I really like meal planning. Every week I provide you with 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 organize 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 monitor of main a wholesome way of life.

That will help you discover the very 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 favor the flexibility of glass containers or the comfort of light-weight silicone ones, there’s an choice for you. Listed here are my prime picks for the very best meal prep containers you should buy.

Our Prime Picks: 

1. What’s in My Kitchen: Ello Duraglass Meal Prep Containers – $31.28 at Walmart
2. Greatest Glass Set: Pyrex Merely Retailer 24-Piece Glass Meals Storage Container Set – $47.29 at Amazon
3. Greatest for Freezing: Souper Cubes Silicone Freezer Trays – $19.95 at Amazon 
4. 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, and so they’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. 

The entire elements may 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
• Secure for: Microwave, dishwasher, freezer, oven

The Professionals:

• Doesn’t retain odors
• Secure for meals storage
• Oven protected as much as 450 levels F
• Leak-proof lids

The Cons:

• Heavy
• Lids may 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, Girls’s Well being named them the very 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 use this glass set for every little thing 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 thought for its sturdy 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
• Secure for: Dishwasher, microwave, freezer, oven

The Professionals:

• Sturdy
• Number of sizes
• Lids are hermetic and leak-proof

The Cons:

• Heavy
• Lids should not microwave protected
• They don’t nestle nicely

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 the very best stackable set, Store In the present day calls it the very best oven-safe containers, and Forbes Vetted calls it the very 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. The entire compartments have measuring strains so you may portion them out to 1/2, 1, or 2-cup increments, which implies you can also make an enormous batch of rooster broth or pasta sauce and freeze some for later. 

If you wish to defrost your meals, simply pop one of many completely portioned squares or rectangles out of the plastic like an ice dice. It will possibly get expensive 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
• Secure for: Freezer, dishwasher, oven (trays solely)

The Professionals:

• Produced 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 the very best freezer container for soup.

Purchase the Souper Cubes Silicone Freezer Trays: 

4. Greatest for Microwave: Anyday The Meal Prep Bundle

These bowls should not 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 really cook dinner your meals within the microwave, and whereas they’re a little bit of an funding up-front, they will prevent hours on meal prep over time. 

Earlier than the beginning of a busy week, you may microwave enormous batches of meals to retailer within the fridge or portion out meals within the freezer trays. If 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 chrome steel
• Contains: Giant deep dish, giant shallow dish, medium deep dish, medium shallow dish, 2-Tbsp tray, ½-Cup tray
• Secure for: Freezer, microwave, dishwasher, oven 

The Professionals:

• All-in-one resolution
• Cooks meals within the microwave
• Versatile

The Cons:

• May 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 Contemplate

Prep Naturals Glass Meal Prep Containers

This set has compartments for a Bento-style lunch and is product of high-quality borosilicate glass so that they gained’t stain, retain odors, or leach chemical substances 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 Good 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 totally 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 checklist. OXO Good Grips Good Seal Meals Storage Container Set is out there 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 really like that they’re protected for the microwave, however they didn’t make the lower as a result of they put on out fairly shortly. 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 Know-how is actually 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 characteristic scrumptious, wholesome, family-friendly recipes made with seasonal, clear, complete 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 attempting out dozens of meal prep containers over time that I’ve used for meal prep myself, I targeted on my private favorites to create this checklist. 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 remaining choices. 

All the pieces to Know Earlier than Shopping for a Meal Prep Container

What to Contemplate Earlier than Shopping for a Meal Prep Container

There are a number of issues to bear in mind to ensure you’re shopping for the very best meal prep containers to your wants and preferences. Listed here are some issues that I believe are a very powerful:

Measurement: Meal prep containers are available a wide range of styles and sizes, so make sure that they’re giant sufficient to suit the parts and varieties of meals you wish to put together.

Materials: Most meal prep containers are created from plastic or glass. There are professionals and cons to every one: Plastic containers are light-weight, transportable, and straightforward on the price range, however they will 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 choose glass containers which might be sturdy, straightforward to wash, and versatile as a result of they will go within the oven, however they’re heavy. 

Ease of Use: Should 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 may be heated up within the microwave or oven. Dishwasher-safe containers make for straightforward cleansing. 

Stackability: There’s nothing worse than grabbing for a container amongst a mountain of lids and bottoms that don’t nestle. Should you’re prioritizing space-saving containers, you’ll need a stackable set. 

Are Plastic Meal Prep Containers Secure?

Most moldable 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 substances to leach into your meals. Since some plastic containers is probably not appropriate for heating within the microwave or oven, all the time verify the producer’s directions on how you can 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 stand up to the acute temps of the freezer, you’re good to go. I even have a number of suggestions that can assist you guarantee the very best outcomes with frozen meals:

• Go away some room for the meals to develop because it freezes. That is particularly necessary for liquids.
• Permit your meals to chill right down to room temperature earlier than putting it within the freezer. Not solely does it forestall your freezer from working extra time, quickly cooling scorching meals has an elevated threat of rising micro organism.
• Label and date every container with its contents and the date it was frozen. It will enable you to preserve monitor and ensure you eat the meals inside a sure time! 

Are Meal Prep Containers Microwave- and Dishwasher-Secure?

Most meal prep containers created from glass and microwave-safe (BPA-free) plastic are tremendous in each the microwave and dishwasher, however typically 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 advisable directions to verify.

How Lengthy Can You Retailer Leftovers?

Most leftovers may 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 normal 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

At all times use your finest judgment and toss out leftovers that really feel slimy or don’t go a sniff check!

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 nicely for leftovers. Additionally make sure you take a look at my weekly 7-day meal plans for much more inspiration:

Costs have been correct at time of publication.