Food Storage Containers

[TromboneAl]

Our rubbermaid food storage containers have lasted pretty well for 16 years, but we've lost and broken enough lids that it's time to replace them. They don't make that style anymore, so I've got to decide on a brand/line.

For me, the key to convenient food storage is to have all the containers the same, so you never have to search for the right lid. Actually, it would be OK to have different sized containers as long as the lids were interchangeable, but most manufacturers haven't figured that out yet.

I'll probably go with Rubbermaid Durable, Premier, or Collapsible.

Any good or bad experiences with the type of containers you use?

 

[haha]

Our rubbermaid food storage containers have lasted pretty well for 16 years, but we've lost and broken enough lids that it's time to replace them. They don't make that style anymore, so I've got to decide on a brand/line.

For me, the key to convenient food storage is to have all the containers the same, so you never have to search for the right lid. Actually, it would be OK to have different sized containers as long as the lids were interchangeable, but most manufacturers haven't figured that out yet.

I'll probably go with Rubbermaid Durable, Premier, or Collapsible.

Any good or bad experiences with the type of containers you use?

I like Pyrex glass ones, because I trust glass better than plastic, and it can go into the oven or microwave.

But I haven't found any big ones yet, just single serving and a bit small for my servings to boot.

Ha

 

[waltwill8]

I bought about 100 on ebay a few years ago for $10 or $15.
There were pints, 1 1/2 pints, and quarts, all with the same lids.
The empties nest nicely, and the lid rims are compact enough not to take up too much freezer space.
I don't know if they are still made, but the brand was Ball (same as the canning jars).

 

[bright eyed]

Al, you really like to ask the most provocotive questions - but are a master in cloaking them as innocent, household topics?

I also prefer the Pyrex glass - at the tar-jay they have a box set w/ different sizes from about a half lasagna pan to single serving. they do have a plastic top.

i'm trying to reduce my plastic use to a bare minimum and never use in microwave...

 

[Nords]

Our rubbermaid food storage containers have lasted pretty well for 16 years, but we've lost and broken enough lids that it's time to replace them.

I knew we'd eventually isolate the root cause of the problems you brought up in that milk thread...

For me, the key to convenient food storage is to have all the containers the same, so you never have to search for the right lid. Actually, it would be OK to have different sized containers as long as the lids were interchangeable, but most manufacturers haven't figured that out yet.

Every time I've bought a "set" or a "system", it's been ripped asunder by the first dishwasher meltdown or freezer fracture. From then on all we have is a mess of extra lids & bottoms that never go far enough and never work well together again. So we don't buy storage containers retail. With no more emotional investment we no longer mourn the inevitable fallen faithful.

Our local Thai restaurant took care of standardization for us. I don't know who supplies their clear plastic containers with the snap-fit lids but we reuse those. The tall & short ones have the same-size lids and they fit nicely in our fridge shelves. Best of all we get several free with every Thai food purchase, and we'll never have to worry about collecting the whole set!

We also bring home the occasional Goodwill or garage sale impulse buy...

 

[ladelfina]

I got a gift of a couple of the "Stain Shield" rigid polycarbonate ones, but they do crack (from freezing or dropping I don't know). They are not really space-efficient, but are good for fridge leftovers since you can see the condition of the contents.

My favorites are some old ("Hefty"?) square ones with tiny borders on the lids so things fit very neatly in the freezer.. I only have six; too bad they don't make them any more.

I second the Thai/chinese takeout ones. They are "free", and the lids all match. I use the big ones for frozen homemade broth, and once they are solid I turn every other one upside down to save freezer space.

I have a bunch of various inherited Tupperware; while they are compelling objects (variety of form factors, robust, excellent seal) they are just too 'random' for me.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I bought a set of the pyrex glass ones with rubberish lids and little pop up steam vents. They've outlasted several plastic sets for all the reasons Nords mentioned, plus the plastic ones become permanently red tinted after putting anything with tomato sauce in them. I think they're about 10 years old now and except for a small chip on one edge of one, look like new.

They're heavy, thats the only major downside. I think I bought them at Costco, but good luck seeing if they still have them 10 years later.

 

[waltwill8]

I just noticed "new in package" Hefty pints, 1 1/2's, and quarts containers on ebay, if anyone is interested. Search on Hefty containers.

 

[Martha]

I bought a set of the pyrex glass ones with rubberish lids and little pop up steam vents. They've outlasted several plastic sets for all the reasons Nords mentioned, plus the plastic ones become permanently red tinted after putting anything with tomato sauce in them. I think they're about 10 years old now and except for a small chip on one edge of one, look like new.

They're heavy, thats the only major downside. I think I bought them at Costco, but good luck seeing if they still have them 10 years later.

Amazon.com: Deluxe Pyrex 10-pc. Storage Set: Kitchen & Dining

 

[Brat]

Check first at Target before you pay for shipping.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Those be them. Except I got a whole lot more pieces. I must have 10-12 containers plus matching lids. I think I paid $25 or $28 for the set. So $19 for 5 containers with lids is a pretty decent deal. This looks like the 5 smaller pieces of my set, I have a couple that can hold everything out of a very large pot.

 

[bright eyed]

for me, less is better. the less i have to store, the more i'm compelled to "find" what it was last used for (might be sitting in the back of the fridge w/ some old leftovers), retrieve and wash it. so one set is perfect for us!

the take-out cartons i caution may be made with plastics only intended for a couple of uses, so beyond that i hope people are tossing them. the plastics can start to leach chemicals into your food, yum! and polycarbonate is known to be a leacher of estrogen.

i first got some mild plastic warnings when pregnant - the books include warnings not to microwave stuff in plastic containers, etc., then found out more info after that. the gr**nguide.com has a good plastic guide on what numbers at the bottom to look for. so i microwave in glass always, and use a plate as a topper for splatters...

 

[TromboneAl]

I bought one Rubbermaid premier-line 2 cup container for testing, plus a five-pack of the ziploc "disposables" (these are one fifth the price (per container)).

The Rubbermaid is very nice, with lids that snap onto the base and each other for storage. However, it does leak. That is, put water in it and tilt it and the water will drip out.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Al, you're the man when it comes to "home ec," as we used to call it.

Charging non-rechargeable batteries, food containers, towels, tires, apple sauce, stickers that peel off without leaving a residue, margarine, milk, bubble wrap as window insulation, to name just a few of your recent inquiries / tips.

I alternate between marveling at your ingeniousness and wondering if maybe I shouldn't keep working just a few more years .

Anyway, thanks for the infotainment.


P.S. Any ideas for removing efflorescence from a brick walkway?

 

[Martha]

TSP (not the retirement plan) is supposed to be good for removing efflorescence, but it didn't work on our retaining wall.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Muriatic acid works on the powdery efflorescence but a power tool with a metal scrub brush is about all that'll remove the crystaline stuff.

 

[Brat]

And after you have cleaned it apply a grout sealer.

 

[TromboneAl]

Found Rubbermaid "Twist and seal" containers at "Tar-jay," and after some testing (including filling with water and putting in the freezer), these were the winners. They are also one-third the price of the others I've tested. So I bought 18. They meet all the requirements:

Nestable
Can see the food without opening
Don't leak
Dishwasher safe
Microwaveable
Freezable

Charging non-rechargeable batteries, food containers, towels, tires, apple sauce, stickers that peel off without leaving a residue, margarine, milk, bubble wrap as window insulation, to name just a few of your recent inquiries / tips.

I alternate between marveling at your ingeniousness and wondering if maybe I shouldn't keep working just a few more years

.

Now that you mention it, I do in fact do a lot of that stuff. It is fun.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Now that you mention it, I do in fact do a lot of that stuff. It is fun.

Agree. I devour Consumer Report every month. (Their health care material is as consistently accurate as I've seen anywhere, and I agree with most of their health care delivery stances.)

Maybe some day I'd volunteer to work with them.

 

[Nords]

P.S. Any ideas for removing efflorescence from a brick walkway?

I know that's a bad sign on walls & basements-- a moisture problem.

Is there a way to stop a moisture problem with the walkway? Can it be elevated or can the drainage around it be improved? Of course this may be a disease where the cure is worse than the symptoms...

 

[Fireup2020]

Does anyone else here just use the Ziploc/Glad semi-disposable/reuseable/freeze/nuke plastic ones? I confess! I am aware how bad some of the issues are regarding microwaving plastic, but...I am rough on my food containers that go from home to w*rk, etc. Another reason to FIRE (no more toting lunches to the office!!)

 

[Nords]

Does anyone else here just use the Ziploc/Glad semi-disposable/reuseable/freeze/nuke plastic ones? I confess! I am aware how bad some of the issues are regarding microwaving plastic, but...I am rough on my food containers that go from home to w*rk, etc. Another reason to FIRE (no more toting lunches to the office!!)

We save every plastic bag and shopping bag that comes into the house, and every container bag that we empty. We shake out whatever debris was in them and we stuff them in a cabinet.

When we're going to use a bag, we look through the cabinet first. If it's not dirty we'll keep re-using. So the hamburger-bun bag makes a few round trips through our kitchen before it's disposed of.

We save paper grocery bags and use them for green waste or take them back to the store on our next trip for rebagging.

The system works pretty well and really cuts back on using paper/plastic bags. I bought a 100-bag bundle of paper bags back in the 1980s (for brownbagging lunches) and we still have some left.

We don't bother to wash things out anymore, but we used to do that overseas when plastic bags weren't always in stock at the stores.

 

[figner]

"Hi, my name is figner, and I too use the plastic disposable ziploc containers."

When I nuke em, I try to make sure they don't get much hotter than eating temperature - this is probably just a feel-good gesture on my part, since I don't know for sure it will leach fewer chemicals into my food. Been meaning to get some of the glass containers with plastic lids, but it's hard to find small square ones that will fit well into a lunch bag, and not leak.

 

[Danny]

I like Pyrex glass ones, because I trust glass better than plastic, and it can go into the oven or microwave.

But I haven't found any big ones yet, just single serving and a bit small for my servings to boot.

Ha

I just got the Pyrex 10 pc glass storage set at Target - noticed they had a variety of other sets
10 pc

14 pc

More

Wait There's More

Ooh these are nice

 

[TromboneAl]

I always find it better to nuke leftovers on the plate. You can spread it out and it heats more evenly. Dump it, mash it, cover it (with another plate) nuke it, eat it.

A great invention that failed in the marketplace due to less-intelligent consumers: Microwave temperature probe. I stick that into the leftovers, set a temperature of 133 degrees, and the lunch is Goldilocks-perfect every time.