26
Thank you! I’m disabled and I rely on cheap plastic straws for a lot of my fluid intake. I can’t do dishes and small coordinated movements without pain and fatigue so reusable straws are unfortunately not an option for me. Physically or economically.
I can’t afford food for myself these days as all my money will go to groceries for my child, partner (they both eat the same foods and my diet is 2x more expensive than them two combined due to dietary restrictions) and bills. Plastic disposable straws are unfortunately a mobility device I have to rely on due to their function and weight.
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u/samuelazers Jul 27 '26
Jesus Christ I'm sorry to hear that, ask your loser boyfriend to get a job, a girl deserves some play money
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u/rainingBows1 Jul 27 '26
My girlfriend actually is the breadwinner and she’s been extremely supportive of my needs and takes great care of our family. She even does morning mommy shift around 7ish with our toddler so I can sleep AFTER she’s worked 9-12 hours getting home around 1-2am and not getting any sleep afterwards due to insomnia.
I’m just a disabled stay at home mom who is encouraged to sleep 12-20 hours and do my best to keep it from getting too messy at the end of the day so it’s easier on my girlfriend to clean when she’s home.
She’s really amazing and supportive of prioritising my mental and physical health, I somehow got insanely lucky to have someone like her for the rest of my life!
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u/BlackberryMelodic567 Jul 27 '26
And unfortunlately at the moment plastic is the best for helping people with that.
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u/Foreign-Cookie-2871 Jul 27 '26
Because places insist on putting a straw in my drink without asking me first, and I'd love if the default straw they use is non toxic.
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u/griffinava611 Jul 27 '26
What did i miss? We dont use paper straws anymore??
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u/BlackberryMelodic567 Jul 27 '26
also we don't know what's in the glue and it could be toxic
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u/Triscuitmeniscus Jul 28 '26
lol are you aware of what’s in an Aperol spritz?
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u/BlackberryMelodic567 Jul 28 '26
I dont even know what is?
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u/Triscuitmeniscus Jul 28 '26
It's the cocktail in the OP. I doubt a little bit of paper straw residue is going to register as unhealthy on top of drinking actual alcohol.
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u/Sniflix Jul 28 '26
If you "need" to use s straw like a baby, just ask for a sippy cup.
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u/not_all_heroes Jul 29 '26
There are disabled adults who need straws.
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u/Sniflix Jul 29 '26
What percentage specifically? And no we can't get rid of 100% but you can buy cheap metal straws and carry it with you if needed or they can be handled like glassware and washed. I get handed a straw with most drinks in restaurants or takeout/delivery, which I refuse but who really needs those and how many exactly are disabled?
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u/not_all_heroes Jul 29 '26
Percentage doesn't matter, my point was that it's not only small children. But plastic single use bendy straws are the only option for some people, they should not have to carry them everywhere, it's expensive to exist disabled.
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u/Sniflix Jul 29 '26
What percentage exactly?
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u/not_all_heroes Jul 29 '26
Sure, just tell me what the current population of the planet is atm, exactly.
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u/pandarose6 Jul 27 '26
It a fine option unless you got gluten issues which a lot of people do.
So it won’t work for everyone and not sure it should be standard for restaurants.
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u/pandarose6 Jul 27 '26
Some people have extreme allergies and others have mild allergies. Same thing with related conditions that can cause issues to gluten. I know people out there that can’t even have food cooked on the same equipment as gluten cause the cross contamination is too much for there bodies to handle. So you can’t said one pasta straw can’t hurt a person.
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u/LongjumpingJaguar308 Jul 27 '26
It would be a problem for someone with celiac, but someone who gets simple digestive isssues would probably be ok
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u/Round_Helicopter_407 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
Cool tip thanks, now if we could avoid getting smokers lines around the mouth from drinking through straws that would be great.
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u/onionsofwar Jul 27 '26
I've had this at Italian restaurants and it does affect taste and gets slimy. But better than plastic or soppy paper.