I could unload the bottom rack of a dishwasher all day long. Swap, swap, swap – plates are stacked. Tickity, tickity, tickity – bowls in the cupboard. Grab a few glass jars and you’re done. The top shelf, however, is my nemesis. Things are dripping, there are lids that store water in their creases, stuff is flipped over and filled with nasty water…I could do without the top shelf. Switching to almost all glass storage containers has helped this little issue of mine, and there are some other benefits, too:
- They don’t turn red when I put tomato-based food in them.
- They don’t smell like the last food you’ve eaten even after they’re washed.
- They are very easy to clean. You can really scrub and even use steel wool without worrying about breaking or scratching the surface. There aren’t weird crevices that food can sneak into.
- They don’t begin to crack over time and need to be recycled and replaced.
- They can go right into the toaster oven.
- They can go right into the freezer and withstand a lot of banging around as I search for stuff!
- They don’t get any weird discolorations/warping/pock marks in the microwave (if you do that kind of thing).
- The lids stay on very well and don’t have a little tab that could get caught on something in a lunchbag and come off.
- They teach my son (and the rest of us) to be careful with possessions. He can tell that they’re heavy and breakable, thus he takes more care with them.
- They don’t break, even if they slide out of the fridge. This one, I’m sure, will be proven wrong someday (probably soon, now that I’ve put it in writing, right?), but so far, the glass dishes have been remarkably durable. I haven’t dropped one out of the freezer yet – -that might be a deal-breaker!
- They don’t flip over in the dishwasher top rack, and I can put them in the top or bottom rack, so more Tetris options when I’m seeking a completely full dishwasher.
- They dry completely in the dishwasher or dish rack – no more pockets of standing water (dripping all over my dry dishes) like with the plastic stuff. [Yes, the lids hold a little water, but it's nothing compared to my old life of plastic containers.]
- And best of all: They don’t leach BPA into my food, or any other unknown chemicals, for that matter.
How do I use my dishwasher wisely?
Other tips for switching to glass containers
What is BPA and why is plastic risky?
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Could you write about what glass containers you have? Are the lids glass too?
I have two pyrex bowls with plastic lids and am trying to use those the most for food storage. I would, however, like to switch to all glass and am wondering what’s working for you.
Jendeis’s last blog post..Is Eight Really Enough?
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Katie Reply:
May 28th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I have both Pyrex and Anchor, lots of different sizes, plus some Corelle baking (casserole) dishes that I use for storage. All have plastic lids except a few casserole dishes with glass lids, but they aren’t that great for storage b/c you can’t stack them in the fridge. Please see Monday’s post for a few more details and a photo: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/05/26/monday-mission-rethink-plastic-food-storage-containers/
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I love my glass storage dishes! Awhile back, I got rid of as much plastic as I could in the kitchen. Then I purchased small, medium and large storage dishes from Anchor Hocking. They have glass lids, too, unlike Pyrex (I have some of those, too). They stack and go in the dishwasher, oven, refrigerator and freezer. They work for everything and they’re so solid they’ll outlast me, I’m sure! We are probably talking about the same dishes…
Great list of benefits! I can’t think of any to add, except a sense of satisfaction you get from using a beautiful piece of dishwear.
~Wardeh
Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS’s last blog post..First Chevre
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Katie Reply:
May 28th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Flat glass lids? Do they stay on tightly for traveling, or would they only work in the fridge? Are they round or square? They sound great for reheating in the toaster oven without browning the tops of your food or using foil. Thanks for adding to the discussion, Wardeh!!
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Now mine sometimes keep smelling like the food that came in them, especially if they held pungent foods like salsa and pesto. Any tips for getting rid of odor in glass jars?
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Katie Reply:
May 28th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Good point – my pickle jars and salsa jars have odors, too. I haven’t tried getting rid of the odors myself yet, because usually the next food wipes out the smell and I just choose a food that won’t be affected by pickles or salsa. I would guess that vinegar would do it. If you try it , let us know! I’ll chime in if I do first.
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Mary Reply:
May 28th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Baking soda may be a good choice for removing odors. It’s also great as a gentle abrasive cleaner.
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Katie – Here they are at greenfeet.com:
http://www.greenfeet.com/itemmatrix.asp?kw=Glass-Storage-Dishes-Large-&ic=6007-00884-2400&eq=&matrixtype=2
The large is square, the medium is rectangular and the small is square.
The lids are flat. They are not quite air-tight but I use them for sprouts, leftovers, shredded meat, etc. and nothing ever goes dry. So, I’d say, they’re pretty airtight, if not completely airtight.
I do travel with them, by putting them in a cooler. The lids fit inside the base, by means of a lip, if you know what I mean. The lid can shift a few mms either way, not coming out by just shifting. It is not a snap on lid.
Hope this explains it! They are so sturdy and well worth the investment.
~Wardeh
Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS’s last blog post..First Chevre
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Katie Reply:
May 29th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Very cool. Thanks so much for the details. They’d never make it to work in my husband’s lunch bag (a grocery bag, so stylish!) but they sound super for general storage. Going on my birthday wish list!
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Dawn Reply:
September 21st, 2010 at 10:23 pm
I JUST saw those at Target (shopping for my Christmas list)! Definitely going on the list!
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I’ve been trying to use glass for storage more too.
Denise’s last blog post..Three Things This Thursday
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I always use white vinegar to remove odors from glass jars. Sounds strange, but it works for me. I just dump some vinegar in, fill to the top with water, then put the lid on. I let it sit for a few hours, up to a day. Then I dump and wash in the dishwasher. Works great!
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I actually thought of two more! See this post to read them: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/06/01/mental-mission-what-kind-of-fat-are-you-eating/
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I’ve been wanting to make this switch for a very long time-to glass or steel. Can you recommend any brands?
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Katie Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Check out the Monday Mission from that week: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/05/26/monday-mission-rethink-plastic-food-storage-containers/ for my recommendations. I’ve never used stainless steel bowls, only water bottles. The 1-cup size from Anchor (not sure if Pyrex offers that size) is fabulous for single yogurts and fruits in lunches!
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Thanks!
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smashing a glass dish of stew in my school bag—nah, i think i’ll skip that!
or leaking some evo and vinegar dressing in there…nope.
plastic is better than paying for cafeteria garbage or vending machine crud.
i have no fridge to put it in either once I get to school like workppl have at the workplace…they try to force us to buy the “food” on campus.
ever cleaned a cooler with spilled yogurt sitting in it for 16 hrs? (i’m gone from morning till late nite)
for me glass is not an option either.
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Katie Reply:
December 29th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Helene,
Katie
There are some great stainless steel containers, too, that have super airtight lids – even more reliable than any plastic option I’ve seen. My Pyrex dishes have never broken, in spite of what I put them through. They’d probably hold up better under being sat upon or dropped in a bag than plastic, too! But, to each their own –
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