Food Storage Container Sizes
Container labels switch between cups, ounces, pints and milliliters, often on the same shelf. This chart lines them up, gives typical dimensions, and matches each size to the food and portions it actually holds.
Food storage containers are sold by capacity: 1 cup (8 fl oz, 240 mL) for sauces and snacks, 2 cups (16 oz, 475 mL) for one portion of soup, 4 cups (32 oz, 950 mL) for a lunch or two portions, and 6 to 11 cups (1.4 to 2.6 L) for family leftovers. Deli containers come in 8, 16 and 32 oz sizes that share one 4.5-inch lid.
- 1 cup
- 8 fl oz, 237 mL
- 1 pint
- 16 fl oz, 473 mL
- 1 quart
- 32 fl oz, 946 mL
- Deli lid
- About 4.5 in (114 mm)
On this page
Food container size chart
US containers are labeled in cups or fluid ounces, metric containers in milliliters or liters. Capacity is to the brim; leave about a centimeter or half an inch unfilled so the lid seals cleanly.
| Capacity | Fluid ounces | Metric | Typical outside size | Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½ cup | 4 oz | 120 mL | 3-3.5 in round | Dressing, dips, baby food |
| 1 cup (half pint) | 8 oz | 240 mL | About 4 in round, 1.75 in tall | Sauce, yogurt, a side of rice |
| 2 cups (pint) | 16 oz | 475 mL | About 5 × 4 × 2 in | One serving of soup, chili or pasta |
| 3 cups | 24 oz | 700 mL | About 6 × 4.5 × 2.25 in | One packed lunch or meal prep meal |
| 4 cups (quart) | 32 oz | 950 mL | About 6.5 × 5 × 2.5 in | Two servings, a large salad, stock |
| 6 cups | 48 oz | 1.4 L | About 8 × 6 × 2.75 in | Leftovers for 3 to 4, a dozen cookies |
| 8 cups (half gallon) | 64 oz | 1.9 L | About 9 × 6.5 × 2.75 in | A casserole half, sliced fruit for a week |
| 11 cups | 88 oz | 2.6 L | About 10.5 × 7.5 × 3 in | A whole batch of lasagna or a roast |
| 16 cups (gallon) | 128 oz | 3.8 L | Tall square or canister | Flour, sugar, cereal, brining |
Outside dimensions are typical for plastic containers with lids, and vary by brand, wall thickness and how much the sides taper; tapered walls mean the usable volume is roughly 70% of the outside box. Glass containers are noticeably larger outside than plastic ones of the same capacity. Glass sets commonly come in 1-, 2-, 4- and 7-cup rounds and 3-, 6- and 11-cup rectangles, so those numbers appear on many lids.
Cups, ounces and milliliters: quick conversions
| US measure | Fluid ounces | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 8 fl oz | 236.6 mL |
| 1 pint (2 cups) | 16 fl oz | 473 mL |
| 1 quart (4 cups) | 32 fl oz | 946 mL |
| 1 half gallon | 64 fl oz | 1.89 L |
| 1 gallon | 128 fl oz | 3.79 L |
A metric container labeled 500 mL holds 16.9 fl oz, slightly more than a pint, and a 1 L container holds 33.8 fl oz, about 4¼ cups. "Ounces" on a food container always means fluid ounces of volume, not weight: an 8 oz container holds about 8 oz of water but only 1 to 2 oz of shredded lettuce.
Deli containers: 8, 16 and 32 oz
Round plastic deli containers are the standard in restaurant kitchens and takeout. Their advantage is one lid size across the range: the 8 oz (cup), 16 oz (pint) and 32 oz (quart) containers share the same diameter, about 4.5 in (114 to 117 mm), and differ only in height. In most brands the 12 and 24 oz sizes use the same lid too.
| Size | Metric | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| 8 oz (half pint) | 240 mL | Sauces, sides, chopped herbs |
| 12 oz | 355 mL | Side salads, single snacks |
| 16 oz (pint) | 475 mL | A serving of soup, prepped vegetables |
| 24 oz | 710 mL | Noodle soups, grain salads |
| 32 oz (quart) | 950 mL | Stock, soup for two, bulk dry goods |
The pint and quart sizes double as measuring tools, since filling one to the brim gives exactly 2 or 4 cups. Smaller 2 to 4 oz portion cups use their own, smaller lids. Square takeout containers and rectangular "meal prep" trays do not follow any shared lid standard.
Mason jar sizes
Glass canning jars are standardized by capacity and by two mouth sizes, so lids and bands fit across brands that follow the US standard.
| Jar | Capacity | Metric | Mouths available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter pint (jelly) | 4 oz | 120 mL | Regular |
| Half pint | 8 oz | 240 mL | Regular, wide |
| 12 oz | 12 oz | 355 mL | Regular |
| Pint | 16 oz | 475 mL | Regular, wide |
| Pint and a half | 24 oz | 710 mL | Wide |
| Quart | 32 oz | 950 mL | Regular, wide |
| Half gallon | 64 oz | 1.9 L | Mostly wide |
Regular-mouth lids are 70 mm (about 2¾ in) across and wide-mouth lids are 86 mm (about 3⅜ in). Wide-mouth jars are easier to fill and clean and are the better choice for freezing, because the straight sides let frozen food slide out.
Meal prep and lunch containers
Most meal prep containers hold 24 to 32 oz (3 to 4 cups). That is about the volume of a restaurant entrée: for example 4 to 6 oz of cooked protein, 1 cup of rice and 1 to 1.5 cups of vegetables.
- One compartment, 28-32 oz: stews, pasta, grain bowls.
- Two compartments: usually a large section of about 2 cups and a small one of about 1 cup, for a main and a side.
- Three compartments: splits roughly 1.5, 0.75 and 0.75 cups, for protein, starch and vegetable.
- Glass meal prep containers of 30 to 35 oz are heavier, about 1 to 1.5 lb each, but can go from freezer to oven if the maker rates them for it.
Check the footprint against your lunch bag or work fridge before buying a set of 15. For children's lunches and bento boxes, see the lunch box size guide, and for keeping containers cold on the road, the cooler size guide.
Large and commercial containers
Restaurant storage uses two systems. Square food storage containers are sold in quarts, usually 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18 and 22 qt, and the smaller sizes stack on shared footprints. Hotel pans for steam tables and refrigerated prep follow fixed footprints:
| Pan | US hotel pan | Gastronorm (EN 631) |
|---|---|---|
| Full | 12 × 20 in (30.5 × 51 cm) | GN 1/1: 530 × 325 mm (20.9 × 12.8 in) |
| Half | 12 × 10 in | GN 1/2: 325 × 265 mm |
| Third | 12 × 7 in | GN 1/3: 325 × 176 mm |
| Sixth | 6 × 7 in | GN 1/6: 176 × 162 mm |
Pans come in depths of 2.5, 4 and 6 in (65, 100 and 150 mm in GN). A full-size 4-inch-deep hotel pan holds roughly 13 to 14 quarts. For bulk dry goods at home, a 5 lb bag of all-purpose flour is about 18 cups, so it needs a container of at least 5 quarts; a 6-quart one leaves room to scoop.
Storing and freezing safely
- Use shallow containers for hot food. Cooling is fastest in containers about 2 in (5 cm) deep or less, so divide a big pot of soup or chili among several 4-cup containers rather than one gallon tub. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
- Leave headspace when freezing. Liquids expand by about 10% as they freeze. Leave ½ in (1.3 cm) in a wide-mouth pint and 1 in (2.5 cm) in a wide-mouth quart; leave ¾ in and 1½ in in narrow-mouth jars.
- Label the date. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days. Frozen food is safe indefinitely but tastes best within about 3 to 4 months.
- Match the size to the portion you will reheat. A 2-cup container thaws in the fridge overnight; a 2-quart block of soup can take more than a day.
Rectangular containers waste less shelf space than rounds of the same capacity. A standard 12-inch-deep wall cabinet holds containers up to about 11 in long front to back; see the kitchen cabinet guide for shelf depths and the refrigerator size guide for interior capacity.
Pot capacities in the pots and pans size chart use the same quarts, so you can see at a glance how many containers a batch will fill. Bowl capacities for mixing and serving are in the mixing bowl guide.
Frequently asked questions
What size containers do I need for meal prep?
A single-compartment container of 24 to 32 oz (3 to 4 cups, 0.7 to 0.95 L) holds a full meal of protein, grain and vegetables. Two- and three-compartment containers of similar overall size split it into portions of roughly 1 to 2 cups each.
How many cups is a quart container?
A quart container holds 4 cups (32 fl oz, 946 mL). A pint holds 2 cups and a half pint 1 cup.
What size container holds one serving of soup?
A 2-cup (16 oz, 475 mL) container holds a 1.5-cup main-course serving with room to expand if you freeze it. A 1-cup container holds a side portion.
How long do leftovers keep in a container?
The USDA advises using refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days and getting them into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. Frozen leftovers stay safe indefinitely but are best within about 3 to 4 months.
How much space should I leave when freezing food in a container?
For liquids such as soup or stock, leave about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) of headspace in a pint container and 1 in (2.5 cm) in a quart with a wide opening. Narrow-mouth jars need more: 3/4 in for a pint and 1 1/2 in for a quart.