Tuesday Tip | Turn your glass containers upside down.
Every Tuesday, I post a quick frugal tip.
To cut back on plastic waste and to save money, we try to store food in reusable containers.
I'm particularly partial to glass containers because you can actually see what's in them. Opaque containers are the kiss of death, because out of sight = out of mind.
But if the containers are in the lower part of your fridge or freezer, all you see is the opaque top.
Our cheese drawer is at the bottom of our fridge, so I just turn those containers upside down. That way, all of us can easily see what cheese is available.
Seen cheese is eaten cheese, whereas unseen cheese quickly becomes moldy cheese.
Incidentally, I know that a glass container is not a cheese connoisseur's most highly recommended method for storage.
But I've been doing it this way for years, and the cheese has always tasted just fine to us. So, either (A) this method works marvelously or (B) We are uncultured swine who don't know what's what when it comes to cheese.
But regardless, we're happy. And we waste less food and throw away less plastic this way.
P.S. I like Pyrex better than Anchor Hocking because the Pyrex lids have lasted longer for me. The 18 piece set for $29.99 on Amazon is a great starter set.
I hand-wash my lids to help them survive longer, but even some of my Pyrex lids do crack with enough age. Luckily, you can buy replacement lids.
P.P.S. Don't forget to enter the TurboTax giveaway! Just leave a comment on the TurboTax post and you're entered.
I love my Pyrex storage dishes. So much better than plastic. They don't stain or smell of scratch easily. I've had mine almost nine years and a few of the lids are just starting to crack. So thanks for the link to replacement lids. I've always washed mine in the dishwasher. How much longer do they last if they are hand-washed? I might have to switch and stretch their useful life out.
Boy, I don't know, since I haven't done a side by side comparison! Nine years seems like a nice long time for lids to last, though, so maybe your dishwasher is kind to lids.
I have had some of my pyrex since 1995 and I'm just now replacing lids (including one that was lost, how does that happen?). My only complaint is that I feel like cheese dries out unless it's wrapped.
I was wondering about it drying out too?
I hand wash anything plastic and don’ t microwave it either after warnings I have read. Lasting longer will be a nice benefit.
My Pyrex lids have lasted me years upon years by hand washing them. I try not to put them in the microwave either, but they do go in the microwave now and then.
Clearly, you're uncultured swine. ;-p
What is the recommendation for cheese storage anyway? Apparently cheese is not important enough in my life to know this kind of stuff!
It varies depending on the cheese, but I've never seen an article that says, "Put your cheese into a glass container." Ha. Here's an article that offers details: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/how-store-cheese
The recommendation for hard cheese is to wrap it in a mostly-impermiable membrane, such as waxy cheese paper. For the softer cheeses, the more permiable the wrap should be. In any case, keep air away from the surface of the cheese. So a container is only vaguely better than unwrapped - the container keeps the cheese's environment a bit humid but doesn't stop the air from degrading the cheese.
The only appropriate answer is to eat the cheese before it gets stale. Yum.
I've been meaning to ask you if you've found a way to get odors out of the lids. If I store anything with cumin(aka - the spice that smells like B.O. but tastes so good) in it in a Pyrex container, the lid just soaks up the aroma. I've tried vinegar dips and washing in the dishwasher and nothing seems to help.
A trip through the dishwasher seems to usually take care of it for me. I wonder if setting the lid out in the sunshine might help for a super stubborn smell?
I love your posts, but I have to disagree with you here. The main reason I use glass containers with plastic lids is to minimize the contact my foods have with plastic. I don't know if storing food in plastic is safe or not, so I choose to be cautious. I'd rather have food occasionally spoil than endanger my family by storing their food touching plastic.
Ah, the cheese I buy generally comes wrapped in plastic, and I figure if it's been sitting in the plastic since the date of manufacture, it's probably not a big deal for it to rest on a plastic lid in my fridge.
I'm guessing you buy cheese that doesn't come in plastic, though!
I had a friend one time that drank canned sodas....but would never let her lips touch the can. Had to be poured out or through a straw. Hmm. Poisoning and all. 😉
Huh. Was she worried about something on the top of the can being contaminated?
Film and lids are made of different kinds of plastic. Both are supposed to be food-safe, of course, but science advances. BPA used to be considered totally safe, now there's reason for doubt.
You could put some paper towel or wax paper on the lid, then turn the container over.
Or see my suggestion, lower down.
Super simple and effective! We don't eat cheese in our family. We try to just finish up all the leftovers and throw away food that's too old. But I do have some food like bread and sticky rice I just store in plastic wrapping. Guess it works! 😀
Probably good that you don't eat cheese, because I'm sure I've eaten your share and everyone else's too (why yes, you may call me Miss Oinky Pants). One of these days, my family is going to find me out in the corner of the garage, growling and guarding my 1-lb brick of Swiss cheese. Clearly I need an intervention.
Kristen, thanks for this post -- I had no idea you could buy replacement lids, and I need some! I'm curious if other people have a fridge with a cheese drawer in the bottom -- seems like the best place for it since it's supposed to be colder down there. Our fridge is experiencing a long, painful death, and I've been on the lookout for a replacement (nothing like having to toss expensive, organic vegetables, because they keep freezing -- argh!).
That reminds me, I do need to get some Pyrex lids. I just wish I could buy them individually and locally. A World Kitchen outlet is about 2 hours away from me (near a place we'd go every summer) but we haven't been up there in a few years.
If you don't love the idea of cheese sitting on the plastic lid, perhaps a sliver of wax paper between the cheese and the lid would do the trick.
I was thinking that too! Or parchment paper?
Thanks for your great tips. I agree that the Pyrex lids seem to hold up longer. The Pyrex lids fit just fine on Anchor Hocking containers. I've purchased Pyrex lids as replacements when my other ones have cracked. Thus I get to continue using the containers without spending more on a completely new set.
I've been using waxed fabric sheets to store food for the past year and it's so good! The cheese lasts a long time with no mould. They are washable in cool water. Can be used to cover bowls of food instead of plastic wrap. I love them! The brand I use is Abeego but I'm sure there are other brands out there.
Kristen, I love these tips!! And this is a great idea, so simple, yet I wouldn't have thought of it. I have a big problem with food waste, yet I pride myself on being frugal. I didn't make any resolutions this year, thinking this should be "the one". 🙂 I enjoy the heck out of your blog/posts...keep it up!!
Why have I never thought of this?? When I read the title I thought it was going to be about stacking glass cups upside down to avoid dust inside them. This is a great idea! We've been pricing out a full switch to Pyrex since I'm not a fan of hot food + plastic.
Do you know where the more affordable Pyrex deals are, Kristin?
I've gotten a fair number of Pyrex from office discards - either people bring them in for others to day, or abandon them in the sink for (far) longer than the specified period of time.
For new Pyrex, around these parts at least, Walmart has the best deals.
Mind. Blown.
Great concept!
I have used Pyrex storage containers for years and wouldn't use anything else! Great idea to put them upside down!! Will start doing that!
Creative! I never thought of this!
I love my Pyrex but my lids are cracking too. I am holding off ordering them in hopes of a shopping trip to the Pyrex outlet when we go on vacation to Tennessee. Might have to break down and order though not sure when we will get away.
This is a great idea, I am on it. When I saw the headline I thought you meant drinking glasses. So here is my Tuesday Tip - I keep all my glasses and cups upside down. Why? Because if a bug gets into the glass or cup and cant get out it dies there and I have a dead bug in my glass!' And, in the morning when I grab a cup to put my coffee in I am barely awake enough to hit the cup with the coffee let alone look for dead bugs! Yuk.
Ok...now I am officially "bugged out" and have got the freakie deekies...from here on out I will be checking my glasses and cups before I put anything in them...nevermind that im a zombie when I first crawl out of bed...thanks for that!!!! LOL:)
I had 2 of my Pyrex lids crack in the same spot within months of receiving them as a gift. The lids were a different color than the large set I had been using. I contacted Pyrex and they sent me replacements free of charge. It seemed strange since my other lids had lasted a long time so it seemed to be a defect.
I have no comments on cheese storage, but I do have a lot of glass containers.
I have two generations of Pyrex glass containers. Unfortunately the lids on the newer generation are a more brittle plastic and are not holding up like the older ones. I also have some Anchor Hocking ones, and their lids are terrible, at least half of them are cracked. I wash all of mine in the dishwasher.
Another option is SnapWare. They have some good basic sets of glass containers at Costco that also go on sale sometimes. I've had mine for several years and all of the lids are in great shape! An added bonus is that they are super leak proof unlike the other brands I have, but I don't like their sizes as much as the Pyrex ones.
I think I must have the latest version of Pyrex. The lids are glass, too, with silicone just around the edges for the seal. Best freezer/fridge/cabinet food storage containers we've ever had.
Now why did I never think of this?
My husband always complains if he can't see what's in the containers -- this should do it, as long as it's not a liquid or runny item. I just don't quite trust the seals that much.
My tip for storing things -- if it's strong smelling, I put it in a glass jar that fits a used canning jar lid and ring -- I usually use mason jars for this. Once it's empty, I don't feel so bad tossing the lid since it was used already to can something previously. The metal ring and glass jar can be washed well and won't retain the smell.
From someone who lives in the land of cheese, your storage methods are fine, you just have to get your cheese out a while before you eat it, as it shouldn't be eaten cold 🙂 Some people don't even refrigerate it, so it gets nice and soft and stinky and people in Northern France dunk their really stinky cheese in their coffee, so now you know!
Whoa, you have a whole drawer for cheese?!? YES!
I also agree that opaque containers are the kiss of death. This makes me want to buy more pyrex.
I do something different, to the same end: I write the contents on the lid, using a rewritable label. I also do this for sauces and such that I store in the fridge door - just use a sharpie to write "pumpkin puree" on the jar lid.
The labels I use are from the Container Store. They've lasted me well over 10 years, thru dishwasher use and uncountable write/erase cycles (multiple per week usually).
I never new a label like that existed!
I have a roll of dollar store masking tape and sharpie in the kitchen and label most everything. It has cut down on food waste. The dollar store type is just sticky enough to stay on but peels right off leaving no residue. It’s a good size roll too and last a long time. I only buy sticky back things from the dollar tree if I do not want them to stick well!
https://www.containerstore.com/s/erasable-multi-purpose-labels/d?productId=10005755&q=erasable%20labels
are the ones I have.
Masking tape and a Sharpie work well also. Any solution that can be implemented only with materials "borrowed" from work is a win, right? (Just joking.) Less expensive outlay although not reusable, low key and low fuss.
I use masking tape too, it's great, no residue.
I just use a sharpie and write on the glass part of Pyrex dish, washes off easy or sometimes needs a little rubbing alcohol.
Agreed, Pyrex for the win! One of my Anchor Hocking lids is cracked, but all the Pyrex are going strong. Love glass storage, and your upside down trick is neat!