During my time at the restaurant, I proofed focaccia dough in Cambros, stored hundreds of saltine crackers in them to keep them from drying out, cracked dozens of eggs into them for French toast batter, and mixed zucchini bread batter four batches at a time so the weekend chefs could quickly measure and bake off loaves for brunch. The containers made large-scale prep logical and efficient.
My time at the restaurant didn’t last long—turns out not everyone is cut out to be a professional baker—but I brought the Cambro habit back home with me. Once you use these chef-favorite polycarbonate containers for storage and large-batch prep, going back to Ziploc bags and mismatched Tupperware just doesn’t cut it.
Whether you’re looking for a better way to organize ingredients in your kitchen or prepping for a large party, you need to use Cambros in your kitchen. Here’s why I like them so much:
They come in a variety of sizes, so there’s probably an option for you. I picked up a four-pack of 2-quart bins at Costco that I use for storing grains and pasta, and a 6-quart tub for making a huge batch of cold brew. Smaller half-quart and quart sizes work well for prepped ingredients or leftovers, and measurements marked on the side make it easy to track quantities without pulling out a measuring cup.
They are extremely sturdy, so you don’t have to worry about any major cracks or chipping. The lids are exceptionally tight-fitting, so there’s less chance of anything sloshing out of the side, and they’re also dishwasher safe, which is key. Perhaps most importantly, they’re stain and odor-resistant (we don’t need weird odors and colors sticking around forever). You can finally say goodbye to those flimsy leftover takeout containers.
Larger containers help you buy in bulk to save money. I often buy many pounds of coffee and rice at once, and I use my 8- and 12-quart containers to store backstock in the pantry. If you bake a lot, they’re a great way to store large quantities and varieties of flour.
