Buy glass, not plastic, for freezer meal prep.

The best lunch containers for freezing ahead are glass containers with snap-lock lids, like Pyrex Simply Store or Snapware Total Solution.

Glass just behaves better in the freezer. It won’t warp, stain, or soak up last week’s chili smell. It also goes straight from freezer to microwave without you worrying about what’s leaching into your food. Plastic works in a pinch, but the cheap stuff gets brittle at freezing temps, and those lids never seal the same after a while.

What really matters is the lid. Get something with silicone on the inside and a solid snap closure. That keeps soups from leaking into your work bag and locks in freshness. Go with rectangular or square containers — they stack cleanly and pack into a lunch bag way better than round ones. Two-cup size is the sweet spot for mains; get a few smaller ones for sides.

One tip: don’t fill to the rim. Food expands when it freezes, so leave about an inch of headroom. Let everything cool before you put the lid on, and freeze flat until solid, then stack. If you’re reheating, crack the lid or take it off unless the container says otherwise.

The best move is buying a matched set of glass containers with locking lids. Future you doesn’t want to unstick a frozen leak through a cheap lid.