Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Returning to work...and a container confession

Today, I am somewhat sad to say, was my first day back at work for 2012. The sadness doesn't come from any aspect of the day, or even work per se - rather that the break is over and the busy work stretch I have ahead is starting.

Still, I can be (and am!) grateful that I had an enjoyable enough break to not want it to end. And that by returning on a Thursday I am starting with a 2 day work week, which is rather a good arrangement.

I looked back over my I'm Dreaming Of... post yesterday, where I'd noted things I was hoping to do over the break. I was pleased to realise that I'd managed almost all of them: reading, some photography practice, baking and cooking (albeit mostly before Christmas), some shopping, some blog updates, time outdoors, and even cleaning the blinds. I didn't, however, wash the windows, clean the fridge very well, or re-organise the pantry. I guess I know my priorities ;)

Given that today marks a return to work, with packed lunches and snacks, I thought it might be appropriate to reveal something about my relationship with Tupperware-like containers. You see, I have a slight obsession with them. Particularly the small ones.

It's starting to cause storage problems.



I am also rather fond of using these containers to store and/or organise pre-prepared food in the fridge.


This latter tendency is a bit more hit-and-miss - there are some weeks when I bemoan my lack of organisation in cutting things up in advance - but my small plastic containers get a lot of use during the working week.

Some of them are perfect for cereal, dried fruit and nuts, or even yoghurt.


Others are better suited to a whole packed lunch, and are almost like a lunchbox.



 As I type this, there are six containers or similar in the fridge. In addition to the watermelon pictured above, there are washed grapes (albeit not in a container as such)...


Washed salad leaves and perhaps a surplus of chopped carrot...


And three smaller, single-serve options...


With mango...


And two serves of dinner leftovers, vegetable and tofu stir fry to be precise...




Fortunately, there are some benefits to an obsession with plastic containers. For a start, they are re-usable, and so my use of disposable plastic has reduced. They also allow me to look past some of the commercial packaged snacks that used to catch my eye in the supermarket. The idea of paying for individual packaging when I can use a brightly coloured container instead...well, it's not so appealing.

I do think, though, that it is time to stop expanding the collection. There is only so much space in our kitchen. What's more, I wouldn't want to neglect other categories of possible items. I'm thinking that my bowl collection could do with some attention this year...

Do you have obsessions with any dishes, containers, or kitchen utensils? 
And do you pack work lunches or snacks?

(As an addition, lest the above pictures paint an excessively healthy version of our kitchen, I should note that a whole section of the pantry is currently filled with chocolate!)

21 comments:

  1. working 2 days a week and a cupboard full of containers - nothing wrong with your life - I love my containers too but other people do my dishes and put them anywhere which drives me crazy - I even have that lunchbox and love it but it is rather big and I saw a reduced version in the supermarket this week and wondered if perhaps I needed to buy it!

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  2. Hahaha this post made me smile! I need more tupperware for when I don't have time to eat in the dining hall (and they don't let you take a plate of food out...I've been caught red-handed!), and something that has caught my eye are these cloth sandwich bags that are reusable and machine washable.

    I'm glad you got a good chunk of stuff done over break, it feels so good!

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  3. I like the one with the fork on top... I seem to always forget a fork with lunch.

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  4. hehe I must admit - our tuppaware cupboard is the scariest cupboard in our kitchen - it is full and bursting!

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  5. love my stainless steel "tiffin" tin. It takes an unwrapped sandwich perfectly without letting it fall apart, and perfect for a salad or leftovers too. And it doesn't leak.

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  6. I just realised my phrasing may have implied I was working 2 days a week on an ongoing basis...only this week unfortunately (due to my Thursday start day) but I nonetheless agree that I don't have anything to complain about :)

    That lunchbox is rather large - it gets used far less often than my smaller containers as a result - so I think it's just as well I didn't see the reduced version. I may have deviated from my idea of not buying any more, before I'd even started!

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  7. I haven't seen cloth sandwich bags - what a good idea. I'll keep any eye out. It certainly sounds like you could do with more containers to use, your dining hall scenario sounds challenging!

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  8. Yes, me too. That fork has helped me out on quite a few occasions!

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  9. I'm glad it's not just me :) I think perhaps it's a requirement of those cupboards, they just defy neatness.

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  10. ooooh i want the one with the little fork on top! i need more containers - especially a large salad one with a dressing container attached.
    http://livelovenyc.blogspot.com/

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  11. I too have a cupboard full of containers. What I actually need is a better lunch bag to carry all the little containers in. Today I have a large round screw top container of salad, a small container of salad dressing and a rectangular box of grapes and blueberries. I just shove them in my laptop backpack and I know that one of these days that is going to have a nasty end. Must get a lunch bag!

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  12. Do I own many such containers? No. Do I currently have many such containers? Yes. Will my mum eventually twig that I've been stealing all of hers? Hopefully not. ;)

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  13. That does look great. Just the right size! It seems there are lots of clever container options about.

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  14. The brand that makes the one with the fork also makes one with a dressing container! I'm not sure if they are in the US though - they're called Nude Food Movers (http://www.nudefoodmovers.com.au/Range/).

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  15. Yes, that does sound dangerous! I think you must indeed get a lunch bag - I fear for your laptop!

    I like the sound of your containers for today. I also love that I'm not the only one who is capable of taking 3 separate containers to work.

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  16. Teehee, a confession of my own: some of my drawer also comes from my Mum's cupboard. In fact, all of the actual Tupperware containers are hers, mind are all cheaper or newer variants :P

    I think we can view this as a doing our mothers a favour though: surely it must help with the organisation of their own cupboards. Right? Yes.

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  17. Oh boy, I have the same obsession - though your Tupperware drawers look much neater than mine!

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  18. Okay, I started off thinking your obsession was a bit weird but they're so cute, now I want some!

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  19. I suspect their relatively small size helps!

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  20. I tell you Megan, that line of thinking is the start of a slippery, dangerous slope :)

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  21. You and my mom would get along great! She also has a container obsession. The nice thing about it is that we're never looking for a place to put things. My husband was driving home and saw these electrical spool containers by the trash of this electric company. He asked one of the workers if he could buy one and we ended up painting the spool and making it into a contemporary table. Industrial containers can make some pretty cool furniture if you're creative. http://www.seattlebarrel.com/products.html

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