What to Look for in a Meal Prep Container

Some years ago, it was difficult to store food properly because of the lack of meal prep containers. A disposable food pack makes it easier to store food and prepare food as well.

To eat healthily, it is great to store food in plastic food takeaway packs. So many ask what they should look for when buying these containers (know more). In this post, we will answer several questions about these prep containers.

What you should look for when choosing meal prep containers

There are certain characteristics you should look out for before you buy meal prep containers. These characteristics include:

Dishwasher safe
Durable
Air-tight
Eco-friendly
Microwave-safe
Freezer safe
See-through
Leak-proof

An efficient disposable food pack is expected to have almost all, if not all, of these characteristics. Let’s take a look at other important pieces of information about plastic food takeaway packs.

What are the best types of meal prep containers?

Before we look deeper into the different categories of containers, here’s a table to help you understand the categories of containers.

	Plastic	Steel	Glass
Microwave-safe	X		X
Freezer-safe			X
See-through			X
Eco-friendly		X	X
Dishwasher-safe	X		X
Oven-safe			X
Air-tight	X		X
Lightweight	X	X

Is it safe to use plastic meal prep containers?

Many people ask this question, is it safe to use plastic meal prep containers? Let’s be factual, the answer is both yes and no. The question is if the containers contain Bisphenol A (BPA).

If they do, there is a possibility that this chemical may leak into food placed in the containers. There is a higher risk of this when the heat is applied to the plastic. However, for BPA to be harmful to a person, you’d have to take really large quantities.

In fact, in some cases, there have to be other harmful components embedded in the plastic to cause health challenges.

Pros of plastic meal prep containers

These are the pros of plastic food takeaway packs:

Lightweight.
See-through.
Kid-friendly.
Not as expensive as steel containers.
There are so many sizes and shapes.

Cons of plastic meal prep containers

These are the cons of a disposable food pack:

They are not eco-friendly.
They contain BPA that can contaminate food when the pack is heated.
These packs are not really durable.

If you really want to go with plastic containers, it is best you buy the ones free of BPA. It is also important that you don’t reheat your food inside these plastic containers. This way, you’d have the perfect containers to meet your food storage needs.

Which meal prep containers are better, glass or steel?

This is another very important question people ask about meal prep containers. Some prefer glass over steel and plastic but with respect to certain expectations, each one of these is a great option.

These non-plastic containers come with a huge advantage. This is because they do not contain harmful toxins that are related to plastic. Asides this, these containers are more eco-friendly than plastic.

Pros of steel meal prep containers

These are the pros of steel containers:

Lightweight
Variety of shapes and sizes.
Perfect for snacks and cold foods.
Dishwasher-safe.
Kid-friendly.
Eco-friendly.

Cons of steel meal prep containers

Even though steel containers are really great, they have a few negatives. Let’s take a look at these in the summary below:

They are not safe for microwave use.
They are not great to be used in freezers.

Despite these negatives, people like steel containers a lot because they are durable and lightweight. They are also perfect for different kinds of food such as cold foods, salads, small snacks, and nuts.

Benefits of glass containers

Glass meal prep containers come with several benefits. Some of these include:

Safe for microwaves.
Safe for dishwashers.
Durable.
Eco-friendly.
Safe for freezers.
See-through.

Cons of glass containers

Just like the other types of containers, a glass food pack has a few negatives. These include:

They can break easily since they are not as sturdy as plastic or steel.
Generally, glass is heavier than plastic and steel so it may be difficult to carry them around.

Even though these challenges seem grave to some people, we still recommend glass over a disposable food pack. This is because they do not contain BPA and they are eco-friendly.

Another reason why most people prefer glassware over plastic food takeaway is that they are see-through. This makes it easy to pick out foods from the freezer without opening the container. There is also the aesthetic feel that comes with see-through containers.

How large should a meal prep container be?

Even though we haven’t really discussed the size of the containers so far in this post, size is very important. You actually determine size by the method of preparation you choose. To figure out the size of your containers, provide answers to these questions:

Do you prefer dishing out individual portions to each person?
Do you prefer keeping large quantities of already cooked food in bulk such as chicken, rice, or quinoa? Of course, with this method, you scoop out a little to reheat when you need to eat.

If your answer to the first question is yes, then you need to get smaller containers. This saves you from all the unnecessary fuss and also helps to heat your food faster.

On the other hand, if you prefer preparing food in bulk, then you need to get larger containers. This will help to keep your food fresh and tasty for when you need to eat.

However, we suggest that it is better to test the different containers before investing so much in them. Try to run simple experiments to know which type of container suits your needs the most.

Conclusion

Meal prep containers are important to help store food efficiently. With the right disposable food pack, you can have safe food anytime you want. We have shown you a few properties to look out for when choosing containers like plastic food takeaway packs. If you have any demand for custom food containers, welcome to inquire us at Zigpac.