The future of meal prep containers

The Future of Meal Prep Containers 

Meal Prep Source will help you find the perfect meal prep for you made by local companies. However, if you feel like making it yourself but are unsure of where to start, we’re here to help!

People often put a lot of thought into what they eat. Whether it is making your own meal prep at home or sourcing it elsewhere, you know the foods you would want to avoid. Something that is often overlooked is the container you put your meal prep into. Meal prep containers. I know what you’re thinking: (a sarcastic) how exciting! However, there is actually a lot to be said about meal prep containers and how to make the best decision for your prep. 

We’ve all got old plastic containers sitting in our kitchen cupboard with the slight orange staining from the spaghetti bolognese they previously held (if you don’t, we’d love some tips on how to get rid of it!). Even though they’re not always single-use, it’s not good for the environment when they’re inevitably thrown out. 

But what other options are there? 

Glass meal prep containers are a great alternative to plastic as not only do they feel a bit fancier than their plastic counterparts, but they’re longer-lasting and don’t stain as easily either. You can find a great range of glass meal prep containers from Igluu Meal Prep  where some even offer multiple compartments! This allows you to separate your veggies, carbs and proteins for your own convenience. 

Eco-friendly meal prep containers are on the rise. We should all be doing our bit to be more conscious of how we treat the planet, so making a decision to use meal prep containers made from recycled materials will only ever be a good thing with a positive impact. They’re not as readily available as the other options but if you’re able to shop online or source them from a small business, the planet will thank you.

Some offer the option for zero-waste food containers. One business we have found offering this option for their meal prep containers is the Food Marshal. Anna offers her customers two options of meal prep containers when it comes to her zero waste option. These are to: “Have your own personal set of glass food containers that are washed and re-used weekly” or  “Have your food served in eco-friendly, compostable food containers” both are amazing options and much better on the environment than plastic meal prep containers! Anna offers delicious organic meal prep in Miami, you can also find her on Meal Prep Source! Click here to visit her profile!

Another company that has done an amazing job of making sure they are eco-friendly with not only their packaging but also delivering their products in electric vehicles is Eat Chirky. Eat Chirky have an amazing story on how they managed to get an eco-friendly packaging for their delicious food: 

“The first task we found ourselves undertaking was what to do about all of that plastic we are all so used to seeing ready meals packaged in. After plenty of research, we finally found the perfect alternative for our trays and film, a fibre-based plastic alternative that is recyclable and certified for home composting. To top it all off, the wood fibre used to make the trays is sourced from carbon negative forests: for every tree our supplier cuts, they plant three new ones. We immediately knew this was a perfect fit for Chirky. Once our trays were under control, our attention turned to the extra packaging needed to transport our meals in. The obvious option would be use cheap cardboard boxes, but this single-use approach didn’t sit well with us. Even though cardboard can be recycled, we believe that where possible, re-using is always better. So, we use reusable cooler bags and ice packs, which are collected by our drivers at each delivery and brought back to HQ to be cleaned and used again, and again… well, you get the idea. To top it all off, our sleeves are all recyclable and so you don’t have to worry about any waste.”

How incredible! Make sure to check out their website for more information. 

Another company that is moving towards the future when it comes to meal prep containers is KBK. Their journey begun with looking to reduce waste as much as possible and complaints from their customers that the plastic containers they were using were starting to leak. Their new packaging has 95% less plastic than before, comes in more convenient size options and is completely BPA-free. They are also all biodegradable! Be sure to check out their website and the video below explaining their packaging: KBK New Packaging. 

This is what we believe the future of meal prep containers will look like. Eco-friendly and made from recyclable materials. As more and more of us become more aware of our carbon footprint and the affect we have on our planet, this seems like the only logical way forward. As more companies start to adopt these meal prep containers, the cheaper they will become; allowing even the smallest of meal prep companies to use them. Although we emphasise the importance of avoiding single-use plastics, sometimes re-using the containers from your Chinese takeaway can do wonders (just remember to recycle them when you’re done).