Meal Prep Containers: Healthy Eating Redefined

Last Updated on February 2, 2021 by TheMealPrepNinja

Meal Prep Containers for Healthy Eating

Meal prep containers – By now, it’s evident that healthy or nutritional eating plays an integral part in one’s weight loss journey and overall fitness. No amount of exercise will do the job if you don’t stick to a strict diet plan, period. 80% of a person’s overall fitness hugely depends on their diet. The figure does not account for any physical activity, just a normal sedentary life with general inactivity.

Dietary nutrients play a critical role in shaping or accomplishing our goals. Not only is it important to understand the kind of foods that are appropriate for us, but how we cook and store them is also crucial. We don’t want to go through all the trouble while prepping our meals only to lose the essential nutrients through sloppy storage practices.

Having healthy meals, particularly when away from the house, is quite taxing. With each meal added to the day, the prospects of achieving healthy eating increasingly become a mirage. However, due to meal prepping’s easy nature, we can incorporate other storage aspects to ensure that you partake of your healthy meal on the go. 

Welcome to the world of meal prep containers.

They are a fantastic way of storing your range of healthy meals, ensuring you still get on track in accomplishing your dietary needs. Let’s look at the benefits and the various types of meal prep containers.

Why Should We Bother With Meal Prep Containers?

These are just some of the benefits that accrue when using meal prep containers. They will definitely get you pumped up and make your meal prepping easy and enjoyable.

• Your cooking aligns with your schedule since you prepare meals in advance.

• Saves time since you’ll pull out your prepped meals or ingredients, allowing you more time to engage in other activities.

• You get to save more by avoiding take-outs since your meals and ingredients are on the ready.

• It’s easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle since it encourages healthy eating. Organizing your healthy portions brings about attractiveness, encouraging healthy habits.

• Such containers avoid food wastage. You can store back your leftovers, provided you consume them within the stipulated time (3-4 Days).

• There’s a low possibility of loss of flavor for the glass containers and are much safer compared to plastic ones.

• Reduce pollution since they are reusable and avoids the use of polythene plastic sheets.   

Different types of meal prep containers line the shelves, and honestly, you’d be overwhelmed with the options. However, most people prefer to use plastic containers. In this short guide, we try and explain the different types at your disposal, their pros, and cons. The chart below distinguishes and tries to simplify it as much as possible. 

 Plastic Meal Prep Containers

What is the best plastic meal prep container? My favorite is the

50-Pack Meal Prep Plastic Microwavable Food Containers

The lingering question in most people’s minds is whether plastic containers are safe. The answer is yes, and no. Some plastic containers are known to contain trace elements of BPA (Bisphenol A). Such elements could leak into your food when such containers are exposed to heat sources such as microwaves. Though large doses of BPA would pose a serious threat to your health, low doses from such containers still pose a health risk.

However, there are options to choose from the plastic category since some come labeled as BPA-free.

Advantages

•  Relatively light compared to glass and metal
• Quite cheap compared to other storage forms
• Kid-friendly, coming in different shapes and sizes
• See-through capability.

Some of the disadvantages include; Poor durability, not eco-friendly, and may pose a health risk (BPA).

N.B Plastics come with a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages depending on their qualities. For instance, the Reditainer 2 Compartment containers are leak-proof, microwavable, freezable, and BPA -free. They are also reusable and sturdy.

Glass Meal Prep Containers

What is the best glass meal prep containers? My favorite is the Glass Meal Prep Containers

While glass meal prep containers are touted as the safest mode of food storage, that doesn’t mean that other storage forms aren’t safe, with some exceptions. The major advantage of glass over other forms is the absence of BPA traces.

Advantages

• They are stain-free and resistant to smell
• They preserve food’s flavor
• Come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
• They are microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe.

The only downside to glass containers is the fact that they are brittle and poorly portable. Such drawbacks outweigh the positives, making them a second choice to a hardcore meal prep ninja.

3 Compartment Containers

What is the best 3 compartment containers? My favorite is the 9 Pack Glass Meal Prep Containers 3 & 2

Such containers mostly come in an array of plastic varieties. Some of the advantages include;

•  A clear transparent lid and polypropylene insulation to maintain food’s temperature
•  Most come in a BPA -free materials meaning they are safe when using a microwave.
• They can also be tossed in the freezer or dishwasher for later use.
• They are designed to be stackable, ensuring the maximum usage of fridge space. It’s design further avoids an avalanche every time you decide to open your cabinet.

With the optional range with which plastics come in, the pertinent question remains…

Are Glass Meal Prep Containers Better Than Plastic?

In case you don’t cringe when your colleague heats his/her food in a microwave during lunch break, then you better educate yourself on the adverse effects of plastic that surrounds and smothers your food.

Polystyrene… Polyvinyl Chloride… Polycarbonates… BPA…BPS… The list is endless. When heated, such plastics produce chemical compounds that diffuse into your food leading to autism, cancers, and asthmatic attacks. It’s advisable for those using plastics to look out for such labels to determine where you fall on the safety scale.

Glass containers are generally safer. You can heat and re-heat glass without worrying about chemicals leaching. They are also durable and preserve the food’s flavor, not to mention being easily recyclable and eco-friendly.

Since a glass meal prep container comes with a tightly sealed cover, your food retains its freshness, making you feel more sanitary and safer.

How About Freezing?

The next best thing from heavy-duty zip-lock bags is glass meal prep containers when it comes to freezing food. However, they stack neatly compared to freezer bags and are easily fillable with liquids such as soups and stew. Further, they don’t pick up stains and smell, but caution should be exercised. 

N.B. It’s ill-advised to heat such glass directly from the freezer. The sudden temperature change often leads to glass breakage or cracks.

 Also, let food cool down completely before packing them in such containers and stacking them in your freezer.

So, What do You Look For When Shopping For Containers?

Whether you’ve decided to embark on the meal prep journey or you just want to improve your routine, getting the right containers should be a great place to start. Therefore, you should be on the lookout for such;

Materials

Containers come in different arrays of materials. If you are commuting, a sturdy plastic container would be much better than glass. Various factors, such as re-heating, freezer space, among others, will determine your choice.

Size 

Adhering to your portion size and overall health goals will further determine the size of your containers. You don’t want a large container that will encourage overfeeding or food wastage.

Suitable Layout

If you are critical about mixing food, there are containers with separate compartments just for that. Keeping your veggies and meats apart from your grains looks more attractive and organized.

However, a point to note is that dividers minimize space, so you’ll need a sizable container to ensure all your portions adequately fit.

Leak-proof Lids

You’ll have to dig deeper into your pockets if you desire containers with leak-proof lids, which is definitely a good thing. You need to be sure that your sauces and salad dressing won’t escape from your container, messing up your day.

Cost Factor

As an ardent meal prepper or a beginner, planning what to eat for days in advance will require you to invest in several containers to accommodate your meals. The cost can pretty much add up.

For starters, buy one set. Sets usually get advertised in pieces, which include lids- You’ll actually get fewer containers. However, if you are willing to break the bank, glass containers are worth the investment.

Ease of Cleaning

Another factor to consider is how easy it would be to clean the container after usage. Most people prefer containers that are easy to rinse under running water. Stainless steel and glass containers are easily cleanable, leaving no funky smell nor requiring a tonne of scrubbing. On the other hand, it won’t be fun either when washing hard to wash containers in bulk. 

Durability

At the end of the day, you want a container that will stretch your money’s worth. It would be best if you had containers capable of handling the daily rough and tumble, something that’s not going to cave into the microwaves’ heat or crack under cold freezing temperatures.

Final Thoughts

Whether you are a newbie or a seasoned meal prepper, there’s definitely something for everyone regarding meal prep containers. It all boils down to your preferences, health reasons, and other factors. As a reminder, meal prep containers will help you achieve your macro goals and your overall health objectives. All you have to do is choose wisely and have a keen eye on the details that’ll suit your lifestyle. 

Other Helpful Resources

12 Best Airtight Food Containers

Best Meal Prep Lunch Box Bags Review Guide

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