Swap out those old mason jars for one of these cool picks.
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When you make your own baby food, you probably do it to provide your tiny people with the freshest ingredients possible with full control over what goes in it. So, it makes sense that you’d also want to store it in the safest way possible. Baby food storage containers are all over the market, ranging from trays to glass jars to reusable zip-top bags. There are so many brands that it can be hard to know which ones to trust, which is why we put the top-rated baby food storage containers to the test to find out which ones really are the best.
Before jumping in and buying baby food storage containers, there are a few things to consider: How much food will need to be stored? Will it be frozen or just refrigerated? Is there a material preference? How portable do they need to be?
We used, washed, and sterilized each container for 2 weeks, putting it through the rigors of everyday life. There were clear winners — some from recognizable brands and others from ones you’ve likely never heard of. We tested more than 25 types of storage containers, filling each one with the baby foods that are often the hardest to clean and are known for leaving stains behind, like broccoli puree, yogurt, and sticky fig bars.
They were tested according to their stated purpose to see which ones came out on top. We evaluated them for their seal, washability, overall convenience, and their prices. The goal of our testing was to find durable baby food storage containers that can last far beyond the baby food years.
Stackable containers make life easier, which is why we are big fans of this set. Included in the set are six 2-ounce containers, four 4-ounce containers, and two trays. They’re an impressively efficient and convenient way to do baby food, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that they’re BPA- and phthalate-free and leakproof.
We filled these containers with broccoli, yogurt, and ranch dressing and took them on the road. One of them — the ranch dressing — was flung at the wall when it was discovered that it did not contain vegetable dip — and it remained closed. (Kids, right?) Another, the broccoli this time, was left in the car for several days, presumably on purpose by a little person who didn’t enjoy broccoli on that particular day. While the broccoli itself started to get slimy and weird, the container didn’t retain any of the smell or stain once it was washed.
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When it comes to feeding a baby on the go, it’s hard to beat pouches, especially when the baby starts to hold the pouch without any help from a parent.
This affordable bulk set comes with 10 pouches that can each hold 7 ounces of food. They come with a funnel and a side opening to make filling and cleanup a breeze. The lids are secure, so there’s no leaking, and they’re dishwasher safe.
We adore these glass, transparent jars from one of the oldest companies in the business because they’re similar to store-bought baby food jars, but way cooler. They’re made of sustainable glass and can handle high heat, so you can pack them full of fresh-off-the-stove baby food or microwave them.
The jars can also be sterilized, they’re easy to stack, and they can be popped in the dishwasher. Completely devoid of plastic, the jars are made of sustainable glass and natural rubber, which works great in the freezer since the rubber rings easily pop open.
The jars are perfect for baby food, but they’re also great for dressing, jams, and sauces. As a bonus, the rubber rings can be replaced if they wear down.(And can we mention the aesthetic?)
The OXO Tot glass baby food storage containers are a fan favorite. Included in the set are four 4-ounce glass containers, four locking lids, and a tray that keeps them together for storage purposes.
From our experience with these, the standout features are the lid and the tray. The containers are fairly standard, with nice measuring lines on the side, but the locking lids are stellar, very much like the Rubbermaid containers. The tray makes it all convenient.
KeaBabies makes a lot of great stuff, and their baby food storage containers are no exception. The containers don’t leak, and they won’t shatter without some serious effort. They’re also the perfect size for individually portioned baby food at 4 ounces. The small jars are safe for the microwave, dishwasher, and freezer, so all around they’re easy to work with.
We like that the lids come in different colors to keep the same type of food organized (and for aesthetic reasons). In addition to a 12-pack, the jars can be purchased in a six-pack if you don’t need as many.
Hands down, the best feature of these clip containers is being able to put a perfectly portioned snack or meal inside and throw them in a diaper bag without worrying about spilling.
The lids are easy to get on and off, and they "clip" together for easy, stable stacking. The Beaba baby food storage containers can be used with any sort of food prep you like, but they espouse that it works especially well with their baby food maker, which happens to be a favorite of Best Products.
There is one major advantage of these containers — they are oven safe. That means you can use them to whip up some baby food, and when the food is cool to touch, it can be placed right in the fridge or freezer without dirtying another container. We consider that a big win.
They’re great for batch cooking as well as for adult lunch boxes since they’re microwave safe and don’t leak. Admittedly, they are a heavier glass, but having dropped several during testing, we're glad for that.
While it’s not as easy to pop out perfectly sized baby food cubes with this freezer tray as the silicone WeeSprout, you can still get it done quickly by running warm water over the bottom or by tapping it with a spoon or a finger. Many parents enjoy the perk of only needing to thaw the portions needed while keeping the others frozen. Longevity is key and means less work for you.
This baby food freezer tray comes with two trays with 14 compartments each. They're not totally leakproof, but they wash easily by hand or on the top rack of the dishwasher. It can also pull double duty by making regular ice.
The ease of which this silicone freezer tray pops out a frozen baby food pod makes it worth every penny. Seriously, the smooth silicone molds means food never sticks, which is a huge deal when we’re rushing and just want to heat up some lunch for our toddlers.
The pods of frozen purees can be easily removed and placed into stasher bags to free up space for more cooking. Not only will this tray save you tons of space in the freezer, it’ll save you time in the kitchen. And that’s pretty priceless. Just be careful to keep them level, as we have found they can leak a bit.
One thing that impressed us was the ease of cleaning the lid. The elevated rings that sit in the divots could cause food to get stuck, but they don’t. So, that’s lovely.
The lids on these stainless steel containers are impressive. Even though it seems like they might not be leakproof at first glance, they actually are. They aren’t, however, the easiest to put on or take off because of how tightly they fit over the lid. Think: pulling a balloon over a faucet to fill it with water.
The containers come in three different sizes, which is great if you decide to cook a bigger baby food batch or just need a small amount on the go.
For baby food and beyond, these silicone stasher bags can be used to store frozen pods of food from other containers. When your baby hits the toddler stage, the bags can be used to bring snacks, sandwiches, and other goodies in the stroller or in a diaper bag. Just be sure to seal them properly to avoid any leaks.
The bags can eliminate the need for single use plastics, which is a huge plus. They can be placed in the microwave or oven (up to 400 degrees), and they can be stored in the refrigerator or pantry. They are as close to indestructible as you can get.
The best part? They don't stain. Not with tomato soup, not with Flamin' Hot Cheetos, and not even with crayons. (Yes, they can also be used for school supplies and beyond.)
While there’s plenty to enjoy about these silicone food pouches, the most noteworthy thing is their durability. These babies are made of 100% medical-grade silicone, so there’s virtually no way for your child to rip through them or for them to pop open if they get run over by a car. Weirder things have happened.
They’re designed for babies ages 6 months and up, but the pouches also double as a toddler straw cup, because you can screw in the included straw to the interior of the lid, making these double duty pouches.
As a parent, there’s never a bad time to have an extra bowl on hand, which is why we love this set of two silicone suction bowls. Not only is there always an extra (unless you have two babies, of course), the bowls have a suction bottom which keeps them in place, even when your baby wants more than anything to chuck it across the room.
The lid seals up tightly and isn't that hard to put on or remove. It's a genius product, great for fruit bites, oatmeal, pasta, whatever your baby loves.
Whether this container is thrown in a purse for a baby snack or meal on the go, or it’s placed in an older child’s lunch box for something hot and delicious, its versatility is what we love most.
The 11-ounce b.box insulated jar is fully spill and leakproof, which is a must for baby food storage. It comes with an attached spork which can really come in handy, or it can be left off so there’s one less thing to pick up when it’s thrown (that’s a when not an if, because babies).
These baby food storage containers are small but mighty. The set of six snap-and-go jars can hold two ounces of homemade food. They connect horizontally or can be detached and stacked vertically, whatever makes the most sense for your refrigerator and organizational brain.
They’re dishwasher and freezer safe, and the airtight lids ensure that you won’t end up with baby food all over your freezer.
As far as baby food jars go, these silicone containers are an affordable and investment for long term use. Their size and portability makes them great for toddler-sized snacks. Our favorite part, however, is their stackability — they fit inside each other so they don’t take up much space at all when they’re stored.
If aesthetics is what you’re after, you’ll absolutely get the cutest pouches we’ve seen with this set of 12 baby food pouches. Hello rainbows, mountains, and clouds. You’ll also be getting a genuinely great product that’ll help you reduce waste instead of buying single use plastic pouches.
We’re especially impressed with how easy these pouches are to fill and clean thanks to the zippered bottom and round edges, which helps the food not get stuck.
For babies who go to daycare, these silicone baby food containers are a game changer. Each container has measurement markings and daycare labels, making it easier on you and your baby’s caregivers.
To make things even easier for you and potential caregivers, the lids have a steam vent, which can be opened to pop them in the microwave for quick and safe heating.
From formula to baby food to snacks, this extremely portable baby formula container can do it all. One of the three containers comes with an easy pour lid for formula, but you should know that the lid isn’t fully airtight for liquid once the formula is mixed. All three lids are interchangeable, however, which is nice, and the silicone containers have indentions on the sides to make them easy for little hands to hold.
All three containers can be stacked together or they can be used separately, which we found to be helpful when our kiddos were ready to eat all three snacks at the same time.
Since many toddlers and kids don’t want their foods to touch, the b.box snack box is a fantastic choice. The box has a divider that allows space for two different snacks — and if a kiddo demands a full piece of fruit instead of one that’s cut up, the stretchy silicone lid expands to fit it.
The box is lightweight, easy to clean, completely leakproof, and it’s the perfect size for snacking, but it’s also a great place to store two different types of baby food in the fridge in one container.
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