When used with proper care, they can last up to a year. Beeswax wraps are a popular type of plant-based food wrap. Making the switch to eco-friendly and zero-waste food storage options is a vital and necessary step towards creating a safer and healthier environment for our loved ones, especially our children.

Not only does it benefit the environment, but it also offers numerous advantages for our health and well-being. Moreover, it encourages us to become more mindful of the food we buy, consume, and discard, leading to a healthier lifestyle for ourselves and our planet.

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Place baskets above a sink using a metal rod or adhesive hooks for easy access. A wire design allows you to see contents at a glance and helps wet dishes and sponges dry more quickly.

Applying cork to a door face or cabinet interior is a handy kitchen storage idea for notes and lists. Use spray adhesive or double-sided adhesive strips to apply the inexpensive sheets of corkboard. Store recipes, chore lists, and coupon clippings on the boards while keeping the front of your cabinet doors clutter-free.

Repurpose a vintage metal caddy or milk crate as moveable spice storage. Stock it with salt and pepper, frequently used herbs , and oils to season meals at the table. Keep the container near food prep and cooking zones, then transfer it to the table during meals.

If the items in your freezer are expiring because you can't find what you need when you need them, seek out low-cost storage for a tidy space. A trip to a dollar store or down the clearance aisles at the home center can yield storage bargains galore. Opt for stackable clear containers to keep foods in view; add labels to note contents and "use by" dates.

A blank wall holds untapped potential. One kitchen storage idea to put this space to work for pennies: Add magnetized strips to one side of a finished board and secure it to your backsplash to hold knives. This makes knives easy to grab and use, plus simple to put away.

Keep your cleaning supplies organized and ready to use with an over-the-door metal caddy. The lower rack is perfect for bottles of products , while the upper rack holds sponges and scrubbers.

Multiply the capacity of any cabinet when you add storage to the interior side of the door. Six shallow shelves fit neatly between this door and the inner shelving to offer space for single-file lines of small packages of juice and tea and kitchen dry goods.

Lips on each door shelf keep items from tumbling off. A plate rack is a kitchen storage idea that offers a pretty way to display dishes.

Position your plate rack in a spot that's convenient to the dishwasher so dishes are easy to put away or near the dining table for quick access. For a budget-friendly option, build your own DIY plate rack. S hooks suspended from the ventilation hood above the cooktop make simple, stylish storage for pots , bowls, and utensils.

Hang a collection of shiny copper bowls or other vintage cooking pieces. Install hooks and labels inside a cabinet door in your baking center so every measuring cup and spoon has its proper place. Add a conversion chart for good measure. For a baker, a rolling pin must be close at hand at all times.

A storage hook mounted to the side of a cabinet keeps this baking essential easy to reach and frees up a drawer for smaller utensils. Add cottage style to any table setting and make serving a snap by upcycling glass jars. This utensil caddy is made out of glass milk jars and a simple metal handle.

Mason jars also work for organizing silverware into a simple serving station. Keep your eyes peeled for vintage wicker picnic baskets at estate sales or flea markets, and use them to stow kitchen gear and keep countertops clear of clutter.

Stack baskets in a corner to store linens, dishware, or even stacks of coupons and household paperwork. Make use of the backside of cabinet doors, as well as the insides, for additional kitchen storage ideas.

An over-the-door storage unit keeps mismatched towels out of sight and handy for dish duty. Measure the width of your cabinet door and consider the contents of your cabinet to determine the best size for over-the-door cabinet storage.

Turn an open display shelf into triangular storage niches for just a few dollars. Add intersecting 1x boards, as shown, to one or more shelf sections to create attractive, angular storage that works well for displaying and storing everything from wine to rolled cloth napkins.

A single ledge or shelf installed near the ceiling can take advantage of untapped storage potential. This long shelf displays and stores bottles of oil and vinegar, showing off golden hues and shapely outlines while drawing attention to the r ustic ceiling beams and beautiful lighting.

Material: Glass, polypropylene Number of Pieces: 9 plus lids. We noticed the plastic held on to some odors when we washed them by hand. Also, the largest container holds just 5 cups, so you may need to add more large pieces to your collection for batch cooking.

With so many plastic food storage container options out there, this piece set from Rubbermaid rises above the competition with its shatterproof, stackable design. Also, strong odors were difficult to remove from the lids with hand-washing alone, but running them through the dishwasher helped.

When we tested this set, its tight seals stood out to us — we kept a halved avocado fairly green after three days, and blueberries stayed fresher than if we had stored them in their original plastic tub. We further tested its sealing capabilities with zero leaks or spills to report, even when we vigorously shook a container with liquid inside.

Material: Tritan plastic Number of Pieces: 10 plus lids. Pyrex really delivers when it comes to affordable glass kitchenware, and this food storage set is no exception. This piece set includes a 7-cup round, a 6-cup rectangle, two 4-cup rounds, two 3-cup rectangles, two 2-cup round, and a 1-cup round container, each with its own lid.

Made of tempered glass, these containers are safe to use in the dishwasher, freezer, microwave, and oven. While some containers have ridges where the lids snap on, these have a smooth design that makes them especially easy to clean, whether by hand or in the dishwasher.

Material: Tempered glass, plastic Number of Pieces: 9 plus lids. The Tritan construction gives you a perfectly clear view of each containers contents from every angle.

Another outstanding collection from Rubbermaid, the Brilliance line consists of sturdy Tritan plastic, making it shatterproof and stain- and odor-resistant. This set includes a 0. When we tested fresh produce, these containers kept spinach, berries, and a halved avocado in pretty good shape over a few days.

The Tritan plastic resisted staining notably well, even after holding red sauce and yellow curry for several days.

The containers can be cleaned by hand or in the dishwasher, and are safe to use in the fridge, freezer, and microwave. Material: Tritan plastic Number of Pieces: 7 plus lids. If you want to avoid single-use plastics, consider this set of food storage bags a worthy investment.

This set includes four pieces: a ounce flat bag, a ounce standing bag, an ounce sandwich bag, and a ounce snack bag. One bag kept a halved avocado from going mushy in the fridge while another kept ice crystals from covering berries in the freezer. We also tested them for storing dry goods and appreciated that they work just as well as any airtight container as long as you close them properly.

One editor even uses them to pack liquid toiletries and makeup when traveling. While the bags are dishwasher safe, the inside edges are harder to get clean; we used a straw cleaning brush to get into the corners and the grooves of the seal. Material: Silicone Number of Pieces: 4. In the pantry, storage containers can extend the shelf life of goods that arrive in hard-to-close packaging.

Our third pick from Rubbermaid, this set has a modular design for easy stacking and space-saving. The containers are clear from top to bottom, so you can easily keep tabs on your inventory. Durable and thick, their BPA-free plastic construction makes them suitable for daily use, and each container comes with a lid that seals tightly, keeping out moisture and humidity.

They're also leakproof and can be used in the freezer in addition to the pantry. We were impressed with these containers for their tight seals, how easily they cleaned up, and the lack of stains and smells left behind. For more extensive organizing, Rubbermaid offers this set in several configurations, from individual pieces to larger sets.

We find the piece set just right for storing everything from pantry essentials to cut vegetables or fruit in the refrigerator. Material: BPA-free plastic Number of Pieces: 10 plus lids.

As we mentioned, the best set of storage containers depend on your preferences. If we were to choose one best overall, it would be the Glasslock Piece Assorted Glass Storage Container Set for its strong, oven-safe glass; tight, locking lids; versatile shapes and sizes; and the fact that it can stand up to the oven and freezer alike.

We tested 76 food storage container sets, which included 35 plastic sets, 24 glass sets, 13 reusable silicone bags, two reusable fabric bags, and two ceramic canister sets. We tested containers in several everyday situations to see how well they could keep brown sugar from drying out, preserve cut avocados, freeze berries, and resist stains from tomato sauce and odors from raw onions, to name a few scenarios.

We tested the containers as it made sense, so pantry canisters and taller bins did not go through our refrigerator, freezer, and microwave tests.

The food storage containers that made our list received top marks in testing, in addition to meeting our standards for capacity, ease of cleaning, and design.

This set includes a nice assortment for singles or a couple. Made of thick glass with locking airtight lids, these containers can be used in the fridge, freezer, and microwave and can be placed in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

This is a glass version of the popular Brilliance Tritan set on this list. The glass bases are suitable for use in the oven up to degrees, allowing them to double as cookware and serveware. It's more expensive than the average glass set, however.

Made of borosilicate glass, these containers can go from the freezer to the oven. We love that this set stacks and nests really well, saving space wherever you decide to use them. They performed well in our leakproof tests and are also easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher. This vintage-styled set includes 18 containers with lids, ranging in size from 1.

This set is great for a one- or two-person home to preserve cut produce, meal prep, and holding leftovers. We love the look of them, and the price point makes this set a great value.

I know Dollar Tree is great for plastic storage baskets but don't recall seeing sealable clear containers there Missing Best Overall Dry Food Storage Containers: Rubbermaid Brilliance Pantry Food Storage Container Set at Amazon ($67) ; Best Budget Dry Food Storage

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Affordable food storage solutions - Our top picks: ; Best Overall Food Storage Containers. Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers. $47 at Amazon ; Best Value Food Storage I know Dollar Tree is great for plastic storage baskets but don't recall seeing sealable clear containers there Missing Best Overall Dry Food Storage Containers: Rubbermaid Brilliance Pantry Food Storage Container Set at Amazon ($67) ; Best Budget Dry Food Storage

A good set of dry food storage containers will keep your ingredients fresh longer and your cupboards and counters organized and tidy. The Rubbermaid Brilliance Pantry Food Storage Containers were the clear winner of all the models we tested.

These durable, well-sealed plastic containers fit easily in most cabinets. They come in many sizes, can stack securely, and are easy to scoop or pour from.

They also come in sizes ranging from 2 quarts to 22 quarts. We sampled Goldfish crackers stored in these containers over the course of three weeks, stomaching quite a few stale ones in the process.

We filled up all the plastic containers with water and turned them upside down to test how airtight their seals are. We filled the containers with a water-and-sugar sludge, then put them outside to see whether they could keep bugs out.

The sturdy Rubbermaid Brilliance Pantry Food Storage Containers held up through multiple drop tests and trips through the dishwasher.

Goldfish crackers stayed crunchy in them for almost three weeks, longer than in any of the other containers we tested. And no bugs got inside them when they spent the night outdoors.

A narrow design allows the containers to stack nicely and fit efficiently into kitchen cabinets. They also pour easily and are a cinch to scoop from with a measuring cup. The Rubbermaid Commercial Space Saving Food Storage Containers are workhorses, designed to withstand the abuse of a commercial kitchen.

Unlike those in the Cambro line, the 2- and 4-quart Rubbermaid containers have the same footprint as the 6- and 8-quart containers so they can all use the same lids and stack easily , and they all have handles. The wide mouth allows for easy scooping but also makes these containers better suited to large, walk-in pantries or shelves with plenty of room.

For this guide, we spoke with three experts in Sarah Carey, then editorial director of food and entertaining for Martha Stewart Living ; Toni Hammersley, the founder of the home organizing blog A Bowl Full of Lemons as well as the author of The Complete Book of Home Organization and The Complete Book of Clean ; and Maria Speck, author of Simply Ancient Grains and Ancient Grains for Modern Meals.

For our update, we consulted Melissa Clark, food journalist for the New York Times and author of numerous cookbooks, most recently Dinner in One. We've also solicited feedback from our staff who have used the picks in this guide for years. Without a good set of dry storage containers, a kitchen pantry can quickly get out of control.

If you currently store your pantry goods in a collection of random jars and Tupperware, a uniform set of containers can keep your cupboards neater and easier to navigate.

And in the long run, an organized pantry also saves time and money: It allows you to easily see what you have and how much of it at a glance, to grab ingredients quickly, and to scoop or pour anything without making a mess.

Good containers can also keep ingredients free of pests that would render your food unsafe to consume. If you regularly buy ingredients in bulk, a set of storage containers is essential. The paper or plastic bags you fill up at the grocery store are no place to keep dry ingredients: They tear easily, make pouring difficult, and pile up messily on the shelf.

In some kitchens, dry storage containers can also function as decor, either on the counter or on open shelves. A good dry storage container should be sturdy, airtight, simple to clean, and easy to scoop or pour from. It should stack easily, fit efficiently in kitchen cabinets, and come in a few sizes.

Below is a rundown of the requirements we think a good set of dry food storage containers should have, and what we looked for in our tests.

Tight-sealing lids: Most of the experts we spoke to stressed the importance of a good seal. An airtight lid helps containers protect cereal, grains, and snacks from staleness, and keeps brown sugar or tender raisins from turning rock hard. It also helps keep out pests like pantry moths , which can squeeze through surprisingly small spaces and multiply rapidly.

As Maria Speck, author of Ancient Grains for Modern Meals , pointed out, moths occasionally hide in store-bought bags of grain or flour. Transparent: Clear plastic containers make it easy to take stock of what you have and how much of it.

Even better if measurements are marked on the outside. With opaque containers, you might have to go to the trouble of making labels, and you still could forget about those expensive heirloom beans you bought.

Useful shapes: We looked for containers that would fit nicely in a kitchen cabinet or on a shelf, and prioritized square or rectangular containers, which use space more efficiently than round ones.

Though we did test some round options. We also looked for containers with an opening wide enough to easily scoop from with a 1-cup measuring cup. A good range of sizes: To keep things looking neat, Toni Hammersley, author of The Complete Book of Home Organization , recommends sticking to containers in three sizes: large for bulk ingredients like flour, medium for snacks like pretzels, and small for things like nuts.

People who have an extensive pantry may want one or two more sizes. Stackable: The experts were divided on whether plastic containers should also be able to stack easily.

We still preferred containers that were easy to clean, without tricky crevices. Note that the only containers that really meet all our requirements are made of plastic. This is why we opted not to test glass and ceramic containers in the past. But glass and ceramic containers tend to be more attractive than plastic ones, which is important for some people, so we tried some out for the first time in To test how tightly each plastic container sealed, we filled each partly with water, put the lid on, and turned it upside down.

This is not a perfectly accurate test, since the pressure of water flowing out of a container is stronger than the pressure of air flowing in.

But a lot of water leaking out is a pretty good indication that a lid is not tight enough to keep food fresh or pests out. We put the lids on and took them off all the containers multiple times, paying attention to how simple or hard it was to do so and looking for signs of wear.

We also filled each container of the appropriate size with 5 pounds of flour and 4 pounds of sugar to see how easy it was to do so. Using a 1-cup measuring cup , we tried scooping flour from each brand of container both when it was full and when it was nearly empty.

To test sturdiness, we filled each plastic container with 2 pounds of beans and slid it off a counter onto the kitchen floor so that it landed sideways. We also dropped them all from waist height at other angles—upright, upside down, and on a corner—to see if they cracked or if the lids popped off.

We added two new tests for the models we included in our update. First, to find out whether they were appropriately bug-proof, we poured a powdered sugar and water sludge into each container. Then we left them outside overnight during springtime in rural Texas a season notorious for an abundance of creepy-crawlies.

The next day, we opened each container to inspect for bugs. Second, to test how well the plastic containers kept food fresh, we filled each model with Goldfish crackers. The lids and containers in this set are very sturdy and seal tightly, even after multiple runs through the dishwasher.

Their rectangular shape is narrow enough to fit neatly in kitchen cabinets but still plenty wide enough to fit a 1-cup measuring cup.

The pack we tested included nine sizes, which fit one of three different lids. We also like that these containers are available both individually and sold in various sets. The standout feature of these Rubbermaid containers is their exceptional seal. The gasket that runs the perimeter of each lid, combined with two locking clasps that snap down tightly, prevented even a drop from escaping when we filled the containers with water and held them upside down.

Other canisters we tested, like the OXO Pop Big Square Containers and the ClickClack Cube Storage Containers , dribbled steadily when filled with water.

Indeed, they were the only containers to keep Goldfish crackers crunchy for a full three weeks during our tests. And when we left a container with powdered sugar sludge outside overnight, no bugs were able to penetrate the seal although this was true for all the plastic containers we tested.

And stacking the containers is easy: The slight rim around the lid keeps the containers from sliding around on top of one another and helps secure them in place——a feature not every container we tested had.

Although the Rubbermaid Brilliance containers are somewhat slender, a 1-cup measuring cup does fit easily through the opening of all but the small 1. The narrow shape with rounded ends was also generally easy for us to grip with one hand and to pour depending on the weight of what was in the container , whereas most of the other containers we tested required us to use two hands.

The cup Brilliance container perfectly holds a 5-pound bag of flour, while the cup container neatly fits a 4-pound bag of sugar. We found these two to be the most useful sizes for storing most dry ingredients. The largest container— The 8.

But we like that its height makes it easy to reach when stored in the back of a deep cupboard. The Rubbermaid Brilliance containers, which are made of Tritan plastic, are durable and dishwasher safe. They emerged from our drop test without a scratch, while other, pricier competitors such as the OXO containers shattered on the first drop.

Wirecutter senior staff writer Kaitlyn Wells purchased this set in response to finding grain weevils and ants in her pantry. She finds the seal much better than another brand she purchased previously, and is happy with how critter-free her cabinets have been since.

Rubbermaid does not offer replacement parts. If the Brilliance containers hit the floor lid first, the lids can sometimes pop off. We wish measurements were printed on the side of the containers, as on the Rubbermaid Commercial Space Saving Food Storage Containers , so you can gauge approximately how much of an ingredient you have at any given time.

The plastic clasps on the Brilliance lids require multiple steps to open and close, compared with container designs that allow you to peel the lid off in one motion.

Also, the silicone band along the perimeter of the lids has a lot of nooks and crannies that can be difficult to clean by hand. But we think the advantages of the tight-sealing lids will outweigh this flaw for most people.

When we inquired about replacement parts , Rubbermaid customer service told us that, outside of the one-year warranty, they will consider sending free replacements for damaged parts on a case by case basis.

We wish it were easier to replace a single component, though this is a common problem among the containers we tested. But this is really an issue only if you have short cupboards. For people who have a spacious pantry or who regularly purchase ingredients in bulk, the Rubbermaid Commercial Space Saving Food Storage Containers are a great option.

They have measurements in liters and quarts clearly stamped and painted on the outside, and they are available in sizes ranging from 2 to 22 quarts. The Rubbermaid Commercial containers have a few features that make them better than Cambro models.

The Rubbermaid lids dripped only lightly around the corners of the container and always stayed firmly in place during our drop test, while the lid popped right off a dropped Cambro.

The only downside to that tight seal is that the Rubbermaid Commercial lids can actually be hard to snap on all the way. It took a firm smack on our part to make sure every corner was fully closed in our testing. And prying the lid off can take a pretty big tug, too.

If you have trouble gripping, pulling, or snapping tight lids, these containers might not be best suited for you. Rubbermaid makes all of its smaller containers up to 8 quarts the same shape, so that they stack easily.

Whereas the Rubbermaid sold as 4 quarts actually has a 4-liter capacity, which is plenty of room for a 5-pound bag of flour, the 4-quart Cambro barely has room for 5 pounds of flour. All of the Rubbermaid Commercial containers also come with handles on two sides, whereas only those Cambro containers larger than 8 quarts larger than most people ever need for home use have handles.

But handles make it much easier to pick up these bulky, slick-sided containers—some people might even be able to carry them with one hand, which is impossible to do with the Cambro containers. Their considerable width makes these Rubbermaid containers easier to to scoop from than any other container we tested aside from the similar Cambros , a benefit that frequent bakers especially will appreciate, since flour has a tendency to fly everywhere.

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