Best Wholesale Food Storage Containers

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Although it might seem like food storage containers are not something you should invest your time into researching, the truth is that purchasing quality wholesale food storage containers plays more significance than some might realize.

If your food containers are of substandard quality, not only will they not store your food properly, making it go bad before you’re able to enjoy it, but in some cases, they can be manufactured with harmful chemicals added to the plastic. When produced that way, your food can absorb some of those chemicals, especially if you use them with hot food.

Hot food produces steam, which then turns into drops at the top of the container, absorbing the harmful ingredients – the drops can then fall onto your food, meaning when you consume it, you eat more than just a meal.

It’s safe to say choosing the right food storage containers, especially as a business specializing in food delivery or catering, is of utmost importance.

Table of Contents

What Are the Best Food Storage Containers?

So, what are the best wholesale food storage containers? The matter is not as simple as pointing out “this, this and this”. There are so many food containers available that you need to consider what it is that you actually need for your business. For example, if you only serve dessert it won’t really benefit you to know which food storage containers are best for soups, would it?

That’s why we decided to divide our list of best storage containers for food into different categories – whether your expertise is in desserts, soups, Italian food, sushi, or other types of cuisine, you’ll be able to find containers specifically for your purpose.

Let’s get started then, shall we?

Best for Desserts: Disposable Plastic 2 oz Mini Pyramid with Lids

If your business specializes in desserts, then you will love this mini pyramid with a lid. Whether your clients wish for you to serve a mini cake, a selection of sweets, ice cream or something else, this product will be perfect for it. Made from reusable and recyclable PET, they’re also good for those who want to lower their environmental impact.

What’s more, the lid can double as a stand, improving your food’s presentation.

PROS	CONS
+ Able to withstand temperatures from -40°F to 160°F (-40° to 71°C) + Made from reusable and recyclable PET + Affordable cost per unit + Comes with a lid that can double as a stand for the cup + Less likely to break due to being made from high quality plastic	– Could be too small for some customers

Best Multi-Purpose Container: Mason Jar 10.7oz 65mm*100mm With Plastic Lid

Plastic mason jars are some of the best food container types you can have in your inventory – not only for food storage, but also for several other purposes. Mini cakes, salads or appetizers are just a few things you can serve in them, and the one we decided to include as the best for this category, also comes with a clear lid that improves aesthetic appeal compared to, for example, aluminum lid.

However, their versatility doesn’t lie only in the variety of food you can serve in them. Believe it or not, but mason jars actually make for perfect decorations – and there are many creative ways to use them. They also work great as containers for party favors if that’s something you currently or wish to specialize in.

PROS	CONS
+ Able to withstand temperatures from -40°F to 160°F (-40° to 71°C) + Made from reusable and recyclable PET + Affordable cost per unit + Less likely to break due to being made from high quality plastic + Can be used in a number of ways and to serve several different types of food	– Can be too small for some cakes or desserts

Best for Bigger Dishes: Rectangular Set 172mm*122mm Black Tray With Lid

If your restaurant, cafe, catering business, etc., serves bigger dishes, then we are certain you will love this one. Perfect for both catering and takeout, it will keep your dishes warm while your customers (or you) reach the desired location – and thanks to the rather sturdy lid, you can be sure that nothing will fall out during transport.

While we know it might not be the most aesthetically pleasing option out there (although, if we’re honest, it’s not too shabby either; it’s minimalistic), it does its job right, and isn’t that the whole point of a food storage container?

Made from recyclable PET that can be easily cleaned and reused and that won’t break that easily, this plastic tray with a lid will be the right choice for several businesses.

PROS	CONS
+ Able to withstand temperatures from -40°F to 160°F (-40° to 71°C) + Made from reusable and recyclable PET + Affordable cost per unit + Less likely to break due to being made from high quality plastic + Comes with a lid to make transportation easier	– Might not be the most aesthetically appealing choice

Best for Cakes: Cake Slice Tray Black With Lid

The mason jar is too small for your cakes? No worries, there are other options out there. The cake slice tray with lid is a good one for those serving whole cake pieces rather than smaller desserts. Made with thick plastic to prevent breakage, this food storage container is certainly a good one to have in your inventory if your business serves cakes.

Thanks to the lid, your cake piece will remain intact during transportation, which can bring you a piece of mind, especially if your business is who is doing the delivery.

The food storage containers come in boxes, so they are also incredibly easy to store – you just need to find a place to store the box and take a few containers out every time you need them.

PROS	CONS
+ Able to withstand temperatures from -40°F to 160°F (-40° to 71°C) + Made from reusable and recyclable PET + Affordable cost per unit + Less likely to break due to being made from high quality plastic + Comes with a lid to make transportation easier + Able to hold a whole piece of cake	– Comes with 1200 units, which might be slightly too much depending on the size of your operations

Best for Sauces: Disposable Mini Plastic Egg Dish Tray

The disposable mini plastic egg dish tray is the right choice if you’re looking for a sauce holder that is affordable, comes in big quantities and that will look aesthetically pleasing when put on the table. Made from thick and clear plastic to prevent breakage, this food container will add a modern touch to every table it is placed on while serving its function.

Coming in a quantity of 1000 units, it makes a perfect addition to the inventory of any business that offers their customers sauces, such as ketchup or mustard, or sweeter additions, such as honey.

One downside, however, is that it does not have a lid – so if you want to transport your sauces to the event location, you will have to keep them separately and assemble them while at the venue.

PROS	CONS
+ Able to withstand temperatures from -40°F to 160°F (-40° to 71°C) + Made from reusable and recyclable PET + Affordable cost per unit + Less likely to break due to being made from high quality plastic	– Since it does not come with a lid, it can be hard to transport if the sauce is inside

Best Eco-friendly Tableware: Large Brown Paper Box with 2 Clear Windows

If you’re less concerned about the aesthetics of the container and more about it being eco-friendly, then the large brown paper boxes might be a good option to consider. As you can guess by the name, they’re made from recycled and reusable paper – a more environmentally friendly option compared to plastic. Also, since it’s paper, you don’t risk them breaking in case they fall out of your hands.

At the same time, however, while these paper boxes are durable in general, they might last you for less compared to plastic boxes made from thick PET specifically to prevent breakage and expand their lifespan.

PROS	CONS
+ Able to withstand temperatures from -40°F to 160°F (-40° to 71°C) + Made from reusable and recyclable paper + Affordable cost per unit	– Can get damaged faster compared to plastic food storage containers due to being made out of paper

Best for Baking: Bakeable 2oz Blue Aluminum Cup 55mm

These food containers serve a double purpose – you can use them in a “normal” way as food containers, to serve desserts after you already bake them, or if you don’t want to double your work, you can bake in them right from the start. This is because they’re made from durable aluminum and able to withstand temperatures up to 400°F (204°C).

The bakeable 2 oz aluminum cups are also available in other colors to match your business’s or event’s aesthetics – gold, red and cow print.

PROS	CONS
+ Able to withstand temperatures from -20°F to 400°F (-49° to 204°C) + Made from durable aluminum + Recyclable + Affordable cost per unit	– Once you bake in them, they become unusable

How to Shop for the Best Wholesale Food Storage Containers

With the number of wholesale food storage containers on the market, how can you know which one will be the most suitable for your business? Well, there are actually several indicators of whether a food storage container is of high or doubtful quality. What are those? Let’s take a look.

Material

The first and most important thing you need to consider when deciding on food storage containers is the material. You want them to be from a durable one, preferably strong plastic.

Glass might also be an option for individual use, but we wouldn’t recommend it for wholesale, mainly because they are heavy – and while one or two won’t be that noticeable in weight, a few dozens definitely will be. They also break more easily, leaving behind a puddle of shattered glass.

Lids and Seals

Look for sealable food storage containers with lids – they’ll come in handy when transporting food, as doing so without them calls for a disaster. Also, lids will help you keep the food fresh – food that is left out in the open is going to go bad a lot sooner than the covered one.

Another thing is that if you need to store the food before delivery, having a lid will prevent the flavors from other dishes from getting into each other, and therefore changing the taste of the dish.

Stackability

Your wholesale food storage containers should be easily stackable so that they don’t take up too much space – otherwise, you might end up with them taking up half of the space in your business location, not to mention that non stackable food containers can topple over more easily. You might not mind it at the beginning, but it’s just not practical in the long run.

Portability

This is something we already mentioned briefly above, but you want to focus on food storage containers that are lightweight, so that you can transport them easily from one location to another.

Durability

This one is especially important if your business opts for unloading the food during the catering event and taking the containers with yourself rather than leaving them for the guests. Opting for durable wholesale food storage containers guarantees their longevity as well as food safety – since they’re less likely to break, there’s also less risk of contamination.

Cleaning

Again, if you reuse the containers, this is going to be a very important factor. You want to opt for a food container type that is easy to clean, so that you or your employees don’t spend half of their shift cleaning a single container. Good food storage containers will be very easy to thoroughly clean in just a few seconds.

The Bottom Line

With the number of wholesale food storage containers available, it can be hard to decide on which ones will be the best for your customers. That’s why we compiled a list of what we considered the best food storage containers depending on their intended purpose.

One thing you can be sure about when purchasing from us, is that regardless of which food storage container you purchase,** they will always be of the highest quality.** Every product we offer is bound to last you for at least a few uses – incomparable to low quality products that end up becoming unusable after the first time.

So, if you’re in need of wholesale food containers, don’t hesitate to look through our selection – and if you don’t want to purchase a cat in a bag, you can easily request a sample kit by filling out a form on our website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is plastic safe for food storage?

While there was a time when using plastic food storage containers wasn’t the best idea due to harmful chemicals that could make their way into food, those days are long gone. Today’s food containers are made with food-grade and completely safe type of plastic – or at least the good quality ones. Those of doubtful quality might still have some ingredients in it that should be avoided, so we would definitely recommend reconsidering using them.

What is better for food storage – glass or plastic?

Both have their pros and cons when it comes to food storage. For example, glass containers tend to be more eco-friendly, as their lifespan is longer compared to plastic – although many plastic containers are now recyclable, increasing their environmental friendliness.

Plastic containers, on the other hand, are a lot more portable than glass containers simply because they’re lighter. You can learn more about plastic vs glass containers in our comprehensive guide.

How many food storage containers do I need?

Well, that’s not something we can answer as it all depends on your needs. You certainly want to have enough to be able to cater at least a few different events. At the same time, you should also have enough of different types of containers so that regardless of what the customers order, you’ll have something to package the food into.

When ordering food storage containers, calculate how much you will need, and add about 10% to 15% more just in case – you never know, some might break or some clients might order more than usual. It’s always better to be prepared.

How often to replace food storage containers?

Generally speaking, how often food storage containers need to be replaced depends mostly on what material they are made of. Glass containers, for example, don’t have a particular “best by” estimation – you should use it for as long as you can, or at least until it’s presentable enough to be seen by customers.

Plastic containers, on the other hand, should be replaced every six months to a year, depending on how much you use them. As a business, you’re more bound to use it regularly than an individual consumer, so you should replace them faster. Assess your food containers regularly and order new ones once you notice that the ones you have are not in the best condition.

What’s the best way to clean plastic food containers?

Some plastic containers can be washed in the dishwasher – in those cases, cleaning couldn’t be easier. If yours are not, then you should clean them using water, soap, and a nonabrasive sponge. For more persistent stains, you can try using diluted white vinegar or a mixture of baking soda and water. Let it sit in your container for an hour, and then rinse.

Can all food containers be used for storing both cold and hot foods?

Not really, and it has to do with what we mentioned above – some food containers, specifically plastic ones, can contain some ingredients that when exposed to steam will make its way into your food. Make sure that the containers you wish to purchase are suitable for use with warm and hot dishes.

Author

Dacia Flowers

Dacia Flowers is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) with a major in Cultural Anthropology. Since graduating in 2019, she has expanded her expertise and applied her anthropological background in the practical domain. As the Administration Manager at CMJJ Gourmet since August 2022, Dacia handles crucial day-to-day operations, ensuring the warehouse's optimal functionality, timely delivery of orders, and managing invoices. Her commitment to excellence and in-depth understanding of organizational dynamics stem not just from her academic prowess but also her personal passion. Beyond her professional responsibilities, Dacia has a keen interest in reading, loves to travel, and stays active through regular exercise.
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