The Food Containers That Actually Get Me Packing My Lunch More

Last January, my New Year’s resolution wasn’t super original. I made it a goal to pack lunch at least three times per week — an especially pertinent mission because Manhattan’s $13 salads were coming for my checking account with a vengeance. The one thing that made this resolution a lot easier to uphold? I had recently acquired a set of Rubbermaid Brilliance food storage containers and, at the risk of sounding like a hyperbolic advertisement, they changed my life.

Because I embarked on this journey during the dead of winter, I took to making giant pots of chicken soup and white chicken chili — enough to last me for lunch and dinner for at least three days. (Hey, I never said my goal was to vary up my meal plan!)

Have you ever tried to transport soup or chili from your home to your place of work? It’s risky business. The spills! The stains! The smells! Let’s just say, I’ve ruined many a tote bag before discovering the truly leakproof magic of Rubbermaid Brilliance.

Associate Food Editor Kelli Foster agrees. “I never realized how much I questioned the lids on most storage containers, and if they were really leakproof, until I got a few Rubbermaid Brilliance containers. Nothing — nothing! — is leaking out of these containers, and for that, I’m super into them and would recommend them to anyone I know.”

Not only are these containers totally leakproof, they’re also microwave-safe and come with built-in vents that you can pop up before zapping their contents. Another major bonus? They’re made of super-lightweight, BPA-free plastic so you’re way more likely to want to lug these around as opposed to clunkier glass storage containers.

In addition to all that, these come in sets including a variety of shapes and sizes, so you’ll always have an option to house whatever you need. I use the little containers for toting snacks like baby carrots and hummus, a bigger one for soups and sandwiches, and the ultra-cool segmented one (which sadly seems to be sold out at the moment) for packing salads and assorted toppings, which I then mix up at lunchtime so nothing gets soggy.

And guess what? Now, I pack my lunch four times per week.