Best containers for meal prepping/freezing

[Itwasntright]

Trying to make the most of leftovers etc but i don't have any tupperware style things. Ideally need them to be dishwasher/microwave safe if possible - don't need to be ovenproof. Which ones are best?

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MNHQ

IKEA glass with plastic lids. Cheap as chips, freeze, bake, microwave, serve, dishwasher, AND stack all professionally.

I've gradually built up a collection of pyrex dishes with plastic lids. Can be used in fridge and freezer, and without lids in oven and microwave. Cheapest from supermarkets and Ikea, but not always ... I imagine the likes of B&M do them too.

Small ones perfect for dividing tomato sauce into freezable portions for pizza. You can cook a pasta bake or similar in them and transfer leftovers to a smaller one. I also grate blocks of cheese for cooking and store some in the fridge in a container. When we had a fishmonger, I used to take them for him to put two portions of whatever I was buying in each and they went straight into the freezer.

Some of mine fit in my airfryer too - good to have a few of the same size for those not so rare occasions when a lid goes missing.

I did a bulk cook of about 60 servings total of a variety of meals, carefully divided up and labelled in my glass containers...and they took up most of the freezer! Decanted into double seal freezer bags (mostly IKEA ones) wrote contents on the seal bit, and froze flat. Once frozen, turned on their side so they stood up on edge with seal facing out. I could then fit it all on two shelves and easy to see what's in each bag. They defrost much faster too. Only lasagne or similar is in the glass dishes now.

Also I just wash and reuse the bags. Tesco ones didn't last as long as IKEA ones for wash and reuse.

I keep the plastic Indian or Chinese takeaway containers for freezing. Reusable lots of times and free!

I mostly use empty ice cream tubs. If the food needs to be microwaved I tip it into a dish.

Yes, that's true. Everyone raves about the Ikea ziploc bags, but I never remember to pick them up. I do have silicon ones that are good for my store of stale bread whizzed into breadcrumbs, free yeast for Tesco kept for emergencies, sliced over ripe banana and the like. But leftovers that are going to be reheated, I'd put in a glass dish. Also, they don't get stained by anything with tomato sauce or turmeric.