Review: Are Bentgo Meal Prep Kit Containers a Good Buy?

Bentgo Meal Prep Kit Containers
16 Nov

Storage containers for meal prepping are quite useful when you’re planning out your week of dieting. Should you use the Bentgo Meal Prep Kit storage containers as part of your routine?

With all of the products on the market, you need to find one that is going to fit your needs without costing a lot or falling apart after the first use. Today, we’ll take a look at my experience with this Bentgo product and whether I believe it is a good deal.

What Are Bentgo Meal Prep Kit Storage Containers?

As Bentgo makes a lot of different products, we must first differentiate this from all of the others.

The Meal Prep Kit from Bentgo that I’m looking at today is a 90-piece set we got from Costco consisting of one, two, and three-compartment trays and lids. This means you get 15 of each size ready for use.

You can also pick up the 90-piece Meal Prep Kit directly from Bentgo.

However, you can get them in 60-piece variants.

Each set has clear markings of the volume it can hold while being able to accommodate a wide variety of foodstuffs. You can store everything from kung pao chicken from Trader Joe’s to servings of turkey noodle soup.

The idea of meal prepping is to spend on evening cooking what you plan to eat throughout the week. For example, I’ll spend about 30 minutes cooking kung pao chicken and then portion it out to make five separate lunches or dinners.

Essentially, the meal prep kit gives you the ability to create your own freezer meals, much like those you’d see in the freezer aisle of your favorite grocery store. Only, prepping often saves you more than a dollar per meal than buying something like a Lean Cuisine.

What Can You Expect from Bentgo Meal Prep Kit Containers?

Bentgo Containers at Meal Prep

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Durable vs cheaper alternatives
  • Easily fits portion sizes
  • Microwave, dishwasher, and freezer-safe
  • Great for meal prep for any reason
  • Measurements Embossed in Trays

Cons

  • Slight warping when dishwasher washed
  • Online complaints about flimsy material

Affordable Containers

The Meal Prep Kit from Bentgo costs about a dollar per tray. That includes the container and its lid. Compared to other products out there, that’s not too bad of a price. Especially if it can help you maintain a good diet plan.

I’ve tried cheaper versions such as the Mainstays from Walmart, which melted after the first use. The Bentgo trays have lasted far longer and have been worth the monetary investment, in my opinion.

Since these are reusable, I don’t figure them into the cost when prepping meals or putting together various recipes. At the end of the day, I found the cost to be worth the value.

Durable vs Alternatives

As I mentioned, the Mainstays brand of meal prep trays was probably one of the worst products I’ve ever tried. The Bentgo Meal Prep Kit is far superior in terms of quality and durability.

I’ve also used a cheaper brand from Amazon that lasted a bit longer than Mainstays but still paled in comparison to Bentgo.

Also, keep in mind that this product is relatively cheap. At only a dollar per tray, you need to figure that it’s not going to be of the same high quality that other Bentgo products deliver. I have Betngo containers that make this prep kit feel like tissue paper.

Nonetheless, I have yet to melt, break, or shatter one of these, and I’ve had my set for over a year.

Fits Portions with Room to Spare

As I prepare various dishes while watching my caloric intake, the containers have been able to fit everything quite nicely. This includes using it for chicken, rice, potatoes, pastas, soups, and more.

Of course, this also depends greatly on your ideas of a proper portion size.

Comparing what I can fit into these containers to a Lean Cuisine, though, there is plenty of room for any extras I might want to add. Yet, I usually keep the quantity of food similar to branded freezer meals – anywhere in the 250 to 400-calorie ball park.

Microwave, Dishwasher, and Freezer-Safe

One of the reasons why I got the Meal Prep Kit from Bentgo is because the trays are microwave, dishwasher, and freezer-safe. It’s odd to think that it’s the 2020s and yet there are plastic trays that aren’t any of these.

In any event, it’s useful for me to prep and freeze the meal, microwave it for lunch the next day, and then pop it into the dishwasher when I’m done. It’s quick, easy, and efficient, especially if you plan your meals wisely ahead of time.

Great for Meal Prepping

Meal Prep Bentgo Containers

The Bentgo Meal Prep Kit is convenient for those who need one, two, or three-compartment meals. That means you can prepare just about any diet dish while keeping the food separated.

I mostly use the two-compartment trays for my Trader Joe’s prep work and the single compartment for leftover turkey noodle soup after Thanksgiving. However, I do plan on using the three-compartment tray for more elaborate meals later on.

The point is that you have the right size of tray for most meal-prepping needs with this kit.

Slight Warping When Washed

When I wash my Bentgo trays, they seem to have a slight warping when I pull them out. This is mostly due to the heat of the dishwasher as well as the materials used in the trays. They are a bit thin compared to most Bentgo products.

However, the warping seems to be temporary as they retain their original shape after being stacked in the cabinet for a day or two. And they don’t seem to lose their overall shape when warping in this fashion, which means the lids still seal tightly after the fact.

If your dishwasher has a temperature control, I would suggest setting it to a lower temperature. This may prevent the trays from melting altogether. I’ve used some dishwashers that seemed to be heated by magma, so be careful.

Online Complaints About Materials

Based on my experience, I could think of any drawbacks I had using the Bentgo Meal Prep Kit containers, so I decided to take a look at the reviews on Amazon. It seems most people complained about brittle plastic especially when frozen or when washed in the dishwasher.

I haven’t experienced either of these problems, but like I said earlier, there is a warping when washed. I’m guessing some of these buyers washed the containers on high settings.

In any case, the product still has a 4.6 out of 5-star rating, which isn’t too bad all things considered.

Measurements On the Trays

Embossed Measurements

If you’re unsure about how much to fit into each compartment in the trays, they have the measurements embossed on the bottom. That way, you always know how much each tray can hold if you don’t have measuring cups on hand.

For instance, the two-compartment tray has “2 Cups” in the big side and “1 Cup” in the smaller section. It’s kind of handy when you’re trying to eyeball how much food to fit in each side.

Would I Recommend the Meal Prep Kit from Bentgo?

Despite some of the negative reviews on Amazon, I still like the Bentgo Meal Prep Kit containers. They’ve been incredibly useful for everything from prepping my lunches and dinners to simply portioning out a meal to eat on the spot.

Regardless of materials, they are still superior to Mainstays. Then again, what isn’t?

I do admit that the trays themselves feel a bit on the cheap side compared to other Bentgo products. However, a lot of those other trays aren’t microwave-safe. But considering they’re not all that expensive to try out, the Meal Prep Kit might be something for you to consider.

I was a bit disappointed when the first tray came out of the dishwasher a bit on the warped side, but was relieved to see that it went back to its original shape after being stacked with the others.

In any case, I recommend trying out the Bentgo Meal Prep Kit, especially for those who are planning out their weekly diets.

Storage Containers Are Quite Useful

Meal prepping is an active part of most diet plans. It’s a way to help keep your eating in check while making it simple to cook later on in the week. Using the Bentgo Meal Prep Kit, you can essentially make your own freezer meals while saving money from brands like Lean Cuisine or Atkins.

Plus, you can make things you enjoy instead of simply relying on what those companies put together. I’ve even gone so far as to prepare my own spaghetti, which is far superior in nutritional value than anything you’ll find in Walmart’s freezer aisle.

What kind of foods would you freeze for later?

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