What should you look for in food storage containers?

Food storage containers keep leftovers, batch-cooked meals, dry goods and ingredients fresh and organized, so when choosing them the key things to look for are a good, reliable airtight seal, a durable food-safe material suited to how you will use them, a shape that stacks and stores efficiently, a range of sizes for different foods, and the right safety ratings, freezer, microwave and dishwasher, for your needs. A strong seal and a material and size set that match your use are the most important, since they decide how well the containers keep food and how practical they are day to day. Our Best Food Storage Containers compares five of them.

The seal and how well it keeps food

The most important thing is the seal, because it determines how well the containers actually keep food. A good airtight seal, usually a silicone gasket under a clamping or locking lid, keeps air and moisture out, which keeps food fresher for longer, stops dry goods going stale and soft, prevents odors spreading in the fridge, and makes the container leak-proof for carrying soups, sauces and packed lunches. A container that does not seal well is just a tub that keeps dust off.

So look for a lid that seals tightly and reliably, and ideally one with a removable gasket you can take out to clean, since a glued-in seal eventually traps smells you cannot wash away. Leak-proofing matters if you will carry food, so a container that genuinely does not leak when tipped is worth seeking. The quality and type of seal are what separate containers that truly preserve and transport food from ones that merely hold it, which is why the seal comes first.

Material and durability

The material affects durability, safety and what the containers suit, so match it to your use. Plastic containers are light, cheap, shatter-resistant and good for the freezer and carrying, but choose food-safe, good-quality plastic that resists staining, warping and retaining smells. Glass containers do not stain, warp or hold odors, are easy to clean, and are usually oven and microwave safe, but are heavier and can break. Stainless steel is tough and does not stain or retain smells but is not microwave safe and you cannot see inside.

Whatever the material, durability matters because containers get daily use, washing and temperature changes, so look for ones that resist cracking, warping, staining and lid wear. Clear containers, whether glass or plastic, let you see the contents, which cuts forgotten, wasted food. Food safety is essential, so choose containers made to be food safe. Matching the material to your priorities, light and freezer-friendly, stain-proof and oven-safe, or tough and plastic-free, is a key part of choosing containers that suit how you store food.

Shape, size and storage

Consider the shape and sizes, because they decide how practical the containers are to use and store. Square and rectangular containers stack and line up with far less wasted space than round ones, and containers designed to stack securely or nest together when empty save a lot of cupboard room, so a set that stores tidily is a real advantage in a busy kitchen. Flat, low containers suit fridge shelves while tall ones suit pantry items.

A useful range of sizes matters too, since you store everything from a little leftover sauce to a big batch of stew or a bulk bag of flour, so a set covering small, medium and large, ideally with lids that fit across sizes or are easy to match, is more versatile than one-size containers. Think about the sizes you actually need for your cooking and storage. Getting the shape and size range right means the containers fit your food, your fridge and freezer, and your cupboards, which is much of what makes a set genuinely useful rather than just owned.

Safety ratings and practical features

Check the safety ratings for how you will use the containers, since these affect everyday convenience. Freezer-safe containers that withstand cold without cracking matter if you freeze food, microwave-safe ones let you reheat in the same container (glass and certain plastics, though check, and note metal is not microwave safe), and dishwasher-safe containers make cleanup easy, though some lids and seals are better hand washed to protect them. Oven-safe glass is a bonus for cook-and-store use. Match these to whether you freeze, reheat and machine wash.

A few practical features add value: lids that are easy to open and close yet seal firmly, gaskets and lids that are simple to clean and replace, containers that go from freezer to microwave to dishwasher, and a set that is a manageable number of pieces with lids that store neatly rather than a chaos of mismatched tops. Pulling it together, look for a reliable airtight seal, a durable food-safe material suited to your use, an efficient stackable shape in a useful range of sizes, and the freezer, microwave and dishwasher ratings you need, and the containers will keep food fresh, transport it safely, and store tidily for years.

The short answer

When choosing food storage containers, look first at the seal, since a good airtight seal, ideally with a removable silicone gasket and a firm locking lid, is what keeps food fresh, stops odors spreading and makes containers leak-proof, while a poor seal just keeps dust off. Then match the material to your use: light, freezer-friendly, shatter-resistant plastic, stain- and odor-proof glass that is usually oven and microwave safe, or tough stainless steel, choosing durable, food-safe quality that resists warping, staining and smells, and clear where you want to see the contents. Favor square or rectangular, stackable or nesting shapes that store efficiently, and a useful range of sizes for everything from a little sauce to a big batch or bulk dry goods. Finally, check the freezer, microwave and dishwasher ratings you need, plus easy, well-sealing, easy-clean lids, and the containers will keep food well, carry it safely and store tidily.