Food storage containers

Glass or plastic: two systems for different tasks

In short: both have their place, and they each solve different tasks in the kitchen. When choosing between the materials, it mostly depends on what the container needs to hold.

These glass containers are square with bamboo lids and are available in 320, 520, and 800 ml, or as a bundled 3-pack with all three sizes. Glass does not absorb taste or color, so yesterday's curry won't leave a residue in the container, and you can clearly see the contents. This makes them ideal for leftovers, meal prep, and packed lunches. The bamboo lid also provides a calm, natural look that suits a kitchen shelf or refrigerator, where things can otherwise quickly become a jumble of mismatched lids.

The plastic containers, our storage containers for dry goods, are lighter and take up less weight on a full shelf. They range from 0.35 L all the way up to 3.5 L and 4.4 L, and are intended for flour, sugar, pasta, rice, grains, and other dry goods that you want to keep organized in one place. You're not the only one with flour in one bag, grains in another, and half-open pasta bags scattered about. With consistent containers of uniform sizes, you give that clutter a much harder time.

How to choose the right size

This is where most people go wrong when buying for the first time. The practical trick is to choose the size based on what you most often put in it, not what looks spacious in the store.

For the glass containers, the three sizes mean something very specific in everyday life. The small 320 ml one fits a portion of leftovers, a snack, or fruit for a packed lunch. The 520 ml size is perfect for a regular lunch portion. And 800 ml holds a larger portion of leftovers or an entire meal prep dish. If you don't want to guess, the 3-pack is an easy way to cover all three situations at once.

For dry goods, it's about how much you actually buy at a time. A kilogram bag of flour fits well in the larger containers, while the smaller ones are good for baking powder, nuts, dried fruit, or coffee that you use a little of at a time. If you want to organize your entire kitchen cabinet at once, the dry goods containers are also available as a bundle solution, so you get a uniform system from the start instead of assembling it piece by piece.

Containers for meal prep and packed lunches

If the container needs to go to work or in a bag, the glass boxes with bamboo lids are a good choice. You can see what's inside without opening them, and the glass keeps flavors separate, so your salad doesn't taste like yesterday's meatballs.

If you do meal prep, i.e., prepare several portions at once and divide them, the uniform square dimensions offer another advantage: they stand stably next to each other and utilize the refrigerator shelf instead of toppling over. If you want to approach it more systematically with entire weeks at a time, we have compiled advice in the guide on meal prep containers, where the idea is precisely to bring calm to the fridge and freezer without having to think about dinner every day.

A uniform look that brings calm to the cabinet

An organized kitchen is not just for appearances. Of course, it looks nice, but the real benefit is clarity: you can see what you have, and you won't be in the supermarket wondering if there's more pasta at home.

This is where uniform containers make a difference. When flour, grains, and rice are stored in the same type of container in a line rather than in half-open bags, you get both clarity and a calm, uniform look. The bamboo lids on the glass boxes and the wooden lids on several of the dry goods containers pull in the same direction: natural materials that create calm, perfectly in line with the idea of a home with good energy flow instead of clutter. If you want to set everything up from scratch, a complete start is often easiest, and you'll find the rest of your kitchen storage in the same place.

Good to know before using them

A few practical things are worth knowing before the containers are put to use. Always check the labeling on each individual container before putting it in the microwave, freezer, or dishwasher, as instructions may vary between materials.

For glass boxes, the glass itself can withstand more than the bamboo lid. Natural materials like bamboo and wood do not fare well with prolonged exposure to soft water, so the lids will last best if you wipe them by hand rather than putting them through the dishwasher. If a glass box needs to go in the microwave, always remove the lid first.

If you want to read more thoroughly about how to assemble a system for the refrigerator, freezer, and kitchen cabinet, we have a detailed guide on food storage containers. And if you have questions about a specific choice, we are always ready to help.