What do you store your leftovers in? How do you reheat them?

[gatorsmom]

For the past 5 years I've very slowly trying to replace my plasticware with pyrex with lids for storing food in the fridge. I do have some gladware which I mainly use for transporting food or gifting food.

What do you all use? If you use plastic ware, do you worry about unstable chemicals seeping (sp) into your food?

Do you heat your plasticware in the microwave or use something else to hold the food in the microwave?

[MommyAllison]

We found a snap lock glass storage system with plastic lids at Costco a couple months ago, and are loving it. It is easy to remove the plastic lid and reheat right in the glass dish (and it was much cheaper than similar Pyrex sets). Before that, we stored in rubbermaid plastic containers and moved the food onto plates or bowls before reheating...at least I did. DH was often too lazy/in a hurry and reheated in the rubbermaid, hence the switch to glass.

[JTsMom]

Mostly I store it on a plate or in a bowl (the regular ones we use for eating), and cover with waxed paper, or if it's not going to touch the food, I'll use plastic wrap. I really would like to get some Pyrex ones with lids, but it hasn't happened yet.

ETA: I reheat right on the plate, or transfer to a pot if I'm reheating on the stove.

[DrSally]

I'll use gladwear type containers for storage, but never heat in them (or on plastic bowls or plates. I'll just heat on individual ceramic plates. If it's baby food, I have those mini pyrex bowls with lids.

[infomama]

We store stuff in plastic containers (the kind with locking lids) from Target. We re heat on the plate we are eating off of..never in the plastic container. If we are reheating something that may get messy we lay a damp paper towel over the plate of food. Keeps it moist and any explosions contained.

[vludmilla]

We store and reheat in Pyrex and are loving it. I use almost no plastic at all anymore. I also save and reuse glass jars from jams, etcetera and I use those to store food sometimes when they are just the right size.

[lizajane]

tupperware is BPA free. i got rid of my rubbermaid plastic stuff and had a tupperware party. got $300 of stuff for free. my kitchen is totally tupperwareized, lol! (they have sets with special lids with vents that open so you can heat with the lid on in the micro.)

[baymom]

I'm in the process of switching over to pyrex and other glass containers, but don't have quite enough yet. If it was stored in pyrex, I'll heat it right in the container. If it was stored in rubbermaid, then, for the most part, will heat it once I've transfered the food to the dish or bowl. I'm still trying to get into the habit, so I find I only remember maybe 75% of the time--and then kick myself for forgetting. I definitely do worry about plastics leaching into foods when heated. I'm curious, do most of you still have your rubbermaid storage for school lunch boxes, ect. and only use glass for storage or have you converted EVERYTHING?

[WatchingThemGrow]

Got the Pyrex refrigerator shaped sets and some rectangular sets (like 3=4 sets of each maybe) from Amazon. LOVE them! There was a special on them when I did it. Too cool!

[tylersmama]

I use Rubbermaid to store in, but almost never reheat in it. I've been thinking about switching over to the glass set that a pp mentioned from Costco. I just saw it last time I was there.

[kijip]

We have all glass containers with lids- some from IKEA (which I don't like much) and a lot of pyrex. I bought 3 big sets of pyrex from Costco for a little under $100. We use that a lot for cooking, storage and reheating.

[hillview]

Pyrex.
/hillary

[Moneypenny]

We use Pyrex at home. For my lunch at work, I generally use plastic since it gets banged around in my bag. I wish glass were lighter and more durable...

[pastrygirl]

I store in plastic or the original baking dish it was cooked in, but I never microwave plastic (anymore -- stopped about a year ago). I dish it out onto plates to reheat, or reheat in a pot.

[DebbieJ]

I have mostly Tupperware. We usually reheat on a plate or bowl--whatever we're going to eat it out of--or my Pampered Chef MicroCookers.

[wellyes]

I do not microwave plastic. I bought two of the Pyrex 18-piece sets.... cost $60 for both on Amazon, but will last years and years and years, is more than I'll ever need, and it does not make me fear for my family's health. So it's worth it to me.

I do take them to work with me. And I take public transportation to work, too. Really no big deal IMO.

The only annoying part is that there aren't enough of the second-to-biggest size bowls. I do wish Pyrex would let you buy individual pieces instead of sets.

[Ceepa]

We have a few sets of glass Pyrex storage containers.

[mommylamb]

We found a snap lock glass storage system with plastic lids at Costco a couple months ago, and are loving it. It is easy to remove the plastic lid and reheat right in the glass dish (and it was much cheaper than similar Pyrex sets).

We've got the exact same set, also from Costco. In fact, I'm finishing up leftover lasagna right now that I brought to work in one of those. Love them.

[maydaymommy]

tupperware is BPA free.

FYI:
TUPPERWARE IS NOT BPA FREE!!

http://order.tupperware.com/coe/app/tup_widget.show_page?fv_page_code=safetyqa&fv_section_name=help&fv_category_code=search&fv_item_category_code=200550

I recently went to my 1st Tupperware party where the very experienced and successful consultant told us that it was all BPA-free.

Went home to figure out what to actually buy, and it only took one click from the homepage to find out that that was a bold faced lie! There is BPA in most tupperware, especially the ones that are meant to be used in the microwave. Their position is that the FDA says it is safe, so they use it. I read something that said that there is no BPA in kids products, but that is not true either - lots of their "kids" sets contain little sized storage things that contain BPA. I guess maybe there is none in baby products.

Just thought I'd share. I was really disappointed. Figured maybe I'd use Tupperware only for pantry storage.

[maestramommy]

We store our leftovers in plastic because we have SO MANY from takeout or whatever. But I always heat them in dishware before serving.

[brittone2]

Pyrex.

I use all rectangular ones for the most part. IME, the rectangles leave less wasted space in the fridge/freezer, and I stick with using the same shapes in different sizes because I can then nest them for storage when needed. I keep all of the lids on one side of the cabinet, standing up vertically, and then I have one pile of small rectangles, one pile of medium sized rectangles. On the shelf above that I keep the larger sizes of pyrex, like a 7x11 pan and 2 9x13s.

(eta: I built up my collection considerably during a LNT friends and family sale a few years back. Pyrex isn't cheap, but I like how versatile it is, and IMO it holds up better than the plastic in the long run anyway.)

[Jen841]

You can buy the various sizes individually at the Corning Outlets around the country. I have added to our collection, and have replaced pieces/parts over the years. I know I have bought at the Lancaster, PA, Corning, NY and Rehobath Beach, DE stores.

Their 'grab it' bowls are a favorite in our house for storage and everyday use. Sadly they no longer make the glass lids they once made for them. When I asked for them the lady looked at me like I had an eyeball on my forehead.

I know way to much about Corningware, my Dad worked for them for 20+ years. Vintage Pyrex bowls and the Cornflower casserole dishes are prized items for me. Sick I know!

[mommy2amelia]

I have a FoodSaver for stuff I'm freezing. Then I just take it out the night before and put it in the fridge. By dinner that it's defrosted enough to pop in the microwave. If it's stuff I'm not freezing, we have plastic storage containers (some Tupperware, some not). I don't reheat in the containers--I'll put whatever I'm reheating into a serving dish.

[cono0507]

We have had these Corningware Pop Ins for over 10 years and they still work great. We use them for all our leftovers:
http://www.shopworldkitchen.com/index.asp?pageID=231&upc=71160004924&b=33