Is switching to glass food containers actually cheaper long-term?

[BusyWeekPlanner]

We’re trying to be more intentional with money this year and I keep noticing how often plastic food containers get binned once they stain, smell or warp.
I’m wondering if spending more upfront on glass containers actually works out cheaper long-term by reducing food waste and repeat buying.
Has anyone made the switch?
Did it save money over time or did it not really make a difference?
Genuinely interested before buying anything else.

I have some plastic lock'n'lock that is at least a decade old. I'd never throw out something that was just a bit stained, and none of them smell. I don't think there's any advantage to glass tbh - I have some glass containers and they are heavier and I worry about them breaking.

If they smell they just need a bit of white vinegar or some bicarbonate of soda soak

See if you can reuse glass containers for storage at home : I use large mayo jars for soups, passata bottles (for homemade sauces), the bonne maman style wide neck jars are also good)

I worry about glass breaking for eg lunch boxes but no issue at home. I also prefer that glass does not smell/stain

I’ve had the same glass ones for about 12 years now.

That’s fair — I think if plastic has lasted that long and doesn’t smell, it’s hard to beat.
The weight and breakage side of glass is definitely what’s making me hesitate too.

I bought some from Asda last week. They were only £2.50 and £3! They are in the oven tray section.

We constantly replace the plastic ones so when I saw these I thought they were a great alternative as I find the plastic ones look grubby after a couple of weeks.

I have glass containers and love them, so much better than plastic ones. They clean very easily and it’s brilliant being able to just take food out of the freezer and straight into the oven without having to transfer into different cookware.

Also all of my pasta, rice, sugar etc etc has been in glsss jars for about two years. Saves so much on wastage or spills in the cupboard. I just wash and replace as we use up the item.

That’s fair — I think if plastic has lasted that long and doesn’t smell, it’s hard to beat.
The weight and breakage side of glass is definitely what’s making me hesitate too.

Going to glass style (assume more like perspex than actual glass) was game changer for us. We love them. They never age, smell, warp, food doesn't get weird tastes, etc.

I don't think they are a lot more expensive, and will last a lot longer We got them in IKEA with plastic clip lids, which have also held up well.

I have no issues carrying them around, to work, days out, etc.

We would never go back to plastic.

I switched to glass because it's a million times nicer to eat out of for lunch and it's so much easier to wash in the dishwasher.

We have a load of those IKEA round glass bowls with clip on lids - and bonus is I can oven cook and microwave with them too.

I also use jars for lots of things - yoghurt and fruit for work, making salad dressing, storing homemade pasta sauce.

I switched to glass mainly for space reasons: they go in the oven, microwave, freezer and fridge so cover more bases. I'm also sort of vaguely aware we should be reducing exposure to microplastics? So when I buy a new thing I buy glass, wood or metal instead of plastic, though I haven't thrown away anything just because it's plastic.

I have the IKEA square glass containers.

My plastic ones are old now and still no issues, glass I would break guaranteed

I have switched to the glass ikea ones but for budget reasons I also use glass jars for storing food in the fridge by reusing food storage jars of a decent size but for freezing I have to use plastic which I would like to find an alternative for do people use the ikea glass jars in the freezer ?

Yeah they are freezer safe and air fryer safe - it says on the sticker.

I made the switch last Christmas. In a household with three young children, we haven't broken any yet. There are major upsides in terms of having a set of 20 or so pieces designed to stack together and being able to go straight from oven to freezer and back to oven.

Yeah they do not break easy at all. I am notoriously clumsy in my family and have dropped them and accidentally bashed them against things while in my handbag and all sorts and none have even chipped. I just get the supermarket ones they are all universally sized so stack together and the lids are interchangeable whether they’re from Asda or Tesco.

The empty plastic ones should be stored with the lid off. If you leave the lid on, they can develop a smell inside.

Really, the only plastic ones we use are ones that came with food in from the Chinese takeaway, and they do last quite a while. They are all the same size and all the lids are the same too, so no frustrating lid-hunting! I use a sharpie to write the contents on the lid before freezing, and it comes off when you wash them with a sponge scourer. Some of mine have been reused loads of times.

Plastic containers leech microplastics and chemicals in to food, especially when heated or storing fatty/acidic foods. Scratches, dents, repeated use accelerate the leeching.

Glass or even stainless steel are better for food storage.

We switched to glass 2 yrs ago. As couldn't heat in them. Glass ones break though which I managed early on. But they go in the fridge/freezer/microwave/dishwasher. Don't see us ever going back to plastic. Ours are procook.

We are slowly phasing out the plastics as I’m trying to limit our exposure.
we’ve got a few of the glass ones and love them, I’ve got a few bigger ones (2 servings would fit in) and some smaller ones that I take to work with leftovers in

I use glass oven/table/fridge/freezer dishes with plastic lids. I have probably had them for 20 years. They help avoid so much unnecessary washing up.

I just got a big, stackable set of glass ones from Costco. They're heavy but way more versatile (freezer / oven / dishawasher etc)