Ultimate Guide to the Best Meal Prep Containers

They come in a set of five with snap lock silicone lids and have two compartments inside that help me portion out meals. I’ve used the containers for about two years and find them to be super durable. They also haven’t stained, in https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/ my experience, even when I’ve poured tomato sauce and curries inside. The containers themselves are safe to use in the microwave, oven, freezer, and dishwasher, plus the lids have locking tabs and rubber rings for a leak-proof seal.

  • Store fruits, veggies, and other snacks in the bags’ thick, but flexible, silicone that’s transparent and available in an assortment of colors and sizes.
  • The Rubbermaid Brilliance containers are designed to be just as reliable, offering features that make meal prepping easy and hassle-free.
  • Storing food in stainless steel containers ensures your meals stay fresh whether you’re at home or on the go.
  • Each container holds 28 ounces of food, measures 8.75 x 6 inches, and is 1.5 inches tall without a lid and 2 inches with a lid.
  • Jenny passionately advocates a holistic and natural approach to health and well-being.
  • The metal containers slightly resemble springform pans and are perfect for keeping cold food cold in lunchboxes.

You can pick from mains, bowls, soups, and snacks – and you’re given the option to add a small side portion of grains. For your afternoon pick-me-up, there are several sweet (but healthy) treats to try. We really appreciated the clear nutritional signposting on the meals to indicate whether a dish was gluten-free or contributed to your five-a-day. Quite a few of the meals were on the spicy side, which might not be to everyone’s taste, but for those who like that, their flavour profiles were great. The meals offered a good balance of seasoning, with herbs and spices remaining fresh and vibrant despite being pre-prepared.

Souper Cubes 1/2-Cup Freezing Tray with Lid

Luckily, we haven’t noticed any food becoming stuck in the gaskets during our testing. The Pyrex Ultimate containers come in rectangular and circular shapes. They nest for storage and stack neatly in the refrigerator or freezer. Of all the containers we tested, these were the best at defying odors. During our kimchi tests, no smells emanated from the glass containers themselves, and just a slight aroma was evident on the silicone trim.

Lid Type

You can use them to store a variety of foods, from soups and salads to casseroles and leftovers. Plus, the fact that they’re BPA-free and dishwasher safe adds to their appeal. The M MCIRCO 10 Pack 22 Oz Glass Meal Prep Containers are among the best meal prep containers glass available on the market. Their high-quality construction and versatile features make them a great choice for anyone serious about meal prepping.

Best Glass

We like glass for its durability and ability to resist staining and scratching. In addition, some glass containers are safe to transfer directly from the freezer to the microwave or even the oven (though be sure to remove the lid). Brilliant for many reasons, these plastic food storage containers are completely see-through (except for the seal) and perfect for taking on the go, since they’re light and sturdy.

Best for lunch box

Even more, the Rise containers are sustainable (made with 90% post-consumer recycled materials) and — distinct from many other stainless steel options — microwave-safe. They’re also 100% leak-resistant thanks to a unique seal-and-snap function, confirmed by our evaluation. This food container set is perfect for all you Type-A personalities out there. The five different colors are perfect for planning your meals by the day or by corresponding ingredients.

Can I Use These Containers for Freezing Food?

The containers come in a 50-pack with 100 pieces total, providing a practical quantity for regular meal prepping or bulk storage. Their construction emphasizes reusability with food-safe BPA-free plastic. As I mentioned previously in my non-toxic living guide, Rome definitely wasn’t built in a day.

best meal prep containers

Before reheating, we also checked the kimchi for freezer-burn patterns, which indicate how tightly a container seals. The hard-plastic construction of these restaurant-quality storage containers prevent against cracking. Glass containers are my go-to choice because they don’t absorb odors, stains, or chemicals, and they can withstand higher temperatures without warping.

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According to the Food and Drug Administration, most cooked foods can safely be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. After that, the risk of bacterial growth and food poisoning increases. Plus, they stack neatly together to save space in your cupboards and fridge. If you’re looking to save money, the Bentgo Prep 2-Compartment Meal Prep Containers are the way to go. With 20 containers in a set, this works out as less than 65 cents per container.

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Stainless steel food storage containers can be cleaned with a mix of water and mild detergent, followed by a rinse and dry. Silicone food storage containers can go in the dishwasher, but hand washing helps them last unimeal reviews complaints longer. We don’t need to have dozens of BPA-free food storage containers ready for grabs. Just get creative with DIY solutions like using mason jars, repurposing glass jars from store-bought goods, and trying beeswax wraps for covering bowls and wrapping snacks. These options are not only non-toxic but also eco-friendly and budget-friendly. When you finally have a list of essentials, look for sales or consider investing in multi-purpose containers that can handle various storage needs.

More Food Advice for an Emergency

Snack planning is just as important as meal planning when it comes to meal prep, and these small containers are a perfect tool to get the job done. Featuring two half-cup compartments, they’re a convenient way to carry a variety of healthy snacks to tame your appetite between larger meals. Available in a few unique colors, they’ll be easy to spot in the communal fridge at work and have the added bonus of looking a little more stylish than your typical food storage containers. Veteran meal preppers and newbies can both appreciate tempered heavy-duty meal prep containers. They help us portion out food so it’s grab-and-go ready, prevent spillage in our favorite lunch bags, and survive many years (ideally) of use and washing.

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However, we believe that their durability makes them a good investment. The containers can be used in the oven and microwave up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and (unlike any of our other picks) their lids can be too. If you’re trying to avoid using plastic as much as possible, our other glass pick, the Pyrex Ultimate 10-piece Glass Storage Set, has glass lids trimmed with silicone. We appreciate that the sets come with round, square, and rectangular pieces, and that they can be purchased in sets with up to 24 pieces. Keep in mind that most manufacturers include both the containers and the lids in the total piece count for a set — so a 14-piece or 16-piece set really includes just seven or eight containers. With our finalists, we performed an additional stain and smell test by filling containers with tomato sauce and then storing them upside down in the refrigerator for five days.

If you’re someone who squeezes in regular workouts, this is a definite plus and a reason to give Prep Kitchen a go. The menu is varied and includes curries, stir-fries, pies, risotto, burgers and more. The dishes we had were a bit hit and miss – the sweet and sour chicken and Korean bibimbap weren’t to our liking.

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