Plastic containers in pantry

amother

Sun, Oct 27 2019, 10:08 pm

Over succos, I came across some organization article in Ami or Binah or whatever. They showed before and after pictures. The before pictures were of someone's pantry with various boxes etc placed very neatly alongside each other (I clearly have no concept of organization, I couldn't believe those were the before pictures). The after pictures were of the food items all emptied into identical containers. I have also seen/read about this container idea other places.

My question, for those of you who use them, is, do you really find it so helpful (because it looks sooooo uniform and you can see through them to know how much of something is left and it is perhaps more airtight than the regular packaging it comes in) that it is worth emptying everything into containers when you return from shopping? And I also assume you have to wash the containers out between uses...

It seems to me to be a lot of work for minimal gain. I realize of course that if that is the case, I can continue to keep my pantry the way it is. I am open to hearing that I am wrong though (ie it's much easier and more helpful and more amazing looking than I envision) so would love some input from people who use them.

ETA we are a midsize household that goes through staples (ie cereal, flour, etc) fairly quickly so it would mean emptying into and washing the containers on an almost daily basis. Do those of you with all these containers do that?

amother

Slategray

Sun, Oct 27 2019, 10:23 pm

There isn't one "right" way to organize.

If it doesn't work for you, don't do it.

I agree with your assessment.

chananecha

Sun, Oct 27 2019, 11:02 pm

For many things it makes sense.
Example flour and sugar it's easier and cleaner to store them into a container, I have a container that holds 5 lbs of each.
Regarding cookies and chips,I also store in a container, this way the children see it and finish the box or carton. The other way I had it in the package it always got stale and we ended up wasting half of it.
The same thing with the cereal.
Hope this helps!
Hatzlacha!

amother

Violet

Sun, Oct 27 2019, 11:13 pm

The benefit, besides uniformity, is that it keeps out pests.

I do not wash after each use. Neither does my mother. We wash more on an as needed basis, which is rarely.

amother

Gold

Sun, Oct 27 2019, 11:28 pm

For a large family like mine it wouldn't make sense!
When I bake challa I use 5 or 10 lbs of flour. Cereals are done in 2-3 days. I only do it for sugar because we don't use so much and for a cup of coffee in morning is easier to use a container than the bag! (bag is more messy!)
I like to have packages handy.
Unfortunately, my pantry doesn't look as pretty as in the magazine! Wink

teachkids

Mon, Oct 28 2019, 5:23 am

I use those uniform containers because the stack so evenly. I have about 2 ft of counter space for my grains and staples and the uniform containers stack so well and I can shift things around in any order to get the one I need.
Otherwise, it’s really more intended for things that come in bags because those get messy.
Even if you use a whole bag of flour for challah, do you never use a cup or two for cookies? Etc.

amother

Wheat

Mon, Oct 28 2019, 8:12 am

I put into glass jars or plastic canisters virtually everything that doesn’t already come in cans or jars. Bugs can get into pasta and cereal boxes as well as sugar and flour sacks, and rodents can chew right through boxes and cellophane or plastic bags. Even flimsy plastic.

But I reuse containers. I use carefully hoarded glass jars from coffee, pickles and gefilte fish to store beans, grains, bread crumbs and sugar for everyday use. Years ago I bought a few enormous plastic jars for flour and sugar for baking and still use them. Ditto a couple of Tupperware cereal containers. The smaller size exactly fits a 1-lb. box of machine matzah.

Things in small cello bags that I don’t use often like chocolate chips and other baking add-ins go together, bag and all, into a big lidded plastic container.

Uniform containers make no sense., You need different sizes. Flour you buy 5 lbs. at a time. Beans you buy 1 lb. at a time. Use containers that suit the volume you buy.

Those sets of plastic containers cost a fortune. They look nice, sure, but I refuse to spend good money on something so unnecessary. Mine is a working kitchen, not a staged kitchen for selling a house. Besides, you’ll never keep that uniform look forever. Eventually containers crack or get too grungy to clean or lose their lids and need to be replaced, but by then the style has been discontinued or modified just enough that the new ones don’t work with the old ones. Or you start using a new product or two, say a few different kinds of grain or beans, and now your perfectly symmetrical storage system is out of whack because you need more containers.

Relax, you don’t have to wash out storage containers after every use. For most dry goods, you hardly ever need to wash them inside unless you find an infestation. Once a year if you’re fastidious. The outsides will get grungy but a wipe down with a damp cloth now and then is usually enough. Maybe a scrub with soap once a year. My jars for dried fruits are clear glass and get sticky inside. I wash them now and then for aesthetic reasons only. It’s a waste because the jars don’t stay clear for any length of time, but I get a kick out of seeing them sparkle now and then.

FTR opaque containers are better for food since light hastens deterioration. Not just spoilage, which is less of a problem for dry goods, but deterioration of flavor and color. This is especially important if you have open shelving and/or store ingredients for long periods of time.

amother

Gold

Mon, Oct 28 2019, 12:27 pm

I keep beans and nuts in the freezer.
Flour not being used that same week also!

chanatron1000

Mon, Oct 28 2019, 12:30 pm

I personally don't find that the containers help that much with organization, but they help prevent pantry moths.

amother

Lime

Mon, Oct 28 2019, 12:33 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

if you go through it quickly, and a can access it quickly - there is no reason to switch up your system.

miami85

Mon, Oct 28 2019, 12:50 pm

Bacteria tends to like dark moist areas, so for dry goods like flour, beans and cereal you wouldn't have to wash those containers regularly. In America there is less likely to be a worm/beetle infestation in dry goods than in hot countries like Israel but it can happen. I found it happened more likely with my whole grain products than my white grain products--the health nuts! As much as I have liked the idea of those containers for cereal, we go through cereal too quickly to make it worth it. flour and sugar I do put in containers b/c the bags just rip and don't have their own structure.

amother

Orchid

Mon, Oct 28 2019, 9:05 pm

I use them for cereal only, because I find that the original cardboard boxes that the cereals come in are flimsy, and more likely to spill when kids are handling them.

aliavi

Mon, Oct 28 2019, 10:44 pm

If you don’t want to use the containers you could store like items in bins for some organization. A breakfast bin or a nosh bin.

It organization can be done with the refrigerator too.

A disadvantage of repackaging everything is you don’t see hechshers or ingredients for allergies.

pizza4

Tue, Oct 29 2019, 12:12 am

I don't think that system needs to work for everyone.
I have plastic containers for all purpose flour (keep in the fridge) and sugar.
Then a few for cereal, I have 2 Tupperware ones but don't especially like them.
Then I have several white bins from ikea for things like small snacks, beans, and pastas. And 2 bins for potatoes and onions.
Crackers and chips we go through quickly enough. Pretzels I keep in a 2 lb container.
I love the idea of reusing jars.