The 8 Very Best Food-Storage Containers
Photo: Marcus McDonald
The Home Edit–style decanting of absolutely all your food into clear boxes and jars is not my thing (and, practically speaking, pretty unnecessary). There is, however, a happy medium between that level of aesthetic organization and a storage-container cabinet or drawer that looks like it got hit by a tornado — a random collection of stained plastic vessels from three roommates ago, mismatched bottoms and tops, and oddly shaped pieces that would take up too much room in the fridge (if you ever bothered to use them). The point is: Having the right storage containers will make your pantry and refrigerator so much easier to navigate and food less likely to go bad. To that end, I asked a bunch of experts (meaning people who cook a lot and keep their kitchens together) what they use to store dry goods, prepped foods, and leftovers.
Best overall | Best less expensive | Best large | Best collapsible | Best multipurpose | Best with click-lock lids | Best with pop-up lids | Best bags
What we’re looking for:
Material: 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. 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.
Shapes: Some people might like a uniform shape, while others may 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.
Sizes: 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.
Best overall food-storage containers
Best (less-expensive) food-storage containers
Healthy Packers Deli Containers with Lids
From
$19
From
$19
Plastic containers, plastic lids | Same shapes | Different sizes
My personal food-storage containers of choice are restaurant-grade deli containers — incredibly durable, sturdy, and dishwasher- and freezer-safe. (I have the 32-ounce 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. But they also fit perfectly, one on top of the other, when they’re full. They’re lightweight, great for bringing to the office or on a picnic, and cheap enough that I never mind doling out leftovers to friends and saying, “Keep the container” as they leave. Perhaps best of all, the three different sizes use the exact same lid, so you’re never without one.
From
$19
at Amazon
From
$19
at Amazon
Best large food-storage containers
Cambro Clear Square Food Storage Containers
From
$10
From
$10
Plastic containers, plastic lids | Same shapes | Different sizes
Chef and author Virginia Willis says that Cambros 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. If you have rounded containers, you lose that space in between. 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. And for reference, that two-quart is twice the volume of the largest deli container — and they go a lot bigger. Just note that you have to buy the lids separately.
From
$10
at Webstaurant Store
$17
at Amazon
Best collapsible food-storage containers
Thin Bins Collapsible Containers
$23
Silicone containers, plastic lids | Same shapes | Different sizes
If you’re low on space, or your main priority is commuting with food, consider these nifty Thin Bins recommended by Nikki Ostrower, founder of NAO Wellness. She has tried many containers over the years, and most proved to be impractical for her to carry around all day in her backpack, as well as difficult to stow in her small New York City kitchen. Finally, she found these collapsible silicone containers that can go in the microwave (without the lids), dishwasher, and freezer. Of course, best of all, she says, “when you’re done with your food, they collapse like an accordion.”
$23
at Amazon
$25
at Groupon
Best multipurpose food-storage containers
Ball Wide Mouth Glass Canning Jars
$16
$16
Glass containers, tin-plated steel lids | Same shapes | Different sizes
Beyond her Cambros, Willis endorses Mason jars. “I love canning and preserving, so I always have a lot of them on hand,” she says. Professional organizer Faith Roberson uses them too for pretty much everything — leftovers or prepared foods, of course, but also dry goods like lentils and beans; 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 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.”
$16
at Ace Hardware
From
$18
at Bed Bath & Beyond
Best food-storage containers with click-lock lids
OXO Good Grips 12-Piece Smart Seal Glass Container Set
$33
$33
Glass containers, glass lids with silicone seals | Different shapes | Different sizes
When food writer Cathy Erway decided to get rid of plastic in her everyday life (including the takeout boxes she used to reuse), she landed on this set of Oxo containers. Ever since, she’s been a devotee. They’re made of glass — and therefore very sturdy — but the winning feature is the 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,” Erway says, noting that, unlike some other glass containers she’s 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.
$33
at Amazon
$33
at Oxo
Best food-storage containers with pop-up lids
OXO Good Grips POP Container
From
$22
Plastic containers, plastic lids with silicone seals | Different shapes | Different sizes
These Oxo containers are made from plastic but have another genius lid design that has made them a favorite of food writer and recipe developer Rebecca Firkser. There’s a round pop-in, pop-out button on the top that creates an airtight seal when you press it and then releases when you press again. The company makes this style in a vast range of sizes from 0.2 quarts (for spices) up to six quarts, but 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.”
From
$22
at Amazon
From
$8
at Bed Bath & Beyond
Best food-storage container bags
Stasher Platinum Silicone Reusable Storage Bags
From
$7
now 30% off
From
$7
Silicone | Different shapes | Different sizes
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.”
From
$7
at Amazon
$13
at Stasher
Our experts
• Desirée Daniels, recipe developer
• Alison Freer, Strategist contributor
• Erin Gleeson, cookbook author
• Mei Lei, co-founder of Food Waste Feast
• Nikki Ostrower, founder of NAO Wellness
• Faith Roberson, professional organizer
• Jessie Sheehan, recipe developer
• Virginia Willis, chef and author
• Cathy Erway, food writer
• Rebecca Firkser, food writer and recipe developer
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