We Tested Meal Prep Containers and Found the Best Ones for School, Office, and Home Lunches

Best Glass

Prep Naturals Glass Meal Prep Container Set

$36 at Amazon View on Kroger.com

The best containers for families who like to plan meals ahead, the two compartments in these containers make it easy to keep foods separate, whether it’s a salad, sandwich, and snack, or meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Each container in this set of five can hold a total of 29 ounces.

These meal prep containers are freezer-safe, so meals can be prepped and saved for much later, and they can be microwaved to heat the food for serving. During testing, we appreciated the sturdiness of the borosilicate glass and thick plastic lids. They were easy to clean in the dishwasher and didn't suffer any damage or lingering odors. The two-compartment design makes it easy to store simple meals—like a sandwich and chips—since it separates about a third of the container. They also performed well in our leak test (where we filled the container with water and shook the container vigorously for a minute straight) despite there being no seal along the divider walls of the compartments.

Material: Borosilicate glass, plastic, silicone | Capacity: 29 ounces | Dimensions: 7 x 2.25 x 5 inches | Compartments: 2 | Safe For: Dishwasher, microwave, and freezer

Best 2-Compartment

Bentgo 2-Compartment Meal-Prep Containers with Custom-Fit Lids

Orig. $15 $13 at Amazon $13 at Target View on Bentgo.com

The sleek design of these containers from Bentgo makes them a great choice for those who don't like their chicken touching their vegetables or want to include a measured portion of chips alongside their sandwich. Available in a few unique colors, they'll be easy to spot in the communal fridge at work and have the added bonus of looking a little more stylish than your typical food storage containers.

We love their low-profile silhouette during testing, as it made it easy to stack multiple meals in the fridge, even on shelves without a ton of vertical space. While they are made of thinner plastic than some other containers (similar to a reusable bento box), they still came out of the microwave with no signs of warping or wear and stood up well to cleaning in the dishwasher, though the manufacturer notes you should avoid a heated drying cycle.

The 1-cup and 2-cup amounts are embossed on the trays so there’s no need to remember how much they hold. Despite the affordable price, these are freezer-, microwave-, and top-rack dishwasher-safe, so they’re easy to use. They nest neatly when they’re empty, so they won’t eat up a lot of storage space, and they stack nicely when they’re full.

Material: Plastic | Capacity: 24 ounces | Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 2 inches | Compartments: 2 | Safe For: Dishwasher, microwave, and freezer

Best Design

OmieGo Bento

$23 at Walmart View on Omielife.com

Everything about the way these containers are designed makes them unique from other options on the market. For starters, the BPA-free and phthalate-free set is made by using plant-based materials that replace an equivalent amount of fossil fuel. The containers are ultra lightweight and the lids snap on effortlessly—they are so light that we are worried they might snap off over time. 

But what really sets this set of food storage containers apart is the way that they stack. The lids and bases are designed with unique grooves that allow them to lock into place. Simply slide one container on top of the other and it clicks right into place. We knocked a stack over and held it upside down—nothing came apart. It was also surprisingly leak-proof. Not a drop of water leaked out, even when we shook a container full of water. 

The three containers in the set—two small 9-ounce containers and one larger 22-ounce container—are microwave-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe (even the lids!), but unfortunately, they can’t handle the heat of the oven. They come in three muted colors that are more stylish than your everyday container, too.

Material: Food-grade and ISCC-certified plant-based PP silicone | Capacity: 12 ounces (two small containers), 22 ounces (large) | Dimensions: Not indicated | Compartments: 1 per container | Safe For: Dishwasher, microwave, and freezer

Best Vacuum Sealed

Anchor Hocking TrueSeal Food Storage Containers

Orig. $40 $35 at Amazon Orig. $41 $36 at Walmart $50 at Macy's

This set by Anchor Hocking is made from tempered glass, making them slightly heavy, but super resistant to odors and staining. Many food storage containers boast an airtight lid, but this set's design is unique— pressing down on the middle of the lid creates a vacuum that releases the air from the glass container and forms a 100 percent airtight seal. Plus, the lids are see-through, so you can clearly see what meals you have available in the fridge.

This 10-piece set comes with five bowls and corresponding lids: one 1-cup bowl, two 2-cup bowls, one 4-cup bowl, and one 7-cup bowl. Each of the containers is safe to use in the microwave, freezer, dishwasher, and even the oven (up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit) without the lid. During testing, we noted that though this set is pretty "no-frills," it's well-made, and the airtight, leakproof design can help keep foods fresh for longer.

Material: Tempered glass | Capacity: Varies per container | Compartments: 1 per container | Safe For: Dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven (up to 425 degrees without lid)

Best for Snacks

Good Cook 2-Compartment Meal Prep Containers

$9 at Amazon $15 at Walmart $12 at Target

Snack planning is just as important as meal planning when it comes to meal prep, and these small containers are a perfect tool to get the job done. Featuring two half-cup compartments, they’re a convenient way to carry a variety of healthy snacks to tame your appetite between larger meals. 

We used these to recreate our favorite coffee shop snack boxes, filling one side with chicken and the other with cubes of cheese and grapes. The slim design of these containers made them very convenient for slipping into a work tote or gym bag, though since they aren't leakproof, it's best to stick to dry or very well-drained foods. They're also microwave-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe—we saw no signs of warping or cracking after putting the containers in all three environments.

For those concerned with the versatility of such small containers, fret not: they can be used to store herbs, to create a mise en place, or for kid-sized meals when an adult-sized container is too roomy. They stack well in the fridge and also nest for easy storage.

Material: Plastic | Capacity: 8 ounces | Dimensions: 7.13 x 4.84 x 1 inches | Compartments: 2 | Safe For: Dishwasher, microwave, and freezer

Best for Soup

Souper Cubes 1/2-Cup Freezing Tray with Lid

$20 at Amazon $20 at Williams-Sonoma $31 at Food52

Our days of stacks of Tupperware taking up valuable space in the freezer are over—all thanks to an Instagram ad for Souper Cubes. These big and deep silicone molds hold pre-proportioned amounts of food, making it easy to pop them out and reheat. They come in 2 tablespoons, 0.5 cups, 1 cup, and 2 cup molds with lids so you can prep and freeze lots of different things (from little cubes of olive oil and fresh herbs to 2 cups worth of stews and soups). We plan, cook, and freeze food in these, then pop them out and put the frozen shapes in large freezer bags to save space.

Although each mold is slightly pricey, we get a ton of use out of them. And it's not just about freezing in these...you can also pop them in the microwave or oven to reheat, cook, or bake. Then throw them in the dishwasher for a souper easy cleanup.

Material: Silicone | Capacity: 3 cups total | Dimensions: 11.75 x 5.75 x 2.25 inches | Compartments: 6 | Safe For: Dishwasher, oven, microwave, and freezer

Best for Baby Food

OXO Tot Baby Blocks Food Storage Containers

$12 at Amazon View on Oxo

Prepping food ahead of time for the baby or toddler can make homemade baby food just a little bit more manageable. These 2-ounce containers help busy parents make serving sizes that won’t waste food. The included tray keeps all the containers neatly together whether they’re grouped by ingredients or arranged by meals, and makes it easy to pour your mixtures directly from the blender. The snap-on lids seal securely, so you can keep them in your diaper bag when you head outside.

During testing, we noted the thick plastic makes these containers extra durable so you can use them again and again, as they are suitable for the fridge, freezer, or microwave—just be sure to pop the lids open to vent them before heating. The lids make the containers airtight and leakproof, letting food stay fresh for as long as possible. Run them through the dishwasher using the top rack for no-fuss cleanup—we saw zero damage or warping even through a heated drying cycle. One drawback is that because of the way the lids are made, they're a little tough to clean by hand, but that wasn't a dealbreaker.

When baby outgrows these small containers, they’re handy for freezing leftover egg yolks or whites, or for freezing herbs, tomato paste, and other foods in small portions. This set comes with six 2-ounce containers with lids, plus a tray to hold them. You can choose between pink and teal containers, and a similar set with 4-ounce containers is available for kids who are eating more food at each meal.

Material: Plastic | Capacity: 6 x 2-ounce | Dimensions: 2 x 2 x 2-inches, 2.5 x 5.5 x 9.5 inches total | Compartments: 1 | Safe For: Dishwasher, microwave, and freezer

Best Bulk

SimpleHouseware 2 Compartment Food Grade Meal Prep Containers

$30 at Amazon

When you need a larger quantity of food prep containers to freeze meals or to feed a large group, this pack of 40 will come in handy. The two compartments will let you keep your mashed potatoes separate from turkey or a serving of soup separate from crackers—the lids are designed to be snug and leakproof. They hold a total of 28 ounces and feature a smaller and larger section to keep foods separate.

We took advantage of the higher profile of these containers to store bulkier foods, like a veggie burger on a bun with a side of raw carrot sticks, or a piece of roast chicken on the bone accompanied by sauteed spinach. The drawback of having such tall containers is that they need more vertical space to stack and store, but as a trade-off, their overall footprint in the fridge is minimal. They're also freezer-safe as well as microwave-safe (without the lid).

While these handy containers are top-rack dishwasher-safe, they are definitely meant for short-term use and may show signs of wear sooner than some other models—we noticed a small crack forming on a lid after being put through a complete wash cycle. That being said, they're what you want to use for taking food on the go, field trips, or road trips—since they’re so inexpensive, it’s not a huge loss if one gets tossed, damaged, or left behind.

Material: Plastic | Capacity: 28 ounces | Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 2.5 inches | Compartments: 2 | Safe For: Dishwasher, microwave, and freezer