Ozeri Instavac Green Earth Food Storage Review {and easy Black Bean Soup}
I do a fair amount of reviews on this blog for my kiddos, and our homeschool- but every once in a while, Momma’s got to do something for herself. When I saw the Ozeri Instavac Green Earth Food Storage containers, I just knew I had to review them. My cupboard was full of mismatched, discolored, funky disposable containers…. and I really wanted to change that and get some containers in here that would not be a space (or health) hazard. Ozeri sent me an 8 piece set of their nesting containers with locking, vacuum seal lids, and I am SO glad they did.
I never thought I would be listing the features of a container on my blog- because I was silly enough to assume that all were the same basic plastic square things we were all raised with. Not Ozeri’s containers. They are fancy. In the best kind of way.
These containers are clear as glass. They are a nice and sturdy, and shatterproof (believe me, they were dropped, and none broke. Mr. Man is not the most coordinated child). They nest well inside each other (WITH the lids on) so my cupboard is no longer a hot mess. They have ridges on the bottom which are meant to keep food from sitting in it’s juices and keep fruit and veggies from getting slimy. They are BPA free, so they are dishwasher and microwave safe. The sides have locking tabs (see the VAC written on them in the picture?) which makes the lids stay on securely even when they are dropped by the children.
The coolest feature is this nifty doodad on the lids- they all have a patented valve system, with a numbered wheel. To close these containers, you push down on the center to “vacuum” the air out of the valve, which will keep your food fresher, longer. When you do this the little button on the valve becomes depressed so you can see the pressure inside the container and know the vacuum seal is working. To open, you can lift the green tab, which releases the pressure so you can open the container easily.
The dial on top can be turned to indicate what date you put the food in the container. This is the perfect feature for me because I am a little *read: very* paranoid about food spoilage and getting everyone sick, so I have a strict rule about how long leftovers are allowed to sit in my fridge. This makes it easy for me to track our food, without having to use the fancy tape and a marker system I normally do.
I tested the containers in the microwave to see if the valve really does help avoid spills and messes by releasing pressure when needed. I made our easy black bean soup in it, popped that bad boy with the lid on in the microwave, and set it for 5 minutes.
No spills, splatters or other messes. The vent preformed as it should, and dinner was perfect!
To make the Soup you need:
- 4 Cans of Black Beans, or one bag of dried beans, prepared
- 1 Can of Corn (or use frozen)
- 3 Cups Beef Broth
- 1 Can rotel tomatoes with green chili
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- salt, pepper and garlic to taste
I pour everything in a microwave safe container (like the Ozeri containers) in the morning when I am prepping dinner, and stick it in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, pop it in the microwave for 5-10 minutes, give it a stir, and serve. Top with cheese, sour creme, and coriander. My hubby loves meat with his meals, so he tends to cook up a quick small piece of beef (any inexpensive cut works) to top the soup with. Serve in bowls, or get fancy with bread bowls!
Its one of the only meals I “cook” these days because it’s fast, easy, and SO good. I really appreciated that the microwave save Ozeri containers allowed me to cook it with the lid on and save myself the clean up. Give it a try!
You can pick up a set of Ozeri Instavac Green Earth Containers at Amazon.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
