When hunger strikes and you head back to the fridge for that wonderful turkey/gravy/cranberry/stuffing sandwich you don’t want to have to search through piles of aluminum foil wrapped packages or unsealed containers. A good storage container should help extend the life of your delicious meal and be able to help transport food to and from your home. Here’s what we’re looking for in a good storage container:
- Visibility: a see-through container or lid
- Cover: a lid with a good seal to contain freshness and prevent spillage
- Durability: goes from fridge to freezer to microwave to dishwasher
- Ergonomics: easy to get food in and out
- Washability: easy to clean by hand or by dishwasher
Here are some good-looking food storage containers that will serve you well (pun intended) for years to come.
Top row, left to right:
1. Stainless-Steel Third Pan: $35.00 at Williams Sonoma
2. Storage Units by Paola Navone, Small Glass plus Lacquered Lid: $48.00 at Unica Home
3. Iittala Small Glass Jar: $50.00 at Velocity
4. Vintage Glass Food Storage Containers: $5.99 - $10.99 at The Container Store
5. Teema Ceramic Bowl with Lid: $85.00 at MoMA Store
Bottom row, left to right:
6. Weck Jars from Germany, Size .5 Liter (see website for additional sizes): $5.50 at Canoe
7. OXOR Pop Containers: $7.95 - $18.95 at Crate & Barrel
8. Wide Top Glass Canisters: $5.95 - $8.95 at Crate & Barrel
9. Almendahls Herring Storage Jar: $35.00 at Huset
10. Rosendahl Storage Jars by Ole Palsby: $22.00 - $37.00 at Unica Home
You may also want to invest in:
DaysAgoTM Digital Day Counter: $7.99 each at The Container Store
Freezer Labels (package of 100): $4.99 at The Container Store
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Go to a restaurant supply and get some deli containers. They are see through and are cheap enough that they can wander home with people. Oh and you can freeze them. Not the most environmental solution, but they are reusable.
Pyrex is good too:
http://www.shopworldkitchen.com/index.asp?pageID=231&upc=71160036093
I have a large collection of vintage Pyrex refigerator dishes. They have clear glass tops so you can easily see what's inside, they stack nicely, they can go through the dishwasher, and they can be microwaved. Oh, and they're super cute.
http://www.pyrexlove.com/img/item/cat_refrigerator.jpg
(not mine, but a great example)
@EvelynW - Do the vintage Pyrex pieces keep a sufficient seal for storage?
some very good looking containers! thanks for the tip!
I'll vouch for Pyrex as well. Both old and new. My mom gave me a bunch of her old Pyrex bowls, containers, casserole dishes, basically everything imaginable in great prints and colors from the '70s. And I have bought some new clear Pyrex with sturdy lids as well for leftovers and to take to work. Inexpensive and durable! They go in the microwave, dishwasher, freezer and oven.
The OXO ones are plastic . . . .
Hmmm... As nice as some of these pieces are to look at and handle, I cannot justify spending 35-85 dollars on one piece, especially a storage container. I don't know what is so wrong with using the more expensive types of plastic like the Rubbermaid Premier line. They don't stain, or melt, and hold up very nicely. 17 bucks for a 20 piece set. And some of the glass jars listed aren't anything inventive or special for the price.
I agree with loufromlou - I refuse to pay that much for a storage container. It's crazy - and those who do, well I guess you must have much more money than I do and don't need to be living in an apartment - LOL.
I use regular gladware along with the rest of the people I know around here. At least if something gets ruined, you probably spent less than a dollar for it. Plus people don't have to worry about returning something (like if you sent them home a piece of pie) - you'll wind up taking something from there sometime and it's just even.