The Prep Bin: Tupperware, Blender, and More

No plates. No bowls. No mugs. No real cutlery. If you had told me that's where I'd end up I probably wouldn't have believed you — but here's the thing, it wasn't really a decision. It just kind of happened.

Two separate meals, both eaten on the run in my truck. Both times I forgot my fork or spoon in the back and grabbed from my stash in the glove box instead. Both times I was eating straight out of my Rubbermaid Brilliance container sitting in my cupholder. And both times I thought — huh. I actually like this. No extra dish, no transferring food, just grab and go. That was basically it. The plates and bowls disappeared and I never looked back.

The Tupperware System

I run two styles of Rubbermaid — the Brilliance for rectangular and the TakeAlongs Twist and Seal for cylindrical. Each one earns its spot for different reasons, but they share the

same two qualities that sealed the deal for me: one lid fits all sizes in each line — I am not playing the lid game — and both styles fit in my truck's cup holder. That last one is basically the ultimate qualification test for anything in my setup. If it fits in the cup holder, it's in. If it doesn't, it's working a lot harder to justify its spot.

The Brilliance comes in both glass and plastic which was a genuine score. The other deciding factor? My family members don't have either of these styles, so if I leave one behind — and I am notorious for leaving things behind — nobody is going to accidentally claim it as theirs.

The Mason Jar System

I carry three mason jars — a pint, a pint and a half, and a quart. Always wide mouth. Wide mouth only, non negotiable — I can stick my hand in to clean it and that's the whole game right there.

The jars handle everything hot: coffee, tea, hot water with lemon, you name it. And anything that has a strong smell gets glass automatically. Turmeric especially — it will stain plastic so badly you'll never get it out. The size I grab just depends on how much liquid I need. No real system beyond that.

The Blender Debate

I have the Our Place version of a NutriBullet and honestly it is incredible. Everything comes out smooth and creamy, no complaints on performance whatsoever. Smoothies and protein shakes are usually my lunch or afternoon snack, so it gets real use.

But I'm in the middle of a debate with myself on this one. Do I keep making my own or do I buy premade juices and smoothies and just add my own powders? The pros of keeping it: I can make any flavor I'm in the mood for. The cons: it takes up space and it's another dish to wash. Cost wise I'm basically breaking even either way — but I hadn't even factored in time saved until recently, and that might be the deciding factor right there. I'm giving it through the summer. If I can't come up with more reasons to keep it, it's probably heading to the cut list.

And if the blender goes, the cylindrical TakeAlongs likely go with it — half my tupperware stash gone in one decision. That's a pretty compelling pro for the cut column.

Ziploc Bags

I keep four sizes — 2 gallon, 1 gallon, quart, and snack. These are genuinely one of the most multipurpose things I carry. When I fly, a Ziploc is a 99% leakproof bag that costs almost nothing. On the trail, I load my snacks into a quart or gallon bag at the start of the

hike — and as I work through them, the bag becomes my trash bag. Eat the snacks, pack out the wrappers, done. In a small space, organization is everything and Ziplocs do a lot of that heavy lifting.

Non Stick Aluminum Foil

I used to carry both parchment paper and foil but had to pick one. Foil won — you can't wrap a baked potato in parchment paper and call it a day. Beyond potatoes, I line the crumb tray of my Breville with it which makes cleanup almost effortless, and I use it to cover my cookie sheet when I'm cooking. One roll, a lot of use.

What's in the Glove Box

Plastic forks and spoons, grabbed from gas stations whenever I think about it. I keep about five or six sets on hand. They've saved me more times than I can count — including those two accidental meals that changed my whole dishware philosophy.

Oh and the silicone bowl? That used to be for making mug bread in my microwave. Then the microwave got cut. Then the bowl got cut. And honestly I don't miss either of them.

Everything that made the cut:

• Our Place blender (jury still out)

• Rubbermaid Brilliance — plastic and glass

• Rubbermaid TakeAlongs Twist and Seal

• 3 wide mouth mason jars — pint, pint and a half, quart

• 3 leakproof Ball lids

• Ziploc bags — 2 gallon, 1 gallon, quart, snack

• Non stick aluminum foil

• Waterproof labels

• Plastic cutlery (courtesy of gas stations everywhere)

Everything lives on my shelf split between two canvas baskets — one for smaller items, one for tupperware and the blender.