Any ideas for tea, coffee and sugar containers.

hako · Guru

Any ideas for tea, coffee and sugar containers.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Hako I have 4 screw-top round plastic containers, have used them for about 3 years, and they've never come unscrewed and spilt my coffee granules.

They came from the Reject shop!

Before that I tried various plastic containers, thought square ones would fit better in the drawers but the lids pop off.

thomas01 · Senior Member

hako,

We use square plastic containers with screw-top lids. Air and ant tight. They were SPC or similar fruit containers originally. They store well and being square don't take up too much room. I'm sure other people may have different ideas.

Robert.

Brenda and Alan · Guru

We use the square plastic jars that you buy with peaches, fruit salad, etc in them. They are light, hold at least a week's worth of coffee/tea/sugar and fit nicely in the pull-out pantry basket. Brenda.

Bunkerbob · Senior Member

Lock"n" Lock are probably the best. Durable plastic, lids won't fall off regardless of the angle of the container, freezer and microwave safe. Light, clear. We have lots of them in different sizes.
You might need to use Mr Google to find who is selling them at the moment.

Bob

jules47 · The Happy Helper

We have similar to Bunkerbob - they are called Cliplock, though, from supermarket - the lids clip securely, are air and waterproof, as well as stacking on top of each other - available in a range of sizes, sometimes they have a deal with several sizes in a pack.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Yup, those square fruit jars are great cannisters. Lately have found the generic brand ones have a better lid, the more expensive ones have some fancy foil insert that leaves a rough edge.

Happywanderer · The Master

I go with the square fruit containers with the round screw tops. Buy the fruit first, containers are free. I have quite a few of different sizes.

Highwayman · Senior Member

Being a poor pensioner I've learned to live frugally .i love a bargain love to recycle love window therapy love going to all the recycled shops ..salvoes great range of kitchen ware go see wats good for you ..hako cya

hako · Guru

Thanks for the many replies - the square fruit containers seem the go. We did try clip lock plastic containers but found instant coffee or sugar would jam the seal.
I like the idea of the fruit containers being square, the plastic flexible, a large lid and square so they pack easy. Now I've just got to buy them....think I saw some down at the Lifeline shop.
Again, thganks for the replies.
Regards
Denis

Gerty Dancer · Guru

hako wrote: Now I've just got to buy them....think I saw some down at the Lifeline shop.

Hako, you've discovered one of the Grey nomad's greatest resources. Op Shops!!! smile Enjoy!

hako · Guru

Gerty Dancer wrote:
hako wrote: Now I've just got to buy them....think I saw some down at the Lifeline shop.

Hako, you've discovered one of the Grey nomad's greatest resources. Op Shops!!! Enjoy!

I started at 10 y.o. going to Tempe tip with a sugarbag, magnet and hammer chasing scrap metal...made lots of money too and found plenty of free junk. This progressed to when I started work at Mascot Airport and had access to all sorts of electro/mechanical devices out of aircraft.....then after marrying I'd always visit any second hand shops in the bad part of town....next Op shops started and I've been an avid customer since. Love dump shops as well but now they charge too much. When I retired 10 years ago I volunteered at Salvo's and that was very dangerous territory let me tell you...

Garage sales are the cheapest IMHO. Op shops have gone upmarket and really have lost their way/mission. Unmanned dumps are great too.

In my shed I've still got copper rivets I prised out of a burnt-out skiff on Whale Beach about 63 years ago. I'd love to get rid of some of my junk but it's all good junk...and soon as I dump some, the next day I need it.

I reckon I'm not alone.

Regards

Denis

03_troopy · Guru

Hako, you're not alone.. :)

GaryKelly · Guru

Dunno if they're still available at Woollies but I bought 3 Jamie Oliver all-purpose storage tins for $8 each. They're cute, like something from an old English kitchen, with a DIY label holder. The press-down lid has a plastic insert to keep it air tight and firmly held in place. They're round though, so that may not suit you. But they do make a kitchen look more kitcheny if ya know what I mean. Other things might be more practical in a camping context but a bloke's gotta give the impression that he's not all football and singlets.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

I started out with a bickie tin Gary, it got badly dented within the first week, you have to be careful with them. Plastic now (except for coffee cups, they're stainless steel).

Big Gorilla · Guru

The plastic fruit bottles mentioned are good. I use the glass bottles that Moccona Coffee comes in. The top has a plastic seal making it air tight. Of course some people don't like to use glass.

Old Crofter · Senior Member

We have used empty Benifibre containers

-- Edited by Old Crofter on Saturday 25th of January 2014 04:16:58 PM

neilnruth · Guru

Hako we use empty peanut butter jars. Lids stay on, they hold enough teabags for at least 2 weeks and when you take the labels off you can see the contents. We've also used empty fish oil tablet jars but have to write contents in black texta.

hako · Guru

Big Gorilla - they'd be good but in our Avan they must sit in contact with eachother which may or may not be a problem - glass on glass, but the other problem is that we must store them in drawers and grab the lid to lift out....the lid may detach during the lifting process with dire results. If we could grab them by the bottom it would be OK.
Bob - they may be a bit small for our usage, however that's a great idea for storing spices etc - we have some spare space that I could utilise with a slide out drawer. Did you buy the wire cage or fabricate it?
NeilnRuth - that's even better than the plastic fruit jars previously suggested....I always save these and have all my nuts and bolts stored in them up the shed. Joy is a bit worried about the peanut butter smell remaining but if I soaked them in a bicarb solution and leave in the sun it should go away?

Thanks for the replies.

Old Crofter · Senior Member

Bob - they may be a bit small for our usage, however that's a great idea for storing spices etc - we have some spare space that I could utilise with a slide out drawer. Did you buy the wire cage or fabricate it?"

Slide out pantry is part of the conquest fitout, but believe that you can purchase them from most hardware chains, Bunnings, Masters and storage places like Howards.

Bob

hako · Guru

Thanks Bob, I'll check Bunnings.
Regards

justcruisin01 · Guru

thomas01 wrote:
hako,

We use square plastic containers with screw-top lids. Air and ant tight. They were SPC or similar fruit containers originally. They store well and being square don't take up too much room. I'm sure other people may have different ideas.

Robert.

DITTO; also use them to freeze supplies, store small grocery items that come in unresealable plastic packets. You can also buy your flour,sugar, rice, pasta, ect in the larger versions & when empty just but the usual paper packets & transfer the contents to these containers. Been using them for years.

neilnruth · Guru

Peanut butter smell doesn't linger once washed. If worried, leave it in the sun for a short time.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Another very handy storage item is a pack of snap-lock bags. When your breakfast cereal box is half-full, it takes less space to put the contents in a snap-lock bag, also things like sultanas, nuts, breadcrumbs etc. Put all the bags in an ice-cream container or similar and they don't fall about in the cupboard.

Dunmowin · Guru

hako wrote:
Big Gorilla - they'd be good but in our Avan they must sit in contact with eachother which may or may not be a problem - glass on glass, but the other problem is that we must store them in drawers and grab the lid to lift out....the lid may detach during the lifting process with dire results. If we could grab them by the bottom it would be OK.
Bob - they may be a bit small for our usage, however that's a great idea for storing spices etc - we have some spare space that I could utilise with a slide out drawer. Did you buy the wire cage or fabricate it?
NeilnRuth - that's even better than the plastic fruit jars previously suggested....I always save these and have all my nuts and bolts stored in them up the shed. Joy is a bit worried about the peanut butter smell remaining but if I soaked them in a bicarb solution and leave in the sun it should go away?

Thanks for the replies.

We used peanut paste jars for year when we had our camper trailer. Make dymo labels, two for each container, one on the lid and the other on the side of the container. Therefore, when you pull out your drawer, you can see the label of say, the coffee and sugar. When you use them, and take off the lid, you know which container to put the lid back on to. I now do this with my décor containers that I use for flour, SR flour, sugar etc etc in my pantry in the van.

We never had an issue with the smell of peanut butter remaining in the jars.

Dunmowin · Guru

Gerty Dancer wrote:
Another very handy storage item is a pack of snap-lock bags. When your breakfast cereal box is half-full, it takes less space to put the contents in a snap-lock bag, also things like sultanas, nuts, breadcrumbs etc. Put all the bags in an ice-cream container or similar and they don't fall about in the cupboard.

Snap lock bags (the snack size) are great for herbs and spices, the sandwich size ones are good to freeze meat, i.e. if I buy a kilo of mince, I divide it into 4 x 250g and freeze in sandwich size snap bag. Press down as flat as possible

Wendy · Member

Cant go past Tupperware. Bit of an expensive outlay but if you look at the garage sales etc they can be picked up very cheaply. Airtight, water tight and lifetime guarantee.

JayDee · Guru

We purchased 4 blue screw top containers with Sugar Tea and Coffee and something else on each of the container for $2 each from Reject Shop.
Jay&Dee

hako · Guru

JayDee wrote:
We purchased 4 blue screw top containers with Sugar Tea and Coffee and something else on each of the container for $2 each from Reject Shop.
Jay&Dee

Jay & Dee ......Glass bottoms?

Regards

Cupie · Guru

Dunmowin wrote:
Gerty Dancer wrote:
Another very handy storage item is a pack of snap-lock bags. When your breakfast cereal box is half-full, it takes less space to put the contents in a snap-lock bag, also things like sultanas, nuts, breadcrumbs etc. Put all the bags in an ice-cream container or similar and they don't fall about in the cupboard.
Snap lock bags (the snack size) are great for herbs and spices, the sandwich size ones are good to freeze meat, i.e. if I buy a kilo of mince, I divide it into 4 x 250g and freeze in sandwich size snap bag. Press down as flat as possible

Saw a good idea for portion control when using snap lock bags for stuff like mince :-

When you have put the mince into the bag & then flattened it out as described, use the back of a long knife or similar to make crosses (squares) in the mince. Then if you only want a small portion or two you can snap off the required amount off the still frozen mince & return the balance to the freezer.

-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 10th of February 2014 10:27:17 AM