I have pyrex glass ones that I love. They don't melt and they nest wonderfully. They come separately or in a set.

I went totally inexpensively. We used to have the round rubbermaid with the tan lids. They were numbered for "convenience". Not so convenient as many of the lids were similar in size but not exact so you were always fussing with the stupid numbers. I wanted something where the larger and smaller containers would all have the same lids. We went with the screw top, blue lid having, commercially available type you get in the plastic bag aisle. They are all the same lid size, they stack nicely. They are not perfect though as they are not water tight. They will leak things like soup if tipped. But, we like them and they were inexpensive.

Ne

I found that I was using the "disposable" ones mostly, for plastics, for convenience and knowing that the plastic is the safest kind, so in my new kitchen, I consolidated the "good" containers at the back of a high cupboard, where I can get them if I need them, but not for daily use. The disposables all stack neatly in a smaller, deepish drawer, with the lids sorted by size and stored on end in a drawer organizer box. They're in tightly enough that they don't fall over.

I have Pyrex, which I use for most daily stuff, that is in the cupboard with my dishes, along with the long flat disposables which are too big for the drawer. The lids for the bowls are in a little basket on the top shelf, and the lids for the flat, rectangular dishes just sit on top of the stack of dishes (there are only a few).

I don't actually nest mine, but stack them in like sizes, though in the plastics I'll put a stack of smaller ones on top of a stack of bigger ones.

Even when I had lower cabinets instead of drawers, I kept the lids in rectangular baskets with straight sides, with the lids sorted by size. It takes a few seconds more to put away, but so much easier to find the right one, and it keeps them from getting all jumbled.

Rubbermaid premier-- they stack neatly (even the lids) and don't stain and so far (over a year) haven't warped in the dishwasher. I ditched every other piece of plastic storage stuff and bought two 30-piece sets from Costco, I believe for $20 each. Well worth it in the compact 1/2 drawer that they fit within or maybe it's the ease with which I am able to find matching lids and containers (due to their stacking habits)-- whatever I love them and highly recommend them.

Plastic containers drive me insane. I hate that they don't come out of the dishwasher dry. I have just starting using plates and bowls with tin foil or saran wrap for most things. If it is something like soup that I will be reheating the next day, I will store it in a small pan with a lid.

This was one of those things I didn't find a good solution for in the planning stages and finally just gave up on---but I'm loving the solution we stumbled on: we keep the containers stacked/nested in a deep wide drawer (they share it with serving/mixing bowls) and we keep the lids in a separate shallower narrower drawer immediately above (it's a 2-over-2 stack). This works really well for us.

We also use glass---right now it's a mix of Frigoverre, Pyrex, and Mason jars, but we're slowly transitioning from the Frigoverre over to Glasslock Snapware. The Snapwares have the big advantage of being designed to nest---the others sort of-kind of do, but aren't explicitly designed to so sometimes they get stuck together. For the lids, we throw the bigger plastic lids in together, and use strawberry baskets to organize the different sizes of jar lids. It's not been an issue finding the right size at all, and I love this accidental storage solution! (I also periodically do a check to make sure that every container has a matching lid, and pull the ones that don't out of circulation until we find it, which helps a lot. And we limit sizes/brands of all containers to try for as much consistency as possible!)

I have a mix of Pyrex (which I love!) for fridge food storage / reheating and the disposable plastic for baked goods, transporting, gifting.

They all nest pretty well, and I have a large-ish rubbermaid container that I keep all the lids in. Big thing is, I limit myself to what fits in my space. That helps corral it considerably. (This is very hard for me, because I love, love, love to buy Pyrex.)

I second the Rubbermaid system. I have 5 different sizes. They nest easily, don't stain, come out of the DW dry, are sturdy, and the lids of each size can snap together to remain easily organized. I've been using mine for a few years and love them. Sometimes I wonder if I should switch to glass, but I've got other things to worry about for the next several months so I'm sticking with what I have.

Yes, I like the glasslock, too. Lids are bit cumbersome, but the nesting containers are very easy to store.

I'll be of no help here. BUT! My lids resemble the socks coming out of the dryer :( A lid for every container a sock for every foot, when it begins. And then things seem to run amok! I have Rubbermaid and Tupperware and plastic things I have no idea what they are. It doe not matter. It's a conspiracy to make us nutty!

I'm tempted to get new containers ... square would be more space-efficient, but these Rubbermaid and Tupperware containers just don't die. The few square ones I do have are in a separate drawer with all my glass and stainless mixing bowls.

Trying to keep track of lids and containers of multiple sizes was driving me nuts until I tossed them all into the charity collection bin.

Now I use two sizes of container for leftovers - the cheap plastic ones by Ziplock - and they use the same size lid. They stack in a single stack, with the taller ones on top so I can pull whichever size I need off the stack. If I have too much of a leftover to fit into one container, I just use two. Or three. Or more.

It's cleared out most of one kitchen cupboard and condensed into two stacks of containers and one holder for the lids.

Rubbermaid Premier for me also. I love them! I got rid of my old containers. They don't stain and are BPA-free. I bought a couple of sets from Costco. They are well worth the money.

I use the Ziploc ones, too, and like them a lot. I have the round ones in several sizes, and more recently, bought the square ones. They can go into the freezer, too.

Loose bags & odd containers of staples in my pantry cupboard were driving me crazy -- various nuts, coconut, raisins, currents, etc. I looked at a lot of sources for storage containers before deciding on the square Ziploc containers, size depending on what was going into it (don't keep a large quantity of sliced almonds on hand, for instance). I labeled them on one side & top with labels made with my Brother label maker. These easily stack, and I can tell at a glance what's in which container. The unused Ziploc containers stack easily, and the lids nest together (I store the lids on edge).

Here is what I just ordered for my newly redone (still in progress) kitchen. I didn't want to have to deal with the mess of miss-matched plastic ware I was using before.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rubbermaid Easy Find Reheat and Store System

This is a great thread. Thanks for all the ideas, all!

Lazygardens...they work great don't they. Same size lid. Larger and smaller containers. They have lasted well. I tested a few for a bit during reno and they have held up to much abuse. I like them even though they would be considered "disposable".

Ne

I'm torn between getting a couple sets of the glasslock containers or standardizing my collection of plastic storage containers to all round ziplocs. The appeal of the glasslock is the idea that I can reduce the contact my food has with plastic. Also, I like the idea of being able to pop them straight into the microwave or oven. I refuse to microwave in plastic, so now I'm transferring food out of plastic storage containers when I need to reheat.

In my old kitchen, I had a big drawer filled with my crazy jumble of plastic storage containers - ziplocs, tupperware with lids that don't fit, gladware, old sour cream and yogurt and ricotta containers...

Because I gave up most of my upper cabinets in the remodel, I hate that my plastic crap is occupying an entire drawer! I need to do something.

In my pantry, I use Cambro containers from the restaurant supply. Love them.

Am I the only one who uses the plastic containers from the Chinese take out we eat? I find these take up the least amount of space, they stack beautifully on their sides, they wear like iron, and if they get lost or destroyed, I can toss them.

Am I the only one who uses the plastic containers from the Chinese take out we eat?

Used to, but they've changed to compostable boxes. SF law.

I got rid of just about all the plastic and bought glass. I have both the Anchor True Seal and the Pyrex ones. I didn't want anyone microwaving in plastic.

I store them with the lids ON in a 36" base drawer. I like the pretty green lids too :)

{{!gwi}}

I went to Canada and discovered snap-loc. I think they've actually got them in the US as well (different name maybe?), I think I see people with them. In Canada they were ubiquitous and on periodic sale at Walmart (which I would never go into in this country, but I couldn't figure out where else to get some stuff). We need something utterly spill-proof for lunches. And the bad thing around here is, I throw almost nothing away, so we collect massive amounts of horrible plastic no matter what. I try not to acquire it but I lose that battle.

I am wholly embarrassed to show what a massive amount of acreage I have devoted to plastic. For one who hates it for all the reasons mentioned above - takes forever to dry, ecologically and health-wise a disaster, etc, etc; we own an awful lot of it. I say "we". That should be "I"; can't pin that one on anyone else though I'd like to.

This bottom drawer is 36"x9"26" (interior measurements). It holds tons of itty boxes with their lids on - I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate searching for lids. I want them immediately when I want them, reflecting my impatience with the whole plastic-issue. They have to be bone-dry before going on though. This drawer is large enough to fit all this huge quantity of plastic (I went crazy stocking up, thinking it wasn't available downsouth), including lids for pyrex baking containers (like the red-lids posted) and water bottles and lunch sacks. I love it. I feel a little guilty about using such prime acreage for this unseemly reality of life-with-kids-in-always-working-kitchen. But there you have it. It's working so far, with much problem-solving.

Thus if you can afford the space, I recommend one giant drawer:

I love the versatility of our pyrex storage containers. I use the pyrex for leftovers, for heating items in the mw and for baking. The rectangular shaped ones use space in the fridge efficiently. I've found that our lids start deteriorating after 10-15 years of use. I can buy new lids at a pyrex outlet near my mother's.

I store the pyrex and small lunch box containers in a cabinet with 4 deep drawers and 3 shallow drawers (for lids.) The 4th deep drawer is used as a bread drawer. The cabinet is right under the toaster oven and mw and near the fridge (for left over storage) and prep peninsula.

We also have larger plastic containers (for bringing food on the road) and disposable plastic (for leftovers going back to college with my daughter) in a super susan along with lunch boxes and snack bags. I store the covers of the larger pieces under them. The lids for the disposables stand on end in a small shoe box.

lock 'n lock - from qvc. can be found locally also. I've found some in the past at W and a local grocery.

they have sets that nest. round, square etc

spill proof

easy for problem hands to deal with

I don't put them in mw tho (that's just me). I have a few pyrex small dishes I use to reheat things in the mw.

they also make them now with glass bottoms

I'm curious about the plastic and microwaving comments. Not something I would have ever thought to do. I use Corningware for zapping ... plates and vintage small casserole dishes. Plastic containers are strictly for fridge storage.

Microwaving plastic - chemicals do leach into your food.
Whether or not they harm you is not clearly known
But why take a chance, especially with children.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0706a.shtml

Here is a link that might be useful: Harvard on Plastics

Marcy, I just wasn't aware it was something people did. I don't even use plastic wrap to cover food while zapping.

I think its pretty common. I see people in my lunchroom at the office zapping their leftovers in plastic. It is convenient to use the same dish.

Am I the only one who fell for the 'As Seen On TV' Smart Spin system?

It's actually pretty ingenious: three container sizes that all use the same lid. (The containers vary in height, not width or circumference.) They stack neatly on a little turntable. All very self-contained. Right now it sits on a shelf in an upper cabinet. But it would probably fit in a deep drawer, too.

I think I bought mine at Target for $20 or so.

Here is a link that might be useful: Smart Spin system

Seaduck - I have that! it doesn't provide a trustworthy seal, but they are great for storing small amounts of stuff, which I always seem to need. I also have them on a shelf, but wish I could find something with similar sizes, that stack but a better seal.

Calimama-- I haven't noticed the seal issue, but maybe that's not so much a problem for the way we use them.

Of course we still have the Dreaded Drawer with miscellaneous Tupperware and the heirloom-quality ricotta cheese and half-gallon ice cream containers...although we use them less now that we have the Spin system. I'm ready to pitch the lot, but DH has a deep emotional tie to them.

Have you looked at the As Seen On TV WOW containers? They seem to boast a good seal. And -- guess what -- they're a $100 value that you can get now for just $19.95! (I'm a sucker for the spirit of invention behind the ASOT stuff........)

Here is a link that might be useful: WOW storage containers.

We have lots of leftover containers. Square glass with snap-lock lids, round glass with rubber lids, Tupperware and lookalikes, salvaged Chinese takeout tubs, canning jars with screw lids, mason jars with clamp-on hinged lids, and probably 5 other species.

They are impossible to keep organized. It is like herding baby cats. Every year or so, I go and sort through the kittens. I discard the cracked ones, the ugly ones, the ones that have lost their mittens. Yet there are never fewer than the previous year.

I believe these containers are a sort of non-carbon-based lifeform, that lives and breeds in the dark places in our homes. Like clothes hangers, solo socks, and those black plastic things with two or three metal horns and long wiggly tails.

To the best of my knowledge, we don't consciously buy these containers. Why would we? At any given moment, there might be three or four items of left-over food in our refrigerator. Yet we have thirty, forty, soon fifty such containers, jostling and clinking and breeding in the darkness of their corner cabinet. I feel like I am being watched. Sometimes I find the cabinet door ajar. I don't know what they eat. But one of our real cats is missing.

Another vote for the Rubbermaid "Premier" system -- I got my set at BJs and added another few (larger) pieces "a la carte" from Target. The set has a few common lid sizes for different depths of container, so it's easy to store in two or three stacks. Very neat compared to my old plasticware collection! I also appreciate that they don't stain (i.e. tomato sauce, etc.)

After years of lost lids, stained containers and impossible to easily store and stack Tupperware, Rubbermaid and everything else, we tossed it all and replaced everything with "take-out" containers that we bought at a restaurant supply store.

i'm merely procrastinating by reading this thread...

but it's actually interesting and helpful!

johnliu's writing never ceases to amaze and entertain me. :)

I have a mish-mash of tupperware, rubbermaid, the "disposable" gladware and some odd take-out containers. But I'm wondering about these for fruits/veggies and deli meats.

Anyone tried them? Do they work?

Here is a link that might be useful: Kinetic Go Green Nano Silver Containers

scoootermom, I would research nanosilver and the environment before purchasing it. There were questions about the safety of nanosilver back when I was researching washers a few years ago.