Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Kitchen Natter => Topic started by: Lardman on November 10, 2013, 17:28

Title: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: Lardman on November 10, 2013, 17:28
Im so tired of half packets of things spilling over in the cupboards or the various smaller packets balanced on top of each other falling off the top shelf whist I'm looking for the risotto rice  >:( I need a sort out !

Can anyone recommend some good containers for the things I keep larger quantities of pasta, rice, flours and the like. I've had a couple of trashco food container but the lids are poor. The double clip ones are much better but I'd need to remortgage too afford enough of the large ones.
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: rowan57 on November 10, 2013, 18:15
Food grade white buckets? The website below is uber cheap, I have bought beer bottles through them and shipping can be slow but haven't bought plastic from them yet.

http://www.ampulla.co.uk/PLASTIC-BUCKETS-AND-PAILS/c-1-113/ (http://www.ampulla.co.uk/PLASTIC-BUCKETS-AND-PAILS/c-1-113/)
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: gypsy on November 10, 2013, 19:01
I buy plain yogurt in 1kg buckets from the supermarket, They are ok to keep stuff like lentils, raisins, walnuts. I write labels on the lids with permanent fibre tip pen. I could give you loads if you were near me. ( I eat a lot of yogurt)   :)
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: sunshineband on November 10, 2013, 19:07
Lardman, there have been a few of us sorting out our kitchen cupboards and other storage recently -- welcome to the BIG De-Junking  :D :D

I use large glass jars with screw tops for storing pasta, paella rice etc. Not as extravagant as that sounds. Found cheap ones in Matalan and shops like B&Ms etc, as well as slightly dearer ones in IKEA. I have tall ones, and those that sit on their side with the screw top facing you

Worth a look around. Large coffee jars are also good --I used to get them from work when they are empty.
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: hamstergbert on November 10, 2013, 20:53
For rices, caster sugar, pulses and whatnot I have built a nice collection of the large plastic canisters that the own brand version of Vanish comes in from asda.  These are white plastic, quite robust and have a well fitting screw lid.  So far proved pretty mouse proof too. (Cost about the same for a large one as Morri's own brand small one which is why the asda ones.  Suppose you could use the real Vanish ones except they are of course loads dearer and I find the bilious purple plastic unattractive when storing dry foodstuffs)

Once they are empty and have been well washed out (even gingerly scalded out too some of 'em)  they are just the ticket (I have a supply of 6 to A4 sticky labels so I print contents labels to stick on the lids).  Also stack quite well.  For some of the minor pulses (eg different lentils, variosu beans) I get several small packs in each.

As well as rice I use them for pasta shapes and can just about fit a pack in each given that some of the pack is going to be used wehn  I open it!  For really big volumes I have a few of the largest size Ikea clip top jars that had for years, but whenever I can I use the non-Vanish tubs!
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: snowdrops on November 10, 2013, 21:17
You could try a local sweet shop for sweet jars. Wilco's do the 4 clip plastic containers,or even the bigger storage boxes & put types in each I.e past shapes in one & varieties of rice in another. Word of warning have the sizes of cupboards & shelves written down when you go to shop,otherwise what looks like it will fit is often wrong :wacko:
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: Mrs Bee on November 11, 2013, 11:05
Dunhelm's do large plastic tubs with lids and a carrying handle for a couple of quid each. I have lots of these sitting in cupboards and shelves. I am not sure weather they advertise them as food containers or washing powder containers but they are brilliant to keep all the half packets and full packets of dry ingredients.

I used to get large plastic buckets with lids and handles from the local cake making store. They sell them off when they have used the frosting in them for a couple of quid. I don't know if you have anywhere like that near you.

I do find the Dunhelm's ones better tho' as they fit 2 to each shelf so 4 in all in a kitchen wall cabinet.
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: Lardman on November 11, 2013, 15:20
When I designed and built the kitchen I was burning water and realise now I did it with a very 'don't cook' point of view.

I use the big douwe egberts jars for spices and the like, but I tend to buy at least 3Kgs of bread flour, pasta and rice.

Word of warning have the sizes of cupboards & shelves written down when you go to shop,otherwise what looks like it will fit is often wrong :wacko:

Been there, done that  ::)

It's a shame the P&P is so high on that link Rowan57 has posted otherwise I'd be temped to just buy a goodly amount - I'll check Dunhelm I think there's one of those in town now.

.. course it might just be easier to build a bigger kitchen  :D
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: GrannieAnnie on November 11, 2013, 15:57
I'm not going to be much help, the big one I keep my pasta in is an old Tupperware one that I had years ago when I used to sell the stuff.  Also my flours, sugar etc are in the old Tupperware Harvest set.

But those 4 clip ones you can buy, I actually bought mine in Lakeland, but my daughter's ones are identical and she bought hers in a local cheapy shop.  Not sure if they go big enough for 3kgs of flour etc though.  :(
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: Trillium on November 11, 2013, 21:45
For the immediate kitchen use, I recycle large jars and also watch boot sales for useful ones going cheap. True, they're all sorts of shapes and sizes but they're cheap to free so I don't mind. In a pinch I'll use mason jars.

For my larger quantities, I get free food buckets from in shop bakeries rather than private bakeries who always want to charge for them.  These are stored in a cool dark area, lids sealed on tight, and labeled clearly.
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: devonbarmygardener on November 11, 2013, 22:48
Lardman, there have been a few of us sorting out our kitchen cupboards and other storage recently -- welcome to the BIG De-Junking  :D :D

I use large glass jars with screw tops for storing pasta, paella rice etc. Not as extravagant as that sounds. Found cheap ones in Matalan and shops like B&Ms etc, as well as slightly dearer ones in IKEA. I have tall ones, and those that sit on their side with the screw top facing you

Worth a look around. Large coffee jars are also good --I used to get them from work when they are empty.
Ikea? Dearer?? Is that possible ?
I thought they were the ultimate in cheap!!

Agree dunhelm mill, wilkos etc. Do you have a 'The Range' near you? It might just be down these parts, I'm not sure? They're cheap though.
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: Madame Cholet on November 12, 2013, 21:54
My local market trader gives me empty sweet jars which fit conviniently on the pantry shelves. Sandwich shops and pubs will give you the buckets with lids too.
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: Mrs Bee on November 12, 2013, 23:16
That reminds me of going to the local market and buying the tins that had had toffee in, from the sweet stall for 10p each to use as baking trays.

Still going strong today and son took several away with him when he moved out.
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: chrissie B on November 26, 2013, 13:03
I have started putting my things in various shaped boxes which I get from wilkinsons and start at 50 pence for tiny ones I use for spices , they have good lids which stay on , there is round and square to choose from , make sure you get the one with the deeper lid the other type is rubbish
chrissie b
Title: Re: Storage boxes/canisters
Post by: madcat on November 27, 2013, 10:15
Have a look in local charity shops and house clearance outlets (not the posh'n'becks type fashion ones, the ordinary market town ones) as they often have lovely storage containers (glass, stainless steel etc) from house clearances in all sizes and nice quality for not a lot of cash, which is going to a good cause too.  I have built up a good collection and always have an eye out for interesting additions - but don't tell 'im indoors that!   :ohmy: You just need to look on the bottom shelf usually!