Kitchen Storage Solutions – Go Glass

Aug 21, 2024 by Chef David

By Chef David

Frustrated finding things in the kitchen? Crowded kitchen tops and cluttered cabinets make it difficult to find what you need when you need it. Create an organized environment, so you can focus on cooking. Rethink your storage solutions. Everything should have a place. Locate frequently used items for easy access.

Kitchen storage solutions are an age-old problem. Some successful solutions we explored previously include:

Reusable Plastic Lékué reusable silicone storage bags, and Jar to Go are good for travel and versatile.
Glass Storage Duralex Lys (Freshbox) is a square for easy stacking and can go from stove to freezer.
Magnetic Knife Bar offers ample, easy access while protecting your knives.

Proper storage of ingredients, along with mindfully organized cabinets can reduce waste and cooking stress. Keeping order sounds simple, but it isn’t. It takes planning to find solutions that work in your kitchen. For a kosher chef, it is slightly more complicated, as it involves separating and labeling Milk, Meat, and Pareve items.

We recommend storing loose ingredients, in containers rather than in their original packaging. This standardizes storage and makes it easy to know at a glance how much you have left and where it is. Use clear containers so you know when you are running low. Nothing is more frustrating than the last-minute discovery that your go-to ingredient is empty. Many people rely on color coding, but the labels can come off, and you can forget the clever color schemes. We recommend including handwritten details, especially with frozen leftovers. This avoids discovering the mystery meal, which often ends up in the trash, because who can really be sure what it was?

Glass or Plastic – Your Choice

There are advantages to using plastic and glass storage containers. Plastic containers are lighter, conform to the shape of your contents, and conveniently go in the freezer. Certain glass containers can go from freezer to microwave or oven to table. Glass is nonporous, which doesn’t absorb smells or stains like plastic containers, and is dishwasher safe. In general, glass containers last longer (as long as you don’t drop them!) while plastic ones can easily get scratched or warped. We expanded our search for the best glass storage containers, which led us to Dura Living and Anchor Hocking both are available online and provide superior solutions.

Glass Food Storage Containers – Dura Living

Our search for the ultimate glass storage included Dura Living, which is made of borosilicate glass, it is oven, dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe. Note: the covers are not designed for the oven or the dishwasher.

We liked their selection of sizes. The three-piece set contains matching BPA-free lids and rectangular nesting glass containers in three sizes: 11 cups, 6.5 cups, and 2.5 cups. Sizes that fit small, medium, and larger storage needs. These containers are shallow enough to fit tight refrigerator shelves. They come with a choice of lid colors (either blue or gray) which makes distinguishing between Meat and Dairy easy (if only they had one additional color choice, it would be ideal).

Dura Living rectangular containers were a lightweight, well-designed, functional glass storage solution. And the lids were easy to put on, securely protecting leftovers and stacking sturdily. They were a pleasure to use. Available for online purchase.

Dura Living was founded in 2021, by co-founder Abe Haber a Jersey boy, who graduated from Hillel High School and Brookdale Community College.

Anchor Hocking – Glass Experts

Anchor Hocking has been making high-quality glassware for over 100 years, beginning in 1905 in Lancaster, Ohio. They have an extensive glass offering, that is sold through a network of retailers.

They have combined their knowledge of glass making, with expertise in storage creating a vast number of products of all shapes and sizes to protect, and display foods while organizing and optimizing space. We tested a few items, each different, and well-made.

Secure® Revolution Jars: (comes in .5-quartet, 1-quart, and 2-quart sizes). We tested the 2-quart container which holds 16 ounces of dried beans or 2 pounds of rice and is tall enough to store spaghetti. It is designed to be stackable, and the plastic collar makes it sturdier for sitting on a counter and improves the grip.
Montana® Jar with Acacia Cover (comes in 3 sizes – 1.5, 2, and 3 quarts). These stylish containers are see-through with airtight seals and wide openings. The glass canisters are dishwasher-safe, but the acacia lids should be hand-washed.

Our experience with Anchor Hocking was undeniably positive. They are attractive, secure glass containers for on-counter storage. We were pleased with their attention to detail. The Secure Revolution Jars are thoughtfully designed with a threaded lid to provide a secure closure.

Anchor Hocking has two distinct lid designs for food storage containers, Trueseal Lids and Truelock Locking Lids both with a see-through clean panel to let you see the contents. We tested rectangle-shaped containers which optimize storage space. The Trueseal is designed to prevent spills and leaks. Its lid is easy on and off, intended for food storage, and food preparation.

Truelock Lids takes sealing seriously, with a heavy-duty hinged lid intended to prevent spillage. The lid snaps into place to create a secure seal and comes in multiple colors, making it ideal for a kosher kitchen. We like the fact that the cover is see-through which lets you check the contents from above without opening. Truelock Lids are rugged with a strong seal that makes it ideal for traveling eliminating any fear of spillage.

Anchor Hocking makes a 2-quart Batter Bowl with a handle grip for easy maneuvering, an easy-to-read number, and a cover. It makes a great container for baking prep, it is large, with easy-to-read size measurements, and sturdy. It offers ready storage with a cover in the bowl until you are ready to use the batter. This simple solution reduces the number of dirty dishes while reducing prep time.

Go Glass

Glass is a timeless classic, that can and often lasts a lifetime without discoloring. Glass storage can extend the life of ingredients, prevent moisture or insect infestation, and they are attractive. We found that smart storage is key for food preparation. These glass containers can find uses in other parts of the house, offering transparency, order, and organization.