The Very Best Food Storage Containers and Tools for 2021

"I have a whole set of these, but I would like at least 18 more, please," Faith Durand, our Editor-in-Chef, says. They're glass, so they don't hold onto stains or odors. They're dishwasher-, freezer-, and microwave-safe. And the locking tabs keep the lids airtight and won't let a single drop leak out — no matter what.

“I never realized how much I questioned the lids on most storage containers until I got a few Rubbermaid Brilliance containers," says Kelli Foster, Food Editor. Our whole staff is obsessed with these containers and we especially love that the lids come with built-in vents, which you can open before microwaving. The bottoms are also lighter and less clunky than glass storage container counterparts, although the brand did just come out with glass Rubbermaid Brilliance containers, too!

The cool thing about these containers is that they each have a special feature, depending on what they’re designed to hold. For example, the flour canister has a little bar across the top to help you level your measuring cup. And the brown sugar container comes with a terra-cotta disk to keep the stuff soft. And the … well, you get the idea.

We considered a lot of bowls before finally picking these. We like that they’re prettier than your average storage bowl, so you can use them for serving, too. The lids are airtight and allow for stacking in the fridge (or you can nest them all when not in use). They come in a deep or shallow version. And the bowls are safe for the microwave. Let’s just say our edtiros continue to be bowled over by these!

We can all be doing a little bit more to cut back on single-use plastic, and if you’re still using zip-top baggies, these are a great green alternative. Cleaning them is way easier than you’d think, too (they can just go in the dishwasher!) and these can actually be flipped inside out to make things even easier.

Instead of plastic wrap, try Bee’s Wrap. This stuff is made of organic cotton, sustainably harvested beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin. And unlike lots of stuff in the world, it actually gets better (read: stickier and more pliable) the more you use it.

Food Huggers exist for those of us who are never quite sure what to do with those unused halves of onions, lemons, and tomatoes. They're silicone and simply stretch over the end of your leftover produce to create a tight seal.

Surprised to see an office supply on this list? Longtime contributor Geraldine Campbell made a strong case for using rubber bands as bag closers … and then we realized we all had a rubber band or seven hard at work in our own kitchens. You can also use them as spacers on a rolling pin, to help open a stuck-on jar lid, steady a sliding cutting board, and more.

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: It’s absolutely imperative that you label anything and everything that you put in the freezer! Future You is not going to remember when Today You froze that tomato paste — even though you promised you would. We like this stuff because it’s designed to stay sticky in cold temps, but painter’s tape works too.

Clearly, you’re going to need something to write with on that masking tape. And this marker was also made for cold (or, rather, extreme!) temperatures. What should you write? The date and the name of whatever you’re freezing. Both. Never just one.