Food storage containers, jars and bread bins: how to choose

First, decide what you are storing and where

Each use calls for a different container:

• Dry food in a cupboard or larder: glass jars or plastic containers; shelf height and the footprint of each piece matter most.
• Leftovers in the fridge or freezer: the manufacturer should state these uses for the exact variant.
• Bread on the worktop: a bread bin, with room to open the lid.

What the Food Standards Agency advises

The Food Standards Agency guidance, which applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland, says your fridge should be between 0 and 5°C and your freezer around -18°C [1]. To cool food quickly, it suggests dividing it into smaller portions in containers or freezer bags before it goes in the fridge or freezer. To stop freezer burn, place food in an air-tight container or wrap it well, and label what you freeze [1]. It also advises against storing food in an opened tin: empty the contents into a storage container, cover it and refrigerate [1]. Before buying, check that the container is stated as suitable for the use you plan.

Storage jars for dry food

Glass lets you see what is inside, but it is heavy and can break. In a multipack, the capacity shown is per jar.

• Kilner 0025.491: a pair of round clip-top jars, 1 litre each, with removable rubber seals. The six-seal pack 0025.489 fits the listed round and square clip-top jars from 0.35 to 2 litres, including this one, but not the 3 litre jar. Freezer use should not be inferred from the seal.
• Relaxdays 10043240: three square borosilicate glass jars with bamboo lids and silicone seals, about 1500 ml each and 21.5 × 10 × 10 cm (height × width × depth).

• Kilner 0025.491: 2 round clip-top jars, 1 litre each
• Kilner 0025.489: 6 replacement seals for 0.35–2 litre jars
• Set of 3 glass storage jars with lids, 1500 ml each · Relaxdays 10043240

Plastic containers for the cupboard, fridge and freezer

For dry food, compare footprint and height:

• Brabantia Tasty+: square and 11.1 cm wide in 0.7, 1.6 and 2.5 litres (10.6, 20.1 and 29.6 cm tall), or rectangular and 22 cm wide in 1.5, 3.5 and 5.4 litres (10.6, 20.2 and 29.5 cm tall). Dishwasher safe according to the manufacturer; the page does not confirm microwave or freezer use.
• OXO POP: 1 to 4.2 litres with a push-button lid; the tall 3.5 litre container takes long pasta. External dimensions are not confirmed.
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy: square containers from 400 to 1600 ml and a 1400 ml coffee container with light protection according to the manufacturer.
• Mepal Omnia, with Nordic white or black lids: three containers of 700, 1100 and 2000 ml, 3.8 litres in total rather than per container. Dishwasher safe, unsuitable for the freezer or microwave; made in the Netherlands.
• Rotho LOFT: five containers, two of 2.1 litres, one of 1 litre and two of 0.5 litres. The 323 × 223 × 166 mm listed is for the set, not each container.

For leftovers and the freezer:

• Joseph Joseph 81081: five containers of 230 ml, 540 ml, 1.1 litres, 1.85 litres and 3 litres that nest when empty. The manufacturer permits the freezer, the top rack of the dishwasher and the microwave for reheating only, with the lid resting loosely on top.
• Sistema KLIP IT PLUS: 7.5 litres and 357 × 260 × 117 mm (length × width × height), for the cupboard, fridge or freezer.

• Brabantia Tasty+ 122309 · 0.7 L square food container, dark grey lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 122385 · 1.6 L square food container, dark grey lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 122408 · 2.5 L square food container, dark grey lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229923 · 1.5 L rectangular food container, dark grey lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229961 · 3.5 L rectangular food container, dark grey lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229985 · 5.4 L rectangular food container, dark grey lid
• OXO POP 11233700 · low square 1 L container with a white lid
• OXO POP 3118400 · small square 1 L container with a steel lid
• OXO POP 3118800 · rectangular 1.6 L container with a steel lid
• OXO POP 3118300 · low large square 2.6 L container with a steel lid
• OXO POP 11234400 · tall pasta and pantry container
• OXO POP 3118200 · large square 4.2 L container with a steel lid
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31207 · 400 ml square food storage container
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31208 · 800 ml square food storage container
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31209 · 1000 ml square food storage container
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31210 · 1200 ml square food storage container
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31211 · 1600 ml square food storage container
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31205 · 1400 ml coffee container
• Mepal 106400032500 · Omnia set of 3 Nordic white storage containers
• Mepal 106400040400 · Omnia set of 3 containers with black lids
• Rotho 6691290000WS · LOFT set of 5 clear and white food containers
• Joseph Joseph 81081 · five-container multicolour food storage set
• Sistema KLIP IT PLUS 881870 · 7.5 L rectangular food storage container

Bread bins for the worktop

Measure the space with the lid open.

The Joseph Joseph 81097 measures 37 × 22 × 18 cm (width × depth × height) and weighs 1.5 kg. Its reversible bamboo lid doubles as a chopping board with crumb-catching grooves, and the base is described as non-slip. It is for dry foods only: wash the base and lid by hand without soaking the lid, and maintain the bamboo with food-safe mineral oil. Usable internal volume is not stated.

• Joseph Joseph 81097 · white bread bin with bamboo lid

How to choose capacity and size

There is no single right size. A practical method:

• Pick a container that takes the pack you usually buy with room to spare; litres do not tell you how many grams will fit.
• Measure the height between shelves and subtract the room needed to lift the lid or press the button.
• Count how many footprints fit across the shelf: a row of 22 cm containers takes almost twice the width of a row of 11.1 cm ones.
• For the freezer, favour several small containers: the FSA suggests smaller portions so that food cools quickly [1].

Common buying mistakes

• Reading a set's total capacity as the capacity of each container.
• Assuming freezer, microwave or dishwasher use when the manufacturer does not state it.
• Measuring only the closed container and forgetting the room to open it and lift it out.
• Taking a set's dimensions for those of each piece.
• Buying replacement seals without checking the jar range and size.

Quick checklist before you buy

• Use decided: cupboard, fridge, freezer or worktop.
• Clear shelf height, with room to open the lid.
• Footprint, capacity per piece and number of pieces in the pack.
• Stated uses: dishwasher, microwave or freezer.
• Replacement seals identified for the exact jar, where relevant.

Sources consulted

• [1] Food Standards Agency (2017). How to chill, freeze and defrost food safely — Food Standards Agency
• Kilner 0025.491: 2 round clip-top jars, 1 litre each — Kilner
• Kilner 0025.489: 6 replacement seals for 0.35–2 litre jars — Kilner
• Relaxdays 10043240 · Set 3 botes de cristal con tapa 1500 ml — Relaxdays
• Brabantia Tasty+ 122309 · recipiente cuadrado de 0,7 L con tapa gris oscuro — Brabantia
• Brabantia Tasty+ 122385 · recipiente cuadrado de 1,6 L con tapa gris oscuro — Brabantia
• Brabantia Tasty+ 122408 · recipiente cuadrado de 2,5 L con tapa gris oscuro — Brabantia
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229923 · recipiente rectangular de 1,5 L con tapa gris oscuro — Brabantia
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229961 · recipiente rectangular de 3,5 L con tapa gris oscuro — Brabantia
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229985 · recipiente rectangular de 5,4 L con tapa gris oscuro — Brabantia
• OXO POP 11233700 · recipiente cuadrado bajo de 1 L con tapa blanca — OXO
• OXO POP 3118400 · recipiente cuadrado pequeño de 1 L con tapa de acero — OXO
• OXO POP 3118800 · recipiente rectangular de 1,6 L con tapa de acero — OXO
• OXO POP 3118300 · recipiente cuadrado grande bajo de 2,6 L con tapa de acero — OXO
• OXO POP 11234400 · recipiente alto para pasta y despensa — OXO
• OXO POP 3118200 · recipiente cuadrado grande de 4,2 L con tapa de acero — OXO
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31207 · recipiente cuadrado de 400 ml — Leifheit
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31208 · recipiente cuadrado de 800 ml — Leifheit
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31209 · recipiente cuadrado de 1000 ml — Leifheit
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31210 · recipiente cuadrado de 1200 ml — Leifheit
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31211 · recipiente cuadrado de 1600 ml — Leifheit
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy 31205 · recipiente para café de 1400 ml — Leifheit
• Mepal 106400032500 · conjunto Omnia de 3 recipientes Nordic white — Mepal
• Mepal 106400040400 · lot Omnia de 3 boîtes à couvercles noirs — Mepal
• Rotho 6691290000WS · lot LOFT de 5 boîtes transparent et blanc — Rotho
• Joseph Joseph 81081 · juego de cinco recipientes multicolor — Joseph Joseph
• Sistema KLIP IT PLUS 881870 · recipiente rectangular de 7,5 L — Sistema
• Joseph Joseph 81097 · panera blanca con tapa de bambú — Joseph Joseph