# Pyrex glass food storage containers



## rcald2000 (Mar 30, 2008)

Hello everyone,

I'm new to cooking and I wanted to purchase the Pyrex food storage containers, which are made of glass, but have plastic lids. My question: What sizes should I purchase? I was thinking of buying 1 four-cup storage container and 1 two-cup storage container. I would use these to refrigerate left-over food. I'm single therefore I'll probably be storing a lot of pasta (enough for a single person of course), and also chicken and many comfort foods. Pyrex offers the glass circular containers in 1, 2, 4 and 7 cup sizes. Thanks.



Rob


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## Andy M. (Mar 30, 2008)

Wich container size you choose would depend on how much food youo usually have left over to store.  A 4-cup and a 2-cup are a good start.  Try those and see if they work out.  Then you can add different sizes as needed.

Just curious, why glass, which is more expensive, heavier and more prone to breaking, instead of plastic?


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## rcald2000 (Mar 30, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> Just curious, why glass, which is more expensive, heavier and more prone to breaking, instead of plastic?


I'm going to give glass storage containers a chance because I'm tired of plastic tuperware staining all the time, and I worry about them never being completely free of bacteria even after a thorough cleaning.  Also, when I studed organic chemistry, I learned that plastic polymers are always seeping into food from tuperware and also leaching into drinks from plastic water containes.  I figure that it's a cheap personal experiment to give glass a try.

I have follow-up question, and please excuse it being in the wrong forum.  I'm meeting a woman for coffee this afternoon, but we're likely coming back to my apartment afterwards.  What meal could I prepare that would make a nice brunch.  Thank you for your reply.  Regards.

Rob


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## Andy M. (Mar 30, 2008)

Difficult question to answer.  We know nothing of what either of you like to eat, what you have available, how advanced your skills are...

In your study of organic chemistry, did you learn of any ill effects from the seeping of polymers into foods?


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## rcald2000 (Mar 30, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> Difficult question to answer. We know nothing of what either of you like to eat, what you have available, how advanced your skills are...
> 
> In your study of organic chemistry, did you learn of any ill effects from the seeping of polymers into foods?


Hmm... Perhaps my last ditch effort to cook something is hopeless.  In answer to your question, I'm a complete newbie.  I can cook very simple pasta dishes (e.g. lasagna, chicken fettuccine alfredo) and basic breakfast foods (pancakes, french toast, omlettes).  Personally, I like to eat baked ziti, turkey heros, grilled chicken sandwiches, Belgian waffles, eggs & home fries.  I obviously don't consume or prepare a sophisticated grouping of food, but that's something that I'd like to gradually change.

In answer to the polymers in the food, I've never seen conclusive evidence that they are bad for your long-term health, but I just feel more comfortable limiting the amount in my system.


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## AMSeccia (Mar 30, 2008)

I have a shallow rectangle Pyrex container.  It did chip, which was my only complaint.  One of the things I loved was that it could go into the oven as well as the microwave.  I'd guess it was about 4 x 7 x 2, which was perfect for taking leftovers to work.  

I seem to have accumulated every size, shape, color and gimmick T-ware has offered over the years.  It has more living space than I do. 

I cannot find that Pyrex dish among the T-ware, but think you'll be happy using it.  

I too would be interested in the results of your studies.  There is so much conflicting information oiut there and I would not want to steer people in the wrong direction.  Last I read, using plastic specifically engineered for food use in the microwave was safe, minding the fat and sugar content and degree of heat.

Brunch?  Simple French Toast using amazing bread and good butter and syrup is hard to beat!


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## Andy M. (Mar 30, 2008)

Belgian waffles with whipped cream and fresh berries.


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## AMSeccia (Mar 30, 2008)

*gasp*

Go with what Andy says ... what time should we be there?  

That's our "special event" breakfast, usually Mother's and Father's Days.  And our "strawberry picking" dinner.  Every day until they're all either frozen or made into jam, lol.  Even the kids friends ask to sleep over during berry season!


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## PanchoHambre (Mar 31, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> Belgian waffles with whipped cream and fresh berries.



cant go wrong with that.... 

on the pyrex I use vinatge pyrex dishes to store  and reheat food often. The rubber/plastic stuff can get nasty... especially with tomato sauce. I really prefer glass containers 

New pyrex is not really pyrex though the old stuff was borosilicate glass which is labratory quality stuff because it is super non reactive. The new stuff is not... see wikipedia Borosilicate glass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia its just regular glass. 

I would reccomend getting some of the larger size containers 4 cups is one quart and that is a nice size for a leftover portion.  The one cuppers seem small to me to use to store lertover meals but would be good for storting leftover ingredients.... if you stumble across old pyrex refrigerartor dishes at a fleamarket or tag sale snag em they are great and rectangular so they fit nice in the fridge.

another tip ... when you can store the sauce and make the pasta fresh. pasta's texture does not hold up that great.... also sauce alone freezes well  pasta does not.


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## Bilby (Mar 31, 2008)

Welcome to DC! Single person meals - about 400-500 mL capacity; meal components 100-200 mL; plus get one suitable for two meals as well - handy for lasagna and the like.

Brunch - loads of fresh fruits displayed on a platter with the Belgian waffles mentioned or croissants or crumpets - something that requires no pre-cooking, just heating up that way if she is coeliac or on a diet, etc you haven't wasted food and she can have what she wants. Even a plate of sweet and savoury mini-muffins to choose from would be good.  If you don't know her very well, variety is a good stance to take.


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## Andy M. (Mar 31, 2008)

PanchoHambre said:


> ...The rubber/plastic stuff can get nasty... especially with tomato sauce. I really prefer glass containers...


 

No quesion, heating acidic foods such as those containing tomato will do some damage to plastic containers.  You can extend the life of these containers by removing the contents to a plate or bowl before heating.


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## Claire (Apr 27, 2008)

I prefer plastic for storage, although I can agree with the shortfalls they have.  But I freeze a lot of leftovers and like being able to pop various one, two, or mass serving sizes out of their plastic once frozen, then bagging.  When time comes to use them, I place in a glass bowl to thaw or nuke, and a regular cookware for stove top or oven heating.  For this reason I vastly prefer round plastic bowls to square or rectangular containers -- the frozen portion fits neatly into the bowl or cookware for thawing and reheating.  I keep plenty of the semi-disposible (Glad, Ziploc) containers in various sizes from 6 cups down to mini, plus a few gargantuon containers for carrying potluck, picnic, and party contributions, not to mention dog food and bird seed.  A friend and I also bring soups, stews, and casseroles to shut-in friends and it is good to have some that are not the massive loss Tupperware used to be if it disappears or has the melt-down/staining problem from overheating in the microwave.


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## vilasman (Apr 27, 2008)

I got lucky a 5 or so years ago and caught a pyrex store when it was going out of business. I got a lot of every size dish that pyrex makes and got lids for all them. 
The 1 cup size is good for when you have left over chopped onions, or peppers or something small like that.

The 2 cup size is good for taking stuff for lunch or midnight snacks or left overs.

Now the next 2 bigger sizes, and I can't tell what size they are cause they have stuff in them, the biggest size is good taking the left over from a 9x13 or 10x15 casserole dish. You can eat for days from one of those full of left overs. The smaller of the bigger size is good for lunch if you eat a lot.

Having said all that, the rectangular dishes, I have 2 sizes, fit in the ice box better. They smaller one could work for lunch, I think it is close to 2 cu. The bigger one I usually store block cheese in. It is also good for left overs from the bigger casseroles.

Now having said all that, I have all 4 or 5 of the mixing bowls sizes. The smaller 2 sizes can also be good for leftovers.


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## vilasman (Apr 27, 2008)

by the way, I probably have at least 40 and maybe 50 pieces of pyrex, not counting the lids, and so far I have only broken 1 piece. And I did that by being dumb. I had some baked beans in a 8x8 dish that were frozen and tried to thaw them in a microwave. IT shattered.


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## rcald2000 (Apr 27, 2008)

vilasman said:


> by the way, I probably have at least 40 and maybe 50 pieces of pyrex, not counting the lids, and so far I have only broken 1 piece. And I did that by being dumb. I had some baked beans in a 8x8 dish that were frozen and tried to thaw them in a microwave. IT shattered.


Umm.. That's not really dumb.  I could easily made the same mistake.  I appreciate the heads up.  Want to know something funny?  I was recently hired at an IT company in New York City, and one of my new co-workers has the 7 cup round pyrex storage container.  Turns out that in addition to him being a phone tech, he's also a amateur cook.  The food that he brings in everyday is amazing.

My biggest fear with cooking is making mistakes.  I know that's silly but it's true.  I need to start cooking for my job because I bring food into work from a local deli and I'm tired of turkey heroes!

Btw I already purchased the 2 and 4 cup Pyrex, but I fear they may be too small.  I purchased them so cheaply, that it's not worth the cost of shipping to return them.  I really really really want to learn to cook.  I appreciate anyone conversating with me today because I'm currently working a 12 hour shift and time is going by slowly ....


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## Andy M. (Apr 27, 2008)

rcald...

Don't be afraid to make a mistake, 99 times out of a hundred, you can eat the evidence and no one will ever know.  Just because a dish didn't come out the way it was supposed to or the way you expected doesn't mean it's no good.  You may stumble on a new recipe.

Even if you are cooking for others, they won't know you screwed up if you don't tell them.


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## rcald2000 (Apr 27, 2008)

Thanks Andy,

Do you know how I would go about getting the recipe that I've fallen in love with at that Italian restaurant.  I can't afford to continue to eat there so often.  I really do love their pasta though.  I work 12 hours days but I think that I'll try to cook something when I go home.


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## vilasman (Apr 28, 2008)

rcald... it is good to know how to cook a dish that other people can appreciate, but it is also good to make stuff the way you like it. Most of the time when I cook lamb, i grind up a mix of whatever spices suit me for that day in my mortar and pestle, which i got both of them dirt cheap at marshalls, and there is usually enough pepper in the mix to make me sneeze and cough and then coat the lamb with the mix, now I have a shaker can so I can shake it and then put it in a cast iron pan and put some fire to it.
I have learned by trial and error to brown the outside and then put it in the oven to finish it or to not put so much fire to it so that the inside dosen't dry out,

(1 big run on sentence and I know better)

But my point is I figured this out by trial and error.  
I have been baking the 1-2-3-4 cake that comes on the Swans down box since I was may 12 or 14. My mother baked it before that and 1 day I was home alone and wanted to eat some cake batter so I made the batter and ate about half it and baked the rest and then ate the cake before she got home. I was a latch key kid but my mom was a school cafeteria manager so I knew what time she was getting home.  Point being, now that I have been making that cake for almost 30 years now, I can do a really good job if I dont rush it.

Point being, get a reciepe or get a vegetable and a pasta or a rice and a meat and then look up or study seasonings, cause the difference between a lamb dish from china and one from Jamaica and one from the deep south and one from france, (so on so forth) is the seasonings. And the same thing applies to the pasta/rice or vege's. It's all in the seasonings, the technique and learning to layer the flavors.
Ok thats a lot, but get a good basic cookbook and the practice. 
You'll have a lot of fun eating your experiments!
And talk to the good folks here, and get a good cookbook


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