When it comes to basic food storage for I keep it pretty
simple. Quite awhile back I got rid of
99% of my plastic storage containers and swapped them out for glass. I even got rid of plastic pitchers and
replaced them with glass too. I've never
regretted it.
This is what I think are the essential items to have on hand for
food storage:
- A nice set of glass containers with lids
- A dozen plastic freezer containers in assorted sizes - small, medium and large
- Assortment of plastic Ziploc bags - sandwich, quart and gallon sizes
- Plastic wrap
- Aluminum foil
- Waxed paper
- Sharpie marker
That is pretty much it. Can
it possibly be any simpler?
Now here is a list of things that are nice to have but not
essential:
- Canning jars with plastic lids - pint, half pint, quart and half gallon sizes.
This list is huge, I know but I find I use canning jars more than
anything else. I use wide mouth half
pint jars a lot for packing items in my lunch.
Perfect size for packing salad dressing, yogurt, fruit, nuts, etc.
I love to check out thrift stores and antique shops for unique
vintage jars to add to my collection.
Quarts and half gallons are great for storing beans, lentils, pasta,
oatmeal and rice in the pantry. I do
that a lot. Plus they look pretty. My old plastic stuff wasn’t nearly so
pretty. Plus glass cleans up nicer,
doesn't hold onto odors like plastic or melt in the microwave.
Here's a tip: Have something spicy or with a strong odor to
store. Take a piece of plastic wrap,
fold it over to double it. Place over your jar or container prior to placing a
plastic lid on it to help reduce the chances of the lid becoming infused with
that particular food item. Works pretty well
most of the time.
Remember too that 16 oz. peanut butter jar lids fit regular mouth
canning jars.
I guess I never realized that peanut butter jar lids fit regular jars. Actually, I never thought about it. Thanks for that tip. I will be saving my lids. Have a great rest of your week.
ReplyDeletePaula in Kansas
They do and they work great! Have a good one as well Paula!
DeleteLike you, Dana, I use large vintage jars to hold dried beans, pasta, cereals and grains. I use the smaller jars for dried fruits, chocolate chips,cocoa, baking powder and soda.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started collecting vintage jars, I wouldn't buy the jar unless it had a lid and they were pricey. I also found that sometimes the lids were damaged, ill fitting or just plain nasty. Then the light bulb came on !!! I can buy canning lids and rings and get the proper fit and still have the cuteness of vintage jars. Now I snap up cheap vintage jars without lids all the time.
Glass jars keep the "varmints" out and my food fresher. I'll never go back to storing my food in the original packages again.
Thanks for the tip about the peanut butter lids. My Grandma used to say,"you learn something new every day" ; )
Vanessa B
The vintage jars have so much more character. I found some of those old lids with the porcelain liners inside them, never used, at an antique store for $2 each . I bought six. Love them!
Delete