If you enjoy cooking, packing lunches, or storing leftovers, you'll understand the importance of reliable food storage containers. Food storage containers are essential kitchen items in various sizes, materials, shapes, and designs. Choosing an eco-friendly, durable, and well-suited container or bag to your needs is your best bet. We've compiled this guide to help you save time and ease confusion. Keep reading!
Safety of Food Storage Containers
When choosing food storage containers, consider the following safety aspects:
Material safety: Ensure that the containers are made from food-grade safe materials, avoiding those with harmful chemicals, phthalates, or lead.
Heat resistance: Ensure they are heat-resistant and labelled as microwave or oven-safe. Some plastics may melt or release chemicals when heated.
Sealability: Containers with good seals are preferable as they keep food fresh longer and prevent leaks and contamination.
Freezer suitability: Ensure they are freezer-safe and capable of withstanding low temperatures without cracking.
Easy to clean: Containers should be easy to clean, without intricate designs that can harbour bacteria. convenience.
Transparency: Seeing the contents without opening the container reduces the chances of forgetting food and letting it spoil.
Plastic Food Storage Bags or Containers
Pros:
Lightweight and easy to carry and store.
Durable, less prone to breaking or shattering.
Generally more affordable compared to glass, metal, or silicone containers.
Cons:
May contain chemicals that can leach into food, especially at high temperatures.
Poor heat resistance, may melt or deform at high temperatures.
Sealing performance of plastic containers may be subpar, affecting food freshness.
Prone to staining and absorbing odors, challenging to clean thoroughly.
If you genuinely prefer plastic containers for their affordability and durability, opt for BPA-free options to minimize health and environmental risks. Avoid using plastic containers in high-temperature environments like microwaves or ovens to reduce the release of microplastics into your food.
Glass Food Storage Containers
Pros:
Glass is a very safe material, free from harmful chemicals like BPA.
Non-absorbent glass surfaces do not retain food odors or stains, making them easy to clean.
Glass containers are typically heat-resistant and safe for use in microwaves, ovens, and dishwashers.
Environmentally friendly and sustainable, as glass containers can be reused.
Cons:
Fragile and prone to breaking if dropped.
Heavier than plastic or silicone, making them less portable.
Higher cost compared to plastic or silicone containers.
Some types of glass containers may be sensitive to rapid temperature changes, leading to breakage.
Glass food storage containers are favoured by those seeking durability and sustainability. They also do not stain or retain any odour, a significant reason many choose them over plastic. However, they are more prone to breaking.
Silicone Food Storage Bags or Containers
MeaganPros:
Eco-friendly and reusable, promoting environmental sustainability.
Heat and cold-resistant, suitable for freezing and microwave heating.
Flexible and space-saving, as silicone containers can be folded when empty.
Chemically resistant, less likely to absorb odors or stains compared to plastics.
Cons:
Generally higher in price compared to plastics or fabric materials.
Occasionally challenging to clean thoroughly, especially when dealing with oils and pigments.
May not be as scratch-resistant as hard plastics or glass.
In summary, silicone food storage bags or containers are popular for their eco-friendliness, durability, and versatility. However, for those who are sensitive to slight odour retention, they may not be the ideal choice.
Still, choosing silicone food storage containers has many benefits, allowing you to overlook minor drawbacks:
Non-toxic materials, BPA-Free.
Multi-functional, safe for use in the temperature range of -40°C to 230°C, safe for refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave.
Durability can be reused multiple times.
Aesthetically pleasing: Silicone containers come in various designs and colours, making them an excellent addition to any kitchen decor.
Eliminate smells by soaking in a 50/50 water and vinegar mixture.
Gently scrub with a brush to remove built-up debris.
Why Choose Durbl Silicone Food Containers and Bags? Our food storage sets are made from food-grade platinum silicone, safe for dishwasher use, suitable for heating in the oven and freezing in the refrigerator, and versatile for various purposes. They come in different sizes and designs to meet your kitchen and lifestyle needs.
If you're interested in eco-friendly and sustainable kitchen aids, Durbl silicone bags and containers are your perfect choice.
I have one rule for holiday gifting: if it can’t be put to work before the dishes are done, it’s not the gift. Thanksgiving is road trips, crowded kitchens, and the sacred art of managing leftovers. These Durbl pieces earn their keep the minute dessert is served—and again on Monday.
Silicone Collapsible Lunch Box — 600 ml (about 20 oz / 2.5 cups)
This is my “always bring one” container. It’s the perfect size for a slice of pumpkin pie plus a spoonful of stuffing—full but not crammed. After dinner, the lid clicks on with that satisfying snap, and it rides home in a tote without baptizing your coat in gravy. Back at the house, it folds down like a paperback and disappears in the cabinet. Two tiny pro tips from too many family dinners: let steamy food breathe for a minute before sealing, and press the lid on all four sides until you hear that little click. Do that and you’re golden.
Silicone Collapsible Lunch Box — 1200 ml (about 41 oz / 5 cups)
When there are more people than chairs, I reach for the 1200. On the table it passes as a low serving bowl—great for roasted veggies or a pile of dinner rolls. When everyone says “one last bite,” the lid goes on and it becomes tomorrow’s leftover box without a dish swap. Sunday night, give the base a gentle reheat and call it comfort. It’s the container that quietly removes steps: less transferring, fewer things to wash, faster cleanup.
Silicone Bags — Essentials Set (mixed everyday sizes)
These are the kitchen organizers that stop the chaos. They stand up on their own, zip tight, and somehow multiply in usefulness once the cooking starts. On the drive to Grandma’s, one bag gets trail mix, one cookies, one carrots. At the stove, another corrals garlic bulbs and herb bundles so the counter doesn’t look like a farmers market exploded. If you’re sealing something hot, just wait thirty seconds first—future-you will thank you.
Half-Gallon Silicone Bag (about 1.9 L / 64 oz / 8 cups)
The leftover MVP. Thanksgiving morning-after, all the turkey bones and veggie scraps go in, zip, then the whole thing lays flat in the freezer with a quick label: “Turkey Stock 11/28.” Midweek you break off a slab, drop it in a pot, and suddenly dinner tastes intentional. It also swallows the awkward stuff—half a pie, a head of romaine—and doesn’t leak under pressure. Be kind with anything sharp or bony and this bag will outlast your willpower around the dessert tray.
Silicone Bags — 5-Pack (family set, small→large mix)
For the households that like order. After dinner, line the bags up with a Sharpie on the table. People write their names and fill their own: turkey, mash, greens, pie, rolls—done. The living room conversation keeps going while the kitchen basically cleans itself. One practical note from experience: if you loan a favorite bag to a cousin, put a tiny colored dot on the corner so it finds its way home.
Simple Gift Combos (so you don’t overthink it)
● Road-Trip Ready: 600 ml + 3-Pack — snacks now, lunch tomorrow, no spills.● Host’s Best Friend: 1200 ml + 5-Pack — serve at dinner, self-serve leftovers after.● Leftover Kit: 1200 ml + Half-Gallon — table to fridge to freezer without extra dishes.And tuck in a card that says: “Thanks for feeding us. Here’s something that keeps feeding you later.”
Real Thanksgiving Moments (you’ll recognize these)
● You promised “just one slice,” left with a sampler plate—the 600 ml keeps it tidy and your passenger seat clean.● The table turns into a cleanup line—the 1200 ml goes from serving bowl to sealed leftover box in three seconds.● Sunday night, there’s a flat, labeled Half-Gallon in the freezer. You feel unreasonably accomplished.
Quick Capacity Cheat Sheet
● 600 ml ≈ 20 oz / 2.5 cups — pie slice + side, or a full next-day lunch● 1200 ml ≈ 41 oz / 5 cups — family-size sides, serve-then-store● Half-Gallon Bag ≈ 1.9 L / 64 oz / 8 cups — stock, half a pie, big prep● 3-Pack / 5-Pack — mixed sizes to cover snacks → sides → bulky bits
If you’re only choosing one, start with the 600 ml fold-flat. Add the 1200 ml if you’re feeding a crowd. If leftovers are your love language, the Half-Gallon plus a 3- or 5-Pack will make this whole long weekend easier—and a lot less wasteful.
If you're striving for a more sustainable lifestyle, finding genuinely useful eco-friendly alternatives can be tougher than expected. But we're here to recommend one: Durbl Bag. We tested them by packing, washing, microwaving, freezing, and boiling them to see if they hold up. After all that, we can confidently say we're never buying another plastic bag again.Durbl bags are reusable bags crafted from platinum-grade silicone, known for its top-notch quality. They're BPA free, BPS, and phthalate-free, meeting both FDA and EU standards for food safety. This ensures you can confidently use Durbl bags for packing lunches, storing leftovers, and more, without concerns of plastic or chemical leakage, as they're safe for the freezer, microwave, oven, and boiling water.
Benefits of using Durbl bags
The versatility of Durbl bags knows no bounds. From freezing leftovers to microwaving popcorn, reheating leftovers in the oven, and even sous vide cooking a perfect steak, the options are limitless. They outshine traditional plastic bags, offering safety, versatility, and overall superiority. How to close the Durbl bag?Durbl bags feature a double-sided strip seal design, ensuring excellent sealing to keep any food and leftovers fresh. You can test it by filling the half-gallon bag with water, then turning it upside down and shaking it, believing that not a single drop of water will leak out. Some handy tips:
Pinch along the protruding position of the seal
Pinch along the upper part of the seal (pay attention to your action, buckle and then pinch)
As you pinch firmly, you should hear a sound "kapa".
After sealing, check the closure; the two sides of the bag should fit tightly together. Then, you can store the bag in the fridge, confident it will keep your food fresh for a long time.
Durbl comes in various shapes and sizes, far more than just a replacement for plastic bags. They can meet many different needs, truly a highly versatile tool worth having in your kitchen.
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I had the kind with a plastic slider on the top - I hated using them & they didn't seal well and things got freezer burn quickly. These seem to seal much better and are much easier to use, and the silicone being really clear so you can see the contents easily is very helpful too. You can fit a lot more in them than you think, I've been using the snack size more than I thought I would. I wish they would offer the quart size individually - I don't understand why you can get every size except that one. Definitely recommend them
These are great, but I wish they would offer more buying options. They only come in a 3-pack and they don't offer just the size you want individually. I am loving using these for work lunches and that they are safe to heat up in the microwave. They seal well and are heavy duty enough to be sturdy, but don't feel heavy to cart around.