Made in the USA: glass food storage containers

At my house, we try to make the most of leftovers, so we need lots of food storage containers to save them for future meals. Typically, we have stored the extra food in plastic containers, but lately, I’ve become concerned that these may be leaching chemicals into our food, especially when the food is heated. So, I set out in search of glass food storage containers made in the USA.

Pyrex glassware is made in the USA, and the company offers a mixture of shapes and sizes. I purchased two of these 6-cup rectangular pieces from Amazon — they are a great size for taking leftovers to work. I also have a 7-cup round Pyrex food storage bowl. Other available configurations include:

• 1-cup round
• 2-cup round
• 4-cup round
• 4.75-cup rectangle
• 6-cup rectangle
• 11-cup rectangle
• Sets mixing various sizes

The manufacturer of Pyrex, World Kitchen, also offers another product line called Snapware®. Its plastic lids latch on all four sides of the glass container. Snapware is available in sets or as individual pieces and is made in America. Sizes include:

• 1-cup round
• 1-cup square
• 2-cup rectangle
• 4-cup square
• 4-cup rectangle
• 4-cup round
• 6-cup rectangle

These products feature a lifetime limited warranty.

Anchor Hocking gives you another option for glass food storage bowls made in the USA. It offers a 10-piece TrueSeal storage set available from Amazon, Walmart and other retailers.  The set includes one 1-cup, 4-cup and 7-cup round containers plus two 2-cup containers. You can also buy individual sizes, such as these 11-cup rectangles. The product listings I reviewed did not offer warranty information for these products.

Rubbermaid also offers glass food storage containers made in America — well, sort of. The product packaging states the glass portion of the containers is made in the USA, while the lids are made in China. The products are currently available in a square configuration only. You can purchase the Rubbermaid glass containers in a set or individually in these sizes:

• 11.5 cup
• 8 cup
• 5.5 cup
• 4 cup
• 2.5 cup
• 1.5 cup
• 1 cup

These products have a limited two-year warranty.

Are you aware of other glass food storage pieces made in the USA, or have you used any of those listed above? Share your knowledge and experiences so others can benefit.

Made in the USA: Dishes, dinnerware and serving pieces

When my  husband and I moved halfway across the country last year, we decided to leave our old dishes behind and buy new ones. It was important to me to buy lead-free dinnerware made in the USA. The shopping process proved harder than I’d expected. Not many companies sell dinnerware manufactured in the United States. I did find one whose plates I liked, however: The Homer Laughlin China Company. It’s been making dishes in America since 1871. The company is best known for its Fiesta line of dinnerware, which comes in a rainbow of colors.

I bought my Fiesta dinnerware from Macy’s. For online shoppers, the store seems to have the best prices and selection. Wait for one of their sales, and you’ll get very competitive prices. Fiesta’s dinnerware line offers you serving pieces and accessories, including platters, pitchers, salt and pepper shakers and cream containers. You can also buy baking dishes, flatware and glasses. While the company is best known for its solid-color dinnerware, it also offers diner-style and Christmas patterns. Plates are dishwasher, oven and microwave safe.

What about other manufacturers? Here’s what I’ve found:

Corelle: According to its parent company, World Kitchen, all Corelle dinnwerware are made in Corning, New York. However, the company indicates some of its dishes with decorations contain “low-lead enamels.” The company has not answered the email I sent a week ago asking whether its entire product lineup is made in the USA or only its dinnerware.

Pickard calls itself “America’s oldest fine china company” and says it has manufactured in the USA since 1874. The company’s china patterns are a mixture of understated and color options. While beautiful, they may not be an option for those on a tight budget. The company told me, “We use a low lead glaze system that is fully FDA compliant.”

Lenox says its fine bone china is made in Kinston, North Carolina. The company’s Made in America Web page features a dozen patterns with classic styles.

HF Coors says its dinnerware is lead-free, with all products made in the USA. While cheaper than Lennox and Pickard, its dishes seem to be more expensive than Fiesta.

Pfaltzgraff did not respond to my email asking where its dinnerware is made, but a variety of online sources indicate the company stopped manufacturing in the United States in 2005.

All Louisville Stoneware products are made in Louisville, Kentucky. The company has been in business since 1815 and bills itself as the “oldest handmade pottery dealer in the USA.” Its product lineup includes 19 dinnerware patterns, and a representative assures me all its products are lead-free.

Do you know of another source of dinnerware and accessories made in America? Please leave a comment so others can learn of additional options.

Where to find products made in the USA

I’ve never felt good about buying products made in other countries. Financially speaking, I prefer to support the economy and job market of my own country, not someone else’s. I don’t want to be part of subsidizing low-paying jobs and unsafe workplace conditions in other countries. My resolve to avoid products made in China was strengthened recently when I learned the country is kidnapping women and forcing them to have abortions (this Washington Post article offers details). Since then, I’ve decided to try harder to purchase product made in my own country and especially to avoid those made in China.

Finding products made in the USA is not always an easy task. Many retailers buy cheap goods manufactured overseas to maximize their profits. To help you find products made in America, I will be featuring some on this blog from time to time. Since I have a limited budget, these won’t always be products I’ve had the opportunity to purchase and test myself.

Up this week are broiling pans. The house I moved into last year didn’t come with one in that drawer under the stove, so I recently set out in search of one.
I found a couple of versions manufactured in the United States on this website: Chef’s Catalog. The company offers free shipping on orders of $25 or more, plus free returns by FedEx.

The Granite Wear three-piece broil, grill and bake set is what I ordered first.
I should have paid more attention to the dimensions provided for the item. When it arrived, it was smaller than I thought. While it would be adequate for broiling steaks, it wasn’t long enough to hold a full rack of ribs. Thanks to that free return shipping, I’m sending this back and ordering the larger version.

Before ordering, I checked out Chef’s Catalog on the Better Business Bureau website. I encourage you to do this and take other steps to protect yourself when shopping with unfamiliar companies. See my previous post on this subject for more details.

I invite you to share links to and locations of your favorite made-in-the-USA items. Post a message if there’s a product you’re having trouble finding an American version of, and I’ll try to help you track it down. Stay tuned for more products made in America