Every couple of years I go out and buy nice storage containers. Round, oval, rectangular, etc. The lids match and for about 1 week I can put food away easily. Then all of a sudden I can't find a lid, or if I find a lid I can't find the bottom. The next thing you know I'm spending up to 10 minutes trying to find a top and a bottom, and then it deteriorates from there. Finally I find myself overtaken by a margine & grated cheese tub coo along with a few odd shaped containers like for cookie dough and my lid drawer is jammed packed with tops that don't fit anything.
So then I go out and buy nice storage container...... and the cycle repeats itself.
After many years of having my nice storage containers end up in some "black hole" never to be found again, I've given up. I don't buy storage containers anymore.
I use recycled containers for some stuff but, mostly, I use ziploc bags a lot.
Or, if I have a bit of food leftover from dinner, I'll store it in a small Corningware bowl (the French White line with the straight sides and plastic lids).
The other benefit from this is that I don't have piled up plastic bowls and lids hitting me in the head when I open my cabinet
Posts: 871 | Location: New York City | Registered: 28 May 2003
I have decided not to bother with "nice" storage containers anymore - tossed all the odds and end of Tupperware the other day and found myself doing that in my mom's kitchen as well. I have decided that the Gladware-type product that I can buy at the market really suits my needs - I can see what is inside, they last fairly long and I don't worry about leaving them at work, at friend's house's etc. With only two of us at home now, this is going to work quite well.
I think they go to the same place as the odd sock goes
I'm with everyone else, other than the tupperware I use all the time (e.g., to store rice or cereal), I'm not getting more. I just use the gladware products or ziplocs, or chinese food take out containers and that's fine.
Most of my storage is done on old cups and bowls that lost their twins a long time ago, with a piece of film on top, unless there are more plates and dishes of more solid leftovers (usually covered with either film or yet another cup) to use as lid.
I agree with Kim. They have joined the socks that were in the dryer but when you go to take them out, one is missing. I am always finding the lids to a container or the odd shaped container and no lid. So I've joined the Glad throw away people. Along this line, has anyone seen the articles that say it is dangerous to warm things in the microwave in these containers? Something about the heat releasing dangerous toxins in the plastic that can get into the food. Plastic wrap isn't suppose to be used either.
The substance that may be released is PVC. Microwave-safe containers and wrap are PVC-free. I think that currently wrap and containers produced in the EU (or at least here in Italy) must be PVC free by law, and since the US is not particularly behing on thecnologies () I guess you have your share of PVC-free food wraps and containers. By the way, PVC is released by contact with food, be it hot or cold, in the fridge or in the microwave.
I use a lot of Zip-loc bags for storing, marinating and freezing. They make them in all sizes- snack size for herbs, pleated gallon sized for soup. When food is past the 'safe leftover' period (like mine usually is)I just toss the whole thing. No more stinky green grits for me!
Great thread. I had just announced to my husband that I needed to get new containers b/c I'm either missing the bottoms or tops of my favorites. Of course I'd have to buy a bunch of new stuff since none of the companies continue to sell the same sizes. I try to use my food saver when I freeze stuff but I still like the plastic for the frig. Thanks for the suggestion of gladware. It's not as sturdy but it serves the purpose.
Posts: 408 | Location: Watertown, New York, USA | Registered: 22 August 2003
Mine find their way into my grandsons' toy box. The container and lid drawer is "crawler" height. Every week or so, I clean out the toy box and recover my containers.
Deborah Horn In a previous life I was an Umbrian sunflower farmer. I want to do a past life regression and stay there. ----------------------------------- www.petsburg.com My blog: Old Shoes - New Trip
Posts: 5107 | Location: St. Louis, MO | Registered: 04 September 2001
So glad it's not just me - I have long blamed my husband for 'disposing' of either the lid or base of my storage containers. (He does keep getting rid of glass screw top jars that I like for shaking up dressing). I have bought two new containers today - I give them 2 weeks. Anyone feel like inventing small tracking devices for them ?!
Posts: 963 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 20 September 2006
Ah...those plastic containers drive me nuts! I lose the pieces and end up with either a bunch of covers on bottoms....I like using ziplock frezzer bags to store leftovers. Don't have to wash them either...
I have taken to using only the cheapie tubs I can buy at All Rooms or the local supermarket. Sadly ziploc bags are very expensive here so I do not use them.
Most of the quality containers I have bought over the years have gone missing or ended up being used to store car parts, or as feeding or watering bowls for various dogs and cats (the joys of renting I guess).
I just bought a couple of these glass bowls and lids from Crate and Barrel. I like glass containers because they last longer and they look nice. We'll see how long I can hang onto the lids...
-Krista
Posts: 1694 | Location: Santa Barbara, California | Registered: 21 May 2004
Those are beautiful, but I would never be able to get the lids off without having the contents flying all over the kitchen because there is no tab to pull. I have pyrex storage containers that I never use for just that reason.
Originally posted by suncoast: Every couple of years I go out and buy nice storage containers. Round, oval, rectangular, etc. The lids match and for about 1 week I can put food away easily. Then all of a sudden I can't find a lid, or if I find a lid I can't find the bottom. The next thing you know I'm spending up to 10 minutes trying to find a top and a bottom, and then it deteriorates from there. Finally I find myself overtaken by a margine & grated cheese tub coo along with a few odd shaped containers like for cookie dough and my lid drawer is jammed packed with tops that don't fit anything.
So then I go out and buy nice storage container...... and the cycle repeats itself.
And ideas, advice, or solutions?
Ginger
Ginger
I will send you all of my mismatches. Any that you STILL can't match up send back to me because by that time the other 1/2 of the mismatch will think that the missing top or bottom is gone for good and will re-appear.
Seriously I too have this problem. I used to have gorgeous tupperware, now I'm down to my flour container and a juice container. Then I went to the stuff you get at Costco. You know the 100 pieces for $15 stuff. Finally I am reduced to the 4 bowls for $2 Gladware. As much as I'd love to use plastic ziploc bags they leak unless I'm putting them in the freezer.
And has anybody noticed how the manufacturers keep changing the size, shape of the containers? This is a plot - I am NOT paranoid. That way should a missing top or bottom re-appear you can't store it with the other stuff anyway. And none of them store worth a darn. You can't stack smaller inside larger becaus the last batch I bought was square and this batch is round, followed by rectangular, followed by ovoid, etc.
When we are done with the container swap you can send me your mismatched socks.
the manufacturers keep changing the size, shape of the containers? This is a plot
Right you are!
The round is less round the square is more rectangluar, the bowl is squared on the edges. At least with cool whip and cottage cheese containers I know which top will fit.
But... then there is the dreaful moment when you think you've got the butter, and it is last weeks mashed potatoes!
Well, I must be the only anal one here. I have a storage cabinet in the laundry room and 3 shelves are given over to plastic ware. They are stacked according to shape and size.
Now here's the kicker (which is why I drive some people nuts!):
I put a dishpan on one of the shelves and in it I put all my lids sorted by size and shape.
I don't have any mis-matches.
Of course, I don't have any grandkids messing things up. Oh, wait a minute. There's Cal. He's not terribly trainable, but somehow I've managed to keep all my tops and bottoms together.
Oh, while I'm on this anal thing -- I don't have odd socks, either. I must be on the good side of the Sock Fairy, too.
Along a slightly different vein, I use Olivina containers alot for leftovers but I am forever opening the wrong container when I am looking for the Olivina! (it's like Becel with Olive Oil) I was wondering, has anybody actually ever used those "shower cap" kind of tops that you can put on containers -- are they see through? I like the size of the container - but I have 5 in my fridge right now and I do alot of cussing trying to find the right one and it is Sunday after all.....
My friend Nicoletta in Roma swears by the shower cap things. You can't get them there so everytime we go to Rome I stuff one of my luggage pockets full of multiple sized shower cap storage covers. They seem to be translucent. I just don't think they'd work real well if you tipped things over. I imagine they would be fine if you were storing dry stuff (except for powdery dry stuff).
Oh, while I'm on this anal thing -- I don't have odd socks, either. I must be on the good side of the Sock Fairy, too.
OK. I'll leave now!
Didn't your mama teach you it wasn't nice to brag? And BTW there is no such thing as the sock fairy. There are sock eating washing machines or dryers and then there are non-sock eating washing machines or dryers. Most women have one or the other. Somehow (and I'm thinking you probably have bodies in your basement to have achieved it) you have a non sock eating washer AND dryer.
Topic Closed
and then it deteriorates from there. Finally I find myself overtaken by a margine & grated cheese tub coo along with a few odd shaped containers like for cookie dough and my lid drawer is jammed packed with tops that don't fit anything.
) I guess you have your share of PVC-free food wraps and containers. By the way, PVC is released by contact with food, be it hot or cold, in the fridge or in the microwave.
