I really like meal planning. Each 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 number of the greatest meal prep containers to arrange meals prematurely 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 high 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 below are my high picks for one of the 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 test all of my containers, they usually’re so cute and colourful! The duraglas materials gained’t stain or odor, whereas the BPA-free protecting silicone sleeve gives a no-slip grip, which suggests I can simply choose 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 components will 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 Execs:

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

The Cons:

• Heavy
• Lids will be tedious to scrub

What Others are Saying:

The Ello Duraglass Meal Prep Containers have greater than 800 evaluations 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 quite a lot of sizes, together with 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-cup choices, you should use this glass set for all the pieces 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 are taking the stretchy silicone lids off. They can be used within the oven, freezer, and dishwasher too! Pyrex is understood for its sturdy design, so fortunately this set gained’t shatter into items if unintentionally 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 Execs:

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

The Cons:

• Heavy
• Lids will not be microwave protected
• They don’t nestle effectively

What Others are Saying:

The Pyrex Merely Retailer 24-Piece Glass Container Set has greater than 24,000 evaluations and a 4.8 score on Amazon. Meals & Wine named it one of the best stackable set, Store At the moment 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. The entire compartments have measuring traces so you possibly can portion them out to 1/2, 1, or 2-cup increments, which suggests you may make an enormous batch of hen broth or pasta sauce and freeze some for later. 

If 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 might probably get expensive to purchase a ton of them, so you possibly can 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 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 evaluations 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 possibly can 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 possibly can microwave big 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’t get any simpler!

The Specs:

• Materials: Borosilicate glass, platinum-grade silicone, microwave-safe chrome steel
• Consists of: Massive deep dish, giant shallow dish, medium deep dish, medium shallow dish, 2-Tbsp tray, ½-Cup tray
• Secure for: Freezer, microwave, dishwasher, oven 

The Execs:

• All-in-one answer
• 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 manufactured from high-quality borosilicate glass so that they gained’t stain, retain odors, or leach chemical compounds into your meals. In addition 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 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 record. OXO Good Grips Sensible Seal Meals Storage Container Set is offered 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 possibly can separate meals into little pockets. They’re simple 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 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. In addition they have an easy-grab deal with, which might make them simpler to pluck out of a sizzling oven or microwave. The Safe Seal Expertise is actually leak-free however they’re cumbersome to scrub 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 every 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 centered on my private favorites to create this record. For those I didn’t personal, I learn by means of tons of on-line evaluations from high culinary websites to determine which of them deserve a spot in your kitchen. I checked out supplies, dimension, efficiency, sturdiness, and ease of use to make my closing choices. 

All the pieces 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 be sure to’re shopping for one of the best meal prep containers in your wants and preferences. Listed below are some issues that I feel are crucial:

Dimension: Meal prep containers are available quite a lot of styles and sizes, so be certain they’re giant sufficient to suit the parts and varieties of meals you need to put together.

Materials: Most meal prep containers are constructed from plastic or glass. There are execs and cons to every one: Plastic containers are light-weight, transportable, and simple on the funds, however they will stain and aren’t probably the most sturdy. You additionally must double test what sort of plastic is used to make sure they gained’t leach into your meals when heated. I want glass containers which might be sturdy, simple to scrub, and versatile as a result of they will go within the oven, however they’re heavy. 

Ease of Use: If you happen to plan to make use of your containers for long term meal prep and storage, test to see if the containers are protected to retailer within the freezer and will 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. If you happen to’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 be sure to aren’t permitting dangerous chemical compounds to leach into your meals. Since some plastic containers is probably not appropriate for heating within the microwave or oven, all the time test the producer’s directions on learn how 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 couple of ideas 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 essential for liquids.
• Enable 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 time beyond regulation, quickly cooling sizzling meals has an elevated danger of rising micro organism.
• Label and date every container with its contents and the date it was frozen. This may enable you maintain observe and be sure to eat the meals inside a sure time! 

Are Meal Prep Containers Microwave- and Dishwasher-Secure?

Most meal prep containers constructed from glass and microwave-safe (BPA-free) plastic are positive 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 test the packaging to learn the producer’s advisable directions to ensure.

How Lengthy Can You Retailer Leftovers?

Most leftovers will be left within the fridge for 3 to 4 days and within the freezer for two to three months. Listed below are a couple 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

At all times use your greatest 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 high picks, attempt your hand at a few of my favourite recipes which might be fast to whip up and retailer effectively for leftovers. Additionally you’ll want to try my weekly 7-day meal plans for much more inspiration:

Costs have been correct at time of publication.