[Suzanne 3FC]

Do you use them? Any tips or suggestions for their use?

Here's mine...

I like the Gladware and Ziploc brands. I tried the Rubbermaid "take alongs" but thought they had a chemical or petroleum odor that came off in my food, no matter how many times I washed them. I ended up using them to store screws and doo-dads. I tried the cheap knock-offs at Walmart, but they were not flexible enough and difficult to close. Other store brands, such as Food City, are good and can be a great bargain.

Ziploc makes small 1 cup round containers that I find perfect for making portion controlled frozen dinners, such as veggie chili or soup. They also are good for storing cut onions in the fridge.

I buy most of my spices in bulk, fresh ground for best flavor, and get them in bags to save money. I used to invest in spice jars, but now use the small containers (above) to store them. I can easily see how much is in them, and they stack nicely in my cabinet, saving space. They are especially useful for whole spices such as nutmeg or bay leaves, that need something better than a regular spice jar.

I like the large ones for mixing a dinner salad for one. It's less messy than tossing on a plate or even a regular bowl. I can add my dressing, cover with lid, and shake to coat. I even eat out of it

[a broad abroad]

I use mine all the time. I'm not sure if they're Glad or Ziploc, but they have lasted a long time. Also, when we moved they were great for jewelry, transporting small things that you don't want misplaced or accidentally thrown away while unpacking.

Mostly, I pre-cut all my salad ingredients (such as onions that you mentinoed) but not too much at one time or it gets soggy. I stack them in the fridge together so I can pull out all the salad stuff at once. They're good for storing deli cut cheese and meat as well.

Sometimes I use them for leftovers too, and after a while if they develop those little bubbles from being in the micro, then I use them for do-dads too.

[Only Me]

I must be really cheap. I just re-use old sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, deli salad, ice cream, etc containers. They cost nothing extra at all so I have no problems with throwing them out, and I've got a few different sizes.

[Jennifer 3FC]

I used to use containers from food, but I found that I always had a cabinet with a million sizes of containers and lids, and usually about 20 of one or the other too many! Hard to believe what a breath of fresh air these little containers are when I open up the cabinet.

Suzanne, try the small rectangular ones from Kroger's with the purple lids. They hold portions just right for BFL with enough space to stir or mix up when I'm at work. I forgot you told me that's what you do with your spices. I need you to come over and rearrange my kitchen and get me organized like you!

[EquiTammy]

I love my Gladware! DH thinks I have WAY too much, but to me I never have enough.
For Canadians, I recently bought a large variety pack of the superstore no name type brand. Not as flexible as the brand name, but I'm happy with it nonetheless.
I even started using them to keep my horseshoe nails and whatnot in. lol

[Suzanne 3FC]

Originally Posted by Jennifer 3FC

Suzanne, try the small rectangular ones from Kroger's with the purple lids. They hold portions just right for BFL with enough space to stir or mix up when I'm at work. I forgot you told me that's what you do with your spices. I need you to come over and rearrange my kitchen and get me organized like you!

Jen, I wouldn't be caught dead in Kroger's!! Maybe if I won the lottery, lol. I think there are anti-kroger websites out there, lol. But that's another thread

[Apple Blossom]

Something to consider....
I NEVER microwave in plastic. Ill store stuff in it but I dump it into ceramic to heat up. I've read warnings about it and it seems to make sense. And it just seems unhealthy to me, the way plastic holds stains and changes texture in the micro. Yuck.

[JanetG]

I too keep every container I can - I have a neat fetish like that. I like the clear Ziplock ones over the old sour cream, cream cheese ect containers because I was always finding the sour cream instead of the leftovers I was searching for. One weekend every few months, especially in the fall, I have a cooking marathon where I make 4-5 different soups, a few stews, and casseroles and freeze in individual servings for those all to frequent days I get home from work and don't want to cook. Then all my containers end up in the freezer and I either have to buy more, or break out the tinfoil!