Photo: Marcus McDonald
I consider myself to be a pretty organized person (especially in the kitchen, which I use more than any other room in my apartment). That said, the Home Edit–style decanting of absolutely all food into clear boxes and jars is not my thing (and, practically speaking, pretty unnecessary). Instead, I opt for a collection of food-storage containers that’s practical for my own way of cooking: many that nest tightly together in my small cabinet, some that clean up especially well for messy leftovers, others that can go in the freezer, and, overall, a wide range of sizes so I can keep everything from salad dressing to a whole batch of brownies. The point is: Having the right mix has made my pantry and refrigerator so much easier to navigate and food less likely to go bad.
Good news is the market is teeming with options that will allow you to curate your own assortment. To help you figure out what that might look like, I detailed my own favorites and consulted 16 experts (in this case, people who cook a lot and keep their kitchens together) to find out what they use to store dry goods, prepped foods, and leftovers. And if you’re looking for even longer-term food storage, you can read my guide to vacuum sealers, too.
Glass containers are the easiest to wash, and you can see through them completely. But they’re also the heaviest (an important consideration if you’re looking to transport meals on the regular). Plastic ones are transparent and lightweight. While they clean up well if you throw them in the dishwasher, they can be a bit of a pain to scrub by hand (especially when there’s oil involved). Silicone is similar to plastic in terms of cleaning and weight, but you can’t see through it. Basically, there are pros and cons to each, so I’ve noted the material of all the containers below, including if the lids and bases differ.
Some people might like a uniform shape, while others might prefer to have a mix; it all depends on what you plan to use each piece for. For this, I say whether the shapes in each container set are uniform or a mix.
Again, this will depend on use (maybe you’re looking to organize all the dry goods in your pantry or you want to ensure your various leftovers stop going bad). For this, I also say whether they’re uniform or a mix.
Material: Glass containers, silicone lids | Shapes: Mix | Sizes: Mix
I have a smattering of Pyrex glass containers that have been with me, traveling from apartment to apartment, for nearly a decade. And while I’m a deli-container evangelist (more on that pick below), I also recognize that they’re not as durable in the long run. The sturdiness and longevity of Pyrex, however, is unrivaled: The containers do not break or chip (I’ve even fully dropped them on occasion and they’ve stayed intact), the lids haven’t warped at all, and the glass has stayed sparkling clear, no matter what foods I’ve put inside over the years (now I clean them in the dishwasher, but that was the case even when I used to wash them by hand).
Pyrex came up most among experts, too. “The glass containers don’t absorb the smell or color of the food stored inside of them,” says recipe developer and cookbook author Jessie Sheehan. “I don’t want chana masala mixing with leftover egg yolks from baking.” She and cookbook author Erin Gleeson both note that all the pieces are dishwasher and microwave safe, even the lids, which is great for heating up food. “You don’t have to worry about putting a plate over the top,” Sheehan says. Mei Li, co-founder of Food Waste Feast, notes that “it really helps not waste food when you can see what’s in your containers.” But her praise of Pyrex doesn’t stop there. “Their lids fit well,” she tells me. “I find that some of the clip-on ones get warped over time, but these suction on nicely. Plus, they’re remarkably unbreakable.”
Pyrex makes a myriad of mixed sets that include different shapes and sizes, so it’s worth poking around to find the one that best suits your needs. Or you can be like recipe developer Desirée Daniels and get one with identical containers. Or, if you’re interested in storage that doubles as kitchenware, Sheehan notes in particular how “100 percent brilliant” the Pyrex mixing bowls are. You can cook in them, store in them, and serve in them. Li agrees. “If you have a dip or something like that, you can take it from the fridge to the table and then back into the fridge,” she says. “They look nice.”
Material: Plastic containers, plastic lids | Shapes: Uniform | Sizes: Mix
My personal food storage containers of choice are restaurant-grade deli containers, which come in a mix of 32 ounces, 16 ounces, and eight ounces. Somehow, one of those three sizes is always perfect for what I need. And perhaps best of all, they each fit the exact same lid so you’re never without one.
Although they won’t last as long as glass containers (eventually, they can start to warp just a bit, or, in more dramatic cases, become discolored after a ton of use), I simply recycle as needed. When I notice my stash dwindling, I buy some more (I did this recently for the first time in several years). And at such a cheap price, it doesn’t feel like a sting. They’re dishwasher and freezer safe (I have the largest ones full of stocks, pasta sauces, stews, and more in my freezer at all times.) They hardly take up any room at all when empty, as they stack super compactly (key for my small cabinet). But they also fit perfectly, one on top of the other, when they’re full so I can always see what I have in my fridge. They’re lightweight, great for bringing to the office or out on a picnic, and cheap enough that I never mind doling out leftovers to friends and saying, “Keep the container” as they leave.
Cookbook author Julia Turshen agrees. She uses them in many of the same ways I do, with the addition of decanting goods in her pantry. Plus, she has a great tip for using them to make salad dressing: “An immersion blender fits directly into one, so I don’t have to worry about dirtying a bowl and then later a container for leftover dressing,” she says.
Photo: Emma Wartzman
Material: Plastic containers, plastic lids | Shapes: Uniform | Sizes: Mix
Open a restaurant walk-in and you’ll see a ton of Cambros. Indeed, chef and author Virginia Willis, who now uses them at home, says the containers are a remnant of her restaurant days. “They come in different sizes but no matter what, they stack perfectly,” she explains. “And because they’re square, you’re not losing any fridge or cabinet space. They’re also especially durable.” Willis likes the two-quart size, the smallest that Cambro makes. She says it’s large enough to hold all the leftovers after dinner without being crazy-big. But just for reference, that two-quart is twice the volume of the largest deli container — and they go a lot bigger. Strategist contributor Sarah Leon has them in a range of sizes, also for leftovers and for proofing bread dough — but used the 12-quart ones as a dish station filled with water to be able to scrub and rinse when she was renovating her kitchen and didn’t have a proper sink for a year. They “are not breakable, and they have handles, so they are easy to carry,” she says. Just note you have to buy the lids separately.
Material: Silicone containers, plastic lids | Shapes: Uniform | Sizes: Mix
If you’re low on space or your main priority is commuting with food, consider these nifty Thin Bins that expand when full but squish down when empty (a prime idea if you take your lunch to work and want less bulk at least part of the way). They come recommended by Nikki Ostrower, founder of NAO Wellness, who found most containers she tried over the years to be impractical — both to carry around all day in her backpack and to stow in her small New York kitchen. These solve both issues and can go in the microwave (without the lids), dishwasher, and freezer, too.
Material: Glass containers, tin-plated steel lids | Shapes: Uniform | Sizes: Mix
Mason jars are best known for preserving and canning, but they work for storing just about any leftovers and decanting dry goods, too (not to mention as drinking glasses, which is how I primarily use them). Willis has a bunch in addition to her Cambros, and professional organizer Faith Roberson uses them too, including for keeping herbs and vegetables in water, and, when she’s on the go, salad ingredients with dressings in these handy cups that fit snugly inside so the components don’t mix until she’s ready to eat. No matter how many ounces, both Willis and Roberson like the wide-mouth jars best. “I can always add a scoop if I want the jar to hold powders or smaller seeds like flax or chia,” says Roberson. “But if I want to put something bigger inside, like dried lemons, I can do that too. Plus, it’s easier to stick my hand in to clean.” Her favorite thing of all is how multipurpose they are, from the kitchen to the dining room and beyond. “I always find a way to keep them occupied,” she says, “whether it’s for holding flowers on the counter, or as candle votives for tea lights on my dinner table. I even put my makeup brushes and cotton swabs in them. And if I find I’m in desperate need of one to store food, I simply disinfect a used one in the dishwasher.”
Material: Glass containers, glass lids | Shapes: Uniform | Sizes: Mix
Weck jars are another popular choice for canning. Unlike Mason jars, which have a metal lid that, I have personally found, can be prone to rusting after a long period of time, these have glass lids with small metal clips that clamp down. They’re indented slightly at the top, which makes them stackable, a particularly useful trait if you’re short on cabinet or fridge space. “I’ve had other jars that easily slide around and fall and smash,” says cookbook author Kylee Newton. “These have that extra security.” She uses hers for pickles (the rubber seal ensures an airtight close, just like with Mason jars), as well as dried goods like oats, cereal, and sugar. “They’re also just aesthetically gorgeous,” she adds, “the prettiest jars out there on the market.”
Material: Glass containers, glass lids with silicone seals | Shapes: Mix | Sizes: Mix
These OXO containers are made of glass and therefore are very sturdy, just like Pyrex — but the winning feature is their lids. They have a silicone lining and click-down handle on each side that holds tightly. “It’s really satisfying to hear that snap when they lock on,” says food writer Cathy Erway, who notes that, unlike some other glass containers she has used in the past, these can be thrown into her purse without the threat of leakage. Finally, she says, the smallest round container is the perfect shape and size for transporting dog food for her pup (it holds about one cup). She can feed him anywhere, even in the car, with no mess.
Turshen is also a fan. She first mentioned them to us five years ago, saying they were one of her essential kitchen items — and that remains true to this day. She uses them for storing leftovers in the fridge, and last year, when she was commuting to work, she would bring lunch in them. Just like Erway, she says that the click lock ensured no spilling on her commute: “If it turned over in my car while I was driving, I wouldn’t worry about it.”
Material: Plastic containers, plastic lids with silicone seals | Shapes: Mix | Sizes: Mix
This alternative, also from OXO, features another smart lid design: It has a pop-in, pop-out button on top that creates an airtight seal when you press it and then releases when you press again. (In this case, the body is made of plastic.) The company makes a vast range of sizes, from 0.2 quarts (for spices) up to six quarts, but food writer and recipe developer Rebecca Firkser especially likes the larger ones for decanting dried goods like granola, oats, flours, and sugars. “Though they don’t stack on top of each other,” she says, “the wide base helps these containers balance easily in places that weren’t necessarily designed for food storage but are often used as such, like the top of the fridge.”
Material: Glass containers, plastic bags | Shapes: Mix | Sizes: Mix
The Zwilling Fresh and Save set is a bit different than the others on this list — and I believe truly worth making room for in your cabinet. It’s a vacuum-sealing system that stores leftovers for longer than a standard container will. It comes with a handheld cylindrical pump, less than a foot tall, that sucks the air out of specific Zwilling glass vessels and plastic bags (which work great for quick marinating as well as storing food) via a valve on each receptacle.
Though it might look a bit more intimidating than your average container, I promise it’s the easiest thing in the world to use (and both recipe developer and cookbook author Jessie Sheehan and recipe developer and food blogger Nicole Modic agree). You simply put your food inside the container, match the circle on the top of the lid to the circle on the bottom of the pump, and press the button. The pump sucks all the air out and automatically stops once it’s done. To release, you gently push the valve to the side.
Food lasts many days longer than it would otherwise. I’ve even found it inspires me to make bigger batches for easy lunches and dinners, like the quinoa salad below. The cucumbers and peppers stayed crunchy and refreshing in there for a full week (could have been longer, but I ate it all before I found out). Sheehan expresses the same sentiment: “It really appeals to the make-ahead girl in me,” she says. “I love that you can prep ingredients — carrots, celery, whatever — and maybe you’re not touching those chopped-up veggies for a week, but they stay fresh.” Modic says she’s amazed how it makes berries, a highly perishable ingredient because of moisture levels, last two weeks in the fridge.
Photo: Emma Wartzman
Material: Silicone | Shapes: Mix | Sizes: Mix
If you’re in the market for storage bags instead of hard-sided containers, Stasher is a Strategist favorite. We’ve written about them many times over the years. Contributor Alison Freer, who wrote about how she couldn’t stop buying reusable storage bags in general, says, “I have every size, shape, and fun color they make, and while they are pricey, I reach for them above all other food-storage options I have in my kitchen. They can go in the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher; absolutely never stain or leak; and even though I’ve washed mine in the dishwasher hundreds of times (with the high-heat drying cycle on, even), they haven’t fallen apart or degraded in any way.” Multiple sustainability experts told us they swear by Stasher for this story on environmentally minded kitchen products. And Gleeson named them too. “We use them for kids’ lunches,” she says. “The smaller ones fit snacks like pretzels, crackers, and fruit. The bigger ones fit sandwiches. They’re durable. We’ve had them for four years at least.”
Material: PEVA | Shapes: Mix | Sizes: Mix
If the price of Stashers feels too steep, consider these (re-)zip ones that Wen-Jay Ying, founder of the café and farmer’s market Local Roots NYC, uses to store decanted bulk ingredients, save leftovers, and freeze goods. “They’re so light, they feel like Ziplocs,” Ying says. And because they’re made of PEVA, which is a less bulky and more malleable plastic than silicone, they’re thinner and easy to stack, says writer Anya Sacharow in our story on the best reusable food-storage bags. It should be noted, though, that they can’t withstand high temperatures like they can cold, so even though the brand says they’re dishwasher safe, we recommend hand-washing if you want them to last longer.
Material: Glass and silicone | Shapes: Uniform | Sizes: Mix
W&P (makers of my and many Strategist staffers’ favorite ice cube trays) also offers a myriad of storage containers, including these bowl-shaped ones. They’re glass so they clean up beautifully but have a silicone wrapping around the outside that provides a super-sturdy grip when I grab them from the fridge or wash them in the sink. The smaller size has become my go-to for storing dressing because the rounded bottom makes it easy to scrape out every last drop (more so than a small deli container, which has a shallow divot around the diameter), and the lid truly does not leak. I can shake it aggressively to re-emulsify. It’s so airtight, I can save half an avocado or apple with very minimal browning the next day. And though I work from home and therefore don’t transport lunch, I’ve eaten leftover grain salads and rice dishes straight from the larger vessel because the material makes it feel like an actual dish. The bowls are dishwasher- and microwave-safe, too. They’re on the pricier side, but I think introducing a few into your collection would be useful.
• Desirée Daniels, recipe developer
• Cathy Erway, food writer
• Rebecca Firkser, food writer and recipe developer
• Alison Freer, Strategist contributor
• Erin Gleeson, cookbook author
• Sarah Leon, Strategist contributor
• Mei Li, co-founder of Food Waste Feast
• Kylee Newton, cookbook author
• Nikki Ostrower, founder of NAO Wellness
• Faith Roberson, professional organizer
• Jessie Sheehan, recipe developer and cookbook author
• Julia Turshen, cookbook author
• Virginia Willis, chef and author
• Wen-Jay Ying, founder of Local Roots NYC
Updated June 10, 2024: Added an image of the Healthy Packers Deli Containers in use and updated prices and checked stock for all other products.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultraflattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.
