Skip to content
With our busy modern lifestyles, meal prepping and freezing food have quickly become popular and necessary practices. But how do you extend the shelf life to ensure you prepare fresh, ready-to-eat meals?
In 2024, there are so many types of food storage containers, from eco-friendly silicone bags to innovative vacuum-sealed options. Using the right ones and doing so correctly can significantly extend the shelf life and quality of your prepped meals.
Here at The Meal Kit Review, we are breaking down which containers to use, how to freeze them properly, and how to optimally store frozen food to reduce food waste and enjoy fresh, ready-made meals.
How Long Can Frozen Food Stay Fresh?
The whole point of freezing food is to keep it fresher for longer and preserve the quality. Freezing meals slows down the chemical changes and microorganism development that causes food to spoil. With the slowed and dormant enzyme activity, your food maintains its taste, texture, and nutritional value.
Properly storing and freezing your food is key to keeping it fresh. How long you can keep food fresh depends on the food, packaging, temperature, and storage techniques. Properly stored frozen food can last 9-12 months for items like whole chicken or turkey, chocolate, frozen fruit, and vegetables. Other fully cooked and prepared foods, like beef, pork, or casseroles, may last up to 3-4 months when done correctly.
What Are the 5 Best Food Containers for Frozen Food?
To minimize freezer burn and preserve freshness, you will want to select the right container type for freezing your food. Consider key factors like durability, airtight seals, and freezer-safe materials. Each container type has pros and cons for maintaining food quality and extending shelf life, so let’s look at the five most common freezer-safe food containers.
Glass Containers with Airtight Lids
Glass containers with airtight lids are some of the best choices due to their durability and ability to keep out odors and moisture. They won’t leach plastics into your food and are a safer alternative to traditional plastic containers. Plus, you can heat your food in them for easy, no-mess meal prep.
Silicone Freezer Bags
Silicone freezer bags have come a long way. They are a more eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags and offer a quality seal to keep freshness. They are easy to clean and take up less space than larger glass containers, making them ideal for certain foods.
Stainless Steel Containers
Stainless steel containers are some of the most durable. They are made to withstand extreme heat and cold and are effective at keeping foods fresh for extended periods. They are also easy to clean and protect against stains and odors.
BPA-Free Plastic Containers
BPA-free plastic containers are lighter and a great option when chosen carefully. You will want to select a quality, reputable, airtight, and durable brand. They come in a variety of convenient sizes, making meal prep and proper portioning a breeze.
Vacuum-Sealed Bags
Vacuum-sealed bags are incredibly effective at keeping foods fresh and maximizing shelf life. They do so by removing the air inside the packaging to minimize the chances of freezer burn. These are great options for longer-term storage and for preserving space.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Food Container for Freezing Food
Apart from protecting food when frozen, there are a couple of other key factors to consider when selecting a freezer-safe container. You will want to choose a practical container that fits your lifestyle needs. Factors like size, dishwasher safety, or durable construction contribute to ensuring convenient food storage and preparation.
Material Durability
A quality container can withstand extreme cold and heat demands without becoming brittle or damaged. A durable material will extend the container’s life and the food it protects.
Airtight Seal
An airtight seal is crucial for extending the freshness and quality of frozen food. Air can quickly damage the texture and flavor of frozen food and promote freezer burn in a shorter amount of time.
Size and Shape
If your freezer is overfilled, airflow will be impacted, and your food won’t freeze evenly. Make sure to choose the right size or shape of the container to fit your needs without overcrowding the available space.
Microwave And Dishwasher Safe
To help streamline the meal prep process, a microwaveable and dishwasher-safe container can save you valuable time and frustration. Check the label to make sure the containers you choose are appropriate for these uses.
How to Properly Label and Organize Frozen Food Containers?
Properly labeling and organizing your food makes it easier and quicker to pull what you need and can prevent food waste from not rotating out older items. It can improve the efficiency of your meal-prepping efforts and make it so much simpler to manage your freezer space.
Use Waterproof Labels or Freezer Tape
Many labels and tape will break down in a freezer’s damp and cold conditions. Look for a waterproof option or use freezer tape to prevent the annoyance of ruined or illegible labels and avoid throwing out food unnecessarily.
Include the Food Name and Date Prepared
Using your food in a timely manner keeps your meals fresh and prevents extra waste. When you label your containers, make sure to include the name and when it was made so you can easily reference what you have on hand.
Implement A Color-Coding System
A color-coding system can make meal prepping even more efficient. At a glance, it can identify the types of meals you have available, the types of proteins, the date, or any other helpful information you want to categorize.
Store Similar Items Together
To effectively organize your freezer, keep similar food items together to make them easy to find and sort. Meals can quickly become buried or hard to find in an unorganized freezer and may go bad or lose optimal freshness before they are found.
What Container Sizes Are Most Versatile for Freezing?
Depending on your freezer space, the portion sizes, and the types of food you want to freeze, you will want to look for an efficient size for your containers. Smaller portion-sized containers are perfect for individual meal prep or storing ingredients and reduce the risk of freezer burn. If you are meal-prepping for a larger family or want to batch-cook meals, you will want to opt for a larger or casserole-sized container to fit your needs.
Each container size serves a different purpose in the meal-prepping process. There are also great sizes for meal leftovers that you may want to freeze for later use. Or bags are effective for soups and sauces. Keeping a variety of sizes and container types gives you more versatility and allows you to have the correct container for the job at hand.
In addition to considering what will fit best in your freezer, you may also want to think about storing them when not in use. There are some great nesting designs and stackable solutions to make it easy to keep a nice selection of freezer-safe containers without sacrificing valuable space.
Bottom Line
To get the most out of your meal-prepping efforts, choose the right container for your needs. Properly storing your food will extend its life and help maintain freshness, flavor, and texture while minimizing food spoilage and freezer burn.
Look for durable, airtight containers that are the right size to preserve space. Labeling and effectively organizing your food streamlines the whole process and makes finding what you need a breeze. The extra time or effort spent selecting the proper food storage containers and techniques can lead to better meal planning experience, reduced food waste, and improved freezer efficiency.
