Storage for powders and potions

[paulraphael]

Lately, many of us have experienced a multiplication of white powders in the pantry ... xanthan gum, locust bean gum, pectin, agar, dextrose, tapioca maltodextrin, isomalt, other refined starches, sugars, enzymes ...

You gotta put them somewhere. Mine are mostly in plastic bags sitting in a darkroom tray on a pantry shelf. I'm wondering if anyone's come up with a better solution. Legible labels are key ... most of these things are practically indestinguishable from each other.

[andiesenji]

I use Cambro containers and label with a P-Touch label printer. Easy and quick to use and there are various widths of tape in different colors so you can do some color coding if you wish.

[paulraphael]

They make small ones? Are they clear and airtight?

[andiesenji]

They make small ones? Are they clear and airtight?

The smallest are 1 quart/liter. They are clear enough for me, translucent to be exact.

They stack several units high quite securely because of the way the lids are constructed with a higher rim and you can see in this photo how they can be tipped - I could tip them more but would have to reset the ISight timer.

They are inexpensive and practically indestructible. I freeze stuff in them and then stick them in the microwave to defrost or even heat.

[paulraphael]

Those look cool but I need much smaller ones. I don't stuck that kind of quantity of any of that stuff (and if I did, I'd have a different storage problem altogether).

[Darienne]

Our local bulk food stores has small plastic containers with lids for $.10 a piece. I use these with labels I stick on them. They stack well. Each holds one cup...just done...and I never keep that much of those powder/potion things at one time anyway.

[vice]

You're bound to find something that meets your needs at Specialty Bottle.

[judiu]

or... www.thecontainerstore.com . HTH!

[Fat Guy]

When I was in the hospital a while back I discovered Medegen brand polypropylene medical specimen containers and thought they'd be ideal for storing small amounts of spices, powders, etc. I took several home with me and have used them for everything from food products to cosmetics.

[Fat Guy]

As for labels, Costco recently had a Brother P-Touch label maker on sale so we bought one and it's great.

[Dave the Cook]

When I was in the hospital a while back I discovered Medegen brand polypropylene medical specimen containers and thought they'd be ideal for storing small amounts of spices, powders, etc. I took several home with me and have used them for everything from food products to cosmetics.

Would those be these, Steven? Small, stackable, not too expensive. Minimum order is 100, though.

[Fat Guy]

Similar in appearance to those, though not identical -- but I'm sure they all work the same and if they're good enough for medical specimens they should be good enough for food storage. You can get a smaller quantity if you slip into a hospital or doctor's office and just grab a few, but even if you have to buy 100 of them it's only like thirty bucks for the case.

[Dave the Cook]

At the other end of the price spectrum is the SpiceCare system. Five bucks per container, but it's an interesting approach, and the shape is potentially more efficient than something round.

[paulraphael]

You're bound to find something that meets your needs at Specialty Bottle.

I forgot about that place, thanks. something like this looks promising. I think I want to go with glass instead of plastic; I find that fine powders often stick to the sides of my plastic containers. Maybe because of static. For labels maybe one of those label makers, or else graphic arts tape and a sharpie (and my serial killer handwriting).

[heidih]

I like glass. There was a cooking show (Chef at Home?) where the guy's pantry was full of glass bottles and I really liked it. I have people save their jam jars for me (no lingering odor problem like with pickle lids). I end up with different shapes and sizes and lid colors which gives me some flexibility. I soak off the labels and only use the ones with metal lids. I use the blue painter's tape for labels with a sharpie. Only I have to be able to read my handwriting after all. It sticks well but leaves no residue after you peel it off. They are not stackable of course, but you can't beat the price.

[Porthos]

ZipLoc makes round 16 oz screw-top containers if that size would work for you. I buy mine at Wal-Mart but I'm sure other stores carry them.

[djyee100]

How well I know that Piles of Plastic Bags on a shelf system. Then you have to sort through all those bags to find the ingredient you want. One day I got so frustrated with this system (non-system?) I impulsively bought all the containers I needed at the Container Store, where the prices are at a premium. (A few days later I was back at the store for something else, and the sales clerk said to me, "I remember you from the other day. You looked like you were on a mission.") If I had to do it all over again, I would go shopping online, like this place:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=691&parentcatid=845&gclid=CLjMhOeP0qACFQEBiQodeREUzQ

For labels I use pieces of masking tape and a pen. Not fancy, but it's cheap and it works for me.

[cbread]

My spice jars: www.sunburstbottle.com/specials-tab?search=VSQ190 lay flat in a shallow drawer and since they are square, they don't roll over and my labels stay facing up whare I can read them.

[ojisan]

I buy my spices in bulk from the local health food store - they're fresher and much cheaper than the major brand stuff at the supermarkets.

I keep small quantities of the few everyday spices in recycled Spice Island/Schilling bottles. I'm thinking a masala dabba would be handy.

My bulk spices and spices I don't use often are in mason jars (mainly 1/2 pt), vacuum sealed w/ Foodsaver. Hole punched in lids is covered w/ electrical tape to easily break the vacuum.

[Fat Guy]

Label makers are totally not essential. But they're really cool.

Whether you prefer glass or various kinds of plastic (some are smoother and less reactive than others), I think there's a whole world of container possibilities once you get out of the kitchen mindset and start looking at medical and lab supplies.

[syoung68]

After having two kids we found ourselves with a ton of these...

They are 2 oz stackable containers and I use them for everything from spices to stock. They go from freezer to microwave with no problem. They are small, cheap, and stack well.

Edited March 30, 2010 by syoung68 (log)

[Shamanjoe]

Label makers are totally not essential. But they're really cool.

Whether you prefer glass or various kinds of plastic (some are smoother and less reactive than others), I think there's a whole world of container possibilities once you get out of the kitchen mindset and start looking at medical and lab supplies.

I think Steven just wants all of us to start using medical containers

[Wholemeal Crank]

Canning jars, come in sizes down to 1/2 cup now (1/2 pint). I use the wide mouth sizes exclusively, they stack nicely and are more stable than stacks of the regular mouth jars. Use lids that have not been used for canning yet or that were removed gently without leaving a palpable rise in the lid and with intact-looking rubber seal and you get a nice, airtight seal (albeit not vacuum tight as if you really used them for canning).

Then write on the side of the jars with a regular Sharpie pen. The Sharpie is permanent but will easily come off of a glass surface with a little application of a green scrubbie pad and water--once part of the writing starts to peel off, it will all come off quite easily. No sticky paper labels required. It's a little harder to see when you're labeling something very dark, but very easy for sugar vs cornstarch vs powdered sugar vs salt etc.

And best of all, entirely critter proof--any moths that hatch in your buckwheat stay in the buckwheat, and any mouse in your house goes hungry b/c he can't get into the jars.

(spiced gravenstein applesauce from '08, a good year; don't have a good shot of the white stuffs all lined up and already on the flickr, sorry)

[Lisa Shock]

I also use canning jars, and I have the jar sealer attachments for my FoodSaver, so I can vacuum seal everything.

[baroness]

Canning jars, come in sizes down to 1/2 cup now (1/2 pint). I use the wide mouth sizes exclusively, they stack nicely and are more stable than stacks of the regular mouth jars. Use lids that have not been used for canning yet or that were removed gently without leaving a palpable rise in the lid and with intact-looking rubber seal and you get a nice, airtight seal (albeit not vacuum tight as if you really used them for canning).

1/2 cup = 4 ounces = 1/4 pint.

Do you find the 2-piece lids truly airtight?