Storing your food properly is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from food poisoning. If food is not properly stored and chilled, the harmful bacteria in it can grow rapidly leading to food spoilage and possible illness.
To help stop bacteria from growing, refrigerate or freeze leftovers as quickly as possible (ideally within two hours after they’ve been prepared). Leftovers must be put in containers with tight-fitting lids or covered tightly with plastic wrap to minimize potential contamination.
Food containers will extend the life of food and keep it from drying out, developing freezer burn, and absorbing odors. Make sure that your food storage containers are clean and that you only use them for storing food and leftovers.
Benefits of Food Storage Containers
Food storage containers are designed to preserve foods, help organize our kitchen space, and make cooking easier.
- Food containers help keep food clean, fresh, tasty, and nutritious for longer times.
- By storing extra quantities of food we can save money. Storing leftovers in proper food containers helps avoid food waste.
- Food storage containers are portable and easy to put in handbags, which makes carrying food to different places easy.
- Storing food in reusable containers is one of the best ways to reduce the environmental impact associated with throwing away single-use containers.
- Food containers can also be used for preserving pantry food such as spices, tea, rice, flour, grains, and a range of kitchen ingredients that require storage.
The Advantages of Glass Storage Containers
Glass food storage containers offer more benefits than plastic containers, which makes them a better choice for food storage purposes.
1. Glass is safer for storing food than plastic
Glass is overall safer for food storage than plastic. Chemicals from plastic containers may migrate from the plastic into your food. This commonly occurs when hot food is put into a plastic or during microwave heating.
Glass food storage containers don’t leach unwanted, poisonous chemicals in contact with food. Glass is an inert and non-porous natural material. Glass containers are free from any leakage and safe for use over and over again.
2. Glass is environmentally friendly material
There are many environmental concerns associated with the production and disposal of plastics. Plastic trash is the most obvious form of pollution that affects the environment. Plastic production also releases toxic chemicals into the air. Going plastic-free reduces the amount of plastic ending up in the waste stream. Once you buy a glass storage container you can use it almost indefinitely. Broken glass containers can be recycled. Recycling glass is cost-efficient and the process doesn’t compromise glass quality.
3. Glass holds heat better than plastic
Plastic containers can get warped in contact with hot food. Reheating food in plastic containers may cause them to melt, which increases the likelihood of chemical leaching.
Once you finish your dinner, you don’t have to wait for the food to fully cool before transferring the leftovers to a glass container. There is no need to worry about the transfer of toxic chemicals when the food is heated like with plastic food containers.
4. Multifunctional
The glass performs safely at different temperatures, so you can store food and heat it up in the same container. Glass containers effortlessly go from freezer to oven to table without any trouble. You can serve food in the same container that’s been stored and heated.
5. Glass looks more attractive than plastic
Plastic containers look dried out and feel brittle after repeated use and dishwashing.
Glass containers are attractive and look nice on the counter, in your fridge, or at your dining table. Food also looks more appealing when placed in a glass container. The glass is non-porous and scratch-proof. After decades of use, it still looks brand new.
6. Transparent
Storing food in clear glass makes it easy to see the content inside without removing the lids. This makes it easy to manage the food in your fridge. This also helps lessen food waste, because you can easily check up on leftovers before they go bad.
7. Glass is more hygienic than plastic
It is not recommended to put plastic containers in the dishwasher, because hot water and steam can cause the plastic to release harmful chemicals.
Glass containers are very easy to clean because the non-porous glass surface doesn’t absorb stains, food, and germs. They can be safely washed in the dishwasher with no worries of warping or scratching. Moreover, washing in the dishwasher, at high temperatures helps to sanitize them.
8. Glass doesn’t absorb smells
Plastic containers often get stained by the foods that are stored in them. Plastic also absorbs the smells of food that can linger for a while.
Glass containers are nonporous and won’t absorb stains and the smell of the food you keep in them. This feature makes glass containers perfect for storing all foods, including foods with intense colors or smells. The smooth surface of glass food containers helps keep food clean, fresh, and tasty for a longer period.
9. Durable
After a year of use, plastic containers have scratches and discoloration, and can also lose their shape.
Glass food storage containers are designed to last long. The glass is more durable and won’t break down over time, like plastic. They can be reused repeatedly and washed over and over again in the dishwasher without sacrificing their shape and durability. Unless dropped or hit against a hard object they will last a lifetime and look brand new.
10. Microwavable
Plastic food containers are not safe to put in the microwave because toxic chemicals can migrate into food during microwave heating.
Glass food containers are microwave safe. Stored in a freeze, glass bowls with the food are ready to be quickly microwaved for launch. We can even eat food from that glass container.
The Downsides of Glass Food Containers
1. Heavy
Glass is heavier than plastic. Plastic containers are lightweight and can be ideal for transporting food. Plastic takes less space and is easier to carry in a backpack. Plastic is a material of choice if you want something light to carry food around.
2. Fragile
Glass containers require more careful handling compared to the tougher plastic food packaging. Glass is essentially melted sand and it is fragile and easily breakable when accidentally knocked or dropped on the floor. Broken glass can leave a mess behind. That may be a concern if you have kids in your family.
3. Expensive
Glass containers are usually more expensive than plastic. However, glass containers last longer and don’t need to be replaced as often as plastic ones. Buying glass food containers actually saves you money in the long run
I try and make sure my containers are really sturdy when I buy them. Honestly, I’m pretty hard on my belongings and they tend to break quick. The more heavy duty item I get, the longer it will last before I need to replace it. Thanks for this great info!
This is awesome! I’ve been wary about plastic chemicals and want to switch to glass but was hesitant because I am clumsy and will probably drop them.
Recyclable
Glass packaging can be recycled for reuse numerous times. The recycling process doesn’t alter the purity or quality of the material.
Rapid Recycling
The journey of a glass container from a recycling bin to the shelf takes as little as 30 days. Around 80% of the containers are recycled to create glass bottles.
Zero Permeability
The foremost purpose of packaging is to protect products against environmental impacts and chemicals. These chemicals can seep through the container lid and alter the texture and taste of products. Glass containers offer zero permeability to chemicals and vapors. It’s impermeable and nonporous. The glass packaging doesn’t react with the products inside. This eliminates the risk of damaged taste and aroma.
Preserve Flavor
Glass containers preserve the contents within and their taste for a much longer period than other materials. This is due to the impermeable nature of glass. It doesn’t allow air or moisture to mix with the product. Especially when it comes to edibles, this quality of glass containers keeps it protected against mold and mildew growth.
Natural Packaging Solution
Can you give some opinions about: standard clear glass or low iron glass which is healthier for food storage?
Thanks
Francis
I would recommend glass due to the fact that they are more sustainable as compared to plastic. Along, with that glass is more durable and can last for years, thereby making it an ideal choice for consumer searching for a reusable container for their liquids. Moreover, glass also does not contain any form of potential harmful chemical like plastic bottles. Lastly, glass itself well to recycling, which in turn further boosts the environmental credentials of the material. If you are looking for glass bottles, glass vials and other wide range of premium quality glass material visit Premium Vials, we offer wide range of packaging solutions.
First and foremost glass jar or bottle is a much safer option as compared to plastic, when it comes to plastics certain harmful chemical might migrate from plastic to your food (during microwave heating), where glass containers on the other hand do not leach unwanted poisonous chemicals when they comes in contact of food, glass by nature is a non-porous and inert material.Secondly and most importantly glass is recyclable which reduces the global carbon footprint, where plastic on the other hand has become a major source for global environment.
As far as the cost goes, my pantry is stocked with glass jars that other food came in (large pickle jars are my favorite). So it’s like getting them for free! Also, if you have a problem with vermin, there is nothing like sealed glass jars to keep them away from the contents. Store flour in a glass jar and you will never have a flour mite problem.