Food Storage Ideas to Save Space, Time, and Money

Glass is a wonderful option for food storage because it’s easy to clean, can be used in a variety of different ways (in the microwave, freezer, oven, etc.), and it won’t leech any unwanted chemicals into whatever you put in there. This set nests within itself to save cabinet space, and the lids are leak-free, so you can store soup or other liquids in them without worrying about spills.

Frozen soups and other liquids aren’t exactly easy to portion out — unless you divide them before they go in the freezer. This food-grade silicone contraption allows you to create pre-portioned sections of whatever it is you want to freeze, like leftover tomato paste, chili, sauces, and more. When you’re ready to cook, simply pop out the frozen cube of food and heat it up.

We love Caraway’s cookware because it’s stylish and non-toxic, so we wouldn’t expect anything less from the brand’s food storage line. Made from ceramic-coated glass with BPA-free glass and silicone lids, this set of six containers can be used in the fridge, freezer, microwave, and dishwasher. They also come with their own storage organizer, so you can keep the containers tidy when not in use.

Despite having metal and silicone on the lids, these glass containers are completely microwave-safe. They can be used to cook and store food, too. The lid is designed to trap and store food while you’re microwaving it, saving you from dry, unevenly cooked meals, that end up half-eaten out of guilt or thrown in the trash.

Katie cooks a lot, and when she does, she certainly saves any leftovers. (Can you blame her? These dishes are drool-worthy!) One of Katie’s personal favorites for food storage, sustainable gift baskets, and more are these silicone bags from Stasher. Not only do they have a tight seal for spill-free storage and transport, but they can go in the freezer, be boiled, or heated up in the microwave. They come in clear, similar to their plastic counterparts, but you can also choose from a variety of fun color and tie-dye options.

Build the Instagram-worthy pantry of your dreams with this set. Not only does it come with silicone bags that stand up on their own, but it also includes three glass bowls with silicone lids, and three stretchy silicone covers that fit various sizes of bowls. Every piece in this bundle is plastic-free and microwave-, dishwasher-, and freezer-safe, so clean-up and storage are a breeze.

Nope. We’re not ready to throw out the browning avocado we just sliced open. These little silicone contraptions hug half-eaten avocados or sliced citrus, cutting down on waste and ensuring they’ll be fresh enough for your next serving of avocado toast. While you can apply these directly to food (they’re stretchy, so they stay on by gripping whatever is in them), you can also use them as lids for cans or other cylindrical containers.

Even containers that nest within one another take up a lot of cabinet space, but what if you could collapse them all? Stojo took our organization dream and made it a reality. You may have heard of Stojo because they’re the makers of the famous collapsible coffee cup, and they’ve now ventured into storage boxes and bowls. Both are microwave and dishwasher safe, and although they’re not entirely plastic-free (the lids are rigid plastic), they are BPA- and BPS-free and can be recycled at the end of their lives. 

From sandwiches to cookies, bowls to plates, beeswax wraps can cover just about anything. They’re made from non-toxic cotton and plant-based wax, which makes the material a bit stiff. But, with the heat of your hands, you can easily use them similarly to plastic wrap. You can fold it over itself to create a seal around leftovers, or you can drape it over a plate and press it to create a seal. They’re a go-to for Katie, who uses them for her own leftovers and gifts them to friends.

Bulky boxes and unreliable paper bags don’t only create an eyesore in the pantry, but they don’t keep things fresh. Vacuum-sealed containers remove some of the air from inside the storage piece, keeping food from going bad for a bit longer. We use these pop-top containers from OXO because they’re super easy to open and allow you to see their contents, and they come with two scoops and a terracotta disc to keep your brown sugar soft. Plus, they look pretty darn good lined up on a pantry shelf.

For a bit of a farmhouse vibe à la Joanna Gaines, consider storing dry goods in a glass jar. This one has a rubber seal to keep air out, but it also looks a bit fancier than the average screw-top jar. You could even use one of these babies to hold a premade salad, but it may be a bit heavy to carry around. If you like to meal prep, just imagine how many overnight oats you could make in this thing…the possibilities are endless. 

Ah, the humble Mason jar! While your parents probably used them for jams and canning, you know that they’re good for way more than that. Use these as a rustic glass for your iced coffee, small-scale dry good storage, or to organize spices — you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them. 

Those of us living in small apartments or homes know that cabinet and counter space is a precious commodity, so you’ve got to use it all wisely. Instead of dedicating a drawer or corner to your spices, why not hang them on the fridge? They’ll be easy to access, look neat, and you’ll gain some extra storage space in the process. This set comes with 12 jars and labels, and there are even some metal strips you can mount to a wall if you want to get creative and hang your jars there.

We’ll be honest: This food storage solution is an investment. It’s well worth it, though. KCM editor Katie P. uses this aesthetically pleasing spice jar and rack set every single day. While you can use this as a freestanding rack, she mounted it to the wall above her oven, that way spices are there when she needs them and she doesn’t have to clutter up the one square foot of counter space she has in her apartment.