I like meal planning. Every week I give you a brand new 7-day meal plan so I don’t need to stress about what to make for my household. You’ll want a few of the finest meal prep containers to arrange meals upfront and save leftovers for lunch, so that you’re not cooking on a regular basis. I’ve a few of my favorites that I’ve discovered that helps me save money and time and keep on observe of main a wholesome life-style.
That can assist you discover one of the best ones, I compiled my prime picks that I’ve used for years. I’ve additionally discovered another top-recommended meal prep containers that deserve a spot in your kitchen. Whether or not you like the flexibility of glass containers or the comfort of light-weight silicone ones, there’s an possibility for you. Listed here are my prime picks for one of the best meal prep containers you should purchase.
Our Prime Picks:
- What’s in My Kitchen: Ello Duraglass Meal Prep Containers – $31.28 at Walmart
- Greatest Glass Set: Pyrex Merely Retailer 24-Piece Glass Meals Storage Container Set – $47.29 at Amazon
- Greatest for Freezing: Souper Cubes Silicone Freezer Trays – $19.95 at Amazon
- Greatest for Microwaving: Anyday Meal Prep Set – $170 at Williams-Sonoma
Evaluations of The Greatest Meal Prep Containers
1. What’s in My Kitchen: Ello Duraglass Meal Prep Containers
My go-to containers are the Ello Meal Prep Containers as a result of they verify all of my bins, they usually’re so cute and colourful! The duraglas materials gained’t stain or odor, whereas the BPA-free protecting silicone sleeve affords a no-slip grip, which implies I can simply decide them up even when I’ve oven mitts on. The silicone leads are hermetic and leak-proof together with useful sealing snaps for on-the-go use.
All the components might be saved safely within the freezer and washed within the dishwasher. They’re additionally microwave- and oven-safe (as much as 450 levels Fahrenheit!) with out the lids.
The Specs:
- Materials: Glass and BPA-free silicone
- Capability: 3.4 cups
- Protected for: Microwave, dishwasher, freezer, oven
The Execs:
- Doesn’t retain odors
- Protected for meals storage
- Oven protected as much as 450 levels F
- Leak-proof lids
The Cons:
- Heavy
- Lids might be tedious to wash
What Others are Saying:
The Ello Duraglass Meal Prep Containers have greater than 800 opinions and a 4.8 score on Amazon. Moreover, Ladies’s Well being named them one of the best microwave-safe meal prep containers.
Purchase the Ello Duraglass Meal Prep Containers:
2. Greatest Glass Set: Pyrex Merely Retailer 24-Piece Glass Container Set
With 24 items in a wide range of sizes, together with 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-cup choices, you should utilize this glass set for every part from sauces to leftover meatloaf. I additionally love that the glass materials is protected to make use of within the microwave — as long as you’re taking the stretchy silicone lids off. They can be used within the oven, freezer, and dishwasher too! Pyrex is understood for its robust design, so fortunately this set gained’t shatter into items if by chance dropped.
The Specs:
- Materials: Glass and BPA-free plastic
- Capability: (3) 4 cup, (3) 2 cup, (3) 1 cup spherical containers with lids, and (3) 3 cup rectangle containers with lids
- Protected for: Dishwasher, microwave, freezer, oven
The Execs:
- Sturdy
- Number of sizes
- Lids are hermetic and leak-proof
The Cons:
- Heavy
- Lids will not be microwave protected
- They don’t nestle properly
What Others are Saying:
The Pyrex Merely Retailer 24-Piece Glass Container Set has greater than 24,000 opinions and a 4.8 score on Amazon. Meals & Wine named it one of the best stackable set, Store At this time calls it one of the best oven-safe containers, and Forbes Vetted calls it one of the best meal prep containers.
Purchase the Pyrex Merely Retailer 24-Piece Glass Container Set:
3. Greatest for Freezing: Souper Cubes Silicone Freezer Trays
Souper Cubes are food-grade, BPA-free silicone molds which might be particularly designed to freeze liquid-based meals like soups, lasagnas, and stews. All the compartments have measuring strains so you may portion them out to 1/2, 1, or 2-cup increments, which implies you may make an enormous batch of hen broth or pasta sauce and freeze some for later.
While you need to defrost your meals, simply pop one of many completely portioned squares or rectangles out of the plastic like an ice dice. It could get dear to purchase a ton of them, so you may all the time switch the frozen cubes to a gallon freezer bag to maximise freezer area or use the Souper Cubes for one thing else.
The Specs:
- Materials: Glass and BPA-free plastic
- Capability: 2 tablespoons/1 ounce tray, 1/2-cup tray, 1-cup tray, and 2-cup tray
- Protected for: Freezer, dishwasher, oven (trays solely)
The Execs:
- Constructed from food-grade silicone
- Portion managed
- Maximize freezer area
- Lids are interchangeable
The Cons:
What Others are Saying:
The Souper Cubes Silicone Freezer Trays have greater than 1,000 opinions and a 4.9 score on Amazon. Moreover, Meals & Wine named it one of the best freezer container for soup.
Purchase the Souper Cubes Silicone Freezer Trays:
4. Greatest for Microwave: Anyday The Meal Prep Bundle
These bowls will not be the identical as the opposite bowls in your kitchen. Anyday’s line of meal prep containers have hermetic and leakproof lids with borosilicate glass and platinum-grade silicone. They have been designed so you may truly cook dinner your meals within the microwave, and whereas they’re a little bit of an funding up-front, they’ll prevent hours on meal prep over time.
Earlier than the beginning of a busy week, you may microwave large batches of meals to retailer within the fridge or portion out meals within the freezer trays. While you’re able to eat, merely pop one out and thaw it in one other Anyday dish. Meal prep can not get any simpler!
The Specs:
- Materials: Borosilicate glass, platinum-grade silicone, microwave-safe stainless-steel
- Contains: Giant deep dish, massive shallow dish, medium deep dish, medium shallow dish, 2-Tbsp tray, ½-Cup tray
- Protected for: Freezer, microwave, dishwasher, oven
The Execs:
- All-in-one resolution
- Cooks meals within the microwave
- Versatile
The Cons:
- Might leak throughout transport
- Costly
What Others are Saying:
The Spruce Eats recommends the Anyday Meal Prep Bundle of their testing.
Purchase the Anyday Meal Prep Bundle:
Different Meal Prep Containers to Think about
Prep Naturals Glass Meal Prep Containers
This set has compartments for a Bento-style lunch and is fabricated from high-quality borosilicate glass so that they gained’t stain, retain odors, or leach chemical compounds into your meals. Additionally they stack properly, which saves area in your kitchen or fridge. Plus, they can be utilized within the oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher. The Prep Naturals Glass Meal Prep Containers can be found at Amazon for $31.99.
OXO Good Grips Sensible Seal Meals Storage Container Set
The general high quality of those containers is with a sturdy borosilicate glass design that’s constructed to go from freezer to oven (or microwave!) with out the necessity to absolutely thaw. They’re additionally dishwasher-safe and stainproof with lids that match tight and are leakproof. However, as a result of the lids might ultimately put on out, this set didn’t make my record. OXO Good Grips Sensible Seal Meals Storage Container Set is on the market at Amazon for $54.
Bentgo Prep 3-Compartment Meal-Prep Containers
The Bentgo Prep 3-Compartment Meal-Prep Containers are nice for lunches as a result of you may separate meals into little pockets. They’re straightforward to retailer with trays and lids that nest collectively and stack neatly. I like that they’re protected for the microwave, however they didn’t make the minimize as a result of they put on out fairly rapidly. The Bento Prep 3-Compartment Meal-Prep Containers can be found at Amazon for $13.99.
Ziploc Endurables Silicone Containers
The Ziploc Endurables Silicone Containers can go straight from the freezer to the oven (as much as 425 levels Fahrenheit) and are microwave protected. Additionally they have an easy-grab deal with, which may make them simpler to pluck out of a scorching oven or microwave. The Safe Seal Expertise is really leak-free however they’re cumbersome to wash and reuse. The Ziploc Endurables Silicone Containers can be found at Amazon for $13.99.
Why You Can Belief Me
Again in 2008, I launched Skinnytaste to function scrumptious, wholesome, family-friendly recipes made with seasonal, clear, entire meals. At Skinnytaste.com, you’ll discover wholesome dishes that don’t sacrifice any of the flavour that may be discovered of their full-fat origins. My creations need to be “tasty” since this is similar meals I cook dinner each day for family and friends, and they’re a few of my hardest critics!
After making an attempt out dozens of meal prep containers through the years that I’ve used for meal prep myself, I centered on my private favorites to create this record. For those I didn’t personal, I learn via tons of on-line opinions from prime culinary websites to determine which of them deserve a spot in your kitchen. I checked out supplies, measurement, efficiency, sturdiness, and ease of use to make my closing selections.
Every part to Know Earlier than Shopping for a Meal Prep Container
What to Think about Earlier than Shopping for a Meal Prep Container
There are a number of issues to remember to ensure you’re shopping for one of the best meal prep containers on your wants and preferences. Listed here are some issues that I feel are a very powerful:
Measurement: Meal prep containers are available a wide range of sizes and shapes, so be sure they’re massive sufficient to suit the parts and kinds of meals you need to put together.
Materials: Most meal prep containers are constituted of plastic or glass. There are professionals and cons to every one: Plastic containers are light-weight, moveable, and straightforward on the finances, however they’ll stain and aren’t probably the most sturdy. You additionally must double verify what sort of plastic is used to make sure they gained’t leach into your meals when heated. I favor glass containers which might be sturdy, straightforward to wash, and versatile as a result of they’ll go within the oven, however they’re heavy.
Ease of Use: When you plan to make use of your containers for long run meal prep and storage, verify to see if the containers are protected to retailer within the freezer and might be heated up within the microwave or oven. Dishwasher-safe containers make for simple cleansing.
Stackability: There’s nothing worse than grabbing for a container amongst a mountain of lids and bottoms that don’t nestle. When you’re prioritizing space-saving containers, you’ll need a stackable set.
Are Plastic Meal Prep Containers Protected?
Most pliable meal prep containers in the marketplace are protected, however all the time search for containers labeled as BPA-free and food-safe to ensure you aren’t permitting dangerous chemical compounds to leach into your meals. Since some plastic containers might not be appropriate for heating within the microwave or oven, all the time verify the producer’s directions on the right way to use them. In any other case, you’ll need to switch them to a separate microwave-safe plate or bowl to warmth them, making extra cleanup for you.
Can You Freeze Meal Prep Containers?
So long as the producer’s directions say the supplies can face up to the intense temps of the freezer, you’re good to go. I even have a number of suggestions that will help you guarantee one of the best outcomes with frozen meals:
- Depart some room for the meals to develop because it freezes. That is particularly vital for liquids.
- Permit your meals to chill right down to room temperature earlier than inserting it within the freezer. Not solely does it stop your freezer from working additional time, quickly cooling scorching meals has an elevated danger of rising micro organism.
- Label and date every container with its contents and the date it was frozen. This can make it easier to hold observe and ensure you eat the meals inside a sure time!
Are Meal Prep Containers Microwave- and Dishwasher-Protected?
Most meal prep containers constituted of glass and microwave-safe (BPA-free) plastic are effective in each the microwave and dishwasher, however generally you’ll discover a container set the place the dishes are dishwasher-safe however not the lids. Double verify the packaging to learn the producer’s really useful directions to ensure.
How Lengthy Can You Retailer Leftovers?
Most leftovers might be left within the fridge for 3 to 4 days and within the freezer for two to three months. Listed here are a number of common pointers for various meals:
- Cooked meat, poultry, fish: 3 to 4 days within the fridge, 2 to six months within the freezer
- Cooked rice and pasta: 3 to 4 days within the fridge, 2 to three months within the freezer
- Soups, stews, sauces: 3 to 4 days within the fridge, 2 to three months within the freezer
- Cooked veggies: 3 to 4 days within the fridge, 10 to 12 months within the freezer
All the time use your finest judgment and toss out leftovers that really feel slimy or don’t cross a sniff take a look at!
The Greatest Recipes to Meal Prep
When you’ve chosen your favourite meal prep containers from my prime picks, strive your hand at a few of my favourite recipes which might be fast to whip up and retailer properly for leftovers. Additionally be sure you take a look at my weekly 7-day meal plans for much more inspiration:
Costs have been correct at time of publication.
