The Best Way to Store Groceries and Make Them Last Longer

Groceries are expensive. On more than one occasion, I’ve returned home from the supermarket shocked by how much I paid for only a few items — and I’m sure I’m not alone. That’s why it’s important to make those purchases last, and a big part of that is knowing how to store groceries properly so that food — and money — doesn’t go to waste. Thankfully, Amazon has tons of special storage containers, bags, and even hacks that can help your groceries stay fresher for days, maybe even weeks, longer. Whether you’re looking for a butter dish to keep sticks spreadable and odor-free, food storage containers to prevent meat, pantry staples, or produce from going bad, or just want to know how to store cheese so that it doesn’t get moldy, we have a fix for all of your food items.

Best Amazon Grocery Storage Containers Overall

• Li’l Things Reusable Beeswax Bags, $35, originally $40
• Homekoko Double Layer Bread Box, $36, originally $40
• ProKeeper Deli Food Storage Container, $18
• Anova Vacuum Sealer, $108, originally $154
• Prep Solutions by Progressive Lettuce Keeper, $16
• Aozita 2-Piece Stackable Wire Basket Set, $36, originally $45
• Syntic Square Airtight Glass Milk Bottle, $10, originally $13
• Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags, $19
• OXO Good Grips Butter Dish, $12, originally $15
• Butter Bell The Original Butter Crock, $31
• Rubbermaid Brilliance 8-Piece Pantry Food Storage Set, $30, originally $50
• Brown Sugar Bear, $4, originally $5 

Best Bread Storage

If you’ve been storing bread in the refrigerator to keep it fresh, you’re actually doing more harm than good. The fridge can change the bread’s texture, making it dry and crumbly. There are better bread storage options to keep loaves at their freshest, including GobiSea linen bags that are beloved by pro bakers, the Homekoko Double Layer Bread Box that holds multiple loaves, and even a tiny $10 Jbk Pottery Bread Saver that prevents mold from forming on bread.

• Li’l Things Reusable Beeswax Bags, $35, originally $40
• Jbk Terra Cotta Bread Saver, $10
• Prepworks by Progressive Bread Keeper, $25
• Gifhomefix Bread Box, $20, originally $30
• GobiSea Linen Bread Bag with Proofing Cover, $13, originally $15
• Homekoko Double Layer Bread Box, $36, originally $40

Li’l Things Reusable Beeswax Bags

Reusable beeswax bags are especially good for home-baked or fresh-from-the-bakery loaves like sourdough and baguettes, according to restaurateur Pete Ternes of Chicago’s Bungalow by Middlebrow. “They have some breathability, but they prevent too much airflow, so they keep the bread from going stale quickly,” Ternes says. Made from cotton and organic beeswax, the reusable bags are easily cleaned with soap and cold water. “I was blown away,” one reviewer said of the bags’ effectiveness. “They kept the bread as fresh as it was out of the oven:” 

Jbk Terra Cotta Bread Saver

This simple terra cotta square is one of our favorite hacks for preventing mold from forming on loaves. Just soak the bread saver in water for 15 minutes, then pat it dry and add it to your bread storage container, being careful not to let it come into direct contact with the loaf. The porous clay absorbs any moisture in the container, and its tiny air holes help air circulate through the bread, so it stays fresher for longer. “Perfect for keeping your bread mold-free,” raved a customer.

Best Meat Storage

Meat can be expensive, so you’ll want to make sure that it’s stored properly, whether you’re keeping lunch meat in the fridge or freezing steaks for the future. Besides vacuum sealing, some of our favorite solutions for prolonging the life of proteins include Stasher’s mega-sized silicone storage bag, which can hold larger cuts of raw or cooked meat and do double duty in the fridge and freezer, as well as a $10 bacon container that prevents strips from getting slimy. 

ProKeeper Deli Food Storage Container

This clever bacon container can keep lunch meat or an entire pound of bacon fresher for days. Made from BPA-free plastic, it has a grooved base that keeps moisture away from meat to prevent it from breaking down. The container’s lid has a thin silicone lining and a clasp that creates an airtight seal when closed. Since the meat isn’t exposed to air or moisture, it stays fresh and won’t discolor. “I’ve noticed a significant difference in the longevity of my deli meats and cheeses when stored in this container,” said a shopper.

Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers

Rubbermaid makes some of our favorite non-toxic food storage containers, including the durable Brilliance collection. In our testing, we found that the gasketed lids created a super-tight and leakproof seal, so that contents aren’t exposed to air. The plastic containers can be used to store meat or fish in the fridge or freezer, and they’re dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. “They’re sturdy, BPA-free, and snap shut securely, which is a must for keeping food fresh,” said a reviewer.

Best Fruit & Vegetable Storage

Produce can wilt, brown, and get mushy or moldy if it’s not used right away or stored correctly. But there are many storage solutions that can prolong the life of fruits and vegetables, keeping them almost as fresh as the day you bought them. The Bluapple Produce Saver can be placed in the crisper to absorb gases that promote ripening, while the Food Huggers silicone sleeves can be slipped onto cut produce halves to keep them from turning bad. We even found an OXO container that keeps fresh herbs, well, fresh in the fridge.

• Prep Solutions by Progressive Lettuce Keeper, $16
• Rubbermaid Freshworks Produce Savers, Set of 4, $20
• Aozita 2-Piece Stackable Wire Basket Set, $36, originally $45
• Food Huggers Reusable Produce Savers, $18
• OXO Good Grips GreenSaver Herb Keeper, $9, originally $17 
• Bluapple Produce Saver, $17
• OXO Good Grips Berry Keeper, Set of 2, $23
• Progressive International Prepworks Produce Keeper, $20, originally $22
• ProKeeper Guacamole Keeper, $16 

Aozita 2-PIece Stackable Wire Basket Set

Wondering how to store potatoes to prevent them from sprouting? Try this stackable set of wire baskets, which can be placed on a counter or in a pantry. Since potatoes need air circulating around them to stay at their best, the open design of the sturdy baskets allows them to breathe and thrive. To ensure optimal freshness, the stackable baskets should be stored in a cool, dark place, like a pantry or cellar. “I’ve noticed a significant reduction in mold, especially for items prone to spoiling like onions and potatoes,” said a pleased reviewer. 

Rubbermaid Freshworks Produce Savers, Set of 4

This set of Rubbermaid produce savers includes storage containers in two sizes: an 11.3-cup container that’s ideal for holding broccoli and bell peppers, and an 18.1-cup container that’s great for leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. Each container has an elevated base that keeps produce away from moisture and a secure, vented lid that regulates the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide. “It fits two full Publix bags of spinach and keeps it fresh/non-soggy for close to two weeks,” said one reviewer. Another shopper noted that the storage containers provide an even greater benefit: “Keeps my produce fresh longer and that saves a lot of money.”

Best Eggs & Dairy Storage 

A well-stocked fridge typically includes some eggs and dairy, but they can go bad before their expiration dates if not stored correctly. For example, cheese can get dry and hard if it’s not kept in special storage bags or containers. Egg storage is equally important, since they can crack and go to waste if they’re not protected by a sturdy plastic holder. Whether you want to keep cream cheese mold-free or yogurt from turning sour, we found lots of ingenious ways to help dairy items stay as fresh as the day you brought them home from the market. 

Synthetic Square Airtight Glass Milk Bottle

This glass milk bottle keeps milk and cream so cold that it lasts “double as long,” according to a shopper. The 32-ounce jar is embossed with measurement indicators in both fluid ounces and milliliters, and comes with two lid options: an airtight screw-on top and a pouring spout. The screw-on top is a favorite feature of one shopper. “It comes with a silicone gasket that ensures no leaks, maintaining the freshness of the milk,” they said. Another customer credits the milk bottle’s glass for keeping the contents from curdling. “I noticed our milk stayed fresh for longer in these glass bottles,” they said. “Everything tastes better from a glass, I guess!

Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags

First things first: Plastic wrap does no favors for opened cheese when storing it in the fridge. In fact, it’s one of the reasons the exposed ends dry out. The best storage method, according to cheesemongers, is to use Formaticum cheese storage bags. The bags, a favorite of the French, are made from a porous waxed-paper material that allows cut cheese to breathe while maintaining moisture and preventing mold. “It keeps it fresher for weeks longer,” says Angie DiMeo of East Side Cheese in Providence, Rhode Island. “Absolutely do not use plastic wrap to store your cheese long-term.”

Best Butter Storage

Butter is an essential ingredient in many kitchens, whether it’s melted into a baked potato, incorporated into a shortbread recipe, or added to a frying pan for making an omelet. However, one thing you shouldn’t do with butter is store it in the fridge, where it can absorb odors, or worse, get lost and go bad. Sticks should be stored on the counter, using a butter dish with a lid or a butter crock to keep them fresh and spreadable. See some of our favorite butter keepers below. 

Butter Bell The Original Butter Crock

Crafted from bone china, this classic butter crock consists of a base for holding water and a lid that holds butter. In our tests, we found the butter bell very easy to use: Add 1/3 cup of cold water to the base, pack one stick of softened butter into the lid, and place the lid onto the base to create an airtight seal. The water kept butter soft and spreadable outside the fridge, and odor absorption wasn’t an issue. Shoppers agree that this is an amazing butter crock, and one reviewer even bought it twice. “Does its job and I love always having fresh room temperature butter,” they said.

Mora Ceramics 2-in-1 Butter Dish 

Shoppers agree that this ceramic butter dish is a keeper. “It’s handsome and well-crafted, and the butter lasts on my counter for weeks without spoiling, growing mold, or any other issue,” said a reviewer. The dish is designed to be used in two different ways: You can keep two sticks of butter in the deep portion of the container and add the flat lid on top, or use the flat lid as the butter dish and place the container on top. Either way, your butter will never taste better. “This keeps butter so fresh,” said a shopper. “This is the very best butter dish and I’ve tried so many over the years.”

Best Pantry & Dry Food Storage

Most pantry items come with “best by” dates, but that matters less than how you store them. Typically, that means placing the contents in an airtight food storage container and keeping it in a cool, dry place. We found plenty of pantry storage solutions that can give staples like coffee and flour a whole new shelf life, and keep spices from losing their flavor. We even found a $10 gadget that will ensure your chips and snacks don’t go stale.

• Rubbermaid Brilliance 8-Piece Pantry Food Storage Set, $30, originally $50
• Brown Sugar Bear, $4, originally $5 
• Fellow Atmos Vacuum Coffee Canister, $40
• PrepWorks by Progressive Flour Keeper, $21, originally $25
• Stasher Premium Food Storage Bags, Set of 3, $49
• Aisiprin Glass Spice Jars with Bamboo Lids, 24 pieces, $27, originally $32
• Odsd Mini Bag Sealer, $10, originally $16

Rubbermaid Brilliance 8-Piece Pantry Food Storage Set

Made from shatterproof BPA-free plastic, this set of tall Rubbermaid Brilliance pantry storage containers was designed specifically for holding staples like flour, sugar, rice, pasta, and beans. Like all Rubbermaid Brilliance containers, they have locking lids that keep air (not to mention bugs and other critters) out. “These containers are top-notch,” said a reviewer and longtime Rubbermaid fan. “These newer designs are easier to open and keep all items fresh in the pantries.” Another shopper agreed that the upgraded containers made “an amazing difference. Food stays fresh so much longer!”

Brown Sugar Bear, $4, originally $5 

We’ve all been there. You’re in the middle of making a recipe, ready to measure out brown sugar, and realize all the moisture is gone, and it’s as hard as a brick. The Brown Sugar Bear helps to ensure it stays pillowy soft. Here’s how it works: Soak the terracotta bear in water for 20 minutes, then pat it dry and add it to your airtight storage container. The bear slowly releases moisture to prevent the brown sugar from clumping, and, depending on your climate, it should last for three to six months. “This little guy is adorable and, in the past few months, I have not had a single issue with hard brown sugar,” said a happy customer. “Definitely worth every penny.”