Last Updated on December 4, 2020 by TheMealPrepNinja
Are you looking for the best airtight kitchen containers?
How many times did your cookies or chips go musty or soft in their bag after opening and not transferring them in airtight food containers? Don’t worry I got you covered with a list of the 12 best airtight food containers on the market. Do you often find bugs in your bag of beans or rice that you kept in the corner of your pantry? Is the humidity in the air made your sugar and salt soggy even if you already sealed their bags? Don’t be surprised when your coffee beans or spices are not as tasty and flavorful as they used to after being exposed to air for a period of time.
You and anyone can avoid going through such kitchen nightmares if you will use airtight food containers to store your precious spices, chips, cookies, and other food items after opening their bag or can. The airtight containers are also great in storing the ingredients that you will use at your campsite or when you need to go on a journey. The airtight containers can prevent bugs, dust, humidity, or air from getting into your food. These containers are also space savers and will not ruin the appearance of your food. You can pile up the containers without worrying about spillage and your food getting mushy or crumbly.
An airtight food container does not allow any air to get out or get in once you closed its lid tightly. The airtight containers typically come in glass, plastic, acrylic, and stainless steel.
Best overall airtight food container
The best overall airtight food container goes to Rubbermaid Brilliance Pantry Organization & Food Storage Containers with Airtight Lids, Set of 10 (20 Pieces Total)
This set of 10 airtight food containers that can hold all of your pantry ingredients including pasta, cereals, and baking ingredients. The lids snap on airtight to help food fresh. Rubbermaid is a well-known company with high standards. This product is no different, made with the highest quality materials.
- Space-saving Design: These best airtight food containers keep your cabinets organized with a modular shape for easy stacking and storage.
- Crystal Clear Design: These containers are see-through like glass, but are made of clear Tritan plastic that resists odors and stains. All the benefits of glass without it breaking.
- Airtight: Keep all of your grains, cereals, and baking ingredients stay fresh longer. The 2 latch design provides an airtight and secure seal. The built-in latches provide a splatter resistant latch when microwaving.
- Leak-Proof Design: This airtight food container has a leak-proof technology that provides a mess-free, spill-free food storage solution.
- Freezer and Dishwasher Safe: Another benefit is that these containers are dishwasher and freezer safe. You don’t have to worry about placing your meal prep meals in the freezer.
Best on a Budget Airtight Meal Prep Food Containers
Best on a Budget airtight Food container goes to Veken Food Storage containers with airtight lids
These 12 pack plastic reusable, stackable meal prep containers are a great choice for someone who is looking for a great option on a budget. These containers have all of the benefits that most high-end airtight containers have but without breaking the bank. You get an assortment of different food containers ranging from 17 oz to 65 oz.
- Light and shatterproof: These containers are durable and multipurpose meal prep containers. This design is lightweight and shatterproof. You don’t have to worry about them breaking.
- Multiple sizes: This set has 8 different sizes of containers. From large to small containers. Perfect for strong large ingredients like pasta and small lunch box meals. Great overall airtight food container.
- 100% leak-proof design: The silicone resin sealing ring and 4 sided latches provide an airtight and leak-proof lock so you can even store liquids.
- BPA Free: These containers are made of BPA free food grade PP material. You can microwave, freeze, and even place these food containers in the dishwasher.
This is a great overall choice from someone on a budget. Best bang for your bucks.
Best Runner Up Airtight Food Storage Containers
The best runner up goes to Chef’s Path Airtight Food Storage Container Set of 7
This is the best runner up but could have easily been number one with the chalkboard label maker. Not only are these airtight storage containers but they come with a label maker so that you can write on each container. Sometime you might also want to write an expiration date. These labels give you the ability to do that. And they come in different sizes so that you can store everything from spaghetti pasta to healthy cookies.
- Reusable label maker: Chef’s path container set comes with labels and a white chalkboard marker. Great for anyone who likes to keep their pantry organized.
- Total storing capacity: This set includes 7 multi-size containers that range from 8 cups to 2.1 cups in size. These storage containers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
- Versatile containers: These airtight food containers are not only ideal for storing dry foods such as pasta, and rice but also perfect for holding liquids. You don’t have to worry about liquids spilling out.
- Space-Saving Design: These durable square containers make it easy to minimize space by stacking them up on top of each other. Great for storing in the refrigerator and freezer.
Best under 25 dollars Storage food containers
The best under $25 dollars goes to Rubbermaid Brilliance storage 14 piece with lids
This is a great set of 7 airtight containers for under $25 dollars. A good set of storage containers can get up there in price but these are a great deal at just under 25 dollars. Rubbermaid is a well-known kitchen brand and they did not let us down with this product. Most of the benefits of high-end containers and half the price.
- Best Price per value: great value for a crystal clear airtight food container that keeps your food fresh and kitchen organized.
- Crystal Clear Containers: These containers are see-through like glass but made of clear Tritan plastic that resists odors and stains.
- Stackable Design: You can easily stack and organize these food storage containers. BPA free clear leak-proof food containers.
Best 3 Compartment Glass Meal Prep Food Containers
The best glass 3 compartment meal prep containers are the Prep Naturals Glass Meal Prep Containers 5 Pack food storage.
When it comes to meal prep containers, just like food storage containers, you need to be looking for an airtight and leak-proof container. This glass meal prep container is the best glass container on the market. Not only does it have 3 airtight compartments but it’s also made of high-quality borosilicate glass. The lids are also BPA free non-toxic with smart locking technology.
- Un-compromised Quality: These glass meal prep containers are odorless and dishwasher safe. High-quality glass made of borosilicate glass.
- Hot & Cold: You can place these glass containers in the oven without having to worry about them getting damaged. You can also freeze these containers without having to worry about the glass breaking.
- 5x Meal Prep Containers: You get a total of 5 meal prep containers. You can now meal prep for the workweek and keep your meals fresh.
Best 2 Alternative Storage Containers
The 2 alternative best airtight food containers were chosen because of quality and price. Both of these products are in the middle when it comes to price.
Airtight Food Storage Containers – Wildone Cereal & Dry Food Storage Container Set of 6 This is a great product if you are looking for large food containers to store your raw ingredients. These containers also come with labels and a marker.
Zeppoli Air-Tight Food Storage Container Set – 5-Piece Set
Best One Size Storage Containers
9 Pack containers 1.5qt Airtight food storage containers If you are looking for a set a matching storage containers then this is the product for you. Each container is 1.5qt/ 1.6L BPA free kitchen pantry storage containers for raw ingredients.
Wildone airtight storage containers Set of 8 2.5L / 85.4 oz If you are looking for large matching containers then this set of 8 is for you. Leaf proof with black locking lids.
Why is it Important to have Airtight Food Containers?
It is necessary to use airtight food containers to help you preserve the freshness of your food and keep you healthy. They are also easy to organize and stack in your pantry cabinets or fridge.
Take a look at the following reasons that can convince you regarding the importance of having airtight containers in your home.
1. The airtight containers provide convenient and healthy way to bring food along.
If you often bring along your lunch or snacks whenever you go out, it is prudent to use airtight food containers to help you preserve the freshness of your food. A good airtight food container can always guarantee that your food won’t turn rancid when lunchtime arrives. You can even pack some soup in a separate airtight container and you can rest assured that nothing will spill in your bag.
2. They offer the best kind of protection for your essential ingredients.
The airtight containers can keep air, insects, and moisture from invading the kitchen ingredients that you usually keep in your pantry. The ingredients include cereals, spices, salt, sugar, flour, and others. It is also easy to stack the containers and give you a well-organized kitchen. Try using containers that are see-through for easy identification.
3. They can help keep your fridge organized and smell nice.
The airtight food containers can help keep the food last longer in your fridge. The airtight containers can also prevent the aromatic dishes, which you need to put in the containers, from spreading their scent and flavor all over your fridge. You may choose to store your meal in a microwave-safe airtight container. All you need to do is put the container in the microwave and heat it. You can try this for your week-long meal prep.
4. The airtight containers can maximize the storage space.
You can stack the airtight containers. To maximize your storage space, avoid using containers with an irregular shape. Stick to squares and rectangles to maximize the space of your cabinet, fridge, or storage.
Benefits of an Airtight Food Storage Container
Other containers only provide a nice enclosure for the food, but they cannot guarantee that the food will remain fresh and will not spill. If you want to get the most out of your containers, you need to choose the airtight ones.
Here are some of the advantages and benefits of airtight containers.
1. Your food stays fresh and safe.
The airtight containers don’t allow moisture and air to get in contact with your food. Oxidation takes place when air comes in contact with the food. Some dishes or food items can easily go bad or rancid after a certain period. If your container permits air and moisture inside, the food that you keep there will eventually go bad.
2. You can become a promoter of eco-friendly containers.
People that want to protect Mother Nature are pushing for the total ban of single-use containers because they contribute a lot in making our environment worse than ever. If you use a reusable airtight container to pack your lunch, you can help lessen the number of people using single-use containers. You might even influence your co-workers to do the same.
3. You can be certain that nothing will be spilled.
A lot of folks are afraid to bring packed lunch in the office because they fear that the sauce might get spilled in their bags while they are traveling. It is impossible not to bump into different people, especially if you are commuting to get to work. There is a high probability that your packed lunch gets shaken.
If you are using an airtight container, you don’t need to worry about spillage. It has an airtight seal that prevents liquid from escaping. The content of your container will not spill inside your bag.
4. You can create a more organized and orderly kitchen.
To create symmetry or seamless look for your kitchen, you can use airtight containers with uniform design to store your ingredients. You can stack the containers to keep them in place. They look better than seeing boxes and plastic bags that contain the already opened kitchen staples. The airtight containers can also help you preserve the flavor and crispness of your kitchen ingredients.
What are the Best Materials for Airtight Containers?
When looking for the most suitable airtight food containers to use, one of the things that you need to consider is the material that is used to make them.
Here is a list of the most common and suitable materials for the airtight containers:
1. Glass
Glass provides an odor-free and stain-free container and will definitely help you keep the freshness of your food. Clear-colored glasses also provide an easy way to identify the content of the containers without opening them. However, glass can break when dropped on the floor. You need to be extra careful when handling it.
2. Plastic
This material is the favorite choice of most consumers because it is lightweight. It’s a great choice for meal preps or for packing to-go lunches. But, plastic can retain odor and it is prone to stain. It may also contain a toxic chemical called BPA (bisphenol A). When choosing a plastic airtight container, make sure that it has a BPA-free label. Also, it is recommended to choose a microwave-safe plastic container.
3. Acrylic
This material is actually a type of plastic that also resembles some characteristics of glass. It is durable and less prone to staining and retaining unwanted odor. But, it can break easily when dropped on the floor.
4. Stainless Steel
This material is durable but not as popular as plastic. It is also more expensive.
What to Look for in an Airtight Food Container
When looking for an airtight food container you need to consider the following:
– Size
Think about the amount of food or ingredient that you want to store in the container. It is also recommended to have different sizes of containers if you are planning to have week-long meal prep. You also need to consider the area where you will store or stack the containers.
– Lid
Make sure that the lid is truly airtight but easy to open and close even when using a single hand. Check the seal, which is usually a silicon gasket, on the inside of the lid.
– Material
You need to decide on the kind of material that you want to have for your container. The most popular are plastic and glass. You can opt to buy plastic and glass containers. Plastic containers are more practical to bring along if you prefer to have packed lunches for work.
– Transparency
As much as possible, choose containers that are see-through so you can easily identify the content and monitor how much of the ingredient you have left. You can determine whether you need to replenish immediately or not.
– Design and Shape
It is best to choose simple designs, although it is a matter of preference. You may want something with elaborate designs for your packed lunch. As for the shape, it is advisable to shy away from containers with odd shapes and stick to squares and rectangles.
– Ease of Cleaning
Your airtight food containers must be easy to clean and dishwasher-safe. You need to maintain your containers to make them work for you for a long time.
What Type of Ingredients can you Store in an Storage Container?
You can store almost all types of food or ingredients in airtight containers, especially the ones that you need to keep away from moisture, insects, and other things that might cause spoilage.
You may store coffee beans, flour, uncooked rice, cereals, dried fruits, spices, and other kitchen staples. You may store leftover dishes or other food items and put them in the fridge.
Airtight food containers can bring you a lot of benefits. Don’t hesitate to get yours today if you still haven’t.
The Bottom line
When it comes to the best airtight food containers it is important to find a set that is great quality and will last but also will not break the bank. The products listed above are all great quality products that will be a great asset to your kitchen. When you have good quality storage containers you can store and keep fresh all of your raw ingredients without having to worry about throwing them out because they went stale.
This list of vetted airtight food storage containers should help you find what you are looking for when it comes to high quality airtight kitchen storage containers.
If you are looking for healthy meal prep recipes please check out:
Jim Lopez, the founder and editor of The Meal Prep Ninja, shares his journey from a passionate bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast to a certified nutrition coach. Certified by Precision Nutrition, Jim aims to empower others with knowledge on meal prep and nutrition, offering resources for busy individuals to enjoy low-calorie, tasty foods. His blog is a community for sharing healthy eating habits and meal prep recipes