The Best Food Storage Containers (for Produce, Lasagna, and Beyond)

When you’re young, you have seemingly unlimited space in your refrigerator. Between the ages of 18 and 24, one lives mostly on fast food and pizza, and cooks predominantly frozen garbage and pantry items like mac and cheese and canned chili (or was that just me?). As a result, storing food never seems like a problem. The magic college/grad school fridge ratio goes something like this: Half the fridge is for beer, a quarter is for leftovers, and the rest is for random stuff like condiments, shredded cheese, and the occasional vegetable. But when you grow up and start cooking and eating real food, you quickly find that there never seems to be enough space in there to keep everything fresh.

Well, discard perfectly fine leftovers no more, because I’m here to tell you that there are many great options that go beyond simply covering whatever you made with a paper towel and jamming it into a space it barely fits. Here are some of the best containers for food storage, according to people who cook a lot, treasure their leftovers, and don’t want to be throwing out perfectly good produce every week.

Yes, chef, these are for more than just drinking water

They’re classic, they’re cool, they’re efficient—and they existed long before you were horny out of your mind for The Bear. Skip the name brand stuff in the storage aisle of your local grocery store and opt for a couple sets of plastic delis, which are staples of restaurant kitchens far and wide. You’ll want a bunch of 32-ounce ones for bigger dishes—soups, pastas, prepped veggies, dips—and some 16-ounce ones for smaller leftovers, like veggies you didn’t use all of, or the last few bites of that dope curry you just couldn't finish. The smallest containers are great for spices, herbs, and extra sauces and garnishes. These are what the real chefs use for a reason. Pro tip: Get a roll of colored tape and write the dish and the cook date on the deli, and you’ll look like an absolute boss to visitors.

These reusable silicone bags come in all shapes and sizes

In my home, Stasher bags are the president of “throw it in the fridge.” Made from food-safe silicone, they’re super flexible and durable, and are incredibly easy to clean. These bags are perfect for anything, but especially useful for those things that just need to get put away, like half a bar of tempeh, part of a red pepper, chopped herbs, beans that didn’t make it into the dish, or sliced radishes that are being saved for tomorrow morning’s breakfast tacos. The numerous sizes also mean you’ll find something to perfectly fit whatever you have to save.

Pyrex, one of the GOATS of food storage

Pyrex: For many, that’s all they need to hear. These containers are perfect for storing things that go into the fridge hot or are at risk of spilling, like stews, cooked meat, or pasta, will protect both your fridge temp and your surfaces, and they have a minimal footprint. Right now, I have a huge Pyrex full of gumbo and one with turkey meatballs stacked in the fridge. Whether it’s a mac and cheese casserole or a bunch of homemade hummus, these glass containers with perfectly fitting lids will ensure that your food is protected and safe to eat for as long as possible.

Don’t neglect the pantry!

Just like food storage isn’t only done in the fridge, canning jars aren’t JUST for canning. Try using a ¾ liter or a ½ liter Weck jar for dry goods. My oatmeal/granola wing of the pantry is full of glass jars holding things like oats, hulled hemp seeds, chia, groats, goji berries, and more. Or, stock up on various sizes of mason jars to hold your flour and sugar. Of course, mason jars are the classic choice for anything pickled, or that homemade hot sauce or mustard that you’re keeping in the fridge door.

Goodbye to foil

Is foil good for the environment? Probably not. Is it economic to keep your house stocked with foil? Not especially. So what are we using to wrap up all that pizza at 2 a.m. after we’ve had a bottle of wine and two Negronis? That’s right: reusable beeswax food wraps. And the random produce that’s rolling around on our counter, with no home in sight? Try a reusable produce bag!

If your priority is sustainability and cutting down on plastic, we previously did a roundup of the best non-plastic storage containers; and if you’re especially concerned about produce, we’ve got you covered here.

Whatever you choose, don’t forget: Your stomach is the greatest food storage system of them all. After all, the more you eat, the less you have to save!

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.