Back in March, I took the No New Plastic for a Month Challenge, and it inspired me to replace all of my plastic food storage containers with glass, and I haven't looked back. Below the jump, you'll find out how I transformed my refrigerator.
First, I did some research to find the everyday glass food storage containers I now needed. I opted for Duralex Lys Square Bowls because they are stackable, made of tempered glass, and square in shape. Next, I dusted off my vintage glass pieces, and I started saving jars. Finally, I gave my fridge a good cleaning, and swapped out my plastic containers for glass, which I donated to a friend.
What do I love about glass containers? They are easy to clean, don't retain odors or germs, and because they are clear, what you're looking for is quickly spotted. I replaced my stained plastic containers, with both new and old glass ones, and I found myself with what I would describe as a pretty refrigerator. The switch has motivated me to keep it clean and organized.
Tips
1 Look for tempered glass. It's heat & cold resistant, so it can go from the oven, to the table, to the refrigerator. It also means they can be dropped on occasion, and won't break (most of the time).
2 Choose a collection that nests inside itself. It saves shelf space.
3 Square vs Round: Definitely a preference, but square generally wastes less space in the refrigerator, and fits better in lunch bags.
4 Save those old food jars. They are great for bulk foods, beverages on the go, and leftovers for your guests.
Have you made the switch? Do you have any good glass tips?
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Good job!
To store salad greens, I place the washed and dried greens in a large rectangular glass container with a cloth napkin on the bottom.
can you recommend nesting glass containers? I've found a bunch where you can stack different sizes together, but none where you can nest all the same sizes. I know others on various AT sites have asked the same thing.
I switched to glass food containers for storing leftovers in the fridge, too. I found most of mine at the local thrift store (Deseret Industries) over time, watching for the matching tops, etc. Also, I found attractive containers for storing items such as nuts, rice popcorn there, too, and I've been keeping food jars, too.
@fancyd - I found some nesting pyrex brand round glass containers at Bed Bath and Beyond that are really nice. But what I truly love are my square and rectangle Frigoverre glass containers that nest quite well. I bought the square ones online from various places, but found the rectangle Frigoverre at my local TJ Maxx / Home Goods store dirt cheap. Made me so happy!
And for glass, the Frigoverre are ridiculously durable. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've dropped or knocked them and they haven't even cracked. I like the plastic lids better with them than the pyrex ones as well - thicker, just better fitting overall.
Having a mix of round and square / rectangle glass storage is nice, but I think I would prefer to have all square / rectangle to better fit my cabinets, fridge, and freezer.
Good job.
I like the cheapest rectangular pyrex, a set of three storage for $14/Target. "Pyrex 6-pc. Storage Value Pack" but I can't get the page to load right now.
Really good sizes for lunch and leftover, washes easily in the dishwasher, and no breakage.
I have the Snaplock set...they nest inside each other, which really does save space. And they are pretty leak-proof. I wouldn't turn it upside down inside my purse but you get the idea.
Here it is: http://www.amazon.com/Snapware-Glasslock-Tempered-Storage-Containers/dp/B0029U57RA
I second the recommendation for Snapware Glasslock containers. They're leak-proof, not too heavy to take for lunch, and nest easily to save space. I bought my 2 sets at Costco. I really like that the glass doesn't stain when I store spaghetti sauce or other similar foods.
What do you do for clean lids for ther glass jars, like food jars? I find that the original lids tend to retain smells - from pasta jars, jelly jars, chutney jars, etc.
I completely agree with @southpaw. I love my Frigoverre container too. I needed a glass with a lid for my homemade ghee and my Frigoverre one was perfect!
Plus I <3 Tj, marshalls, and home-goods. :)
@GoStanford - I clean them out really well with vinegar and let them sit with baking soda. That usually does the trick.
Made the switch to glass a few years ago by adding a few new pieces at a time when they went on sale. We already had nesting Pyrex bowls with lids, so I mostly purchased round and rectangular 2 and 3 cup glass containers to pack leftovers and salads for lunch or the freezer. Shop around. A local grocery store sells the Pyrex for a couple of bucks cheaper than Target does.
I received some glass Pyrex containers for Christmas, but we were still using plastic containers more until I made a little switch. I can't believe it took me so long to do it, but by putting the plastic containers on a high, inconvenient cupboard shelf, and moving the pyrex containers to our easiest-to-grab spots, we're now using glass all the time instead of plastic.
Bravo. Really nice. Can I make a recommendation though for travel lunches.....tiffins (dirt cheap too) are great as grown-up lunch boxes because they're light and seal nicely. I have yet to spill anything on myself with those and you can knock them around as much as you want.
ps Does anyone know where we can find Pyrex lids? Ours became contaminated at some point when our neighbor dumped 12 stray cats and we ended up using the lids to feed them. (That's really another problem with plastic - it''s not sanitary).
Mason jars. I pack my lunches - always a leftover of somesort, or a salad in mason jars that used to contain store-bought pasta sauce.
So far I've had no reason to complain about them. They take a great deal of punishment and keep on going.
To replace the lids from spaghetti jars, I use Ball Regular Plastic Storage Caps. Does not contain bisphenol A (BPA) and dishwasher safe. You can buy them from their online stores.
I've made the switch! It takes time but is well worth it. I'm a fan of Anchor Hocking because their containers are USA made and tops are BPA free! Best of all, it's lasting me forever! I've started switching other products too. www.LiveESP.com is a site that's helped me a lot.