Best food storage containers
Airtight, durable food storage containers are a practical investment – they can be used for freezing food, storing dry goods in your cupboard, or transporting soups and salads in packed lunches.
Ideal storage for food, leftovers and packed lunches, a multi-purpose container is an extremely useful and practical piece of kit. When buying a food storage container, look for a multi-purpose product that's strong, light, leak-resistant, ideally airtight, compact, easy to clean and easy to store. A variety of shapes and sizes will come in handy, especially if they can be stacked in a nest for storage.
Read on to discover which food storage containers are best. For over 200 buyer's guides, visit our product review section and find more health-related reviews including fitness trackers, kombucha and juicers.
Lakeland 10-piece stack-a-box set
Best afforable food storage set
Top functions: stackable, airtight, freezer-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe
As the name suggests these containers stack up for easy storage, but as the base does not sit snugly inside the lid of the box below, they can topple over if nudged. The boxes are microwave-, freezer- and dishwasher-safe with lids that are easy to remove and replace. These containers are not leak-resistant so would only be recommended for use as a storage solution for solid food.
Available from Lakeland (£10.99)
Joseph Joseph 6-piece nest storage
Best multipurpose food storage set
Top functions: airtight containers, BPA-free
These are attractive, bright and compact containers that fit inside each other in a neat nest. The containers are airtight, leak-resistant, freezer-, microwave- and dishwasher- safe and made from a strong plastic that feels very sturdy and durable. They also have large easy-pull tabs on two corners of the lid to make lid removal easy and a good range of sizes, from a tiny snack pot to one that would accommodate a loaf cake or stack of baked goodies. Multiple containers can be used to separate food as the smaller tubs will fit inside the larger ones – ideal for children’s lunches.
OXO Good Grips pop containers
Food storage container with best mechanism
Top functions: airtight seal, pop-up button for easy access
Stackable containers with a unique pop-up button feature in the lid to make opening and closing the lid very quick and simple. The containers are leak-resistant so could be used for safely storing a liquid and the edges are moulded to allow for easy pouring. The style of this collection is suited more to a storage solution for the kitchen rather than being transportable. They are freezer-safe, although OXO warn that extreme temperature changes may cause the container lid to lift due to changes in air pressure. The containers are not recommended for microwave use and only the silicone gasket is dishwasher safe – all other parts should be hand washed. Full cleaning instructions are supplied to disassemble the lid for thorough cleaning, which is quite fiddly.
Buyer's advice
What we looked for in storage containers...
1. Ease of use/fit for purpose: containers that are easy to open and close with a tight fitting lid, preventing leakage
2. Versatility: is it microwavable and freezer-safe?
3. Cleaning and storage: we were looking for containers that are easy to clean and dishwasher safe, plus stackable, easy-to-store containers
4. Durability: sturdy food containers made from a long-lasting material, suitable for multiple uses
This review was last updated in September 2020. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
Find more top kitchen kit by visiting our review section. Which food storage containers do you use? Leave a comment below...
Comments, questions and tips
