If the company behind Zip Top storage containers ever wanted to film an infomercial, my kitchen and I would serve as the perfect setting and subject for thegrayed out “before” scene: Every morning, I open my cabinet to an avalanche of mismatched storage containers, none of which are organized in a space-efficient or logical way. It doesn’t help that I share this cabinet with roommates, or that we have never, ever recycled a piece of packaging that could serve as a storage container for leftovers. Did I mention that around 50% of our containers are missing lids?
My coworker Kendra recommendsstackable deli containers, which have universal lids. However, I feel I need to go one step further and eliminate the lid altogether, because as the laws of physics state, lids get lost. When I encountered the lidless promises of Zip Top containers, I was eager to see if they could serve as the one and only food storage solution in my kitchen.
Zip Top containers are made of silicone and close at the top via a press-and-seal mechanism that mimics that of plastic baggies. But Zip Tops feature a wide base and can stand upright; because of this, they serve as a more versatile kind of plastic container/baggie hybrid. They sort of resemble silicone purses without the strap, and like handbags, they can house a whole host of random items.
I used Zip Top containers for a couple of months, trying them out in various food storage circumstances: I used them to store leftovers in the fridge, freeze liquids, and transport snacks. Here are my takeaways.
What I liked:
Because of the wide base, it’s easy to store liquids in Zip Tops. I was worried that the containers would spill easily, but they stay sealedwell enoughto contain stews and sauces. Just make sure you pay attention to the max fill line; more on that below.
I also appreciated how the two sides at the top of the containers form a spout at the seam: You can easily pour leftover soup from a Zip Top into a pot onto the stove to reheat.
I used the largest Zip Top bag to freeze thestock I madefrom my leftover Thanksgiving turkey. The flexible silicone body of the Zip Top made it possible to easily dislodge the frozen stock and get it in the pot for soup-making.
The smaller Zip Top bags worked well for storing bits and bobs of leftover cooking scraps in the fridge for later use. When the world does return to offices and schools, the bags will be ideal for packing snacks or lunches; they offer more structure and room than a flat silicone bag, but they don’t take up quite as much space as a standard square plastic or glass storage container.
As I suspected, it was a huge relief to reach into the cavernous hellscape that is our container cabinet and not have to scrounge around for a lid every time I wanted to put away leftovers. Not only are they lid-free, but they also stack neatly inside one another, allowing for further minimizing of cabinet clutter. It was this reason alone that made me want to reach for a Zip Top in place of the containers I was accustomed to.
What I didn’t like:
Zip Top’s seal can handle some knocking around in the fridge, but it’s probably not a good idea to transport liquids in one, because giving the bag a good squeeze can cause it to burst open. The more full it is, the more likely the bag is to burst under pressure, which is why it’s important to adhere to the marked maximum fill line on the bag.