(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best kitchen storage & organization products

Hello fellow Chuck & Don’s worker! I too worked at a Chuck & Don’s, granted it was only for 3 months this past winter but I did love the customers I got to educate and the nutrition education! I was offered a more consistent position elsewhere and it offered more money, I could have advanced more in the company as my supervisor wanted me to, but in the end the time commitment and money I could get elsewhere were better.

I still spend most of my time researching stuff, honestly it’s one of my favorite hobbies minus playing board games/DnD, and right now I’m actually calculating my dogs next step in her raw transition for the upcoming months! Because so much kibble has high vegetable percentages, I’ve been taking half a year to get her to a fully comfortable level with me increasing her protein intake and vegetables, and soon we will be making the shift for a BARF diet versus a Honest Kitchen Base Mix diet, especially now that she’s at the right weight I want her at. Using this to calculate her BARF diet needs:
Raw Diet Calculator

I bought some deli containers I actually saw people using for raw food off of Amazon! I have seen some wear and tear with them, but because they are a soft plastic I haven’t had one break yet and it’s only small marks on the plastic! (My cats containers are baby containers which are more sturdy, but I’ve broken a few of them so it kinda negates the higher strength containers, especially when frozen and they are dropped 🙃). I’d say try to go for something like this! Or square ones if possible too.
Deli Containers

So we have a second fridge in our garage, which soon I’m going to have to keep watch that it isn’t horribly effected by the cold winters here otherwise we may have to move it inside which I really do not want to do... but! With this freezer I fit all of my cats raw for 40 days totaling 18.5lbs in small containers. I also can fit my dogs monthly raw which right now comes to 20lbs and I’ll be increasing that to 40lbs. With this 20lbs of food (four 5 lb tubs of Woody’s placed in 28 containers) I still have enough room to double my dogs food. Keep in mind this freezer/fridge is used for the sole purpose of keeping raw food. And I will say it is easy to buy a quick freezer and sell it these days in Minneapolis especially if you try to sell it on Facebook Market Place. Also, I have a normal $20 kitchen scale from Target, it works great for what I use it for and is easy to clean!

I use Steve’s raw for my cats! They love it, and my dog loves when she gets the left overs that don’t fit into a container! They’ve been doing great on it, and I give them rabbit from Woody’s every third meal. I stay pretty consistent with them due to digestive sensitivity! Steve’s is too expensive to feed my girl with though, but the cats are small enough that the money balances out and is cheaper than canned!!!

Love all the supplements you give, I remember all those when I worked at Chuck and Dons! My dog LOVES the minnows! And so do my cats! My dog and cats loved when I got them the Steve’s raw goats milk, but it was too expensive so I have them on Honest Kitchens powdered goats milk instead, lasts a lot longer and doesn’t go bad! I also give my dog Honest Kitchens golden milk which is made from coconuts, and she freaks! Can’t give it to my cats though cause it’s a nut extract.

You should look at signing up for education courses for Steve’s Real Food and for Honest Kitchen through your store! You can get like 3 boxes of free frozen raw meat from Steve’s and a free box from Honest Kitchen! And if your store has more people sign up for Steve’s training you actually get free raw to share with co-workers that is based on how much raw you sell! Right as I left my store qualified for getting almost two boxes of free raw food a month to share!

Honestly love geeking out on nutrition, and since I graduated from the U of M I’ve been noticing more and more how interested I am in animal nutrition, even more so than my own nutrition haha!

I started messing around with weed around the same age, so I'm not gonna just say "you're too young" or any of that shit. You'll still do it anyways, and I'd rather you were smart about it.

First, I would highly suggest finding someone who has experience with weed to be with you when you do weed. I'll give you all the advice I know, but it's still better to have an experienced person on hand. Maybe the person that made the cookies?

Second, be careful with edibles, and very careful with edibles when you don't know the concentration. It's really easy to take too much, more so when you've just started. I'd personally suggest you smoke instead of doing edibles, as you can feel the effects much faster, and better gauge how much to use. That being said, smoking isn't the most pleasant thing when you start, and you either need some sort of piece, or you need to be able to roll.

Third, the fun stuff: always have food on hand. Snack food and candy is wonderful, but actual food is also amazing. Really everything is. If you plan on smoking, I'd suggest having something to drink as well, such as Gatorade. Music is great, and you'll find that bass heavy music is really cool. Dubstep was really created for stoners, but I'd suggest Drum and Bass. Honestly, the type of music you choose really sets the tone of your high. Try something like Chillstep if you just want to relax. Just make sure not to play it too loud, headphones might be a good idea d-_-b. Another great thing to do: shower. Go take a really long, hot shower. It's great. Oh, and smoke with friends. It makes things so much more fun, and then you can play Mario Kart or something.

Oh, and if you plan on keeping weed in your house, and don't want people to know, invest in a vacuum seal container, like this one. The smell will go straight through any number of plastic bags. That being said, a mason jar works just as well.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Just remember: be mindful of how much you take, have food, and make sure you don't have anything you need to do before you get high. Also, if you have any other questions, I'd suggest making a post on r/weed. They're pretty friendly, and the community is larger than this subreddit, so more people will be able to help you out. r/trees is another good one, but they have an 18+ rule, so don't mention your age.

Anyways, have a good time!

Nice video, definitely ambitious for a beginner! The curl highlights are an example of a look I would approach without masking fluid. It might take a little more time but with an accurate sketch and some careful dry brush technique you can preserve enough white to maintain that shiny look. While I encourage you to challenge yourself to improve brush technique, I realize this strategy might not appeal to everyone. It can be difficult to avoid the white areas — especially if you're still getting the feel for your brushes.

 

You have good instincts for the alternatives! White crayon works great as a wax resist. I have also seen people use candles and other waxes to do this. There are some drawbacks. You can't manipulate or remove the wax once it is on the paper and it keeps resisting so you can't easily paint over the top of it. Also, white wax is difficult to see on white paper (it does catch the light differently) — you can of course use other colors but the example you gave had page-white highlights. This technique is good for adding texture.

 

White gouache is also a good thought. Unless applied very thickly, white gouache won't be as bright as the original paper and can move around some when painted over. White watercolors also exist but tend to be less bright and more ready to mix and run after drying. There are also "liquid paper" products that come in a variety of different whites to match most watercolor papers, these dry permanent. A similar option is watercolor ground which is essentially a porous gesso that absorbs watercolor. The drawbacks are that these processes will take the paint a little differently than regular paper — Colors can seem more washed out and almost pastel though results will vary between methods, paints, brands. These are best for finishing touches or "oh shit" emergencies.

 

You can also use acrylics with watercolor. White acrylic over the top or acrylic medium as a resist before painting. I suggest using matte medium. Keep in mind that acrylic is basically plastic so it wont absorb water and has a tendency to stand out when used with watercolor.

 

The above techniques are the ones I would recommend for the specific challenge you mentioned, go with whatever makes you most comfortable but definitely try with only brushwork if you're at all inclined. I'll go ahead and list more of the resist & whitening methods I'm familiar with because one of them might appeal more to you.

 

/u/rulenumber303 mentioned gel pens. I think they work great for fine detail but aren't good for large areas. Most artists use Gelly Roll pens — many gel pen brands wont work well over watercolor.

 

You can also use tapes as a resist. This RollerBond product dispenses removable tape in thin lines. You can use some
Scotch 'Magic' Tape which forms a very hard line or masking tape/painters tape which has a slightly different line quality. For large areas you could try Frisket Film which is basically a friendlier form of Contact Paper. You can cut complex shapes out of most of these using an Exacto knife if needed. Remember to burnish (push down & rub smooth) for best results. These are good for straight lines, hard lines, or large areas.

 

Speaking of exacto knives, you can use them to scrape or scratch the paper to reveal the white beneath. Make sure you're using a thicker paper (e.g. 140lb, 300lb) and be careful not to paint over that area again because the paint will appear even darker than usual. This is a good technique for fine hairs or stars.

 

White watercolor pencils can be used but this tends to be faint and doesn't offer many advantages. It could be nice for a light texture somewhere.

 

There is a lot you can do with stencils. (cheesecloth, leaves, coins, w/e)

 

I've seen people use a lot of other random techniques involving things like white out or oil pastels. I haven't tried them but they're out there.

 

You've got a good attitude about creative limitations and as you can see there is no shortage of alternatives. I'm sure you've encountered many of these options in your searching but I thought I'd give you my opinions and you can decide what suits you best. I left out some wet resist techniques like adding water or alcohol because if you've made it this far you must be getting tired of reading by now. Let me know if you have any questions and if you want more specific recommendations just ask. Good luck!

Cheap tips...

Rice Cooker, Slow cooker, Food Processor, Blender.

Zojirushi Rice Cookers are consistent and long lasting - I had one of these for 12 years, and it always got the job done right. When I moved in with my wife, she had a rice cooker that was old, but still worked (another Zojirushi). We recently splurged and got a really high end one. It's AMAZING, 10-15 minute perfectly cooked rice.

Cuckoo CRP-HV0667F IH Pressure Rice Cooker - For reference.

Anyways...

Get the simplest cheapest crock-pot - Less things to go wrong when it's as simple as this.

Get a cheap food processor

Get a decent blender - Don't go too cheap on blenders, you really get what you pay for in a quality blender. Blenders and mixers are the two things KitchenAid does best.

Now... The reason why I said get cheap stuff? Because you said you know nothing about cooking, and you might destroy a nice piece of equipment in your ignorance. It's bound to happen. Since you are going to be living on your own, if family gives you free stuff, don't feel bad about getting rid of it if the equipment sucks. They didn't want it anyways. Good tools? And you'll do a good job.

Watch this for other equipment...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-av6cz9upO0 - Gordon Ramsay may be a celebrity, but his kitchen knowledge is definitely high-end.

Personally don't skimp on the saucepans, frying pan, and the knife (honestly for 99% of jobs you just want a really good chef's knife, other than a pairing knife can do most everything). They will make your life easier if you have quality equipment. I disagree with him about the cutting board for 2 reasons (10 years in restaurants in the past here)... One, you are a beginner and might ruin a wood board. Two, wood boards can accumulate bacteria from meats if not taken care of properly. I advise this one...

OXO Grips Utility Cutting Board

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHRXUeVsAQQ - Great video showing you some good techniques in cooking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJy1ajvMU1k - Another video along the same vein, great techniques for cooking.

As others have said Budgetbytes is great.

Raw beans and raw rice are always going to be significantly cheaper than buying pre-made/pre-cooked. Use a slow cooker to cook beans overnight. Use google for a recipe.

Chicken skin-on, bone-in is always going to be significantly cheaper than not. Breast is usually drier/tougher but lower calorie per oz. Thighs are juicier/softer, but higher calorie per oz. Remove the skin if you want to be more calorie efficient. Keep the skin on for flavor. Personally? I always leave skin on, remove the bone (but use it for cooking to extract the flavors), and I always use a chicken thigh. Personal preference. A cool tip is to remove the skin, coat in olive oil, and fry by itself. Try that out, see if you like it. Fry till like crispy bacon. If you don't use the skin in cooking, you can use it like this as a snack later.

Seasoning things is really important. Don't over-season, less is more. Because you can always add more seasoning later. When I make chicken, I always put a pinch of salt on each side, grind some pepper (use a pepper grinder, it's always superior to that pre-ground pepper crap), slap that into it. Olive oil, don't skimp out on this either. Get stuff actually from Italy, larger bottles are usually a better deal. Chicken with salt, pepper, olive oil is simple and tasty.

Get some kinda meal prep containers...

https://www.amazon.com/Freshware-15-Pack-Compartment-Bento-Lunch/dp/B01IIINCRS - These should work great. I like having a separation point in the container.

Some simple recipes I like...

http://luckypeach.com/recipes/miso-claypot-chicken-no-claypot/

https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=slow+cooker - Anything here.

https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=easy - Again, using the search function at budgetbytes is huge.

One thing that helps is to develop your palate. If you will be doing okay for money, the occasional outing to a restaurant to try something new can be really beneficial. When you eat food out, imagine what possible technique they could have used to achieve a certain texture or taste.

I'm just rambling, but hopefully this will help a little.

OK, so it has some startup costs due to it needing a rice cooker and crock pot plus Quinoa is expensive if you buy it in smaller amounts, but you're a bachelor so it's likely you've got a little extra money.

A rice cooker is going to be an important addition to your cooking tools because fuck using the stove and burning shit or having to stand over your cooking. It's easy to use, easy to clean, and it's pretty much automatic, you fill it up, plug it in, flip it to on...and blam that shit's cooking. When if flips itself to off, your rice or quinoa will be done.

A big ass crock pot will serve as the main cooking device for your meals. Again, screw the stove, you don't want to have to stand over the damn thing...pour stuff into this bitch flip it on and go to work on what you'd rather be doing. The bowl comes out and goes right into the dishwasher. I'd have starved to death without a slow cooker when I was a bachelor. As you're making meals for several days here...your mother's little 5 quart version isn't going to cut it, spend the 35 bucks and get this one. The reason you aren't buying a bigger one...they don't make one bigger that isn't 200 bucks.

Quinoa This stuff becomes your "rice" except that it's MUCH better for you than rice. If you're poor or don't care all that much about nutritional value, then by all means, buy rice. But seriously...25 pounds of dry quinoa will last you a long fucking time. Get a big tupperware container, pour the quinoa into it, and leave a 1 cup measuring cup in it. If you're looking to cut some costs but still get some of the nutritional value, mix it half and half in your tupperware so you don't have to mess with it when you're making the meals. The water to food mix is the same for both, 2 cups water, 1 cup quinoa (or NON instant rice).

Meat...buy whatever is on a good sale, never pay more than 3.99 per pound for beef (we aren't buying steaks, look for top or bottom round and buy what's on sale, after 12 hours in a crock pot you won't be able to tell a filet from rump roast), or 1.99 per pound for chicken, pork, or 80/20 ground beef (for the love of your colon don't go worse than 80/20.) Shop the sales, have your mother or sister or grandfather or thrifty co-worker look at the sales fliers and find coupons if you don't have time. Buy in bulk, but freeze in smaller quantities ~ 2 pounds each in generic 1 quart FREEZER bags, not the cheap sandwich ones or you get freezer burn. I buy the Walmart brand freezer bags in boxes of like 100 and they're fine.

My wife still laughs and says she can always tell when I find good sales because when I do, I revert to bachelor shopping style. Thursday I came home with 12 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts from Stop and Shop because they were on SUPER cheap sale as they were getting close (3 days) to expiration date, they were a buck a pound, I bought as much as I figured I could fit in my freezer.

Vegetables. This is where you're going to get a good chunk of your nutritional kick. When I was a bachelor I would go to the grocery store on Sunday morning and hit the "it won't last much longer" shelf in the produce aisle. I would buy pretty much whatever vegetables they had if I could chop them and toss them into the crock pot, and because I was going to start cooking it in like an hour, I didn't give a shit that it wasn't going to last another 5 days. I found that I was eating a ton of shit I had never heard of, but it was almost always delicious and amazingly more nutritious than eating from a box.

Vegetables that you should always keep on hand are onions, whole carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnips. They're all cheap regardless of sale, they last a long time if stored properly too. I would buy 10 pound bags of onions, 5 pound bags of carrots, for sweet potatoes and turnips I just made sure I always had like 5-10 pounds. To keep these lasting a long time, get a wire cart thing from Staples or Walmart for like 20 bucks, the wire mesh keeps them open to the air and dry, to help prevent rot. It's also on wheels so if the onions make a mess you can move it and just vacuum under it plus you can drag it over to the kitchen with you when you cook.

To make your meals, you start this the night before you want to eat.
Take out 2 beers, start drinking one, pour the other into the bottom of the crock pot.
Cube your meat (or if it's still frozen then fuck it toss it in whole,) chop your vegetables and add both to the crock pot at about a 1 to 1 portion ratio, if the meat is frozen pack the vegetables around it evenly, if you remembered to thaw the meat and cube it (which will improve your meal quality) then mix them in the crock pot. Season this any way you like. I buy spices cheap from Atlantic Spice Company as they're better quality and a lot less money than grocery store spices. I like the smoky meat flavor so I also add a capful of liquid smoke or toss it with Taco Seasoning once in a while, regardless this is up to you, but when in doubt, onion, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper. Once you've got like 2 pounds of meat and 2 pounds of vegetables packed into your crock pot, put it on low then walk away. I normally started mine at like 8-10pm.

About 30 minutes before you want dinner, toss 2 cups of quinoa into the rice cooker with 4 cups of water along with some salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder. Push the cooking thing down on your rice cooker and walk away. If you were cooking a frozen chunk of meat instead of cubed meat, take this time to shred the fuck out of it inside of the crock pot, no need to mess up any more plates or anything, use a fork and a big ass knife and get the meat evenly shredded to like a pulled pork consistency, then stir the vegetables into it.

When it pops up then take a ladle of the meat and vegetable mix over a scoop of your quinoa and enjoy a badass meal. You'll find that you can fill tupperware containers with the quinoa and the meat/vegetable mix and freeze them or toss them into the fridge for lunches/dinners throughout the week. I would often freeze half of mine and set the other half in the fridge for lunches, the frozen ones would get rotated out so I wasn't eating the same thing lunch and dinner 5 nights a week. If you freeze them, at least date them. I never bothered to label what it was other than that, but they keep like 6 months in the freezer and it's nice to have a mix of different meals.

I started on Monday, so I'm a bit late to this. I'm female, ~5'1", 25 and have been overweight since my early teens. I decided enough was enough and have buckled down and started doing this seriously. No more "maybe tomorrow".

On Monday, I was 213, which I've been hovering at for months. This is my peak weight.

Today, I weigh 202. Yes, almost certainly loss of water weight and all that, but it's really encouraging.

Given my height, I decided /r/1200isplenty is the diet style I wanted to try and I love it so far. I basically just eat only 1200 cal a day. I thought it was going to suck but I've found that I'm having trouble meeting that goal since I feel full on less than 1200 cal.

My 3 biggest helpful things so far is MyFitness Pal, a food scale, and a bento box.

I love it so far because I can eat what I want, just have to watch portions and plan out ahead if I want to "cheat" on a nice burger. (By cheat, I mean allocate ~100cal less a day for the previous few days to make up for the excess I'd go over on that one day). Luckily I've never had a sweet tooth so cutting out sweets is not loss to me. I've been mainly eating meats and veggies. Luckily I LOVE veggies, so that's easy.

I even went out to eat yesterday and opted for the lowest calories items on the menu (steak!) and didn't feel at all like I was missing out and couldn't even finish my sides by the end. And I came out a few hundred cals less than 1200 for the day and had to eat some healthy snacks later to reach it. And it's only a week in. So I feel like I can really be successful with this.

My biggest challenge was ignoring the desire to eat out of habit and boredom. But I've been good at ignoring that so far. When I do give in, I eat carrots or some light yogurt :)

A lot of annoying micromanaging which I hate and made me want to not bother all together.. But I decided last week that there's no secret to weight loss. No easy way to do it. Spending 10 mins each day "micromanaging" and entering my stuff into the app and planning out lunch is well worth it.

My ultimate goal weight is 110lb and this is the first time I've ever felt like I can reach it. It will take awhile, but I've been finding this diet easy to stick to. Hoping to add exercise in eventually.

1. Peppers can make me sweat if they are hot enough! Woooo!
   
   
2. I would cool down by taking a nice cool shower with my money soap
   
   
3. Cupcakes! made in these super cute/eco-friendly cupcake cups!
   
   
4. Since I was a teenager, I have wanted an Italy snowglobe because of the movie While You Were Sleeping!
   
   
5. Batman has always been my favorite super hero! I had the outfit as a kid, the batcave, the action figures, the video games! So, these would totally make me feel like a kid again. Plus, who doesn't feel like a good adventure when they have capes on their socks!?!
   
   
6. I would bring this along because who doesn't like a good campfire story? Plus, people couldn't use the excuse "I'm not good at coming up with stories" because the die tell you what to include in your story!
   
   
7. This movie is AWESOME!!!! It's bear related because he plays for the Chicago Cubs ;-D
   
   
8. You've got to feel good when you are geting pumped for an adventure!
   
   
9. Oh no, you probably shouldn’t have thrown that sword in your carry on.
   
   
10. My favorite thing about a fair is the yummy "homemade" foods like pies and the family fun! This box of questions looks like a pie and will bring about family fun!
    
    Will PM bonus questions!
    
    Some of the best memories are made in flip flops!

I finally got a better container for my Anova so “Searing” week seemed like a good time to try and sous vide something again. I recently grilled some pork chops (on one of the few snow-free days we’ve had this spring) with great success, so this recipe for Reverse-Seared Sous Vide Pork Chops was a natural fit. I cooked them at 140 for 4 hours and then seared them in a mix of butter and olive oil. These were a great success: delicious, tender, and juicy.

For my MetaTheme, I wanted to make some sort of flaming cocktail. I settled on a Flaming Dragon’s Blood because it looked delicious and the deep red color kind of reminded me of meat, which fit well with the theme. This was surprisingly tasty, and the flaming presentation is always fun.

Do not buy these containers. They're fine for a few weeks and washings but they crack and shatter super easily. I'll never buy them again.

I also own these and these hard ones. The single compartment ones I've ordered over and over (they're plastic, they start to show wear and tear and break down after a while. Also I just like fresh containers lol. I buy new ones evey 3 months or so) because they're so great. Never had one break on me and they're a great size. The hard plastic ones are also amazing. The Plastic is thick and not flimsy at all. They're smaller but I've had no problems with them either.

I just bought a Jaxx FitPack luchbox yesterday on Amazon. It comes with it's own containers and ice pack. A coworker has one and I've messed around with her containers to see what they're like and they seem pretty sturdy too IMO. It'll be here tomorrow so if you're interested I can update you on them when I actually have them in my hands.

Baggies from the bead department in any craft store for storage since I store all my games on their sides.

Silicone cupcake liners like these to hold pieces instead of using baggies during the game. Helps a lot with money/cubes.

I keep a set of poker chips with my games as well, to replace paper money like in Power Grid.

My favorite storage accessory: Really Useful Boxes. Two of the 8.1L boxes stack perfectly onto each other and slide into one of the Kallax shelves from IKEA that everyone here loves so much. I use one for small games like Love Letter, Sushi Go, etc. and the other for supplies like sleeves and extra dice.

Not really necessary, but my friends and I have all gotten a set of 8 meeples from Meeplesource in our preferred design to use for Carcassonne obviously, but also for score tracking in other games instead of using a color piece. I have Storm Troopers, bf has Leprechauns, and our other friend who regularly games with us has Sherlock Holmes. Just makes it easier for us to see at a glance who is winning on the score track.

I also second the Plano box recommendation. Life saver for all my euros.

I live in Canada, and personally found it difficult to find decent containers (still on the hunt) that are not overly expensive since I need to buy at least 10.

I currently use a mix of these plastic containers which probably wont last as long as the glass containers from ikea. They seem like they are good enough thus far lasting through microwaves and dishwashers. IMO, they are a pretty decent size - at least for my needs... for my basic meal prep it fit 1 cup cooked rice, 112g of chicken breast and a bunch of broccoli.

If I was American I'd probably go for these containers

I'm not a pro at this as I just started MPS recently, but I've learned it's best to get containers that are freezer/microwave/dishwasher safe, BPA free. Hopefully others can chime in with their experience!

Finally, I get my inspo from:

• This sub
  
  
• https://www.budgetbytes.com/
  
  
• https://www.onceuponachef.com/
  
  
• Pinterest
  
  
• Random google searches till I find something I like
  
  Goodluck!!

I have used a number of containers for my Anova.

1. 25 Qt. Coleman cooler for long cooks with larger items with rack.
   
2. 5 gallon SS Brew Kettle with Reflectix jacket for 185F vegie cooks with rack.
   
3. 5 gal Polycarbonate container with lid cut out for a family members Anova with Weber rib rack from this thread:
   
   http://www.reddit.com/r/sousvide/comments/2d71u1/whats_your_container_of_choice/
   
   
4. 12 qt Camwear square Poly container with lid cut out with Sous Vide Supreme universal rack.
   
   Cooler is best for long cooking times and 12 Qt Camwear for daily short cooks.
   
   Consider that 4 or 5 gallons of water is heavy to move around for a few steaks or eggs or chicken and takes time/energy to get up to cooking temps.
   
   The 12 qt. Camwear with Sous Vide Supreme universal rack is the best looking of the bunch if there are any SO appearance issues and my first choice.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001MRUKA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/Shop_Online/Accessories/SousVide_Supreme_Universal_Pouch_Rack/Product.aspx?ProductID=37&DeptID=45
   
   Have Fun

Have you ever seen the Stasher bags? Target or amazon has them (https://www.amazon.com/Stasher-Reusable-Silicone-Sandwich-Storage/dp/B01DZQT9CU) and they are a miracle worker. I have 2 kids under 4 and sometimes I have to make dinner in a split second. You can steam veggies (healthier than most options) in a minute, cook rice, scramble eggs, re/heat meat, I make applesauce quickly with these as well. They can be a sous vid container as well if you want to boil a meal prepped ahead of time (or cook fish PERFECTLY, really and truly. Let it marinate while you work and boil it for a couple of minutes and voila, a healthy meal). Really, I can't sing their praises enough. I would invest in a couple of these to make dinner easy on you. Also look into some meal prepping, when it's hard to cook it's hard to motivate yourself, having some meals made already will help you stay healthy.

that is adorable oh my goodness!! I got a ten pack from Amazon, and the reason I chose those were because they were microwavable! Plus the portion spots looked small and I was right. Of course you could load them up if you wanted to but I didn't and it still "tricked" my mind like restaurant plates and portions do haha. It looks like more food so it feels like more food. I'll probably post a picture sometime of the meals I've made and their calorie counts! They don't take up a bunch of space and I like that they come with reusable sporks :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0140ZN2EQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xpMBzbS2T2Q6G

Here’s a few options I’ve had good luck with.
I personally eat mostly paleo, and rarely go out, so everything is cooked from scratch, every week.
Weck Jars: great glass (and rubber) jars for storing just about anything. I like these for storing portions, and sauces/dips: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M71UCKA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jjoqDbJZ6FR26

Larger glass containers, I use these for larger portions of just about everything. Air tight, reusable, etc. I personally use the ikea brand, but same concept: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LN810PM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pmoqDbMMM817D

Stasher brand bags, made of silicon, heat/freeze proof, reusable, etc. make for a great plastic bag replacement: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RC84B75/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7ooqDbGS9GWQ2

Another option is always mason jars. They’ve been around for ever! Are relatively inexpensive, reusable, dishwasher safe, freezer safe, etc. Can also be vacuum sealed! I use these to store most of my raw ingredients, flours, nuts, powders, etc. I would recommend sticking with either wide-mouth or regular, but not both. Combining the two, gets old, when you have a few dozen!

Hope some of this stuff helps!

The gf and I had a similar discussion when we got ours, so we just bought a few to start and now we use them so much that we are going to pick up some more. We love them. You can use them pretty much anywhere you can use a ziploc/plastic bag, but these will last so much longer. And they're dishwasher safe, so we just throw them in there across a few tines and they come out like new. We got ours locally, but if you can't find them, Amazon has the best price on them that I've seen. Good luck!

I have these little containers from Wegmans. They're supposed to be for packing dressings and wet salad ingredients together so you don't have a soggy, macerated mess of lettuce when you go to eat lunch, but they're the perfect size for a short trip's worth of product and not so big that you'd feel silly taking it somewhere for just a night. They come in a pack of four and the lids are different colors, which is good when you have four identical-looking white lotiony products to pack. Cold cream, moisturizer, the lotion I'm using to treat my KP, and either sunblock (if it's just a night or two, any longer and I would just bring the whole bottle) or body lotion. They fit perfectly into an Ipsy bag. Wham. Since they're for dressing you could probably put oil in them without it leaking everywhere, but I haven't personally tried it.

Edit: Here are the containers. They're really expensive on Amazon for some reason. I think I paid $3 or $4 for mine.

We registered at Amazon for the selection and convenience. We could find just about anything on amazon, and could add anything else through the universal registry feature. Guests shipped most gifts to our home, which was great since we live across the country from where we were married. I'd heard the return policy was rough, but luckily we didn't have any duplicate purchases. Amazon's registry was perfect for our needs.

Some of the most-used items we received:

• VonShef mixing bowls.
  
  
• Narrow measuring spoons. These fit inside containers and are so much less messy.
  
  
• Glass tupperware set.
  
  
• Adjustable temperature water kettle. Our household is really into coffee and tea, and this has made all the difference.
  
  
• Coffee grinder. Our total splurge of a grinder that was generously gifted by another coffee nerd.
  
  
• Griddle pan. Perfect for grilled cheese, pancakes, etc.
  
  
• The Harry Potter box set. We put this on there to break up the typical household list and were so excited for a nice hardcover set!
  
  
• Cast iron dutch oven/skillet combo.

For anyone curious here is all the info

-Bento Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYT1Z9Q/ref=twister_B01M0RE6QR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
-Silicone Cups: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N4ONBGY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
-Veggie Cutters: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0162AGTWE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
-Soy Sauce Containers: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AJ8HOG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
-Adorable Food Picks: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KDAIQIK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


-Sweet Potato Onigiri Recipe: https://youtu.be/dkbqupOUqLs?t=3m15s


-Cabbage: Saute onion and cabbage with soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, until soft or desired level of cooked.


-Chicken: Wash and pat dry chicken thighs with paper towels. Cut into bite size pieces. Coat with corn start and cook in a nonstick pan with a little bit of oil (not fried) until golden brown. Add enough teriyaki sauce to coat and cook a little longer to get some nice darkening.


-Broccoli: Heat a pan with a little bit of oil until very hot, add broccoli and toss to coat. Add a few table spoons of water and cover with lid to steam the broccoli. Once all the florets are bright green remove the lid and cook off any remaining water and continue to cook to get some brown crispy sides on the broccoli. Season with salt and a little bit of sesame oil. (This is my absolute favorite way to enjoy broccoli. It doesn't even need the sesame oil in my opinion)


-Fruit Salad: Cut apple into slices, use veggie cutters to make cute shapes. Mix with cut strawberries. Squeeze over the juice of half a lemon to keep them fresh and prevent browning. Also adds a wonderful freshness to them.



I think that covers everything. Anymore questions lemme know.

When portioning out nuts I have a tiny container I used for the purpose. They contain exactly 25g of peanuts (150 cals, 3g carbs) - so I agree that's high but the key thing is it's the pot I take with me so I can't overeat.

Sugar free jelly is my goto snack for sure. I split 1 pack into three portions which come out to 10 calories and 0 carbs for something that does genuinely keep me full for a while. Certainly helps a sweet/snack craving. Also because they're in these little containers you can pop a lid on them and take them to work for lunch which is helpful!

(FYI those little pots are also great for things like sala dressings and vitamin tablets... so useful!)

Ah! I have an answer for this! And I'm pretty sure it's easier/less craft-intensive than the other option I saw linked.

So I used a 3 ring binder and 3 different types of plastic sheet protectors: trading card organizers (Avery 76016), 4x6 photo pages (Avery 13401), and regular 8.5x11 sheet protectors (any ones that aren't too thin along the edge with the holes should do.) The only other thing you need is a roll of shelf grip liner like this, and some reasonably sharp scissors.

Using the shelf grip liner, I held my differently sized plates up to it and figured out about how big they were. It doesn't have to be exact, I tend to err on the slightly smaller side, it shouldn't hang off the edges too much (although I just do squares for the little circle plates because I'm lazy and squares are easier.) The shelf liner makes it easy because it is made of little "squares" that you can count if necessary. Then, I cut the correct size liner for one of every plate at every corresponding size. You could use some kind of spray adhesive to attach them to the back of the plates, but because of the "grip" functionality it's naturally a little sticky, so I just kind of press it onto the back of the plate, carefully slide it into the sheet protector, and close it and let the weight of all the plates in the binder apply pressure over time, so by the next time I open the binder to use the plate, they've sort of been fused together and I don't have to worry about it falling off.

Small circle plates go in the trading card pages, medium square & rectangle plates go in the photo pages, and huge plates like the Cheeky Jumbos go in the full size pages. Be sure not to store it vertically like you normally would with a binder—the weight of the metal pulls on the holes and causes them to break. I store mine flat now (ever since figuring out this design flaw and having to replace a bunch of pages, lolsob) and haven't had any problems.

If you need any pictures to illustrate what I mean, just lmk! I'm dogsitting at a friend's house for the holiday weekend, but can get you pics of mine when I get back home Tuesday :)

ETA: I can't tell if the grip liner link is working properly so here's another one.

So I'm gonna go ahead an assume you were gifted this bento book, which is amazing. I have it too, I love it. If you DON'T have it (which I'd be surprised about), then you need it!

As far as ideas and recipes, you definitely need those Rubber Cupcake Liners, which are absolutey fantastic for sperating items in your bento. Additionally they are good for making cupcakes to take with you, OR, you can make these egg muffins for breakfast or lunch in them. This is my breakfast right now, it's genius. Plus I should have used liners for them, the pan was a bitch to clean out.

Also, I highly suggest you check out this website if you haven't yet. Her entire website is just making bento boxes, and things related to bento boxes. What I linked you too specifically is all of her recipes she uses, some of which is just genius.

I love bento boxes because it's something I'm a big advocate for: little portions of lots of things. Instead of just a sandwich, you can have a quarter of a sandwich, some carrots, a tiny chocolate bar, and a bit of pasta salad. It's genius.

I actually already have a more traditional bento box, but I find it's not very condusive to taking to work. The one I have on my Miscellaneous wishlist is one has a built in freezer pack (so I don't have to bring a cooler and ice pack), and lots of rearrangeable individual compartments, which is good since my meals change every day.

I hope that wasn't too rambly! I didn't mean to go on that much =P

My advice would be to go with a good 6 quart, but also pick up a bunch of glass tupperware. Something like http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BSZJYY4 Leftovers are your friends! (Especially in college. All of the goodness of slow cooked food, but with even less hassle.) It's always easier to make more food than you need and save it than to exactly make enough for one meal for one person.

Search "bento accessories" on amazon.
Even if not purchasing there you'll find so many ideas.
They have sets of various sizes and shapes of silicone muffin-type cups. Refillable bottles and sauce tubs for thick and thin sauces, even take a blob of miso paste to make broth from hot water at lunchtime.

This set of [molds, cups and cutters, for example,] ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075KPZ1KH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_3.fEAb2QA80WJ) is super cute and useful, there are so many choices.

If you search there for "portable chopsticks" you'll find lots of adorable sets (I love a spoon with my chopsticks) like these beauties. Many of the cases can attach to the tote you carry the bento box in. I have never been a fan of the utensils going inside the food box. 😀

For sure! And I would have loved to be more specific in my answer and have a whole new discussion - but just can’t right now. I’m also interested to see if anyone has been using anything new to display.

One other thing I’ve been meaning to pull the trigger on is this pantry shelving thing. It’s three tiers and clear plastic and is great for letting characters in the back of a shelf more visible. I decided to use the mobile Amazon app to look it up - here’s a link:

InterDesign Linus Cabinet Organizer Rack – 3-Tiered Storage for Kitchen, Pantry or Bathroom Countertops, Clear
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KOTJTS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8l32Ab0PF7J5Q

I do this to a degree. I love the bento boxes because of all the little containers. I don't go to the extreme of faces/characters, but I think they're usually quite pretty.

http://imgur.com/a/RudY8

I bought a lot of bento boxes off Amazon, these four have held up the best over 2 years of daily use (I have three of each, so that may help too):

http://www.amazon.com/Skater-Japanese-Traditional-Compartmental-Chopsticks/dp/B001OC78JO

http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Traditional-Rabbit-Blossom-Bento/dp/B000M82KH6

http://www.amazon.com/OSK-Japanese-Traditional-Rabbit-Chopsticks/dp/B003VM8P8I

http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Bento-Temari-Rabbit-Carrying/dp/B006U6DAI2/

Yes they are reusable! I find sticking them in the dishwasher after use works best to clean them. Amazon has lots of options. I bought these ones: [10 Pack]3 Compartment Meal Prep Food Storage Containers with Lids/BPA Free Bento Lunch Boxes/Divided Portion Control Container Plates-Microwave, Dishwasher Safe, Free Cutlery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0140ZN2EQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_iu4.zb3R7P3M3

You can make a ton of freezer and crock pot meals, so your wife only has to pop something in the oven, microwave, or crock pot.

I got a set of bento boxes and make a week's worth of meals at a time. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D0JDZFO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I buy a 60 pack of eggs, hard boil 30 at a time and peel them, and pop two eggs in each bento box, and the rest go in a container in the fridge for noshing. The rest go into a casserole or two that I whip up (this one sound weird but is AMAZING) and then it's just what goes into the last little hole- a treat, or some fruit or veggies.

Whole thing including cleaning the kitchen after? 5 hours, for a weeks worth of breakfasts and dinners.

So then your nursing wife will have easy to grab and go food, and you can tweak it to add things that are good for nursing Moms, like oatmeal cookies and stuff that supports lactation.

Then there is ZERO reason to have your inlaws around.

On Amazon! here! They're super great. Have used them pretty much every week for a year - dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and they don't leak.

The pyrex snapware are nice, they are something like this I believe.

I have the Pyrex no leak, the lids take some getting used to. However the nice thing is you can buy the lids separate, since they are far more likely to break before the glass does. I am not sure if you can buy just the lids for other brands.

Ikea has some pretty good glass Tupperware as well, a lot like what I linked earlier. They're sold individually, so you can get just as many as you need. I have a couple of these. I have also seen pretty good deals on glass tupperware at Marshall's.

Some products I find help:

• Can opener
  
• Jar opener (twisty lids)
  
• Easy-open containers (mostly preference; I prefer the Snap and Pop kinds)
  
• Well-oiled pans, or at least non-stick stuff (a good pan/pot is underrated, I think)
  
  Freezing things is a great idea. He could still help you prepare and cook the things, and still have options if he doesn't have energy to cook sometimes. Lots of people do this, hence the sub /r/MealPrepSunday :P
  
  Maybe consider a crockpot (/r/slowcooking)? Might be good for a beginner, and the recipes usually don't require a ton of work.
  
  This likely won't be an option now, or ever, but if it comes up: a powerchair with an elevate feature is amazing. I mostly use this feature in the kitchen and am honestly unsure how I'd manage without it. (I'm probably overall weaker than your brother, but I can stand for a little bit, too. "A little bit" doesn't really cut it while cooking, IME.)
  
  One site that's great for beginners, I think, is Budget Bytes. They provide step-by-step pictures for most/all recipes, and, obviously, aim for affordable dishes.
  
  EDIT: Toaster ovens are amazing and so much easier than a regular oven.

The wax doesn't disappear but it does eventually stop smelling.

For easy removal though I melt my tarts on the melter in these. It makes for easy clean up and easy to swap out scents while saving them for later when you want to switch back. Total wax melt game changer for me. :)

It took less than 40 minutes to prep.

Lunch:

• Cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives and Cornichons.
  
  
• Vegetable Samosas bought from the frozen section in an Indian store (I love finding delicious food that makes it easy for me).
  
  
• Energy balls : I eyeball everything, I don’t have precise measurements but this is a very forgiving recipe and you can customize it to your liking. The base is softened dates in water, then much them with fork or hands, I just use my hands. Add nuts (I used walnuts here), blended Chia seeds and Flax seeds, toasted old fashioned oats ( I toast them in a pan over low heat ), shredded coconuts and 1 big spoonful of peanut butter. Mix well and make little balls ( I used an ice cream scooper ).
  
  
• mini sweet peppers stuffed with brie, put in toaster oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then I sprinkled them with Trader Joe’s Everything but the bagel seasoning.
  
  
• Crackers: I get these from my Local Mexican Restaurant when I buy Ceviche.
  
  Dinner:
  
  
• Mason Jar Salad: I just use whatever I have in the fridge and stack them up.
  Tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, pears, purple potatoes and Romaine lettuce.
  
  
• Simple vinaigrette in the small containers.
  
  I will pair this with Pan cooked Salmon ( not shown ).
  
  Containers:
  
  
• Mason jars wide mouth 16oz. I bought mine from the dollar store.
  
  
• U Konserve Divided To-Go containers: These are expensive but I bought mine at a discount store and I like how they are not too heavy like the glass containers.
  https://www.amazon.com/Konserve-Divided-Go-Medium-Ocean/dp/B01A0EHXLE?th=1&psc=1
  
  
• Sistema To Go Salad Dressing Containers:
  https://www.amazon.com/Sistema-Collection-Dressing-Container-Purple/dp/B00BG4DH90
  
  I bought mine from TJMaxx for $1.99.
  
  
  
  
  

Ok, he's my still ghetto but much much less depressing method.

Sleep on the boxes, just cover them up with more fabric. $10

Get the hanging shit off the ceiling, it looks creepy. $0

Go to ikea, don't get a fancy desk. Screw those, they fall apart, and are more difficult to move if they stay together. They have a modular desk system. This is the main surface, and these cheap bastards are the legs.

Very easy to take apart.

Desk: $25 + tax. Let's just say $30.

Now get two or three of these LED strips. At $17 each, these things are pretty cheap. Don't use the adhesive on the back, it's meant to be permanent. Just use another method to attach them to your ceiling in a sort of back and forth zig-zag or S pattern.

If you got three of these, you have ample lighting in your room, two backup-up power supplies if one fails, and three remotes. Use two of those temporary "command-strips" to put two remotes on the wall, one next to your entrance, the other next to your bed, then leave the third as a regular remote. You can now control the lighting, and the entire color of your room from anywhere. I actually hung them slightly low, and pointed them at the ceiling, creating a sort of ambient lighting, and less glare from the individual diodes.

LED ceiling $51 + command strips, and whatever means you use to hang them about $60.

Posters are cheap. 3 posters from target = $22

A cool cube clothing organizer. This is also very modular, and has those doors to keep it from looking too trashy. $67

Put your guitar on this guitar stand. $15

If you have big headphones (I don't see any. If you use earbuds/iems then ignore this) then put this banana holder on your desk. They are perfect for holding headphones, and look cool while doing it. $12

At this point, I've gone slightly over budget it. My guess is around $216 total for all of the above.

Big comfy chairs are huge, and expensive. I suggest checking the free section of craigslist for something like recliners. Just make sure they're bug-free, throw those in there, and throw them away or give them away when you move.

I got lucky, and eventually got a pretty light comfy chair that I do actually move with me now, using this method.

Hits in our house:

• divided tupperwares with pre-made lunchables... crackers, chopped chicken or ham, and cheese you can really assembly line these and stick a small juice box inside too and we leave enough for one each low enough for them to pull out whenever they want.
  
  
• Pizza biscuits. Cut biscuits in half, get the kids to shape it into pizza dough, splotch of marinara sauce and sprinkle of cheese. Cheap, they make and assemble them, I bake them.
  
  
• Date rolls. They taste chocolatey and the kids like how sugary they are.
  
  
• Yogurt ranch dip and cucumber chips. This is easy to stick in a 2oz container and small tupperware and let them, again, pull it out whenever.
  
  
• Cut fruit. Apples, pre-peeled oranges, grapes, watermelon... I usually put some vanilla yogurt in a 2 oz container with it.
  
  
• Applesauce. You can buy this in giant tubs and split it into serving cups with lids.
  
  
• Granola bars from the discount grocery store. The mini quaker oats kids-sized bars or something like that are like $1 a box at mine.
  
  
• Trail mix. Trader Joes has small, pre-made trail mix bags. The chocolate one is the kids' favorite.
  
  
• Premade chocolate milk. Good lightweight snack for littler ones.
  
  
• Cereal. Too easy, and we'd put it in a tupperware bowl with a small carton of milk.
  
  I bought a ton of cheap kid-friendly tupperware and bulk disposable 2oz condiment cups for drinks, sauces, all of it. All of it gets thrown in a tupperware they can grab out of the fridge and eat themselves.
  
  I bought stuff like this : https://smile.amazon.com/Plastic-Bottles-Evident-MT-Products/dp/B06XKYZJD4/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519783874&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=kid+friendly+small+sealable+milk+jug#customerReviews
  
  and this: https://smile.amazon.com/Containers-Compartment-Food-Bento-Microwave-Dishwasher/dp/B0140ZN2EQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1519783960&sr=1-4&keywords=divided+tupperware&dpID=511Bgw-88UL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
  
  I really only made the kids when they'd come over eat 1 meal at the table with us. The rest they just grabbed whatever they wanted from the fridge.. and I made them eat outside at their table so if they spilled I'd just hose the whole area off haha.

Much like others, I've purchased a clear plastic food storage container (12qt) with a lid that was easily modifiable to fit the circulator. The Anova fits perfectly into the corner and circulation is great.

The 12qt is almost a perfect cube, where the 18qt and 22qt are the same width & depth, only taller. Previously I had a hacked-together cooler, but these clear food containers work much better imho.

http://amzn.com/B0001MRUKA

http://amzn.com/B002PMV79E

edit: words

With the AKG-K7 series models it is important to choose a stand that lets you hang the headphones from the two plastic beams above the headband. If you hang the headphone from the headband it will wear out the suspension straps and after a while the headphone starts sliding down your head.

Your best bet is a simple banana hanger from amazon. Just make sure that the one you pick is high enough to comfortably hold the K7XX without bending the Mini XLR connector.

The final result should look like this.

NOT like this

I'm actually considering buying someplace to put my headphones [when I eventually get the money for a good pair].

So far I am considering these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WOGQMI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=headphonescout-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007WOGQMI

http://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Diversified-42978-Banana-Holder/dp/B000G66N2M/ref=pd_cp_e_3

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007W8EJPK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A24EKU49ICLH6H

Right now I'm leaning towards the banana hanger.

ooh just found this:
http://www.amazon.com/Kamenstein-31530K-Banana-Hanger/dp/B00310KPRY/ref=pd_sbs_hi_5

Which puts me in the PERFECT position to grab this booK;

http://www.amazon.com/Pestello-cucinare-perdere-Manuale-pippaioli/dp/1446129632/ref=sr_1_177?ie=UTF8&qid=1346472184&sr=8-177&keywords=fleshlight

And get me some free super saver shipping.

Those baggies will get expensive! If you want to do this for the long run, invest in some glass tupperware from Amazon. I've been really happy with these, but they also make one with more compartments. Mine don't collect smells and they've carried some pretty stinky stuff.

Also might want to pack the tzatziki separately. Not sure if it will make your salad soggy. Great start though! Hope it works out for you.

In addition to stuff already mentioned, you can freeze enchiladas (even little individual portions), homemade taquitos, cookies, rice/quinoa/your grain of choice, any kinds of beans, pot pies, and sauces like enchilada sauce, sofrito, homemade pasta sauce, vegan alfredo, etc to make fresh dishes easy and quick. You can freeze cake (but wrap it WELL), homemade veggie burger/chick'n patties, seitan/Field Roast, etc. One tip: I'd steer clear of dairy or dairy heavy recipes to freeze. If you make enchiladas, for example, throw the cheese on top when you're reheating them instead of before they're frozen. Dairy can do wonky things in the freezer. Uh, and another tip, if you make a big batch of say, biscuits, freeze them on a tray first, and then put them in a freezer bag. That way you're not struggling to pull apart biscuits that froze together, tearing off little pieces and causing all the other biscuits to thaw slightly whenever you try to grab one.

I freeze portions in these kindsa containers I got from Amazon, but freezing stuff flat in zip-loc bags is also great.

Edit: Oops! Meant to reply to the original post!

I have this set and love it but I got it from Costco for $30 regular price and I've seen it down to $24.

I love these because they seal well, lids are color coded, and I can can prep, store, and eat out of the same container no matter if I want to use an oven or the microwave. Definitely been worth the money for me.

glass lock is a great brand

https://www.amazon.com/Glasslock-18-Piece-Assorted-Oven-Container/dp/B00LN810PM

you can take the rubber liner/seal out and clean it pretty easy. just not very cheap. otherwise i like mason jars for taller sealing things.

Do what I do, Make your meal at work.

You need to push for your work to have a small toaster oven.

here is what you will need:

1. a nice oven save containers
   
2. Your own silverware if office only has pastic.
   
3. those cooler aid thingy/ice pack
   
4. a cheap thermometer but not needed after a while you know how your work oven works
   
5. well insulated cooler. I'll recommend LL Bean
   
6. kosher salt , prefernly somthing with large flakes
   
   Now go home and make a few dressings/marinade for meat.
   
   Now just go crazy mixing and matching the meat/marinade, throw them in the oven save container, put that in your cooler with ice packs and start baking them fresh at work.
   
   
   This has few advantages:
   
   
7. You will be seasoning the meat for quite a while, the salt will draw out moisture, dissolve and enter the meat back in.
   
8. you can mix and match all kinds of meat. I stick with salmon and tilapia, way healthier.
   
9. You can mix and match sides too!, today carrots, tomorrow rice, day after asparagus.
   
10. eat from the same damn bowl
    
11. you can eat fish, baking wont stick up the kitchen like microwaving will.
    
12. If you get a large enough cooler, you can bring fruits and drinks/soda if you have an expensive vending machine at work!
    
13. You can bring frozen meat and let it thaw till lunch time if needed and slather the marinade on top later.
    
    
    Some cool marinades:
    
    
14. Ginger scallion sauce
    
15. Creole chilli WARNING: This shit is hot, better used as a side in small amounts for simple salt and peppered meat.
    
16. various version of lemon pepper.
    
    
    offcourse this means starting the cooking 30 min before intended lunch time
    

I haven't used them personally, but I've heard that spice racks like this:

http://www.amazon.com/InterDesign-Linus-Spice-3-Tier-Organizer/dp/B001KOTJTS/ref=sr_1_18?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1418979758&sr=1-18&keywords=plastic

work pretty well for displaying amiibo.

EDIT: http://www.reddit.com/r/amiibo/comments/2obq6t/cheap_easy_amiibo_display/ Yup! I remembered I saw some people on here using spice racks, wasn't that one, but it's a good example of what to expect.

1. I have a crappy mechanical food scale and it's a nightmare. Would 100% recommend getting an electronic one. Salter are good.
   
   
2. I'd never heard of a bullet journal. It doesn't look like it would be great for tracking food - myfitnesspal is your friend - but I'm seriously considering starting one for day-to-day stuff! Might help knock my procrastination on the head...
   
   
3. My SO is bulking and eating 3000 cals a day, I'm eating 1500. He just eats twice as many meals as I do. So I'll go round on an evening, we'll eat dinner together, and then an hour later he'll have something else and I won't. Then the next morning he has an early breakfast, then a second breakfast when I have mine. So perhaps your SO could just eat an extra 300cal meal/a couple of 150cal snacks to make up the difference?
   
   
4. My SO uses these and gets on really well. I just have a few cheap lunch boxes! Stuff like this and this only mostly bought from pound shops. Does the job.

Keeping wet things separate from dry things helps. I have a variety of small Sistema containers; I would probably simply put each item into a different container. They also make a nice container with a compartment at one end for, say, hummus, and a long section for, say, carrots or sliced peppers to dip into the hummus.

This one, the Snack Attack Duo, is nice - there's space for a couple of different kinds of things.

I have this one ("Salad To Go") for salads - I am amazed at how long the salads remain fresh in it.

This is a smaller one, with two sections.

I use the Dressing Containers for salad dressing; they also make several larger sizes that would work for small amounts of fruit or nuts.

The Triple Split has more room for larger amounts, and comes with a container which can be used for yogurt, hummus, cottage cheese, or fruit like watermelon.

The Sistema stuff is well-made. I put mine in the dishwasher with care, and it has held up very well. I've had no problem with leakage, and food seems to last longer in the Sistema than in other containers. (I have no stake in the company; I just love the products!)

Not travel stickers, but a buddy of mine covers his laptop with stickers. He also replaces his laptop from time to time, and doesn't want to lose them. His solution is that when he gets a new laptop, he covers the back with a clear sticky covering (something like this). When he covers the laptop or gets a new one, he can peel off all the stickers, put them on the wall and start again.

As for me, I like to use stickers as a cheap way to remember that everything in life is impermanent. It's OK to put it on a water bottle that I'll eventually lose. It's just stuff.

Elephant Barber

Silicon baking cups so i can quit having to wash muffin pans even with liners butter and oil sometimes gets on the pan etc lol. also silicon baking stuff <3

Something about me, I love to game :) I'm playing ddo right now :D lol

I find casseroles to be the easiest dish to reheat. I make them regularly for my wife (she has night school 2 days a week, so I make plenty of grab and microwave meals). Her favorites tend to be lasagna, macaroni and cheese, baked spaghetti/ziti and sometimes a chinese food casserole.

I also will package all sorts of foods in 2 cup deli containers which are less expensive than the ziploc screw on containers use for lunch storage.

However, just as important as selecting the meal is packaging the meal and heating the meal. For casseroles, I will leave in the refrigerator for several hours until it hardens and "sets". This makes it easier to slice. When I do slice for freezing, I first wrap each slice in wax paper and then aluminum foil. The Wax paper is microwave friendly and the aluminum foil tends to keep things together without unwrapping (similarly, you can use tape like an actual deli). When it's time to reheat, I unwrap the aluminum foil and microwave anything for a minute. This softens the outside enough to remove the wax paper. Afterward, I microwave for about 4-5 minutes (for a 5"x3"x3" food brick). I use one of those microwave splatter covers to trap the steam and help maintain some moisture in the meal.

For foods in plastic deli containers, I usually microwave for 1 minute, slide the still-frozen block of food into a regular bowl and microwave again in 1-2 minute increments, regularly stirring the food to make sure the heat and defrost is evenly distributed. I use a regular bowl so that the plastic containers can be reused and the plastic doesn't burn/melt.

Edit: For those who may have trouble with dried out dishes when microwaving, just add a splash of water to the top of the meal and cover while microwaving. The water should steam and help keep things moistened.

I saw a suggestion on here in another thread a little while ago about a 'Gamer's Kit' or something like that. It was like a tacklebox filled with miscellaneous items that'd be useful for someone who plays a lot of games.

Extra dice of various types, extra meeples, cubes and counters in common colors, some of these silicone muffin cups for holding tokens and whatnot during games, little resealable bags. That sort of thing. I thought it was a pretty cool idea.

ETA: Found the original post

agreed...we bought them at Costco as Snapware. This set has some larger ones but that works for larger leftovers you can then re-heat at home or portion out later. The gaskets in the lids keep liquids in, though they can be a bit more labor to clean. I feel better microwaving glass more frequently as even the thicker plastic BPA free containers change over time with frequent microwaving.

I use these and they work perfectly, haven't had any issues what so ever I do hand wash them rather than toss them in the dishwasher I'm sure they'd be fine but better to be safe than sorry.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01D0JDZFO/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks! Honestly you can use any type of container. This is what I use. It has two tiers, and my "bento scraps" (foods that I weighed and already logged but I didn't use for decorating) go in the top tier. I have this one as well, but the capacity of it is too much for what I want to eat per meal. I've seen other people on here use that type of bento box though, and it looks good! See these examples: Bento 1; Bento 2

Hey brother. I've been in similar situations.

Just try to buy a pipe in cash, then try to find a way (a friend's credit card, maybe?) to buy something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049557HI?keywords=tightvac&qid=1449629474&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

To make sure you can store the pipe/herb/accessories in your room without the odor alerting anyone who doesn't need to know.

Good luck frient, and blaze on!

If you do decide to do this, try it as "single serving" packages! It really helps me. I have containers like this that a great for it. Cheap, small but not tiny looking, and cheap enough that you can just throw them out if you have to. Plus, sharpie will scrub right off the lids pretty easily.

5-6 meals is a whole lot. What I might do is pick a protein like chicken and vary the spices to make different kinds of chicken. Like maybe greek chicken then chicken fajitas, then chicken marinated in hot wing sauce, chicken in a mustard marinade. That to me might be easier then mixing up proteins. Thats me however. You might also try cooking a few nights a week different dishes and make a lot then freeze left overs. I've done that before, that gives me some variety for dinner and lunch without doing all the cooking in one day. Its failed me before though because I'll get home and be like nah I don't feel like cooking then eating all my lunch leftovers for dinner. As for the veggies, they make different frozen mixes so that would be easy to mix up. Green beans, or broccoli and cauliflower, or just broccoli, squash and zucchini. Me personally I don't add extra carbs like rice unless it goes with meal because honestly I don't like rice that much. l find I can hit my carb content with fruits and vegetables alone and maybe some oatmeal. Unless rice goes with the dish then I'll eat it. But it would be easy enough to cook a bunch of rice and divvy it up. You might also try a crock pot to make one type of meal in it while you make others on the stove. I think your over reaching with 5-6, I'd try 3. If you alternate them its really not bad.

As for how long they last frozen, a long time. In the fridge, a few days. Containers, take your pick, some people like these: https://www.amazon.com/Freshware-15-Pack-Compartment-Bento-Lunch/dp/B01IIINCRS/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1482244086&sr=1-7&keywords=meal+prep+containers

my brother uses the rubbermaid containers with the heavy duty plastic, I like to use pyrex rectangle glass ones because I think they are easier to clean but thats me and Pyrex is way more expensive.

I store most of my produce in plastic bags, and occasionally some fruit in tupperwear.

This is a good resource on how to store just about any veggie/fruit http://www.thekitchn.com/the-kitchns-guide-to-storing-fruits-and-vegetables-tip-roundup-176308

If your looking for cheap "i don't feel bad tossing this when it gets gross" storage options, these are pretty amazing (and great for the freezer) http://www.amazon.com/Reditainer-Extreme-Containers-16-Ounce-36-Pack/dp/B00HG8YTB0

I ordered a 12 quart cambro from amazon, which fits the anova perfectly. Don't worry so much about heat loss. The anova does a good job of maintaining temp. I have found the real issue is evaporation. Make sure you cover the container with something to minimize it.

link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001MRUKA/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

EDIT. I also ordered the Universal Pouch rack from this place. Fits nicely into the cambro:
https://www.sousvidesupreme.com/Shop_Online/Accessories/SousVide_Supreme_Universal_Pouch_Rack/Product.aspx?productid=37&deptid=45&

Yet another edit: I've uploaded a pic of my setup: http://i.imgur.com/NhlvmY2

We tried 2 things: Buy some strong shelve plastic and wrap it around the xpen so they can't stick their feet to climb out.

Or make a "top" of cardboard so it's facing inwards. It acts like a visual and physical blocker so they can't climb out the top.

Here's my xpens: http://imgur.com/a/NMcCO. The cardboard top works better, IMO, cause the pup can still see you. But... it's a bitch and a half to make. The clear plastic isn't very "clear".

Warning: Don't leave her alone in the xpen unsupervised until you redo the xpen. Ours got his foot stuck once on the top bar while he was trying to jump over. He was dangling upside down for a second before I ran over to him.

EDIT: If your pup isn't a chewer, another option is a fabric play pen

Yep, I love hummus. :) The bento box I ordered from amazon. I really liked that it included chopsticks with their own holder integrated into the lid.

If your just doing sandwiches then I'd head over to a Target/KMart/Walmart store and pick up a few containers that will fit your sandwich, like this example. Mostly because sandwiches don't really stand up well to being prepped multiple days in advance. So you're really just looking for something to ensure it doesn't get smushed.

If you're looking for a step up, you might try something like this or a compartment style like this.

If you really get into it, I'd maybe go buy some higher quality Tupperware designed for freezer->fridge->microwave or even freezer->microwave, that's all dishwasher safe.

Put the smell-proof bag inside one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Tightvac-Airtight-Multi-Use-Portable-Container/dp/B0049557HI/ref=pd_bxgy_79_2?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=WY5QNP9ZN3YRB0Z4ZNA6&th=1

I'm pretty sure you'll get 0 smell. Just be careful when and where you smoke. Have fun, frient :)

I've been really happy with these meal prep containers .
They microwave well. They do find in the dishwasher. They're big enough to get a serious amount of food in, but they still stack well. Love em.

I like to pan fry tofu. I'll season cornstarch with some salt and pepper and dip firm tofu strips into it. Then I'll fry it in a little bit of vegetable oil. I'll then slice up some avocado and turn it into a musubi or just place it on top of rice. If you want it in a cute bento style, you could always cube the tofu and add some nori over it. Slice the avocado and fan it out. To add some color, you can also add in some cherry tomatoes and baby carrots. You can also keep a tiny thing of soy sauce on the side in the bento....something like this
http://www.amazon.com/Soy-Sauce-Container-15-Bag/dp/B001AJ8HOG

They're really cheap. I don't go too out of my way to get the really really cute ones because they suck when it comes to cleaning.

Happy you're alive, Tara! That's got to be such a huge relief for you.

These are $2.83 including shipping

I don't know if you've done this already, but if you search for large bento boxes [like this](MB Square black the Square Bento Box https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GRZINNS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rsklybCFRW3NB), that might be more what you're looking for..?

Edit: I've just seen that the listing doesn't show the inside. Very strange. Here.

Also see r/bento for the boxes they use.

Edit again (sorry): Saw this one being used on r/bento. I think that one is pretty good, much better than the one I found.

I got these at Target. Also see them at the supermarket. Work great!

Wasabi (and anything else you want to dip like mayo or ranch) https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BG4DH90/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478797552&sr=8-2&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=salad+dressing+container+to+go&dpPl=1&dpID=413sIludLvL&ref=plSrch

Soy Sauce (and anything else you want to squirt like dressing) https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BG4DHLS/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478797648&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=sistema+dressing&dpPl=1&dpID=51DSBR2Nx7L&ref=plSrch

I'm going to basically ignore your question here and instead tell you what you SHOULD get... Pyrex has just started making tupperware and it's maybe the best purchase I've ever made. No warping, microwave and oven safe, great, tight-fitting covers...

This is what I have, except I paid ~$24 at Costco. Looks like there's other potential stuff for 6 or 8 matching sets!

Had fun doing this! Here's my drawing

And the link to the Item


Thanks for the fun contest!

I recently ordered these bento boxes for the bf and I to bring lunch to work. I've been extra motivated to make awesome lunches, and we've saved so much money already in the past two weeks.

I've really been enjoying my Pyrex snap ware. I've been using them daily for work for a year now and they've been perfect.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BSZJYY4

My local Costco has them on sale, something like $25 for the set, $30 normally.

I use these.

[20 Pack] 3 Compartment Meal Prep Containers BPA Free Portion Control Bento Boxes (39 Oz.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D0JDZFO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oBtAybV5EVFHA

I have two different kinds by the same manufacturer. The other one I purchased has two compartments instead of three. When I received them one of the 20 boxes was broken beyond use, and Amazon was super quick in refunding me like 15% of my purchase (was around 3 dollars if I remember right, I did buy them on sale on cyber monday). They have held up very well for me and there is more than enough boxes (I am prepping for two). Had them over a month now and use them everyday. They do just fine in the microwave and have had no breakage past the shipping damage I had mentioned. Bonus: they are on sale right now!

Also, I do not own a dishwasher so I hand wash everything. I can't comment on how they hold up against a dishwasher.

Edit: typo and wanted to add that I do not ever microwave the lids, just the actual containers.

I dont know that it had a huge impact to be honest, fat makes flavor right?
Deer for me doesnt taste gamey, neither does moose so I always wonder if i am just used to how it tastes after all these years compared to beef.

I put it in to my pot, it held the heat very well, only went up or down by .1 degree the entire 70 minutes.
I only had a gallon or so of water in it, didnt need much for the size steak i was cooking.

I picked up a 12 quart container to cook bigger items like the ham i plan to do next weekend and a moose chuck roast after that.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001MRUKA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I buy flour in 2lb packages because I don’t have access to bigger bags, but a quick googling brought things like this
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-POP-Container/dp/B000UHYB9E

A cheaper way would be a foodsafe pails (you could get from a restaurant kitchen, where I live they come in different sizes with ketchup or mustard or stuff like that).

It maybe you find something like this available for you:
https://www.auer-packaging.com/us/en/Pails-&-Screw-top-jars.html?customer_type=private

X-post from r/trees. This was in the comments there but I'll post it here too: Here's a link to a Dropbox with the schematic. It was made in Autodesk Inventor and I'm not sure if any other 3D CAD program can run it. The overall diameter of the part is slightly bigger than the tube it went in (link to Amazon), so it required some sanding and rolling on a hot skillet to mold it perfectly. Also, it took a while to cut off the base that the printer puts down before it actually prints the part. It took 2 hours to print and about 4 hours of refining afterwards to get it perfect.

[10 Pack]3 Compartment Meal Prep Food Storage Containers with Lids/BPA Free Bento Lunch Boxes/Divided Portion Control Container Plates-Microwave, Dishwasher Safe, Free Cutlery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0140ZN2EQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jlJOzb9DRN29B

I just ordered these off Amazon today. Not sure how well they work yet, but I'll check back this week to let you know! 😁

I picked them up at Bed Bath and Beyond lol. But I found them on Amazon right here for anyone interested! Mine are in a few different sizes :)

Still using that laptop desk and love it. I bought this stuff and it works very well to keep the hotas from moving around. The velcro might be better though.

These OXO containers are great.

Tough, heavy, good seal, easy to use.

Glass snapware can be a little more expensive but it's definitely worth it. I like the brand Luminarc. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LN810PM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1426443844&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&keywords=luminarc

On amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IIINCRS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_pLM5XliwJDXs9
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IIINCRS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_KWRhb3LWbEsOw

I really like them! Works great in dishwasher and microwave!

Beef stew, chili, rice & stirfry, rice & curry, quiche, lentil soup, chicken burrito bowls, leftover (homemade) pizza...really anything that's moist to start off with heats up well from the freezer with a sprinkling of water and judicious turning. I'd avoid dumplings unless they're tiny, although perogi are nice with some sauce (last night's spaghetti sauce). I just make enough, every day, for 4-6 people for dinner, we each have a helping, then the rest goes in containers in the fridge and freezer. I've been doing a little less of this lately due to illness, but we almost always have some leftovers in the freezer and fridge for my husband and I to each have a serving for lunch.

I think a lot of this has to do with having a lot of glass SnapWare, now that I think about it. I could easily see doing heavy freezer cooking and just filling them all up with the above recipes rather than cooking every day, although the way I cook, I'd go through two sets with two recipes! You can do this with a slow cooker or thermal cooker (both of which save you tons of time), or you can cook a batch for dinner that night and store the rest, as mentioned above.

I got these on Amazon. They're sturdy and a great deal.

[20 Pack] 3 Compartment Meal Prep Containers BPA Free Portion Control Bento Boxes (39 Oz.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D0JDZFO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_lZCgn1aG5Z4G5

I got some Glasslock containers similar to these and I really like them because they make it really easy to take out the sealing tube... gasket? That way they're easy to wash and I don't have to worry about getting remnants stuck under it. Plus the lids never come off unless I want them to.

I have found these 2 products awesome for food prepping. They are reusable and dishwasher safe, though they last longer if you handwash.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M9Z4SXY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D0JDZFO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001AJ8HOG/ref=pd_aw_sbs_k_2?pi=SL500_SS115

). I LOVE them :)

Agreed! I ordered these in the photo (10-pack) and a few even got holes from hot food. They definitely leak so keep flat when transporting.

I just donated my remaining plastic ones locally and purchased these as replacements. I prefer the glass for a number of reasons and I prefer the smaller size/2-compartment better than the larger ones. Makes the meal feel bigger :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075BP5JN3?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Pyrex snapware. I bought individual containers from a grocery store in Canada but amazon, walmart, costco, etc has the set. They are by FAR the best containers I have ever used.

One of the best mods i made to my Majestouch 2 is putting shelf liner under the pcb. It requires voiding your warranty however, as you have to remove a sticker to get to a screw on the bottom of the case but I had to open my case anyway to swap in the custom cable I ordered for mine. This is pretty much what you want, just put a layer or two in the bottom of the case once you remove the pcb, then just put the pcb and top case back on and screw back together.

Wow, it's actually a better deal to get two of them than it is to get a single one.

24.99 for one, 37.99 for two.

This one also looks rather cool but VERY expensive.

Here's a cheaper one that looks nice enough to display amiibo.

I know you are looking for uniform sized containers, but I was able to get two multi sets of Snapware glass from Costco. I paid around $20 each for these, http://www.amazon.com/Snapware-Solution-Keeper-Featuring-18-Piece/dp/B00BSZJYY4/, which you can see are more than twice that on Amazon. I think they're great. After buying two sets we have 4 of the small rectangular, 4 small circular, 4 larger circular, 4 squares, and 2 large rectangular. When I priced out buying one-ofs to bolster the sizes I actually wanted, it just came out cheaper to get two sets.

TLDR: Keep an eye out for Costco. YMMV.

The Flying Pan is a 'sweatpants diner'. Go and order greasy food and don't give a crap (even if you're wearing sweatpants). I don't think their food is that good and I haven't been more than twice in the past four years (despite going all the time in the past). Their pancakes are really, really dry.

If you're asking about whether or not there's anything they do or don't do that makes them successful...don't even bother. This is Hong Kong. We've seen a toilet-themed restaurant explode in popularity. There's a gourmet popcorn store in the IFC, where people wait in line so long they literally might as well watch a movie at the Palace IFC and get popcorn there instead. Hong Kong's dining choices, especially in the low/medium end range that your restaurant would target, is absolutely bizarre.

That said, I was thinking how fun it would be to open a restaurant here that just features a giant griddle. It's just so easy and quick to make damn near anything, especially Western cuisine. Eggs, fried chicken, pancakes, fried chicken, burgers, whatever. Add in a few burners for woks and cast-iron pans, you can cook just about anything you want.

For pancakes, I have a one gallon OXO airtight POP container that I have homemade pancake mix in.

6 oz all purpose flour
2.0 tsp baking soda
3.0 tsp baking powder
1.5 tblsp salt
3.0 tblsp sugar

Then anytime I want pancakes, it's just 2 cups mix, 2 cups milk, 2 eggs. Plus since it's a weight based recipe it's the same consistency even with this masochistic humidity in HK.

I'm looking for some meal prep BIFL tupperware. I have these snapware containers (really like them)... but I'd like something like this.... http://www.amazon.com/Meal-Prep-Haven-3-Compartment-Containers/dp/B011SY4P9I/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1452820370&sr=1-5&keywords=meal+prep

Anyone have a recommendation?

Contact paper like this? Never used it for this purpose (I would have thought the plastic might melt), but I have used parchment paper like this with a clothes iron to cure plastisol ink. It was my first big run, something like 180 white prints on black shirts. Took forever. Got a heatpress with the money from that job, and still recoil at the sight of an iron.

I'm usually on a tight budget lol so I'll definitely look into it. I've also found these. I know they're clear but as long as you keep it in a dark area (or tape it up) it sounds like they would work just as well. The only thing is that they're plastic, but they're meant for food so i assume they'd work.

Not sure if this is the perfect thread but here it goes anyway. I'm looking for some help/advice. I bought these storage containers and they're dishwasher safe. Does anyone know if they can be put on the bottom rack? I've only washed them in the top rack but it would be so much nicer if I could put them on both

amazon! i had been looking for black or clear ones and found these, i'm really happy with them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KOTJTS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Got these from Amazon a while back. Work well so far. They've been fine in the microwave, and clean up easy. Planning on buying another set.

I love these silicone stasher bags. I actually use them for my onion halves too! Haha

https://www.amazon.com/Stasher-Reusable-Silicone-Sandwich-Storage/dp/B01DZQT9CU?th=1

I will second the bag side welds issue mentioned above. I haven't done any super long cooks, but a friend was doing a 24 hour pork butt and had a side seal on a zip lock go bad, and that was no fun at all.

Short of getting a vac machine, getting a reusable bag specifically meant for sous vide is a good way to go. This one by Stasher is endorsed by Anova.

In the short term, perhaps someone here could comment on double-bagging using the zip locks? Perhaps two levels of failsafe might suffice?

I just ordered this. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G66N2M/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Amazon prime, and $10. I'm pretty sure it's the same one in the pciture. Also ordered a DAC, audio foam, power conditioner, dual VESA monitor mounts, and an unreasonable amount of optical audio equipment with velcro ties. It will be a good week.

Sunday is a great day for meal prep. I recommend glass containers like these. When I first started I made the same lunch for all five days of the work week and I was going crazy with boredom by day 3. Now I have at least two different lunches per week that I alternate. My favorite is quinoa and white meat chicken with veggies or quinoa and lentils on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For Tuesday, Thursday, I make salad in a mason jar.

What are you looking for / what are you picky about with regards to robustness? Size? Aesthetics? Since this is your first box, you should probably come into this knowing that Bento boxes are generally pretty small compared to most lunch boxes made/sold in the U.S., so that will be an adjustment if that's what you're used to.

​

With that in mind, I started with this one; it's ~870 ml, so it's a touch larger than most, the lid locks into place so you don't have to worry about spills in transit so much, and mine stood up quite well to microwaving/diswashers. The removable compartments/divider were a much less finicky way to get a hang of dish arrangement, too. Should be a solid way to go for a first box.

If I may make a suggestion as someone who's bought a similar unit, buy this and line your bottoms with them: https://www.amazon.com/Tact-Premium-Non-Adhesive-Non-Slip-12-Inches/dp/B001AH8PLI

It will help prevent things from sliding off and also help keep your white shelves clean for a longer period of time.

[This basket off Amazon](Steamer Basket Stainless Steel Vegetable Folding Collapsible Insert for Various Size Pots by Delightful Chef https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011JG4U8G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bTM5ybJPB1HKT) and I have a 5 quart Instapot.

[Here are the silicon cups I got](Pantry Elements Silicone Cupcake Liners / Baking Cups - 12 Vibrant Muffin Molds in Storage Jar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COWLXJ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_EUM5yb7BPDY86)

[And here is the cheesecake form](Raylans Novelty Nonstick Leakproof Bakeware Round Springform Cheesecake Cake Pan with Removable Bottom,7 Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FLO9QCC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3UM5yb9T0P0BF)

I mix up half salt half lite salt in one of these, add to water/mio as needed. Should last a couple days. the containers are great—screw tops so they don’t spill & a super small size.

You do not need a ton w/ a small water bottle.

Yup! I have a bunch of these BPA-free freezable/microwaveable deli food containers with lids and I just measure the broth out into portions, label them, and freeze them. I put the frozen container without the lid in the microwave, heat for 5-6 minutes and it's ready. If I need it just for the week, I just put it in a big deli container in the fridge and with the added salt it's good for 5-6 days, just put it into a mug and microwave for 2 minutes. I make sure to keep bone & vegetable scraps in freezer bags so I can make broth every weekend in a slow cooker.

I got a bunch of reditainers/delitainers. I know they aren't exactly "buy once," and a lot of people look down on plastic, but they're more durable than you think, recycleable when they finally break (or the dog turns them into chew toys...) and I use so many fewer ziplocs. They're great for pantry storage, leftovers in the fridge, or long-term storage in the freezer (provided you get the ones advertised for the freezer. The ones that aren't advertised for the freezer become incredibly fragile when frozen.)

I always transfer food to a different container before heating it up, for anyone worried about "the chemicals." They are technically microwave-safe, but I like to think they last longer without being heated up.

definitely agree on Snapware. I have the 18 piece Pyrex glass set bought off Amazon, and it rocks: http://www.amazon.com/Snapware-Total-Solution-Keeper-Featuring/dp/B00BSZJYY4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1407202447&sr=8-3&keywords=snapware

Edit: Yeah, it is Pyrex. I guess I was thrown off by the people above saying it was glass.

I use these and they fit perfectly

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KOTJTS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks! I like to use the muffin papers because they're easy and cheap. As for the containers, I got them when I was in Japan recently but you can also get them on Amazon as well. The plastic containers are my super shitty last choice alternatives to when my husband forgets his actual bento box at work.

yes it could be too tight -
I think it could be that the frame isn't square - I has a similar issue when I first put on the z-brace - I managed to twist the entire frame by going too tight on one side - photos / video will help diagnose

I also found using a mat like this helped generally with ghosting / ringing - https://www.amazon.com/Tact-Premium-Non-Adhesive-Non-Slip-12-Inches/dp/B001AH8PLI

I got these ones from Amazon

I bought them over a year ago and I’ve thrown away five of them due to cracks in the bottom, which I feel is pretty good for the price. I wash them on the top rack of the dishwasher, and use them in the microwave.

I like to keep a small supply of disposable plastic containers (like 4 oz. Gladware bowls) for storage in games with bits per player, i.e. Ticket to Ride. All trains of one color, for example, go into a bowl, so setup is as easy as give each person a bowl. Then the pieces stay organized and are already in a container for quick setup. In the cases where a bowl like that won't fit in the box (Power Grid comes to mind), you can store silicone cupcake liners in the box to put pieces in.

Also, for anyone new to board gaming, if you seem to have more plastic baggies than you need that come with a game, keep the extras somewhere. Never know when you'll need a few extras.

> Also about ready to buy a silicone muffin tray to make cleanup easier.

Do it. I got these and they are simply amaze-balls, like three packs or something. The muffins just pop right out.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00COWLXJ4

I got these several months back and they're great. Definitely more microwave proof than my Tupperware, which is mostly microwave proof until it suddenly isn't.

These are great. I'm sure something similar exists in europe!

I have a similar cabinet next to my stove that I use for spices. I have metal risers on the top and middle shelves and a turn table on the bottom. Works great! https://www.amazon.com/InterDesign-Linus-Cabinet-Organizer-Rack/dp/B001KOTJTS/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=risers+pantry&qid=1554917219&s=gateway&sr=8-7

I use my Sennheiser HD650 every day at my desk for nearly a year, they're practically as good as new. But they pretty much stay in only two places (on my head or on this

In any case, if I had to go with a gaming headset, it would probably be the Logitech G35

Haha! In my case, I basically have everything I need. The things I do want are impractical, inappropriate, or intangible, i.e. a house, a Tesla S, a kind word. I am basically satisfied with the things in my life. Maybe your GF feels the same way. Or maybe she doesn't need a banana holder.

Please tell me you are not smoking in your god damn dorm?

If you are; go the fuck outside, you are in fucking college. Toking in your dorm isn't cool or edgy. It is more disrespectful than anything, not everyone wants to smell it. Be the considerate toker.

If you are not; quit being a dirty ass toker smelling like weed everywhere you go. Again, be considerate and not a stereotype.

If it is simply because of the weed you have on you; get a tightvac from Amazon. Zero smell. I have that 6oz one. Holds my grinder, pipe, 1/8th and two lighters easy.

I bought a second one recently for edibles. No smell at all from either tightvac.

They have bigger and smaller ones for whatever your needs are.

Be smart! These flowers are not worth fucking up your life.

1.37+1.50 shipping for these adorable little things :) Bubbles, bubbles...my bubbles!

• Instead of ziplocs we use reusable silicone baggies something like this. Once you have em you realize how few bags you use at one time and that you don’t really need boxes of baggies (depending on lifestyle, of course).
  
• Use a cleaning rag instead of paper towels when appropriate
  
• Try to use all the product (use bones and trimmings, etc. to make broth, etc.)
  
• It’s more of a side effect, but we don’t buy much processed food so we have less packaging
  
• Bring reusable bags when shopping
  
• I buy my meat from a local butcher who sources from sustainable, ethical, local farms
  
• Another side effect, but I eat very little beef - my main animal protein is chicken followed by fish. Also, my wife is vegetarian on the cusp of vegan.
  
• Reusable containers

Amazon! I love these ones: https://www.amazon.com/Prep-Naturals-Glass-Containers-Compartment/dp/B075BP5JN3/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?keywords=meal+prep+containers&qid=1569217099&sprefix=meal+&sr=8-12

May I make a suggestion? I'm going to guess that those have a tendency to slip and slide on your table. Get a roll of drawer grip liner and place your tiles on that. During gameplay as you move minis around the tiles should stay put. I hope that helps!

Are you looking for something like reditainers? Those were recommended to me a while back by someone but I'm sure you can find other brands/types for similar containers on amazon or at restaurant supply stores.

These OXO Good Grip POP Conainers are pretty money. I use them to store new cigars before they go in the humi and to store unused Boveda.

I picked up these and they work pretty good.

3 Compartment
https://smile.amazon.com/Freshware-Containers-Compartment-Stackable-Dishwasher/dp/B01GH5KQLO/

2 Compartment:
https://smile.amazon.com/Freshware-Containers-Compartment-Stackable-Dishwasher/dp/B01IIINCRS/

I actually ordered it off Amazon, it really does work great. Skater Brand apparently. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OC78JO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_apCHxb4XDJKFP

Sorry for the delay... LOKSAK info here - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W67YFWO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Basically they're better than ziplock bags (more durable with thicker plastic and better/waterproof seals) and you can re-use them forever

Bento lunch box - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AVH81VQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

has a clip/clasp you can attach to MOLLE or a carabiner
Will fit exactly one of these (which I use for my meal prepped lunches) - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011SY4P9I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (or these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VWJHFTM/ref=twister_B00W5YJ8N4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 )

Cool display, but how come you keep your bobbleheads in the box for display purposes?

Also, I think if you got some clear acrylic risers (also can search for acrylic spice racks), you can get some levels to the display to give everything good visibility.

Hello and thank you for the contest! I think you should add some mini-steps to the bookcase shelf, so the bells can be displayed better. Something like these could work.

Fact: bears eat beets. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Gallactica

I will guess that you have at least 120 bells!

Clear contact paper. Thing is, it really isn't clear, but more of a matte frost when applied to windows. It comes off easily, and you can trim it easily. Plus it's inexpensive. You won't need shades at all, and they will let in a lot of light.

They're on Amazon but a word to the wise, as I also use them, they aren't the highest quality. I've used mine since December and I'm down to 5 that are usable and even those have broken bits and some minor cracks. That's with heavy use (I meal prep all of my lunches every week in them). I would recommend them because they're relatively inexpensive and very useful but just be warned they can be kind of brittle.

Depends on what country you're in :) Does amazon ship to you?

https://www.amazon.com/Tightvac-Airtight-Multi-Use-Portable-Container/dp/B0049557HI

Something like this, and then click through the related items too if you're not a fan homie

I got this set on Amazon prime for $8. They are awesome.

I use clear plastic film like this. It's easy to draw the pattern on with a permanent marker and cut out and it sticks to the shirt really well.

Step 1: buy lunchbox with a freezer pack in it. PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HJ8DFGC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sQmezbTR9MCBN


Step 2: buy meal prep containers. btw these meal prep containers fit in the lunchbox I linked you and to give you an idea of the size of the lunchbox, that's the only thing that will fit in there. Meal Prep Haven 3 Compartment Food Containers with Airtight Lid, Bento Box, Fitness Lunch Box for Meal Prep, 21 Day Fix and Portion Control, Set of 7 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011SY4P9I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ARmezbD10DBBX


Step 3: buy food. You say you don't want to do any prepping which is fine but if that's the case buy applegate chicken breast. Not very high in sodium but not very low either. If you have the energy for just a litttttle bit of prep, try a rotisserie chicken. You will have to cut it up initially when you get it but once it's done, it's done for the whole week. You can eat this cold too if you don't have access to a microwave. Get canned vegetables. Rinse them off, it will lower the sodium content. Get fruit and vegetable platters that people get for parties, they are pre cut already. Other sides that do not need to be prepared can include string cheese, yogurt, mixed nuts (unsalted), granola bars, protein bars, veggie chips, boiled eggs, guacamole, hummus (this hummus company has their hummus paired with like pretzel chips on the bottom it's really just an open and eat thing).


Step 4: distribute into your meal prep containers

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01D0JDZFO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_mA4njl7G68af1

---

Never forget to smile again | ^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

Cambro containers are pretty much gold standard commercial kitchen gear. No staining by food, doesn’t leech chemicals or flavor, and long lasting.


12 qt cambro

corner cut-out lid for 12 qt cambro.

I rest my set-up on one of these dish drying mats to insulate (protect) the stone counter top from heat damage (expansion).

it's about $10 for a medium glass one here. it will last forever. I think that's alright. sometimes there's good sales you can get it for about $4.

edit: $35 for 18pcs are not bad for something you will be using daily for the next 3- 5 years at least.

Amazon listing

C'mon.

I use these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071GQLW8S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

3 - compartments. A bit pricey, but I really like them

and here is a link for 2 compartments

https://www.amazon.com/Prep-Naturals-Glass-Containers-Compartment/dp/B075BP5JN3/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1VICKV3OPP6M5&keywords=glass+meal+prep+containers&qid=1572262051&sprefix=glass+mea%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-4

Reusable silicone food bags. Just like a ziplock but reusable and dishwasher safe.

An example: https://www.amazon.ca/Stasher-Reusable-Silicone-Bag-Clear/dp/B01DZQT9CU

I use things like these to store extra food for eating later as another meal or for another day. It also helpful if you want to cook a meal in bulk too.

I've always wanted to try and make cupcakes with these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COWLXJ4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=34DE13ZKEBE&coliid=I3UUMEPTL4DL30

I think it would be cool to not have to buy paper cups each time!
Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

Here it is! I love it.

Sorry, my first reply was only about the jar, the containers are also from amazon, and they come with a lot of small containers which sometimes are useful, but a lot of them just sit there.

Please don't ask why I ordered from two different brands with almost identical products, I don't even know why I did. After using them both, they feel identical to me.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00LN810PM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B012OIVIOW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I know they are amazing eh!? https://www.amazon.ca/Sistema-Collection-Dressing-Container-Purple/dp/B00BG4DH90/ref=asc_df_B00BG4DH90/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=293008946108&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14780692713315874993&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061009&hvtargid=pla-415244695124&psc=1

Available on amazon.ca but not at a reasonable price.

[20 Pack] 3 Compartment Meal Prep Containers BPA Free & FDA Certified Food Grade 3 Compartment Food Containers Portion Control & Stackable Bento Box Lunch Box Food Storage 3 Compartment https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01D0JDZFO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yS.IzbXVTGA8G

This stuff: https://www.amazon.com/Tact-Premium-Non-Adhesive-Non-Slip-12-Inches/dp/B001AH8PLI/ref=sr_1_8?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1518804743&sr=1-8&keywords=drawer+liner

And yeah just get any foam that isn't conductive then, but Dynamat does a much better job.

Get some fabric paint, some contact paper, and an exacto knife. A design like this is super easy and can be done in one night. You can get cheap plain tshirts at walgreens or michaels etc.

Banana holders work great, and they're cheap!

https://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Banana-Holder-Satin-Nickel/dp/B000G66N2M

These are my favorite! 2 compartment glass containers. I believe they have 3 compartments as well.


Glass Meal Prep Containers Glass 2 Compartment

I like these ones. I use them got salad dressing, veggie dips, etc. They never leak, and fit nicely in other containers. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BG4DH90?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image

I have 2, one smaller for my daily stuff:

Camwear Polycarbonate 12 Quart https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001MRUKA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vCT1AbA0R3B10

And a second for higher volume cooking:
LIPAVI Sous Vide Container https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014U596GO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_H6AvKrmB7Nvum

I’d say you should start with the 12 quart but neither are very expensive. Also consider some ping pong balls for longer cooks to simplify any problems with evaporative loss. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IEB5T2U?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

I use www.seriouseats.com as my resource for everything sous vide.

Welcome to sous vide, you’re going to love it.

It is super simple. Anova even has an app so you can monitor your cooker while you are in another room. They are on sale right now which is why I pulled the trigger.

anova precision $155 w the code SPRING25

12 qt container $24.95

container lid $11.08

apparently you can also just float ping pong balls on the top as well - having a lid insulates and slows the water evaporation

cheap adjustable rack to keep the meat in place $13.21

vacuum sealer $69.99

but for this you can just use freezer bags and water displacement to get a similar outcome

Not OP, but they look a lot like the ones I bought. Here is the link on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0140ZN2EQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not op but that looks like the Skater bento box from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Skater-Japanese-Traditional-Compartmental-Chopsticks/dp/B001OC78JO

I've used this one in the past. It works pretty well, smell leaks a bit more that a mason jar, but it works well

I got this for when I make or save up herb for my edibles, It is air tight and seals all the smell in as well, You can look at local smoke shops because all Ive been to have these : ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0049557HI/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1 )

Looks like this one, which I have and really like.

Best way to store
Tightvac - 1 oz to 6 ounce Airtight Multi-Use Vacuum Seal Portable Storage Container for Dry Goods, Food, and Herbs - Black Cap & Body https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049557HI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XS5YCb3DXBVH6

Thanks! :D I got them off Amazon, they are made by Meal Prep Haven. Heres a link!

http://www.amazon.ca/Meal-Prep-Haven-3-Compartment-Containers/dp/B011SY4P9I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453740722&sr=8-3&keywords=meal+prep

Reditainer Extreme Freeze Deli Food Containers with Lids, 16-Ounce, 36-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HG8YTB0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_nTCdBbVZ4NG30

These are my absolute favorite! I’ve used them for years with repeated freezing and being put through the dishwasher and I haven’t lost a single one to breaking or warping! I highly recommend them!

if you don't want it to slide, you could get some Non-Slip Shelf and Drawer Liner and attach it to the bottom of the print. I love this stuff.

Banana holders make great headphone stands.

Would paper containers work? Like these or these(note: UK), or even these. If you are going to go disposable, then you might as well go recyclable/biodegradable.

I am personally a fan of glass containers, like GlassLock: I can hold my nose as I empty it down the drain/into the trashbag, and my dishwasher will wash it with scalding water. I prefer them over plastic ones.

This one, I'll bet. I got this from Costco about three years ago and it's in great shape. I use the containers for leftovers and lunches at least weekly.

Stasher Bags are great, they come in 2 sizes and will be releasing a larger half gallon size very soon

https://www.amazon.com/Stasher-Reusable-Silicone-Sandwich-Clear/dp/B01DZQT9CU

Thanks! I think someone actually shared the link on here awhile back, but they're from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075BP5JN3?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

I highly recommend making a mat out of non slip shelving grip. Something similar to https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AH8PLI/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_a8D0xbYN4VDAQ


I picked it up cheap at Walmart, cut it appropriately, and our group appreciates it. Much less slip then felt (which I also grabbed from a fabric store first) .