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Everything You Need To Know About Meal Prep Containers

September 7, 2017 by Talia Koren 5 Comments

This is probably obvious, but if you want meal prep to be easy, you need meal prep containers first.

I grew up in one of those houses where we always had a cabinet packed with plastic and glass containers with lids everywhere. It was the kind of thing where if you opened up the cabinet wrong, you’d get an avalanche of plastic boxes clattering at your feet.

I’ve always had containers in my possession. When I moved out, my mom happily gave me some of hers and we bought some super cheap ones at Ikea, which lasted about three months.

The problem was that my containers weren’t meal-prep friendly at all.

They were old, cracked, leaked in my bag and were totally the wrong size.

It wasn’t until I started taking meal prep seriously that I sought out the perfect container — a plastic, leak-proof, BPA-free, microwave and dishwasher safe container that holds about three cups of food.

It took awhile to find the perfect one for me. And what works for me might not work for you! It takes some trial and error, but hopefully, this post will be a shortcut to help you figure what’s best for you and your lifestyle.

In this post, I’m going answer some of the most common questions I get about meal prep containers regarding material, size and where to find the best one. 

This post is sponsored by Lock & Lock.

What's In This Post

  • Are plastic meal prep containers safe?
  • Plastic vs. glass containers is personal preference.
  • Yes, size matters.
  • Should you get containers with dividers?
  • How many containers do you really need?
  • Are you like my friend who didn’t have meal prep containers?

Are plastic meal prep containers safe?

This is the most common question/comment I receive. There’s a common belief that plastic is plain bad for you, but that’s not 100% true.

This belief comes from what we know about BPA (Bisphenol A) and phthalates found in plastic containers coming into contact with the food we put in them. And while some of the materials in plastic containers may “leak” into the food, you’d have to come into contact with large quantities of these two plastic components to be at risk of serious health danger.

The brands I use, like Lock and Lock, are BPA free. Meaning, they have passed the FDA’s specific regulations for being microwave and dishwasher safe.

You’re more at risk when you use containers, plastics and materials that are clearly not microwave safe, like saran wrap and water bottles and some restaurant takeout containers, which melt when heated.

According to experts at WebMD, the danger of plastic coming into contact with food is somewhat of an urban legend based on what they’ve studied and tested so far for the past 40 years. They report that in order for serious BPA or phthalates leakage to happen, you’d have to heat your food at 700 degrees Fahrenheit, which I really hope you’re not doing!

Click here to read tips for making the most out of plastic containers and making sure you’re using them safely.

Plastic is my choice because it’s lighter and more convenient than glass.

I’m not keen on lugging a heavy glass container to and from work every day, especially in the city where I walk with a big tote bag or a backpack.

Plastic vs. glass containers is personal preference.

At the end of the day, whether you choose plastic or glass containers is personal preference. If you’re still concerned about plastic, or not sure which way to go, I highly recommend doing some more research from credible sources even glass ones like in this set. Try a few containers until you figure out what you like! Being scared of plastic, unsure about it or not wanting to spend the money on containers is NO excuse to avoid meal prep if you believe that will help you lead a healthier lifestyle!

If you’re like me and are comfortable with plastic, I still recommend keeping a handful of glass containers around the house for your dinner prep.

Since you aren’t likely transporting your dinner prep to and from work like you are with lunch, using glass containers makes reheating food in the oven easier — especially if you don’t have a microwave at home like me.

Yes, size matters.

When I started meal prepping, I didn’t realize how much the size of my meal prep containers mattered. I just grabbed whatever I saw at the supermarket, and that happened to be the 40 oz containers like this.

These are deep and pretty bulky to take to work, but I used them anyway. I’d fill them up to the top with cooked food, which happened to be more than I needed to eat. So I’d have to either toss out the leftovers or overeat until I felt gross. Both are not great options!

When I switched to the smaller 25 oz containers I found my perfect portion size.

The 25 oz containers hold about three cups of food and for someone my size who has a sedentary job, it’s the perfect lunch size. Filling up these containers then eating every last bite didn’t leave me in a food coma, nor did I have to throw out extras. A win win!

I highly recommend experimenting with container sizes before sticking with one so you can figure out your perfect meal portion size.

Eating the right portion sized meals is integral to maintain, lose or gain weight. Don’t let using the wrong size meal prep containers slow you down!

Should you get containers with dividers?

Meal prep containers with dividers can be a huge help when it comes to portioning out macronutrients (carbs, protein, fat). they’re also great for people who don’t want certain food groups to touch.

meal prep container with divider

Some containers have removable and adjustable dividers, like this one I used to take plane snacks in. I definitely didn’t want the grapefruit to touch the red pepper here!

Like plastic vs. glass, getting containers with dividers is personal preference.

How many containers do you really need?

If you saw my meal prep container drawer, you’d be appalled at just how many containers I have. It’s a mess in there! But that’s because I run a meal prep blog. If I was a normal person, I would have much less in my possession.

The amount of containers you should have depends on how many meals you prep per week.

Here’s how I’d break down the number of containers I need:

    • Five 11 oz (small) containers for overnight oats
    • Five or six containers for lunch
    • Four containers for dinner
    • Four 3 oz mini containers for peanut butter, hummus, dressing etc

    That’s 18 containers total. And I’d probably keep two extra just in case.

    overnight oats in meal prep containers

    To find the amount of containers you really need, do a realistic count of how many meals you can see yourself prepping each week and go from there. You can always get more if you need more!

    The best thing about investing in good containers is that they last a long time.

    I’ve only bought new containers a handful of times and I love that they’re reusable, dishwasher safe (and better for the environment because you create less waste).

    Something that really bugged me about buying take out for lunch is how much trash I had at the end of every meal. Now I have close to none.

    Investing in high-quality containers saves you money in the end because they last longer. The ones I originally bought at Ikea and the grocery store cracked after a few months, which makes them unsafe as my food would then be exposed to more harmful plastic chemicals.

    If you have containers on hand at all times that’s one less barrier between you and getting meal prep done.

    Are you like my friend who didn’t have meal prep containers?

    One of my friends had been talking about doing meal prep for months and months, but it never happened.

    So I finally asked her, why haven’t you brought lunch to work or meal prepped yet?

    She said, well, I just haven’t gotten around to buying containers. I have no time to go to Target.

    My jaw almost hit the floor. This is why Amazon exists! So I ordered her a pack of 16 containers off Amazon and had them shipped to her house. She got to meal prepping the next week!

    I hope this post helped clear up some of your confusion around meal prep containers. Further questions? comments? drop them below.

    Get useful meal prep tips and information delivered directly to your inbox for free! Just sign up below.



    Are you vegan

Filed Under: Blog, Kitchen & Meal Prep Essentials, Meal Prep Pro Tips, Sustainable Meal Prep Tagged With: meal plan, meal planning, meal prep, meal prep containers

Comments

  1. Stacia

    September 21, 2017 at 12:36 pm

    Great post!! Going through trial and error myself I have the luxury of coming home from work to eat lunch so thankfully I don’t need many.

    Reply
  2. Joel

    January 23, 2018 at 8:24 pm

    Can you send me a weekly meal plan. For breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner and snack please please please I’m really trying to eqt healthy🙏🙏🙏🙏

    Reply
    • workweeklunch

      January 24, 2018 at 4:40 am

      I have meal plans available here on my site! I don’t make custom ones, unfortunately.

      Reply
  3. ELizabeth

    January 29, 2018 at 11:34 pm

    Can you post a link of the amazon 16 pack containers you bought please ??? I can’t find one that ships 16 containers.

    Reply
    • workweeklunch

      January 30, 2018 at 1:35 am

      I just emailed you!

      Reply

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Workweek Lunch | Talia Koren
Savory 🌯 or sweet 🥞 breakfasts: which are yo Savory 🌯 or sweet 🥞 breakfasts: which are you more in the mood for lately? Tell me with your fave breakfast emoji in the comments!
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🌯Favorite savory breakfasts in WWL:
-all our breakfast burritos
-frittatas
-breakfast sandwiches
-savory overnight oats
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🥞Favorite sweet breakfasts in WWL
-muffins
-scones
-pancakes and waffles
-sweet overnight oats
-all the granola
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We have loads of easy breakfast recipes in the WWL Program! The soyrizo/chorizo burritos are coming soon 🙌🏼
Meal prep motivation... that has NOTHING to do wit Meal prep motivation... that has NOTHING to do with weight loss 🙌🏼 what’s motivating you these days? If you’re not feeling motivated but genuinely want to prepare food for the week, what’s stopping you?
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Keep swiping for real life motivation from the amazing folks in this community!!
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Stay tuned on stories for my #sundaymealprep process!
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Recipes here: banh mi bowls, sheet pan sausage meal prep, chicken piccata and muffins. Recipes are in the WWL Program for members only! Learn more about our weekly meal plan membership in my bio link - get started with a free trial if you’re on the fence!! You can cancel anytime if it’s not for you.
Figuring out the best portion size for meal prep i Figuring out the best portion size for meal prep is a process! But it’s something only you can decide for yourself through experimentation.
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And even when you know generally how much you like to eat in one sitting, you’ll still get it wrong sometimes and make too much/too little food. That’s ok!!
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The containers in the top row of this photo are the “standard” sizes of meal prep containers you’ll find online or in grocery stores. You can find links in story highlights!
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Just note that even though a container holds 3 cups of food doesn’t mean there’s actually 3 cups of food in there! I never fill mine to the very top. That’s just a practicality thing.
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Also 3 cups of a salad is different than 3 cups of chili. It’s not just about the container size, but the balance of what’s IN them too. And I don’t mean balance as in “healthy” vs not... I mean balance of macronutrients like protein, carbs, fat, veg etc.
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For our recipes: most of our members say the portion sizes are on the bigger side, but that only means they get more servings out of it! We never tell anyone how much to eat.
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We always get questions around pancakes, muffins, breads etc. it’s hard because YOU are the one deciding to eat 1 muffin in one sitting or 4. Or all of them. We don’t care. Same with pancakes - it depends on how big YOU make them and how many you want to eat. Same with wraps. How big are your wraps? If they’re small, would you make 2 wraps in a “meal” or 1? It’s really up to you.
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Sometimes I prep too much and don’t finish meals. Sometimes it’s too little and I eat more after the meal. My best advice: go into meal prep knowing your body needs different amounts of food every day. At least you’re prepared because you DO need to eat every day!
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I hope this helps clear up some questions around portion size, which is often sooo connected to dieting and restriction.  But it’s really up to YOU to determine.
Coming next week to WWL: soyrizo/chorizo breakfast Coming next week to WWL: soyrizo/chorizo breakfast burritos! 🌯It kinda rhymes. And it tastes so good!
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👍🏼I’m storing mine in @stasherbag (gallon size) in the fridge and reheating them in the microwave and broiler (yes if you have an air fryer or toaster oven go for it, I don’t have one!)
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👈🏼Swipe to see a burrito rolling tutorial in here too!
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😍We love prepping breakfasts in the WWL Program. Learn more in my bio link about our weekly meal plans, grocery lists, meal planning tools and easy recipes for omnivores and plant-based eaters!
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Oh and yeah I did the trendy quesadilla hack with the leftovers for my lunch today 💯💯
Yes, it’s definitely easier said than done but t Yes, it’s definitely easier said than done but this is basically it. 👇🏼
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It seems counterintuitive but the answer to binge eating isn’t more restriction.
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Restriction is generally what fuels binge eating a good amount of time, although not always. This post is meant to address binge eating as a result of restriction, not Binge Eating Disorder. Just to make that clear!
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And I’m sending compassion and virtual hugs to anyone who is currently dealing with binge eating in any form.
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I used to try so hard to avoid chocolate, peanut m&ms (my fave), bread, pasta, cereal and sweets in general by not having them in the house. But guess what I used to think about ALL THE TIME? All the foods I restricted. And when I had an opportunity to eat them, I ate A LOT of them because I thought it was my last chance. Which led to more guilt and more restriction followed by, you guessed it! More binge eating. It’s such a rollercoaster.
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I started making peace with these foods by buying them for the house one at a time until I felt more in control around them. Until I forgot they were even there. Restriction gives food power over us. Permission does the opposite.
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Now I hardly ever binge eat thanks to incorporating all the foods I like into my daily/weekly eating routine AND eating regularly throughout the day, which is why I don’t get ravenous at night. It took time but I feel a lot better.
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Where are you in your journey when it comes to this? What are steps you’re taking/you’ve taken to help make peace with your binge foods?
It feels like a year went by since we put out last It feels like a year went by since we put out last Wednesday’s new meal plan. 😅
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It’s been a crazy and stressful time to be alive yeah? If this week you noticed a change in your appetite caused by stress - that’s NORMAL. Do your best to roll with it and practice self compassion. And maybe cooking can be a good distraction while also giving you an chance to take care of your future self.
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👈🏼Swipe through to see what we have featured this week in the WWL Program for members!
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👍🏼All of these recipes are either new or freshly updated! Lots to try, and if these don’t inspire you, we have HUNDREDS of meal prep recipes to choose from. You can create your own meal plans in our program! Yay flexibility!
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👇🏼We have:
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🍯Honey Dijon Salmon Greens & Orzo Bowls
(Vegan alt: Everything Tofu)
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🥦Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
(Vegan alt: Chickpea balls)
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🥕Sheet Pan Veggie Soup (vegan)
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🍓Berry Parfaits with Homemade Granola
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🧇Nut Butter & Jelly Waffles!
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❓Which are you excited to try? Share below!
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🙌🏼And if you want to dive in with this plan and our recipes, planning tools and private community, sign up for the WWL Program in my bio link! Can’t wait to see you inside and help you have a little less stress in your life.
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Photos and recipes by me and @pinkleme, our assistant recipe developer, meal plan production by @alyssalash28
This weekend’s prep was super fun and fairly eas This weekend’s prep was super fun and fairly easy! I still had plenty of time this weekend to enjoy the farmer’s market, watch movies with my partner, finish an audiobook and do some deep cleaning.
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👈🏼Swipe left to see the cost breakdown of what I spent on groceries this week. We consistently spend the most on produce each week thanks to having a stocked pantry!
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👇🏼MEALS
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BTW most of these might not end up in the WWL Program - more on that later! But I hope they give you some good inspiration.
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🥑Mission-Inspired Burrito Bowls with avocado, crema and pico de gallo on the side! I made the tastiest carne asada for this recipe in my cast-iron.
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🥦🧀Broccoli cheddar soup!
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🌯Roasted sweet potato and chickpea wraps with avocado, kale and radishes. These are meant to be eaten cold or room temp,
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🫐Homemade Granola Parfaits! These are coming to WWL tomorrow for members - learn more in my bio link. Yes, the granola did get soft but I didn’t mind!
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🍿Snacks: celery, homemade hummus, grapes and homemade popcorn.
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📆All of these meals will be eaten by Thursday! We reheat them in the microwave as needed.
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🤷🏻‍♀️I don’t know the calories because I don’t count!
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😍Feels so good to be back into a regular work/prep routine after the holidays and I’m super motivated by our personal financial goals for 2021 to keep going.
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❓Got questions about this prep? Drop them below!
When I stopped dieting (restricting food to be the When I stopped dieting (restricting food to be the smallest version of me) my world opened up.
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✨It was like all of the sudden I had the time and mental energy to focus on other things like side hustling, dating, planning my move to Colorado, exploring NYC with my friends more and reading more. Oh and learning how to cook with regular butter and flour. 👩🏻‍🍳That’s what I remember about that season of my life. I can’t believe how much time I used to spend in the gym, counting calories and generally avoiding social situations where there would be food  that was outside of my control. And the stress!! All that stress and guilt probably did more harm than what I was eating.
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✨Over the weekend I received more DMs than usual about my food choices and how I “balance” certain things I eat. The truth is I don’t think about it that much anymore. It’s taken years to get here but I can trust my body and thanks to cooking, it’s not a challenge for me to incorporate a variety of health-promoting AND flavorful ingredients.
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✨It’s hard to be fully present when our minds are cluttered with thoughts around food based in guilt and fear (thanks to diet culture). Health is important. But is the focus on it holding us back from actually just living?? We all end up in the same place - I know that’s morbid but it’s true.
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✨Something to think about: does the way you think about food serve you or hold you back? No judgement no matter where you are in your journey.
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✨And if you find the diet mentality helps you or is positive, I’m not here trying to change your mind. My aim is to help folks who may be ready to explore new ways to think about food outside of what’s “good” or “bad.”
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✨This mentality switch doesn’t happen overnight! But I hope this post helps you become more aware of how you think about food. Always come from a place of curiosity when it comes to your relationship with food, not judgement.
Here are mine, what are yours? 👇🏼👇🏼 . Here are mine, what are yours? 👇🏼👇🏼
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🙏🏼I hope if you’re stuck on what to make for the week, this can give you some inspiration.
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🙌🏼These are all easy, versatile and the types of meals I make when I need a break from recipe development - which sometimes requires me (and my assistant developer) to eat food we aren’t necessarily in the mood for. It’s part of the job!
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Stay tuned in stories to watch my meal prep session go down today!! Looking forward to this week already... hoping it’s better than the first week of 2021 🙏🏼
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RECIPES for these meals can be found in the WWL Program for members (except for the freezer preps - they’re not ready yet). Learn more about our weekly flexible meal plans, recipes and grocery lists in my bio link! You can jump in on a free trial before you commit.
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