Meal Prep Containers (That Aren’t Plastic)

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Meal prep containers should be durable and reusable, versatile for both cold storage and heat and non-toxic. That means no plastic. So my favorite meal prep containers are all made from glass and silicone. These are exact meal prep containers I personally use for meal prep every week.

The best meal prep containers are durable and reusable, can be used in both cold storage and warmed up and are non-toxic. That means no plastic. So my favorite meal prep containers are all made from glass and silicone.

Meal Prep Containers That Last

To say that my recent Meal Prep Ideas video was popular would be an understatement. I received hundreds and hundreds of comments within hours of posting that video. It was craziness. And the number one comment? “Please do more!”

So needless to say, I will be doing more meal prep recipes future, but today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite meal prep containers.

If you plan on doing weekly meal prep it would be wise to invest in some good containers for all your food storage needs. So what makes a good container? Well, I think three things: 1) it’s durable and reusable 2) it can be used in both cold storage and warmed up, and 3) it’s non-toxic.

That last one is a biggie for me. I’ve mentioned this before on my Pantry Organization video, but I’ve been moving away from plastic as much as possible, wherever possible.

When you’re storing food and more importantly, when you’re reheating food, it’s even more important to stay away from plastic as plastic can leech harmful chemicals into your food. And no one wants a side of bisphenol-A, B or whatever letter is next, along with their roasted veggies. Am I right?

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So today I’m sharing my four favorite meal prep containers (and really, general food storage containers) that aren’t plastic. Instead, these options are all either glass or silicone. Let’s dive in.

The Best Meal Prep Containers

The best meal prep containers are durable and reusable, can be used in both cold storage and warmed up and are non-toxic. That means no plastic. So my favorite meal prep containers are all made from glass and silicone.

#1 Weck Jars

Weck Jars come in a variety of sizes and shapes and I use them for everything from storing homemade cashew milk to storing homemade nutella.

All Weck Jars are glass and come with a glass top and a silicone gasket and metal clips. Now, I love them because they’re 100% airtight, but if you’re storing dry goods and want an easy to remove lid, then I’d recommend getting these acacia wood lids that are absolutely beautiful.

The best meal prep containers are durable and reusable, can be used in both cold storage and warmed up and are non-toxic. That means no plastic. So my favorite meal prep containers are all made from glass and silicone.

#2 Le Parfait Jars

Similar to Weck Jars are these Le Parfait Jars, which are also glass and air-tight. You can get them with an attached lid, which means you’ll never lose the lid or you can get screw top lids on many of the jars as well.

Both Weck Jars and Le Parfait Jars are great if you plan to do any type of canning or preserving and you’ve seen me use Le Parfait Jars for serving up my chia seed pudding and storing my homemade almond butter.

The best meal prep containers are durable and reusable, can be used in both cold storage and warmed up and are non-toxic. That means no plastic. So my favorite meal prep containers are all made from glass and silicone.

#3 Glasslock Containers

When it comes to your more typical meal prep container and storing larger food items, I always use my Glasslock Containers. You saw me use these on my recent meal prep video and I use them for storing pretty much anything and everything – from sliced chicken, to roasted vegetables and hard boiled eggs.

I particularly love the Glasslock brand as the tempered glass is extremely durable and can be used in the fridge, freezer, microwave and oven. They’re also dishwasher safe.

The lids that come with the Glasslock Containers are BPA-free and they latch easily and securely. You’ll hear the lid click when you place it on the container and that lets you know that whatever you have in your container is now air-tight and leak-proof.

I also love these containers because they come in a variety of sizes and shapes and I have sets of both the round and rectangular ones. But most importantly, these containers nest inside each other, which means they take up less space in your cabinets when you’re not using them.

The best meal prep containers are durable and reusable, can be used in both cold storage and warmed up and are non-toxic. That means no plastic. So my favorite meal prep containers are all made from glass and silicone.

#4 Stasher Bags

Last on our list is a food storage container that isn’t glass, which is these Stasher Bags. Stasher Bags may look similar to a plastic ziploc bag, but there’s no plastic involved.

Instead, they’re made from food grade silicone and are 100% reusable, which also makes them better for the environment.

Stasher Bags are great for meal prep because they can usually fit in those nook and cranny spaces in your fridge and freezer. And I’ll frequently use them for meal prepping smoothie ingredients for the week. So all I do is place some fruit and veggies in the bag and pop it in the freezer. Then, in the morning when I want a quick smoothie before work, it’s as easy as emptying the bag into my Vitamix and blending away.

Now, as you might imagine, Stasher Bags are also great for travel and I’ll use them to take my homemade granola bars or lemon ginger bliss balls (recipe found in my healthy travel e-book Roaming Free) when I’m on the go. They’re TSA-compliant because you can see what’s inside and they’re lightweight, which makes them easy to pack in your carry on luggage.

So those are my four favorite (and non-toxic) meal prep containers and what I use on a regular basis. For more meal prep inspiration, make sure to subscribe to my website and YouTube channel as I’ll have more healthy meal prep recipes and videos coming your way soon!

About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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