Can anyone recommend good food storage containers?

[Hones]

We currently have zero kitchen organisation and I'd love to get things sorted. We've tried using plastic containers for things like rice, beans, pasta, flour and sugar, but the snaps on the lids break off in no time at all and the food usually ends up smelling a little plastic-y. Some people have previously suggested using glass jars with bamboo lids to store things in.

Is this a good idea? What do you use to store your ingredients?

 

[dragnlaw]

My DIL uses glass containers with the 4 sides that snap down. Glass can go straight into the micro if needed where the plastic cannot. More expensive but very snug and you know for sure if they are tight. But I don't know about using them in the freezer.

I like plastic ones for the freezer. Yes, eventually the lid may snap but I don't find excessively. Only trouble is if and when they slide out and hit the ground they crack - but they don't shard like glass - easier to clean up and you can generally still use the contents. LOL

 

[taxlady]

I have had two different containers of the glass with fold down, snap shut sides. One, the sides broke off after a while. The other one has a gasket between the container part and the lid. The gasket somehow got stretched and won't stay put. We got rid of the first one and should probably do that with the second one too. It's just sitting around taking up space.

 

[blissful]

Hones, I completely reorganized and cleaned out our pantry upstairs, where we keep the flour, oatmeal, canned goods, dry goods, vinegars. The plastic containers we use are like ice cream pails (square), and plastic for vinegars. Dry goods are mostly in canning jars, they aren't 'canned', just stored that way. About half plastic and half glass for us.

 

[skilletlicker]

Admire blissfull's pantry shelf in the background of pic below. I've had a couple of these Sterlite containers for many years. Usually, milled whole grains are frozen in good quality freezer bags where they'll keep for many years.


This post doesn't really warrant a picture but the old phone became 5G obsolete so this is the first pic on the new one. The top pic is 3000 x 4000 pixels and displays correctly on my phone and PC. Why does DC show it sideways? Edited the pic with 90° rotation resulting in second pic. Is this a size issue? Finally, a cropped copy of the first pic reduced the size to 2872 x 2746 and is displayed below. Can anybody splain this stuff to me or link to an explanation that surely has been provided long ago?

 

[pepperhead212]

Welcome to the forum!

I use mostly glass for storing just about everything, though a few of the flours I use a lot are in well sealed plastic containers - probably had to them for so long that they would be considered unsafe, these days, but that's more for heating purposes, which these aren't used for. There are 3 of the size that will hold a 5 lb bag of flour, and one smaller one I put WW in, as that will go bad, if not used fast enough. The rest goes in the freezer.

Don't bother with those plastic jars, like peanut butter jars and the like - they don't seal well. Even some of the glass jars don't have rubber seals. So if you can't fit them with a standard mason jar lid, don't save it, unless it's for screws, or something that doesn't matter if it seals! I used to have some people saving all their jars for me, and I got a lot that way!

Here's a photo showing a bunch of the different sizes of glass jars I've accumulated - most of the jars on the other 4 shelves are quart size, but a few 3 and 2 cup, for things I don't use much of. And when I buy large amounts of things these get filled, then I put the rest in the amount that will fill the jars in Foodsaver vacuum packs. I keep these in tubs in my basement, with an inventory list. Works great!
Lower shelves, showing the different sizes of jars I've accumulated over the years. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Some things I have found need to be put in the freezer, even in vacuum sealed bags, or they will eventually go rancid - most of these I found out the hard way. Cracked wheat of any type, as well as WW flours, brown rice, wild rice, hulled millet, cornmeal and masa harina. And any kinds of nuts, though almonds keep better than most. Many other whole grain flours will also loose their freshness quicker than the whole grains, but these are ones I know I need to freeze, if bought in large amounts.

 

[GinnyPNW]

I used to use round containers, but I found that they take up more space with less product. So, most of my food storage for things like you mention: rice, beans, pasta, flour and sugar - is in "Flip Tite" containers. You can find them online and at Walmart. There are a couple of brands that seem to be the same thing, Better Homes & Gardens and Felli. They come in all sorts of sizes. However, for my more frequently used flours, I use the flour boxes sold at King Arthur Flour, but get mine for less at Bi-Mart.

There used to be a Rubbermaid product specifically for the freezer and I use those too. Unfortunately, I can't find them anymore.

Good luck on whatever you decide!

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I have a 24 piece set (12 containers and 12 lids) of Pyrex glass storage containers with snap handle lids. I also have some plastic containers, but anything I might be heating in the microwave, especially tomato sauce, goes in the Pyrex because it doesn't stain. I have had my current set (I had a set at my father's house and I don't know if they are still there or not) for over 2 years and I have never broken a container or the handles on the lid. I have lost a couple of vent hole covers though. I think they went down the garbage disposal.

 

[lilcountry]

I had gotten a food saver a while back.then a few days later I had to use brown sugar in a meatloaf recipe. that's when I learned that I need a better storage container.in which food saver has some hard plastic food storage containers.i bought some.been keeping brown sugar in two of them ever since.they work better than I figured.

 

[buckytom]

A little late to the party, but we use Lock-n-lock containers. In side by side comparisons with everything from Tupperware to leftover Chinese take-out containers, they help keep food fresh much longer.

 

[blissful]

Mostly glass and some plastic.

 

[Aunt Bea]

We currently have zero kitchen organisation and I'd love to get things sorted. We've tried using plastic containers for things like rice, beans, pasta, flour and sugar, but the snaps on the lids break off in no time at all and the food usually ends up smelling a little plastic-y. Some people have previously suggested using glass jars with bamboo lids to store things in.

Is this a good idea? What do you use to store your ingredients?

IMO being organized is not something that you buy it's something that you do. A habit that you and your housemates cultivate.

A disorganized kitchen with state-of-the-art storage containers will still be a disorganized kitchen.

I would encourage you to save your money and use the things that you already have to help you create some better habits.

Good luck!

 

[Just Cooking]

IMO being organized is not something that you buy it's something that you do. A habit that you and your housemates cultivate.

A disorganized kitchen with state-of-the-art storage containers will still be a disorganized kitchen.

I would encourage you to save your money and use the things that you already have to help you create some better habits.

Good luck!

+1

Ross

 

[Janet H]

I use glass for dry goods, plastic deli containers for refridgerator-ables and ziplocks for some freezer items. I could stand to up my game for freezer items like nuts but have never found a good solution.