These are the best meal prep containers and tools to help you stay on track with your weekly meal prep routine! Updated in 2024.
Best Meal Prep Containers
Have you ever wanted to be more organized when it comes to your weekly meal prep? Having the proper meal prep containers is the first step! I’ve rounded up the best food storage containers and tools for the job. There’s no long and complicated list – just the basics, so you can buy what you need, leave what you don’t, and get right down to prepping with ease.
Just getting started stocking your kitchen? Check out this list for kitchen essentials!
How to Do a Container Audit
Whether you're just starting out or looking for new containers to add to your collection, it's important to audit what you already have so you buy the right stuff.
- Go through your old containers. Get rid of any old, cracked containers or ones that are missing lids.
- Take inventory of what you have and what you still need. See what containers you are missing and figure out what containers you use most frequently and would like extras of.
- Purchase new meal prep containers (if applicable). This blog post links off to my favourite meal prep containers found on Amazon for easy shopping.
- Make space for your meal prep containers. Dedicate a generous amount of cupboard space for all your containers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Glass meal prep containers are safe to reheat and fit more easily in the dishwasher to boot so they’re my number one choice of storage for most recipes. Plastic tends to break more easily, and it's not always dishwasher or microwave safe, but plastic containers are cheaper so you have to weigh your options and decide what's more important to you. If you do go for plastic, make sure you choose options that are BPA-free.
If you're planning on freezing any meal prep items, you should make sure your containers are freezer-friendly. If I'm making a big batch of breakfast burritos or meatballs, I'll store them in a Ziploc freezer bag. With soups, I like using silicone cubes like Souper cubes for storing individual portions. For other leftovers, I'd recommend freezing them in glass food-storage containers with airtight lids to prevent freezer burn.
You can buy meal prep containers both online and in brick and mortar stores. In this blog post, I provided links to Amazon products as they can ship anywhere. If you're looking on buying containers in person, try a nearby grocery store or a big box store like Costco or Walmart.
Best Containers for Meal Prep
The meal prep containers listed below will get you through the work week and have way more durability than those crappy plastic containers that seem doomed to get lost at work or end up cracked and in the garbage. With everything from glass containers to bento boxes with different compartments, mason jars, slow cooker liners and more, these meal prep tools will make prepping go a lot smoother!
Glass meal prep bowls – These are my fave because you can easily reheat your leftovers in the microwave and they're dishwasher safe and freezer-safe! These really are the only meal prep containers you need and they all come in one convenient container set. They fit the perfect amount of food for one serving, and they fit very neatly inside a backpack/purse/gym bag so they transport well. And they don't leak either! Forget the plastic options and all those wacky sizes of containers because these are perfect for the fridge or freezer and are a great way to portion out your food.
Glass round containers – Once you have your meal prep containers for leftover meals, you'll also want to get a variety pack of containers for other purposes. Sometimes you'll only have a half portion of food left that you want to save, or you'll want to store a sauce or side dish in a smaller container. Whatever the reason, you will also want a bit of variety in your size of containers. Therse are my favourite food prep containers. Again, I recommend you go with glass here because they will last you a lot longer, they're dishwasher/microwave safe and they just make your fridge look a lot more organized. You can easily see what food you have in the fridge, which will help you eat it up and know what you have on hand.
Mason jars – These are great for salads where you're layering a bunch of different ingredients. Salad dressing goes in the bottom with your protein and acts as a marinade, while your lettuce stays fresh up top! I like having a variety of mason jars on hand, from the smaller ones for homemade dressings and sauces, to larger ones for salads. Medium-sized mason jars are also great for yogurt parfaits, overnight oats and smoothies. Again, you can easily see what's in the container and they are spill-resistant containers that won't break like plastic will.
Salad containers – If you're not a fan of the mason jar, these salad containers are key for separating your dressing! They are a bit fancier and one of those optional choices for purchasing, so don't feel as though you need to have these in your kitchen to meal prep properly. They are just a cool option (or gift idea!) for the person who takes salad for lunch a lot.
Bento box – These are so fun for your work week lunches and are super kid friendly! Keep everything separated with a bento box, snacks and all! I recommend these if you like separating your ingredients out and don't like to take snacks in separate containers or bags. Like the salad containers, these are an optional add-on for your kitchen, not something that's mandatory for you to have to meal prep.
Foil containers – These are SO perfect for freezer-friendly foods. I'll make a big batch of lasagna or my favourite pasta once or twice a year and freeze it in these oven-safe containers, then I have a hot meal that can be heated in the oven after a long workday. You can freeze a ton of food in foil containers if you're planning on reheating food in the oven – just make sure to label the top of the container when freezing!
Freezer bags – They are so perfect for freezing a bunch of meals that you can thaw on the counter and then dump in the crock pot. They are disposable though, so they are something you need to buy more and more of. Plastic can also be wasteful, so I've listed another option that gets the same job done below.
Reusable silicone food bags – These reusable food bags get the same job done as the plastic freezer and sandwich bags but these are made with a safer material and you can re-use them for less waste! They're freezer, microwave, oven and dishwasher safe so you can use them in just about any way possible. Fun fact: they are also waterproof and leak-proof, and the company that sells them claims that you can also use them to keep your phone dry if you're out and about near water. Pretty cool, huh?!
Silicone cubes – These are great for freezing soups, sauces, liquids and fillings while saving space in your freezer. Once frozen, you can pop out the cubes to store in freezer bags. They're also amazing at freezing individual-sized portions of leftovers, which is ideal for portion control.
Meal Prep Tools
Here are some tools that come in handy when you're meal prepping. They're a great addition to add to your kitchen once you've picked up the essentials. They make food preparation and storage easier.
Ziploc bag holder – These are awesome for when you're making a marinade and need to put your chicken breasts in the bag with no mess. They're also awesome for if you're making some freeze ahead recipes. You can just add all the ingredients one at a time! They will work with the disposable plastic freezer bags, or they will work with the silicone bags linked above.
Tongs – I know this tool seems super basic, but tongs really help with plating and putting all your leftovers away! I recommend having at least two or three on hand for meal prep, along with wooden spoons and silicone spatulas.
Sheet pans and muffin tins – You can never have too many of these on hand! I like to get a variety pack so I can cook a whole bunch of different meals. The round cake pans work for quiches and frittatas, while the sheet pans help with sheet pan meals. The muffin tins of course are great for muffins and egg bites.
Meal Prep Appliances
There are probably some meal prep tools that you don't have enough of (like metal sheet pans or a rice cooker, for instance) and having these ready to go in your kitchen can seriously minimize the amount of time you spend in the kitchen every week.
I would be lost without my Instant Pot or Crock Pot when it comes to meal prepping hands off, so I've also listed some additional tools that I recommend if you're looking for inspiration on how to cut back on your actual hands-on cooking time.
Kitchen Scale – Know exactly how much meat you're using for a recipe with this handy kitchen scale. It comes in handy for portioning out all your food when you're not sure how to divide everything.
Vitamix – I absolutely LOVE my Vitamix! It helps me make homemade sauces in a flash and you can often freeze leftover sauces for future recipes. It's also really great for smoothies and protein shakes, and it crushes ice like a pro. Though not often thought of as a meal prep tool, a blender is a great basic to have in your kitchen.
Immersion blender – An immersion blender is a great tool to have in your kitchen for soups – you can blend right inside the pot without worrying about transferring to a blender. It's also great for sauces if you just don't have room for a blender in your kitchen.
Rice cooker – A rice cooker can cook more than just rice! Prep your quinoa, couscous and other whole grains ahead of time with ease. No second guessing or burning either! I know it probably seems like one of those meal prep tools that you don't really need, and something that will clutter up your kitchen, but I use mine very frequently and it takes the guesswork out of cooking grains. It's handy to just set it and forget it while I prep other things.
Instant Pot – I would be lost without my Instant Pot! It can quickly batch cook gigantic recipes so if I'm in a rush or have no time to cook a certain week, I will make a big batch of chicken and rice in it and I've got lunch all week long! Like the rice cooker, it's a set it and forget it type of thing. Not mandatory to have in your kitchen by any means, but it certainly helps.
Crockpot – Crockpots are a lifesaver for busy weeknights – you can cook everything while you're at work and come home to a hot meal. Much like the Instant Pot, this appliance is a dump it and forget it type of deal, and you can also meal prep giant batches of food at a time by using it.
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Comments & Reviews
bvar says
Do you feel you need both the rice cooker and the instant pot? I find the instant pot replaces the rice cooker!
Taylor Stinson says
I like having both because my Instant Pot is so big and a pain to wash after sometimes. My small rice cooker is easier to disassemble and put in the dishwasher, plus I sometimes like to make rice while prepping something else in the Instant Pot at the same time 🙂
Debbie says
Just got an Instant Pot and absolutely love it. I’ve made 3 of your recipes so far and they’ve turned out great.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed Debbie, thank you for the kind words 🙂