What are the best meal prep containers?
There are many benefits to meal planning, but if you don’t have the right meal prep containers, it’s a difficult habit to stick with.
If you want to successfully meal prep, this article will help you find the:
- best glass meal prep containers
- best plastic food storage containers
- versatile silicone reusable bags
- best containers for portion control
- essential products for sticking with meal prepping
Let’s start prepping!
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Why You Need to Start Meal Prepping Now
If you haven’t gotten the hang of meal prepping yet, you’re missing out.
Meal planning then portioning food out in meal prep containers is a habit you’ll want to stick with because it:
- saves money…lots of money!
- is a lifesaver during rushed mornings and busy evenings
- makes lunches on-the-go a breeze
- reduces plastic waste
- helps you stick to your clean eating and health goals
When you have the food you need cooked and portioned into food storage containers ahead of time, you’ll enjoy feelings of calm in your household, knowing your food is there already.
If you need help with the planning side of things, check out the best meal planning template that’s been a total game-changer.
1. Best Glass Meal Prep Container
PREP NATURALS
- 5-pack of glass meal prep containers with snapping lids
- Each glass container holds 3.8 cups (30 oz.)
- Leakproof lids with silicone seal so nothing spills (even soups)
- Glass container is oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher-safe
- 4.6 stars from over 12,907 reviews
📍We bought these almost three years ago and still use them all the time for meal prepping and storing leftovers. They’re made from high-quality glass, have never leaked, and last a long time.
2. Best Portion Control Meal Prep Containers
PYREX
- Six 2-cup containers are perfectly-sized for 6 meals of the week
- Glass bowls are safe in the microwave, oven, freezer and dishwasher
- BPA-free plastic lids are dishwasher-safe (top rack only)
- 4.8 stars from 43 reviews
📍We use the 2-cup and 1-cup Pyrex containers daily. We tried a cheaper alternative to save money, but the lids ended up breaking! So we had to buy Pyrex lids to replace them. The moral of the story: Go with Pyrex right away to avoid the frustration of broken lids on the cheaper containers.
3. Best Reusable Food Storage Bags
STASHER
- 100% Food Grade Silicone Reusable Bags in lots of colors + sizes
- Eliminate or greatly reduce plastic bag waste
- Kid-friendly pinch-lock seal is thick and durable to keep food inside
- Dishwasher, microwave, freezer and oven-safe (up to 400 degrees)
- 4.7 stars from over 15,725 reviews
📍We have been using our Stasher Silicone Bags for over two years and have grown quite the collection! We use them for packing snacks, storing vegetables in the fridge, storing food in the freezer, and storing opened snacks in the pantry.
❗️The one knock-off brand I tried was not even close to the same quality as Stasher. I can’t recommend any other brand.
4. Best Glass Containers for Salads and Smoothies
BALL
- Glass mason jars are not just for canning
- Prep salads for healthy lunches for the week
- Store an extra smoothie so it’s ready ahead of time
- Jars with wide-mouth lids are easier to clean
- 4.5 stars from over 2,397 reviews
5. Best Glass Bento Containers
- Keep food separate in convenient 2-compartment glass containers
- 5-pack of sturdy glass containers, one for each weekday
- Prep meals then store in fridge or freezer for busy weeks
- Durable glass is freezable, microwavable, and oven-safe
- 4.6 stars from over 5,689 reviews
6. Best Cheap Meal Prep Containers
- Meal prep bento box containers don’t have to be expensive
- 20-pack reusable meal prep set each holds 32 ounces
- Prepare 20 breakfasts, lunches, or dinners ahead of time for quick meals
- Containers stack nicely and save space
- 4.5 stars from nearly 8,312 reviews
Watch My Meal Prep Container Review LIVE!
So you want to see the meal prep containers I use in my kitchen at home? In the video below, I share extra tips about how I use them and what to watch out for when buying new food storage containers.
More Kitchen Essentials for Easy Meal Prep
Having the right food storage containers is key, but there are a few more kitchen tools that are absolutely essential for easily prepping breakfasts, lunches, dinners, or snacks ahead of time.
Instant Pot
Making healthy instant pot meals, side dishes, or snacks without babysitting the stove is the easiest way for busy parents to cook and get ahead on meal prepping. Instant Pot chicken noodle soup is a tried-and-true favorite for us.
This Instant Pot Duo is a best-seller on Amazon for good reason. We use it all the time for rice, quinoa, chili, soups, stews, and more.
Cast Iron Skillet
Cast Iron skillets can be used to saute, bake, fry or grill food for meal prepping. Take care of it, and it will last for decades. Ours was handed down from our 86-year-old grandfather!
This Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet comes with a silicone hot handle to protect your hands.
Silicone Muffin Pan + Liners
I never bake muffins anymore without a silicone muffin pan or silicone muffin cups. Healthy muffins and baked egg cups can pack major nutrients into your day, but cleanup with metal pans can be a huge pain!
Adding a Silicone Muffin Pan and/or Muffin Cups to your kitchen is a cheap way to significantly improve your meal prepping experience.
Professional-Grade Blender
Nothing compares to a superfood green smoothie made in a professional-grade Vitamix Blender. Fill your blender with greens, superfood powders, avocado, and some frozen fruit to start your day with energy.
This 64-oz Vitamix Blender fills two 32-oz mason jars full of smoothie goodness, so share one with a family member or store it in the fridge for a meal later. We have this blender ourselves and we’ve gifted it to others, who also love it!
Thrive Market and Vitacost
Sticking with health goals is easier with the convenience of healthy online grocery stores. Ordering from Vitacost and Thrive Market has been a lifesaver for our family since we became food allergy parents.
If you have any special diet needs and need foods that are gluten-free, allergy-friendly, keto, paleo, vegan, etc., you can have the food you need delivered to your door.
Save 25% off your first Thrive order and Try it Risk-Free for 30 Days.
Just a warning, you might fall in love.
Start Meal Prepping
That’s enough shopping, now it’s time to begin meal prepping!
Now you know everything you need about which containers and tools are best for meal prepping. It might seem daunting at first, but stick with it and soon you’ll have your own smooth system for making meals in advance.
Save This List of Best Meal Prep Containers For Later
Share this list of best containers for meal prepping on social so your friends can eat healthier, save money, and enjoy more calm in the kitchen. Save it to Pinterest so you always have it when you need it.
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