Glass food storage containers: Simple swaps for a lower-plastic kitchen
Still storing and reheating leftovers in plastic or covering in clingfilm? Discover the best glass food containers for a simple, practical switch — from affordable everyday sets to premium vacuum storage.
Our Top Picks
Pyrex Cook & Store
Reliable borosilicate glass containers that can move between freezer, fridge and oven, making them particularly useful for leftovers and batch cooking.
Joseph Joseph Nest Glass Storage
A clever nesting system that combines durable glass containers with genuinely useful space-saving design.
Zwilling Fresh & Save Glass Vacuum Containers
Borosilicate glass combined with vacuum storage — more expensive, but particularly useful if you meal prep or want food to stay fresh for longer.
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This is one of our favourite kitchen swaps. Not only can switching to glass food storage dramatically reduce the amount of plastic you use, it comes with another bonus — a beautifully organised fridge where you can actually see what you've got.
Why rethink plastic food containers?
Plastic food containers are convenient, but repeated contact between plastic and food — particularly when containers are heated, scratched or heavily worn — is one area where reducing plastic exposure is relatively easy.
Research has shown that plastic food containers can release microplastics under some conditions, with heat being particularly relevant.
Glass is a simple alternative. It doesn't shed plastic from the container itself, doesn't absorb smells or stains and can last for years if looked after.
For leftovers, batch cooking and reheating food, it's one of the easiest kitchen swaps you can make.
Many glass food containers still have plastic lids. That's not necessarily a reason to avoid them — particularly if the lid doesn't touch hot food.
Our preference is simple: store food in glass, remove plastic lids before heating, and allow very hot food to cool before putting the lid on.
What should you look for?
Borosilicate glass
Our first choice for containers that will also be used for cooking or reheating. Borosilicate glass copes well with temperature changes, making it particularly useful for containers moving between storage and cooking.
Tempered glass
Another strong, durable option for everyday food storage. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions, particularly when moving glass between very cold and very hot temperatures.
Stainless steel
Stainless-steel containers are light, durable and avoid plastic food-contact surfaces. They're particularly useful for packed lunches, although they can't go in the microwave and you can't see what's inside.
What we looked for
We prioritised glass food-contact surfaces, durability and containers that can do more than simply hold leftovers.
We also considered lid design, freezer and oven suitability, ease of cleaning, replacement parts, independent reviews, value and, importantly, how well the containers keep food fresh.
Some glass containers are worth spending a little more on. They are something you're likely to use for years. Better-quality sets tend to offer more secure lids, greater durability and useful features such as oven-to-fridge cooking, nesting designs or vacuum storage — making them easier to use every day.
Our Glass Food Storage Recommendations
Best Budget (£)
Pyrex Cook & Store
Pyrex Cook & Store is a simple and affordable way to replace old plastic tubs with glass.
The borosilicate glass dishes can be used for cooking, storing leftovers and reheating them, which means fewer containers and less washing up
- Borosilicate glass
- Oven and microwave safe without the lid
- Freezer safe
- Plastic lids
- Lids can't go in a conventional oven
Where to buy
LocknLock Oven Glass
If you regularly take leftovers to work or send food out of the house, LocknLock's glass range offers something Pyrex doesn't: particularly secure locking lids.
- Glass food-contact surface
- Secure locking lids
- Useful for transporting food
- Oven-safe glass base
- Freezer and dishwasher suitable
- Plastic lids
- Lids can't go in conventional oven
- Clips add bulk
Where to buy
Best Mid-range (££)
Joseph Joseph Nest Glass Storage
Glass storage is great until you discover how much cupboard space six glass containers and six separate lids can occupy.
Joseph Joseph's Nest range solves that particularly well. The glass containers nest inside one another and the lids clip neatly together, making the set considerably easier to organise.
- Glass food-contact containers
- Excellent space-saving design
- Different sizes in one set
- Lids clip together
- Freezer, dishwasher and microwave suitable
- Plastic lids
- Lids can't go in conventional oven
Where to buy
Glasslock Food Storage Set
Glasslock keeps things simple: sturdy tempered-glass containers combined with secure locking lids.
- Tempered-glass food-contact surface
- Secure locking lids
- Good range of sizes
- Dishwasher and freezer safe
- Plastic lids
- Lids can't go in conventional oven
Where to buy
Best Premium (£££)
Zwilling Fresh & Save Glass Vacuum Containers
Zwilling takes glass storage a step further by combining borosilicate glass containers with its Fresh & Save vacuum system. A small pump removes air through a valve in the lid, helping food stay fresh for longer. It's particularly useful if you batch cook, meal prep or regularly find forgotten leftovers lurking at the back of the fridge. The containers can also be used for food preparation, oven cooking, serving and storage.
- Borosilicate glass
- Vacuum-storage system
- Excellent for meal prep
- Oven-safe glass containers
- Freezer and dishwasher suitable
- Different sizes available
- Lids contain plastic
- Lids can't go in conventional oven
Where to buy
Zwilling Fresh & Save La Mer Glass Set
If you want to switch several containers at once, Zwilling also offers larger Fresh & Save glass sets built around the same vacuum-storage system.
It's a bigger initial investment, but makes more sense than buying individual premium containers if you know you'll use the vacuum system regularly.
- Borosilicate glass
- Vacuum-storage system
- Excellent for meal prep
- Oven-safe glass containers
- Freezer and dishwasher suitable
- Different sizes available
- Lids contain plastic
- More expensive
- Lids can't go in conventional oven
Where to buy
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