Food storage containers (tupperware alternative)

[supersudo]

One thing I've started exploring lately is freezer meals. It's basically like making your own "frozen dinners" and you can make them in individual portions, family size, or anything in between. You can get these out when you're hungry, pop 'em in the oven/microwave, and eat when your food is cooked. It's that easy.

I'm working through the recipes here: http://thrivinghomeblog.com/healthy-recipes-index/healthy-freezer-meals-recipes/
This philosophy is all about doing a ton of prep/cooking for a few hours one day, and then resting on your laurels for a week or two (or longer, with more freezer space). Anything that lets me not cook when I get home on a weekday is a good thing in my book. It facilitates buying in bulk, which is usually cheaper. I always add extra veggies and make the dishes as healthy as I want to.

I recently bought 2 of these 18 pc sets for $23 each at Costco: http://thesweethome.com/reviews/the-best-food-storage-containers/
They're the best rated food storage containers on the market, and they're glass (safer), water/airtight, oven/microwave/dishwasher/freezer safe! They come out to <$2.56 per container, which is a great deal. The lids are guaranteed for life, pyrex is guaranteed for a shorter duration.

I can prep my soon to be frozen lasagna in one of these containers, and freeze it. When I want to cook it, I can put the container directly from the fridge to oven! So easy!

I've only been using these for a short while, but they seem high quality and as I've had other pyrex containers in the past, I expect these will last a very long time.

[Rezdent]

Thanks for the links!
We do a modified bulk cooking method and I am interested in this set but still haven't made up my mind.

Do they stack well?
Do you pack them along for lunches?

Ideally I would like at least a few glass containers that are divided so that I could make up complete dinners (TV dinner-style) that would be heat and eat but I haven't found any that meet my wants.  These look like they might be closest to what I want, minus the divisions.

[zolotiyeruki]

We use gallon sized ziploc freezer bags. For dry storage, we use the rectangular ice cream buckets from walmart

[supersudo]

Do they stack well?
Do you pack them along for lunches?

They all stack fine when they're full and in the freezer. When they're not in use the empty containers are stackable by type, but I find the rectangular ones easier and more compact to stack than the round ones (the round ones have more vertical side walls).

I haven't brought them for lunches yet, but would have no problem doing so. They are heavier than plastic containers, so if you want lightweight containers these would not be ideal. They are leak-proof, if that is your concern. I like a little rice and curry for lunch, so I'm planning on filling one of the personal-sized containers with half rice half curry and defrost/reheat it for lunch at work.

[merula]

Ideally I would like at least a few glass containers that are divided so that I could make up complete dinners (TV dinner-style) that would be heat and eat but I haven't found any that meet my wants.  These look like they might be closest to what I want, minus the divisions.

FWIW, you're probably better off without the divisions unless the stuff you're dividing has exactly the same cooking time/temp. If not, and it's all in one container, you'll never get everything cooked right.

One option to consider would be getting a school cafeteria-style tray and the small Pyrex containers. They seem like the right size to fit in the divided sections. Bonus would be that you can mix and match meals and sides.

[fidgiegirl]

Thanks for sharing.  I have been thinking about new containers because we do so much freezing but our hodgepodge of different ones is driving me nuts.

[Cookie]

I have 2 sets of these and love them! But don't microwave the lids, 2 of the round lids don't close tightly now. They are fine for the fridge but I don't trust them to be spill proof for taking a lunch in. The other containers I pack lunches in no problem. I also use these to bake in which makes it so nice to use one container to bake, serve, and then store the leftovers in.

[Druid]

What I hate about those sets is that they come in so many different sizes. Making your own tv dinners is a great idea! However the best freezer set up would have identical square tupperware that is no bigger than your typical portion. That way they can stack perfectly like legos.

[Cookie]

I like the variety of sizes, but I have also seen them for sale individually and am considering getting more of the large ones.

[Druid]

This post inspired me to get two of these...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C774T8S/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER