I've recently begun buying flour and sugars in bulk at Sam's Club so I need containers to store them in. I use Sterilite Showoffs and other Sterilite containers for the various storage needs in my kitchen and around my house, so I thought it would be great if I could use them for bulk ingredients. Then everything would match.

But I wasn't sure if they were food safe. I searched CC, but couldn't find a thread that specifically addressed Sterilite containers so I emailed them. I was thrilled to learn that all Sterilite containers are food safe.

Here's the response I received:

I've linked to an image of the containers I am going to use for my bulk food storage needs, but you can click here to visit the Sterilite website and see all that they have to offer. I like their products because they look good, are inexpensive, and most discount stores carry them.



Thought I'd share. Have a great day!

That's good to know. Thanks for sharing!!

That's interesting. I use exactly the container you pictured (except it has pink sparkles in the plastic!).

I had a Health Inspector friend visit the other day and she gave me LOADS of great advice about planning and setting up my new kitchen, and one of the things she said was that these containers were NOT acceptable to Environmental Health. Your ingredients have to be stored in 'food grade' containers, which are probably exactly the same plastic, but come from a restaurant supply store (and no sparkles )

Kim that is great to know! I have a bunch of those in large sizes that I keep my bulk items in. One thing I have to add though, they are not airtight, so you need to keep them in some sort of inner bag. When you snap those two locks down, you can see through the crack to the inside stuff. So, if you are prone to ants in the summer or anything like that, you could be inviting disaster. Or, hard lumpy stale brown sugar. Ugh.

Also be careful picking them up. If it has any weight to it at all, the handle can come off, or the flaps will flip-up and the lid flies off, and the contents will go flying across the floor.

Ask me how I know ... go ahead! Ask me! I dare ya!!!

Gee Debi, how on EARTH did you figure that one out?? (Please don't hit me!!)

Melvira, I was dumb enough to store my (catering) silverware in them.

Do you know just how heavy 150 stainless steel knives are? Do you know how awful it is to tell over 100 people they don't have a knife because we threw them all on the floor? (Any idea how LOUD that is???? )

Thank goodness it was a mostly pasta dinner that night!!!

Hehehehehehehhehehehe snort, hehehehehe snort. Oops. I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing WITH you!

I also have that exact container... Keep my craft supplies in them.

Good to know in a pinch, I can use them (with food safe plastic bags) to store bulk confectioner's sugar or flour, etc.

Thanks for the heads up, Kim_in_CajunCountry.

Thanks! Can you keep your large flour and sugar bags in the containers instead of pouring the contents directly into the container?

Well, the bins I have aren't big enough for that. I get the 50# bags of Flour and PS. The whole 35# bag of brown sugar fits in there though!

Oh wow, those are some big bags! I can't wait until I have to buy bags that big.

Seriously Michelle... C&H Powdered sugar is around $1.68 a 2# bag right now ( ) but I get a 50# bag for $24. That's 50 cents a pound!!

yes, buying in bulk saves SOOOOO much. I think I can order 10-25 lbs from my cake supply store. And considering each of the BC recipes I use calles for 5# I can go through it pretty fast.

So after my first batch of "bad" PS, how do you make sure its not bad? especially if you if you buy in bulk?


MY hi ratio is $3 a pound when i buy in 3# increments... I just bought 50# and it breaks down to $1.39 a pound! For me its hard to come up with that much money at once, but they were out of the 3# bucket, so I had to. But it worked out for me .

Rocketgirl, I know exactly what you mean! It's like "$75 for shortening??? Are you kidding me???" But in the long run, as you pointed out, it saves a ton!

As for bad PS, I have no idea! I would say as soon as you get it home open a small spot on the top and check for quality, then don't be afraid to take it right back if there is a problem with it!!

Dang! I keep dragging my feet about buying in bulk, saying I don't have the money. I might have to ask for a Sam's or GFS gift card for Xmas just so I can give it a shot!

That is a fantastic idea! That's like someone giving you three gifts...

1. The card is the gift, yay, how nice!
2. When you go spend it, it's a gift, woo-hoo!
3. When you sell something you made with the stuff, it's a gift that just keeps on giving! The best kind!

Silly...you know Debi sees and hears all! Be prepared to duck behind that bulk PS and sugar. (You'll have time; the clatter of all that catering silverware will give her away.)

yeah the local HD here didn't let me use them either for storage.

I can only use them for supply transport (cutters, press sets etc) but I can not use them for food or let food products in any form touch them.

Hee...I'm 4000 miles away, so I'll get a head start on her!

I love you too Debi! You are the best.

Melvira! I dont even get sweetex, that is like $90! I am really happy with CK.

Uhhh how would one "check for quality?" lol.

best on the forum.....

melvira, debi, chutzpah!!!

MichelleM77,
at sam's you can get a "day" pass, and I think you pay an additional %10, which might be way cheaper still. I have head of getting "come try us for free for a day" coupons in the mail....? I think they are costco. You could always call and say " i am interested in joining but don't want to commit to a year, is there anything you might be able to do?

Good luck!

I don't know, how did you determine it was bad? Hehehe... look for that again!

$700 worth of soap??? And I thought I was a clean freak! Is it wrong that $700 on soap sounds reasonable to me? And exciting? (I have problems!!)

"Cash flow ... bad, very bad. Long run savings ... good, very good. "

Altough then im like, ohh i can make a cake for my friend, and her brother, and cupcakes and ... it goes on and on.. i just end up making more.. lol.

you guys crack me up!

Melvira, I made a batch of Sugarshacks BC and it was grainy... (ive made it before no problem...) I don't wanna waste more shortening! The PS looked fine going in! lol. but that is what I will do.

What brand was it? Was it C&H?