Glass Storage

August 21, 2009 8:53 AM

Best small glass dishes (with lids) for refrigerated storage?

Looking for your recommendation: I need glass storage of various smallish sizes to store leftover bits of food (mainly toddler-sized portions, say from 1/4-cup to 1-cup sizes). Anyone have good small glass storage with lids that fit and don't get unusably misshapen by the dishwasher? Thanks!

posted by dreamphone to home & garden (18 comments total)

I have two sets. One is Pyrex and one is from Anchor Hocking. Both likely came from Walmart, as they were xmas gifts from my mom. One of the plastic lids from the Anchor Hocking set somehow shrunk (though I don't have a dishwasher) and no longer fits its dish, so the Pyrex is definitely my favorite.
posted by mudpuppie at 8:57 AM on August 21

I just bought a set of these Pyrex ones at Wal-Mart on the cheap. The lids are strong, but I'd recommend not putting them in the dishwasher.
posted by mattbucher at 8:59 AM on August 21 [1 favorite]

Mason jars are great for freezer storage, they're also dishwasher safe and come in a billionty sizes.

I'd suggest getting the wide-mouth jars - it's much easier to get frozen bits out.
posted by soft and hardcore taters at 8:59 AM on August 21

I have a million of these, and I love them, but they are at the upper end of your size range.
posted by bink at 9:00 AM on August 21

I got a set of Arc mixing bowls with plastic lids from Costco a few years back which have been great. I can't remember how much they were exactly, but it wasn't very much. My set came with a series of nesting bowls and an extra stack of maybe 4 or 5 1 cup-sized bowls. I suspect they're getting marketed as Pyrex now, but yeah, Costco, man, I love that place.
posted by Diagonalize at 9:11 AM on August 21

I like these because the lids are glass, too.
posted by bricoleur at 9:12 AM on August 21 [3 favorites]

I've had mattbutcher's Pyrex ones for years. I put the lids in the dishwasher every day and they're absolutely fine (although maybe the plastic is different now, I don't know). I really like them a lot.
posted by HotToddy at 9:13 AM on August 21

Yup, I've got those Pyrex ones, too. I've had them for a decade, stick the lids in the dishwasher, don't look after them at all, and they're as good as new.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:19 AM on August 21

Probably the smallest glass container that will be widely available is a 4 ounce (half cup) jelly jar, like these. A set of 12 will almost always come with rings and lids, or you can buy these easier-to-use plastic mason jar lids.

Also nthing the awesome Pyrex sets - they rule.
posted by peep at 9:30 AM on August 21

Probably a little bigger than you're looking for, but I love my Glass Snapware. I got a set at Costco for really cheap, so if you're just looking for one size it might be a little pricey.
posted by thejanna at 10:08 AM on August 21

The deal about the lids is that my wife wanted glass storage containers because she was afraid the super-hot water and steam in the dishwasher was causing the plastic ones we had to leach chemicals (and she refuses to microwave plastic). I don't buy into this, but I end up hand-washing the lids and it does cause them less wear-and-tear.
posted by mattbucher at 10:13 AM on August 21

I have those pyrex bowls too, and I love all of the sizes.

For another idea, what about buying a case of babyfood in jars. Amazon looks like some brands are 12 jars for $7. Even if you just throw away the baby food (or compost it, or feed it to the dog), you could keep the jars and lids. Just a thought.
posted by CathyG at 10:46 AM on August 21

I use a brand called Glass lock. They are totally and completely sealed. I take soup to work in them.
posted by Gor-ella at 11:10 AM on August 21

I troll flea markets for vintage glass refrigerator dishes.
posted by Miko at 11:58 AM on August 21

if you can find them (and you plan on going from fridge to oven) go for vintage pyrex. new pyrex isn't the same material and has been known to shatter.
posted by nadawi at 1:57 PM on August 21

I've had good luck with 'recent' Pyrex (owned it for 2 years now). I haven't had any problems with lid shrinkage or the glass and am a big fan of their sets. If I remember correctly, they also, in some stores like Bed Bath & Beyond have sets that consist mostly of the smaller sizes.

Like my other plastics, I run Pyrex lids on the upper rack. I've run them on the bottom without issue as well.

My only damaged lid is from where I set it on a hot burner and it got cosmetically melted with no usability impairment.
posted by bookdragoness at 5:54 PM on August 21

I use pesto jars (after having yummily consumed the contents), which have a standard mouth mason sized lid. Bernardin (of canning jar fame) also makes plastic storage lids, which are not 100% air tight, but which do go in the dishwasher with no problems (years with same lids). These are better than the soft plastic lids in my opinion. The pesto jars I use are 8 oz, but I also have 4 oz jelly jars, again with the same Bernardin plastic lids. FYI: the Bernardin storage lids also come in wide mouth. I also put these jars in the freezer with the plastic lids, and can thaw them in the fridge, with no problems. All of these are microwave safe (but can not go from the freezer to the microwave).
posted by kch at 7:55 PM on August 21

I bought 2 12-pc Pyrex storage sets, 12 4-ounce jelly jars with plastic lids, and 12 8-ounce Bernardin wide-mouth mason jars with plastic lids. Have used them for several weeks, adore 'em all. Thanks to everyone for the ideas.
posted by dreamphone at 4:01 PM on September 22