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

First, decide what you are storing and where

Each use calls for a different container:

• Dry goods in a pantry or cabinet: glass jars or plastic containers; shelf height and the footprint of each piece matter most.
• Leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer: the manufacturer should state these uses for the exact variant.
• Bread on the countertop: a bread box, with room to open the lid.

What the FDA advises on storing food

The FDA recommends keeping the refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C) and the freezer at 0°F (-18°C), and storing refrigerated foods in covered containers or sealed storage bags while checking leftovers daily for spoilage [1]. For the freezer, it says leftovers should be stored in tight containers [1]. It also recommends not storing non-perishable foods near household cleaning products and chemicals [1]. Before buying, check that the container is stated as suitable for the use you plan.

Mason jars and glass storage jars

Glass shows what is inside but is heavy and breakable. In a multipack, capacity is per jar.

• Ball Wide Mouth Pint: twelve Mason jars with lids and bands, 16 US fl oz (about 473 ml) each. Ball states this pint model is made in the USA and freezer-safe; follow the maker's filling directions when freezing.
• Ball Wide Mouth replacement lids 1440042050: twelve flat lids for wide-mouth jars, without bands. The sealing material is single-use for canning.
• Relaxdays 10043240: three square borosilicate glass jars with bamboo lids and silicone seals, about 1500 ml (roughly 1.6 qt) each and 21.5 × 10 × 10 cm (about 8.5 × 3.9 × 3.9 in, height × width × depth).

• Ball Wide Mouth Pint: 12 Mason jars, 16 fl oz each
• Ball Wide Mouth: 12 replacement canning lids
• Set of 3 glass storage jars with lids, 1500 ml each · Relaxdays 10043240

Plastic containers for the pantry, refrigerator and freezer

For dry goods, compare footprint and height:

• Brabantia Tasty+: square and 11.1 cm (4.4 in) wide in 0.7, 1.6 and 2.5 liters, or rectangular and 22 cm (8.7 in) wide in 1.5, 3.5 and 5.4 liters. Heights run from 10.6 cm (4.2 in) to 29.6 cm (11.7 in). Dishwasher safe according to the manufacturer; the page does not confirm microwave or freezer use.
• OXO POP: 1 to 4.2 liters (1.1 to 4.4 US qt) with a push-button lid; the tall 3.5 liter container takes long pasta. Exterior dimensions are not confirmed.
• Leifheit Fresh & Easy: square containers from 800 to 1600 ml with a ring-operated lid.
• Mepal Omnia, with Nordic white or black lids: three containers of 700, 1100 and 2000 ml, 3.8 liters in total rather than per container. Dishwasher safe, not for the freezer or microwave; made in the Netherlands.
• Rotho LOFT: five containers, two of 2.1 liters, one of 1 liter and two of 0.5 liters. 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 liters, 1.85 liters and 3 liters 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 liters and 357 × 260 × 117 mm (about 14.1 × 10.2 × 4.6 in, length × width × height), for the pantry, refrigerator or freezer.

• Brabantia Tasty+ 122309 · 0.7 L square food storage container, dark gray lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 122385 · 1.6 L square food storage container, dark gray lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 122408 · 2.5 L square food storage container, dark gray lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229923 · 1.5 L rectangular food storage container, dark gray lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229961 · 3.5 L rectangular food storage container, dark gray lid
• Brabantia Tasty+ 229985 · 5.4 L rectangular food storage container, dark gray 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 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
• 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 multicolor food storage set
• Sistema KLIP IT PLUS 881870 · 7.5 L rectangular food storage container

Bread boxes for the countertop

Measure the space with the lid open.

The Joseph Joseph 81097 measures 37 × 22 × 18 cm (about 14.6 × 8.7 × 7.1 in, width × depth × height) and weighs 1.5 kg (about 3.3 lb). Its reversible bamboo lid doubles as a cutting board with crumb-catching grooves. 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 interior volume is not stated.

• Joseph Joseph 81097 · white bread box with bamboo lid

How to choose capacity and size

No size suits everything. A practical method:

• Pick a container that holds the package you usually buy with room to spare; liters do not tell you how much the food will weigh.
• 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 (8.7 in) containers takes almost twice the width of a row of 11.1 cm (4.4 in) ones.
• In the refrigerator or freezer, leave room around containers: the FDA advises against crowding them so tightly that air can't circulate [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.
• Confusing a US pint with an imperial pint, or applying the Pint jar's freezer designation to another size.
• Reusing single-use canning lids, or buying lids without checking regular or wide mouth.

Quick checklist before you buy

• Use decided: pantry, refrigerator, freezer or countertop.
• 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.
• Lids and bands included, and the right mouth size for replacements.

Sources consulted

• [1] U.S. FDA (2023). Are You Storing Food Safely? — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Ball Wide Mouth Pint: 12 Mason jars, 16 fl oz each — Ball
• Ball Wide Mouth: 12 replacement canning lids — Ball
• 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 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
• 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