Here are the best food storage containers for batch cooking

Batch cooking – the practice of making large quantities of food, ready to store in your fridge or freezer – has become a staple in many family kitchens, particularly as the impact of the cost of living crisis continues. In fact, scroll through any Mumsnet thread on time or money-saving tips in the kitchen and you're bound to come across several suggestions of cooking in bulk or meal planning in advance.

From storing leftovers to portioning out meals and even serving as lunch boxes, the best food storage containers can be an invaluable addition to your kitchen – so long as you choose well. Containers that feel robust and sturdy are more likely to last, and it also helps if you can chuck them in your freestanding or integrated dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Another important consideration is how secure the seal is. If you're taking sauce-based lunches into work, you'll need something totally leakproof to avoid spills in your bag, yet if you're only planning on storing food upright in a fridge freezer or cupboard, this will be less of a concern.

Looking for more Mumsnet-approved buys for your kitchen? We also have guides to the best kettles for hard water and best tea towels.

Best food storage containers UK: at a glance

• Best overall: Sistema Brilliance Food Storage Containers, £20 for two

• Best value: IKEA PRUTA Food Storage Containers, £8 for 17

• Best food storage set: LocknLock Six Piece Container Set, £24 for six

• Best for space saving: Joseph Joseph Nest Lock Containers, £27 for five

• Best for snacks: Sistema Snack Capsule To Go, £7 for one

• Best meal prep containers: Igluu Two Compartment Containers, £14 for 10

How we tested the best Tupperware

To bring you our definitive list of the best food storage containers, we first researched the experiences of Mumsnet users, investigating their recommendations on the Tupperware brands they've used in their own homes. We then evaluated verified reviews and trusted publications to ensure our Mumsnetters’ views were consistent with wider consumer feedback and expert opinions. 

When we had carefully whittled down our list to the top ten, Mumsnet writer Lucy then tested out every option to ensure they were all top notch. She used each container to store a variety of different food, scoring them on their overall design, versatility, ease of cleaning, ease of storing, and value for money. She also conducted shake tests so she could confidently assess the quality of the seal and any brand's claims of being leakproof.

More food storage containers: tried and tested

How many food storage containers do I need?

There are a few factors to think about when it comes to deciding how many food storage containers you need:

• How many people are there in your household?

• Are you planning on batch cooking and meal prepping?

• How often do you have leftovers that need storing?

• Do you take lunches and snacks to work or out and about with you?

• Do you want to store things like rice and pasta in matching airtight food storage containers?

Asking yourself these questions can help you work out if you just need a few containers or if you need to invest in a big set of them.

What works best for a lot of families is to buy a set of plastic food storage containers in an assortment of different sizes, so you can use some for leftovers, some for snacks, and some for storing batch cooked meals in the freezer.

Read next: The best budget dishwasher for cleaning your new Tupperware

How to shop for the best food storage container

If the cost of living crisis has made you rethink the way you cook and eat at home and you want to invest in some new food storage containers for meal prepping, batch cooking, and leftovers, here are a few tips on what to look out for.

• Material: Most containers are made of food safe BPA-free plastic as it is durable and practical, but bamboo, silicone and glass storage are all excellent alternative options. However, it's worth noting that even the best glass food storage containers will be heavy and prone to shattering if they're dropped, so plastic sets are a better option for families.

• Ease of use: Food containers that are easy to open and seal, are airtight, so keep food fresh and don’t leak, will make your domestic life much simpler.

• Practicality: Are they suitable for use in the freezer? Can they be heated in the microwave or even the oven? Can you transport food to work or play without making a mess? These are essential questions to ask of what should be a time-saving device.

• Easy cleaning: Can they be popped in the dishwasher, or do they need hand washing separately? Look for tubs with rounded corners that won’t trap leftover food, and try to avoid those easily stained by highly pigmented sauces such as bolognese and chilli.

• Storage: We all know the nightmare of kitchen cupboards overflowing with mismatched Tupperware and hunting for missing lids. Choose containers in a variety of sizes that can nest within each other or are sturdy when stacked on top of each other.

• Round vs square: When you’re thinking of how you’ll store your containers, think about the space you have available and what would work best for you. Square food storage containers are generally the most space-saving option as they store and stack closely together.

• Durability: Long-lasting materials that withstand lots of use, changes of temperature and carrying to and from places of work are worth spending extra money on. It may be tempting to go for cheaper options, but some will have a higher chance of ending up in your kitchen bin if they're not up to scratch.

How do you organise food storage containers?

A lot of the sets of food storage containers you can buy now have a stackable design. So they nest together nicely while you’re not using them.

If you have some that don’t quite stack together then you can organise the containers and lids together by size or colour.

Another option is to store the containers nested together and the lids separately, using a creative option like a file holder or toast rack to keep them corralled nicely.

Which container is best for storing food?

After researching all the different options, we think that the best food storage containers are the Sistema Brilliance ones.

The different size options are great for leftovers, taking lunches to work, and storing batch-cooked meals.

They’re sturdy, completely leakproof, and airtight so they’ll keep all your food lovely and fresh. They also stack together well to save space in your fridge or freezer.

How we tested the best food storage containers

First up, we spent hours scouring the Mumsnet forums to gather insights on the top ways to store food and keep it fresher for longer. We noted down quality recommendations from our users on the different food storage container brands they've tried in their own kitchens, paying close attention to both positive and negative feedback on popular brands and products.

Next, we looked at industry awards and reviews to see which brands consumer experts felt were worth purchasing and we cross-referenced this with the reviews from consumers.

Finally, we collated all that information to come up with a list of the ten best Tupperware containers that we think offered something for everyone. We then commissioned our writer Lucy to thoroughly test out each option and carefully analyse the performance of each.

About the authors

Natasha Gregson is a Senior Editor at Mumsnet and oversees all home and kitchen content on site. With several years of editorial experience under her belt she has written on many topics, covering everything from fashion to health, parenting to entertainment, and has had work featured in national publications including The i Paper and Stylist Magazine.

A keen foodie, she loves nothing more than trying new culinary creations in the kitchen, which often includes testing out and researching the latest time-saving gadgets for Mumsnet, so she knows a thing or two about finding the right food storage for your home.

Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and a Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby/child and lifestyle product reviews and round-ups. Having written reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising expert opinions and consumer feedback to help people make confident purchases.  

In addition to writing various Mumsnet kitchen roundups such as the best tabletop dishwashers and the most stylish kettle and toaster sets, Lucy has been on a food storage mission this year. She’s been testing and reviewing 10 different food storage containers both inside and outside the home to help find the best options for Mumsnet users.

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