What could be easier than going to the refrigerator, pulling out the plastic container you put last night's leftovers in, and popping it into the microwave for a quick zap?

It is an instant hot meal in three minutes, but depending on the kind of container, it could be an instant shot of potentially toxic chemicals.

Clear polycarbonate plastic containers marked with a plastic 7 BPA on the bottom, like most plastic baby bottles, can leach bisphenol A, the known hormone disrupter, cancer causer in lab animals, and possible source of hyperactivity and other behavioral disorders in children.

First, number seven plastics are a no-no.

Second, plastic foams-like those used in coffee cups, food containers from fast food restaurants, and instant soups and noodle products-are made of number six polystyrene. Styrene is known to leach from such containers. It is a possible hormone and reproductive system disrupter and is listed as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Research for Cancer.

Third, flexible plastics made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), marked with the number 3 on the bottom, contain phthalate compounds, including DEHP, which is linked to a host of problems with the liver, kidney, and spleen and is banned in Europe.

Learn what two simple solutions you should know to help prevent your family from becoming poisoned by plastic food containers, especially the damaging plastic 7 BPA.

Read this valuable guide today before preserving emergency food reserves.