apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I use a CorningWare Pop-Ins mug for most of the leftovers I bring to work and reheat in the microwave. The lid is plastic with a vent that can be opened, but the container itself is ceramic. I love it. It's easy to clean and doesn't stain or absorb odors. They have a whole line of similar food storage items.

Oops. Here's the link:

http://www.shopworldkitchen.com/index.asp?pageID=231&upc=71160308015&folderID=241

I was looking at the glass food storage containers from IKEA- has anyone used these? Are they any good?

We tried the Ikea glass storage but couldn't get the lids to stay on, so they were a bust. We use polypropylene containers now.

I'll second the Corningware Pop-Ins products. Great for taking leftovers to work if there is a refrigerator and microwave in your office. They are great for putting leftovers in or even baking directly in, cooling, refrigerating and reheating (i.e. baked macaroni & cheese, mini lasagna). Plus, they clean up very easily.

akbuilt: i have IKEA's 365 white ceramic dishes with the clear glass lids (with the clear rubber seal)...i was psyched when i got them, but after using them a while, i'm not really convinced they're air-tight, much less water-tight. maybe that's okay if you're putting food in the fridge and you will use it up the next day, but some bagel chips i kept in one of them got pretty stale. they're also very heavy, which is again fine at first, but after a while it may start to bug you. can't beat the price, though.

i like crate and barrel's glass storage. they look pretty much identical to the container store stuff listed above, but they're slightly cheaper. twelve of the plastic lidded bowls are $20, and they make great "regular" bowls too, lightweight and beautifully proportioned - i take them to the dinner table as is. i never microwave with a lid on, so the plastic lid doesn't bother me too much there. i don't expect the lids to last very long though. i had one bowl in almost daily use and eventually the lip of the lid did start to show some stress. good news is you almost inevitably are going to break one of the bowls, so you'll have an extra lid on hand.

i also recently picked up some rectangular storage, with slightly more rubber than plastic lids. one large and two small for $15.

maybe it's just psychological, but i'm convinced the rubber/plastic lidded items are more air-tight. also, if the glass lidded containers get turned sideways for whatever reason, the weight of the lid combined with the weight of the contents pulls the lid out of seal.

if you're willing to do some searching, you can find lidded pyrex in some decent shapes/profiles. my pyrex containers have always had really good seals, even turned upside down, and the rubber lids tend to last much longer in the dishwasher than the plastic ones i've been buying lately.

If I had a better kitchen with more storage space, I would consider replacing all my plastic containers with glass. But as it is right now, the containers go above my microwave and I'd prefer to not have glass containers crashing down all around me!

I second the pyrex containers though. You can often find old refrigerator sets in antique stores and vintage shops. And they're colorful and cute!

Pyrex has glass storage containers in rectangular, square and round shapes with plastic lids. They are microwaveable and, I think, much better than any plastic containers. I got a whole set at Costco for $30. I didn't see it on Costco's website, but here's the Pyrex site. http://www.pyrexware.com/index.asp?pageId=103&pid=348

Crate & Barrel carries the classic glass containers with glass lids too, and I look at them longingly every time I see them. My grandmother used to use these extensively--for cucumber salads, Jello, coleslaw, leftovers... The glass lids worked just fine, as I remember. Their weight kept them in place. Haven't bought any myself, because I don't specifically have any use for them. But I probably will one of these days.

The Pyrex set is on sale on Amazon for 24.99 (free shipping). I have the 10-piece set and am very happy with it. I don't microwave them with the lids on though.

Does anyone use those restaurant type metal storage containers? And can anyone recommend a cheap online/NY resource for them?

Martha Stewart also has some glass storage products at Kmart. Some of it is even nice enough for serving. I took this one to a friend's birthday party and let her keep the dish as a gift. She loved it! And then she used it to bring something she cooked to my to my next dinner party. http://tinyurl.com/2ecmhr

I have been using those vintage glass containers from the Container store for the last two years and am praying for them all to break. They are surprisingly heavy and slippery with condensation when cold. The lids do no fit snugly onto the base and food items stored within do not stay fresh for long. They do look lovely, but I wish I'd looked for something a little more user-friendly and practical.

If I switch to glass instead of plastic, what happens when all of the containers come falling down from that messy cabinet up high where I currently keep my Tupperware?

There is little wrong with plastic and I don't know of any evidence about using plastic outside of hot foods. Ie. do not heat them up in the microwave or with really hot foods. They're fine otherwise.

Use plastic and heat up in something else.

Cheers!

I wonder about that whole "Fresher in glass" thing--it seems to apply to glass-bottled milk, as well. Why is that, exactly?

We have used the ribbed glass containers from C&B for 6 years, and love them. Especially love that they are square and rectangular, as they fit well in the fridge.

I recently swtiched all my antry items to IKEA's 365 glass storage system, and quite like it; the shape grips well when you are reaching for it, and it lines up on the shelf easily. I did not think the seal tight, and so do not put in things like chips (prefer to use clips for things like that), or other items that would deteriorate.

We are gradually doing away with plastic in our kitchen; I only seem to use it for some freezing. We are convinced that food tastes better in when not in plastic.

I'm a big fan of old Pyrex Refrigerator Dishes--here's a set on ebay--http://cgi.ebay.com/PYREX-PRIMARY-COLOR-REFRIGERATOR-DISHES-1O-PC_W0QQitemZ190153231046QQihZ009QQcategoryZ4765QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They're very solid, they nest, lovely colors--mine are in varying shades of green--and clean easily.
I've looked at many other glass storage options and the only ones I lust for are those that have a plastic collar so the top is more secure, doesn't rattle and can sit in the cupboard as well as the fridge.

Cost Plus World Market has the exact same glass refrig dishes as that chef's corner you posted... but they run from $3.99 to 8.99 - maybe $12 for the largest square dish.
I bought a bunch of them... and I just store them in my fridge and fill them when I have food. They seem to preserve food just fine.

I'd rather have real old fashioned fridge dishes...and I do have a few... but they're a bit spendy in antique stores.

I have the IKEA glass containers pictured and have never had any problem with the lids staying on. I use them for things like parmesan cheese and they are great. The dimpled lids correspond to feet on the bottom, so they stack really well.

We have the glass Pyrex containers with blue plastic lids mentioned in earlier comments and they are very good. We've had them for probably 5 years and they are good as new- the plastic lids seal well-they don't get warped or hard. We wash the lids in the dishwasher in the top rack, but they get washed practically every week. The quality is very good.

We also have set of graduated mini glass bowls that are perfect for storing cut produce- for example, a half an onion fits perfectly in one of the bowls, covered tightly with a small piece of plastic wrap.

What could be the problem with *my* glass Pyrex w/blue lids?

I've bought a few different ones (just love how well the rectangular ones stack in my tiny fridge!), have always hand-washed them (I don't put anything non-ceramic or metal in the dishwasher), we ditched our microwave a couple years ago (aah, microwaves...that's a separate post!), and I always treat them tenderly, like little flowers. OK not that tenderly, but still...after just a few months of constant use, the seals were completely slack. I purchased them all separately but from the same store at different times; a grocery co-op in SF, who of course won't take them back.

I'm stumped! I really really want these to work, as they are my ideal container.

Has anyone tried these Kuhn Rikon Magic Covers?
http://www.factorydirect2you.com/kurico.html
They seem pricey, but I would love to be done with plastic wrap and be able to use these on any bowl that needs a cover.
p.s. the video presentation is pretty over the top!

I've been trying to do the very same thing in my kitchen. Currently road testing some Pyrex with plastic lids (love that they can go in the oven, but the overall verdict is still out). My long time favorite small storage glasses are the Luminarc jam jars, called Working Glasses at Crate & Barrel, with the red or orange plastic lids. They last forever and are extremely durable. Perfect for those half lemons, onions, etc.

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=150&f=1693

You made me realized that I keep buying glass containers over the last couple years. I cannot recall the last time I bought a plastic one. Glass containers look better, they last longer, they are easier to clean and they can go anywhere in your dishwasher. Everything a girl can want!

As someone who likes things to be functional as well as aesthetically pleasing, I have used the Container Store glass containers for several years now. They can be used in the oven as well, but I hardly use them for that purpose. If you want something with a snug fit in the refrigerator, you might try Ball Mason jars. I have several of the half pint size (available at Walmart), and I store raisins and raw nuts in them, in the refrigerator. Also at Walmart and Target are the glass cracker jars with aluminum lids. I store flour, cornmeal, and organic brown rice in the refrigerator for longer shelf life. And if Lorina lemonade is available in your area, the empty glass bottles make beautiful water bottles in your fridge. I store filtered water with slivers of lemon or lime. If you're looking for something to replace plastic for packing a lunch, why not consider Stanley thermal cups for hot or cold soups, and to Go Ware's stainless steel containers? I have not tried the To Go Ware stainless steel yet, but I am ordering a set this weekend on the reusablebags.com website.

Let's all raise our glasses to happy storage!

Silver Queen

Stainless steel container update: I recently purchased two 2-tier tiffin tins from Cost Plus World Market. They were on sale for 3.99 each, and I stored salad and roasted chicken in them one day, and a small sandwich and chips in them another. I really like their portability! However, they are not for hot foods or liquids. That's where a good thermal bottle or jar comes in.