Really want to get away from plastic meal prep containers: Glass or Stainless?

johnsyke
johnsyke Posts: 6 Member
I hate reusable plastic containers for a bunch of reasons-staining, bad for environment, etc and want to get some new meal prep containers for home and work. Between stainless steel and glass what's your favorite?

Really want to get away from plastic meal prep containers: Glass or Stainless? 19 votes

Glass
94%
ninerbuffWynterbournecwolfman13megd44BarbaraHelen2013joans1976WidgetserAnnPT77NinaMorgan27mbosco88mspringlering62herblovinmomMarionkrutehju0901royekdDFW_TomSafariGalNYCigiwax1 18 votes
Stainless Steel
5%
johnsyke 1 vote

Replies

  • ehju0901
    ehju0901 Posts: 394 Member
    Glass
    I love Pyrex. I don't think I could ever go back to plastic.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    Definitely glass. You can see what’s inside without opening 57 containers and it can go straight from fridge to microwave without having to transfer to a microwave-safe container and dirty even more dishes than cooking at home already makes. Probably 50% of any “cooking” I do is in the microwave and switching containers every time I wanted to eat wouldn’t work for long.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    Glass
    Can't microwave stainless steel.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,686 Member
    Glass
    For the reasons above.

    Am also making my own skyr and plan to start making yogurt again. Not sure how practical it is to make cottage cheese. We go through a LOT.

    Throwing out a plastic tub of one or the other a day is bothering me.

    We do try to reuse them for food storage but you just can’t reuse that many.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,622 Member
    Glass
    I voted glass for the reasons others have cited, but I do choose stainless steel for water bottles and insulated hot-drink mugs. I tend to drop my water bottles now and then on concrete (like at the boathouse) . . . glass shatters, stainless steel just gets dings, so NBD. If it dents enough not to want to stand upright, whacking it in other spots with a hammer will usually level things out. I've used the same bottle for literal decades.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Glass
    Pyrex glass. My "lunchbox" I take to work generally has anywhere from 3-5 containers in it depending on what I'm having for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Seeing what's in each makes it easy to pull out what I need...plus, it usually goes into the microwave to reheat.
  • johnsyke
    johnsyke Posts: 6 Member
    Stainless Steel
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Can't microwave stainless steel.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Ever tried?
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,235 Member
    edited May 2023
    Glass
    johnsyke wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Can't microwave stainless steel.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Ever tried?

    While your microwave is not likely to explode from nuking stainless steel, it can still arc, spark, and start fires and seriously damage your microwave and is absolutely not recommended. My cousin had the bottom glass shatter into a million pieces when a twist tie got in there unnoticed and was touching the glass. That aside, why would you even want to? Stainless steel can not be penetrated by microwaves and your food would be horribly, inefficiently heated.

  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    johnsyke wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Can't microwave stainless steel.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Ever tried?

    While your microwave is not likely to explode from nuking stainless steel, it can still arc, spark, and start fires and seriously damage your microwave and is absolutely not recommended. My cousin had the bottom glass shatter into a million pieces when a twist tie got in there unnoticed and was touching the glass. That aside, why would you even want to? Stainless steel can not be penetrated by microwaves and your food would be horribly, inefficiently heated.

    Microwave fires are no joke. I accidentally left a twist tie on some bread I was defrosting and the whole thing caught on fire and every time we tried to use the microwave it smelled like smoke after that. I can't imagine what an entire stainless steel bowl would do.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Glass
    johnsyke wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Can't microwave stainless steel.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Ever tried?

    Stainless steel isn't supposed to be used in a microwave...

    You're a troll
  • johnsyke
    johnsyke Posts: 6 Member
    Stainless Steel
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    johnsyke wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Can't microwave stainless steel.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Ever tried?

    Stainless steel isn't supposed to be used in a microwave...

    You're a troll

    Yep definitely a joke. I couldn't imagine an entire stainless steel container going in there. Although funnily enough while doing this shopping I came across a stainless steel container that claims to be microwaveable. I'm going to pass and let others try that one out.
  • jazzyjez
    jazzyjez Posts: 36 Member
    I switched to mostly glass and all my lids are breaking! I discovered the hard way to not put them in the freezer! But even the ones I didn’t are breaking. I have washed them on top rack of dishwasher but maybe they can’t take the heat and I should hand wash them? I don’t know why they’ve lasted longer than the plastic lids that I had from before. Has anyone replaced just their lids?
  • LaetitiaLouise
    LaetitiaLouise Posts: 44 Member
    I've got glass ones but they have plastic lids. Bought them online (Amazon I think). They are brilliant and so easy to wash.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    jazzyjez wrote: »
    I switched to mostly glass and all my lids are breaking! I discovered the hard way to not put them in the freezer! But even the ones I didn’t are breaking. I have washed them on top rack of dishwasher but maybe they can’t take the heat and I should hand wash them? I don’t know why they’ve lasted longer than the plastic lids that I had from before. Has anyone replaced just their lids?

    I order replacement Pyrex lids from Amazon and have had no problems. I just replace them all once every year or two.
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,586 Member
    edited May 2023
    Glass
    Glass definitely. I learned the hard way at 12 about metal in the microwave. :# oops (I used my great grandmothers special china and it had gold gilt edges.. I didn't know it was real gold til it sparked..)

    Also - anyone tried silicone sealable bags for lunch?.. thinking about a few of those!