What are your favorite containers for leftovers/food storage?

[BabbyO]

My food storage containers are from my college days and the covers are starting to crack so we need to replace. DH is fed up with having a million different types of containers and just wants one nice set. We also have a fair amt of the ziploc/glad type containers.

I get the concern with BPA - but I really don't want to go to glass containers. They are heavy, difficult to stack and breakable (I'm the biggest clutz around!).

So what are you're favorites?

My criteria:
-must be stackable
-needs a wide variety of sizes
-leak proof lids (or mostly so) even if bounced around
-Non-breakable
-reasonably priced - mama can't afford to rob the bank this month! :)

[lizzywednesday]

We have a nice set of Rubbermaid ones similar to this set:

http://www.target.com/p/rubbermaid-32-pc-food-storage-set/-/A-14119153?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=|14119153&CPNG=Kitchen&kpid=14119153&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=14119153&gclid=COjum7eXt7gCFalcMgodm3EA8w

[Kindra178]

I now use Mason Jars for almost all food storage. I have different sizes. I love they are vertical so they don't take up a ton of space in the fridge. I have glass snapware and some random French brand for glass storage; both sets are from Costco.

[hellokitty]

I now use Mason Jars for almost all food storage. I have different sizes. I love they are vertical so they don't take up a ton of space in the fridge. I have glass snapware and some random French brand for glass storage; both sets are from Costco.

I have mostly pyrex, which is not leak proof, but if you want leakproof, I'd recommend the snapwear type of pyrex. I see these everywhere now, so it should not be difficult to find. I just feel that there is still a risk with plastic, so sticking with glass is just safest. Like Kindra, I am also switching over to using mason jars for storage. I don't like messing with the double ring lids though, so WM has their own brand of BPA-free, one piece plastic lids for cheap, and I got a bunch of those and am a happy camper.

[BabbyO]

We have a nice set of Rubbermaid ones similar to this set:

http://www.target.com/p/rubbermaid-32-pc-food-storage-set/-/A-14119153?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=|14119153&CPNG=Kitchen&kpid=14119153&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=14119153&gclid=COjum7eXt7gCFalcMgodm3EA8w

I've pointed these out to DH a million times, but he doesn't seem to like them. :shrug: Maybe it is because he thinks I'm going to keep the others??

I now use Mason Jars for almost all food storage. I have different sizes. I love they are vertical so they don't take up a ton of space in the fridge. I have glass snapware and some random French brand for glass storage; both sets are from Costco.

MIL has been doing Mason Jars, but I just don't think it is very practical for us. We cook ahead - in large batches and I don't like the idea of 4-5 mason jars in my fridge for 1 meal. (sometimes we'll fill 2 76-oz ziploc containers with stew or other dinners.)

Maybe I'm wrong (In which case I'll kick myself for getting rid of the Mason Jars I had!). Do you do a lot of cooking ahead? We also have to travel with food a lot because of food allergies. I'm concerned about breakable jars going to the zoo with us, or sending them to the sitters....

[alirebco]

Pyrex! With the blue lids on top. Love them. I have round and square/rectangular.

[Kindra178]

We cook ahead - in large batches and I don't like the idea of 4-5 mason jars in my fridge for 1 meal. (sometimes we'll fill 2 76-oz ziploc containers with stew or other dinners.)

Maybe I'm wrong (In which case I'll kick myself for getting rid of the Mason Jars I had!). Do you do a lot of cooking ahead? We also have to travel with food a lot because of food allergies. I'm concerned about breakable jars going to the zoo with us, or sending them to the sitters....

I actually cook 1-2 nights a week, which results in about 4-5 nights of dinner for 5 people. I commute on Chicago public transit with a Mason Jar a few times a week. The Mason Jar in a LLB lunch box stuffed in my work bag seems to be ok. I hear you about food allergies. We always pack food for outings. For zoo or pool outings, I pack either planetboxes or Ziploc divided containers (phasing out because my twins have planetboxes now). I also will use lunchbots to pack snack stuff.

Mason Jars keep food so much fresher than my other glass containers. I can cut strawberries or veggies (like cucumbers or zucchini) and they remain fresh in the Mason Jar. In my fridge right now, I have two 32 oz Mason Jar salads for me, two 32 oz Mason Jars filled with homemade mac with veggies I made the other night, a 16 oz Mason Jar with grilled chicken drumsticks, two 32 oz Mason Jars with sausage and peppers made on the grill, a 16 Mason Jar filled with grilled veggies, a 16 oz Mason Jar filled with taco meat, and various Mason Jars with cut fruit and veggies. I think the fridge looks way neater than when I had all sorts of containers.

[brittone2]

I've had my pyrex with the blue lids for like 10 yrs and I don't think we've broken one. I stick to almost exclusively rectangular, that way they can easily nest in the kitchen cabinet. I stand up the lids vertically in an upper cabinet and rest them right next to the pyrex stack. Very easy to keep them organized. eta: I find glass much easier to store as compared to plastic. I remember my mom having the tupperware cabinet from hell when I was a kid. You opened it and everything came pouring out! I feel like the glass is just easier to store (for us).

Pyrex is tempered and is pretty sturdy.

I cook and freeze in those all of the time. I do use Ball freezer jars for a lot of soups.
DH transports his lunch every day in pyrex and just puts it in a plastic storage bag in case of a leak. I wouldn't swing it around or store it sideways for a long time, but stored pretty level we don't have leaking issues.

[Philly Mom]

For ease, we use gladware and I don't worry about the plastic. We freeze in ziplocks. We cook large meals for the week on the weekends. We transfer to gladware and refrigerate and then, once the food is more "solid", about a day after being refrigerated, I transfer to ziplocks and put in the freezer. I defrost the ziplocks either in the fridge or for the most part, the food just falls straight out of the bag frozen into a ceramic dish and we microwave. I know storing in plastic is not popular here but it is practical for us.

[AnnieW625]

I still use Tupperware:bag and love it. I do have have some old school retro glassware I inherited from my grandma, and Corningware. I reheat things in the bowls from our everyday china.

We use Glad, Snapware or Ziplocware as well.

[happymom]

I actually cook 1-2 nights a week, which results in about 4-5 nights of dinner for 5 people. I commute on Chicago public transit with a Mason Jar a few times a week. The Mason Jar in a LLB lunch box stuffed in my work bag seems to be ok. I hear you about food allergies. We always pack food for outings. For zoo or pool outings, I pack either planetboxes or Ziploc divided containers (phasing out because my twins have planetboxes now). I also will use lunchbots to pack snack stuff.

Mason Jars keep food so much fresher than my other glass containers. I can cut strawberries or veggies (like cucumbers or zucchini) and they remain fresh in the Mason Jar. In my fridge right now, I have two 32 oz Mason Jar salads for me, two 32 oz Mason Jars filled with homemade mac with veggies I made the other night, a 16 oz Mason Jar with grilled chicken drumsticks, two 32 oz Mason Jars with sausage and peppers made on the grill, a 16 Mason Jar filled with grilled veggies, a 16 oz Mason Jar filled with taco meat, and various Mason Jars with cut fruit and veggies. I think the fridge looks way neater than when I had all sorts of containers.

Omg can I come over and raid your frig?? Yum!

[psimpson3-5]

I bought a set of collapsible Rubbermaid food containers at Costco literally 4-5 years ago and we still have them. I should probably toss them, but I have yet to find a replacement. We LOVE that they are collapsible. Everyone who comes over asks where we bought them. I found these on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B001CT4WMU They look nice and have a few good reviews.

We also bought a set of glass prep bowls of many varying sizes at Costco for either $20 or $25 about 2 years ago. They have plastic lids. We use them virtually every time we cook.

[KLD313]

I've been storing stuff in ziplock bags recently because I'm lazy. I like storing stuff flat in the freezer and it defrosts so much quicker that way.

I also have glass lock and lock stuff and plastic lock and lock.

[llama8]

I like the Rubbermaid with the stackable red lids. They are leakproof and hold up great and I believe they are BPA free. I also use GreenBoxes for my produce and love them. Fruits and Veggies stay fresh 1-2 weeks longer than regularly in the fridge.

[Ceepa]

We have an old set of round Pyrex with lids. They take up more room than the square ones, but we usually don't have a ton of things stored in the refrigerator at one time.

[fauve01]

My food storage containers are from my college days and the covers are starting to crack so we need to replace. DH is fed up with having a million different types of containers and just wants one nice set. We also have a fair amt of the ziploc/glad type containers.

I get the concern with BPA - but I really don't want to go to glass containers. They are heavy, difficult to stack and breakable (I'm the biggest clutz around!).

So what are you're favorites?

My criteria:
-must be stackable
-needs a wide variety of sizes
-leak proof lids (or mostly so) even if bounced around
-Non-breakable
-reasonably priced - mama can't afford to rob the bank this month! :)

a couple years ago, Costco had a set of Glasslock containers--18-piece I think, for about $20. Similar to this set, but all the containers were square:
http://www.amazon.com/Glasslock-Snapware-Tempered-Storage-Containers/dp/B008TZ2W5O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1374105593&sr=8-4&keywords=glasslock

they don't fit your criteria of nesting (I stack them in my cupboard with the lids on them), but honestly, they're usually in use and not in the cupboard! I love love love these containers and kick myself regularly that I didn't get two sets when I had the chance. definitely my fav containers. I don't have any plastic left except the one-cup round ziplock containers.

The Glasslock are glass, but tempered-- I've dropped them a few times and they actually bounced across my tile kitchen floor and didn't get a scratch on them. it's also nice to be able to heat stuff up in them in the mic.

[ang79]

I have a set like this. I actually bought a set for my MIL and she liked them so much she got me a set :) I got rid of most of our other random plastic ware now that I have these. I normally don't store foods that I need to reheat in the plastic, only things like fruit, veggies, cheese, dry snacks, cereal, etc. I have nesting rectangular pyrex and nesting round Anchor Hocking glassware that I try to use with most other stuff. I never thought of putting solid things like fruits and veggies in mason jars! I use those to store liquids and things like chili, soups, etc.


We have a nice set of Rubbermaid ones similar to this set:

http://www.target.com/p/rubbermaid-32-pc-food-storage-set/-/A-14119153?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=|14119153&CPNG=Kitchen&kpid=14119153&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=14119153&gclid=COjum7eXt7gCFalcMgodm3EA8w

[hillview]

pyrex and mason jars