Working in a professional kitchen is somehow both chaotic and orderly: Food has to be prepped with speed and precision while keeping cleanliness and safety top of mind. And, more often than not, you're bumping elbows with the person at the station next to you, so staying organized within a crowded space is essential when it comes to efficiency. As someone who used to bake for a living, I picked up many tricks of the trade that I've since carried over into my home kitchen — a major one being how I label ingredients and leftovers. It's nothing complex by any means; all it involves is writing some key information on a piece of painter's tape and sticking it onto the container. But this method is the most effective I've found when it comes to keeping track of my inventory and preventing food waste.
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With this vibrant assortment, you'll have enough rolls to label food, paint your walls and start a fun art project.
I know you're thinking, "That's it?!" And, well, yes! When I worked in a bakery, we were instructed to use a Sharpie to write a container's contents, the date they were made (or opened, if it was a store-bought ingredient) and our initials on painter's tape. This allowed us to immediately identify what was in any container without having to open it, as well as follow FIFO, or "first in, first out" food safety protocol. Essentially, you want to keep track of what's oldest so you can use that up first and prevent food from spoiling.
So, why painter's tape? A few reasons: It's simple to remove once you've finished the contents of a given container without leaving residue and is easy to write on. Plus, it stays put, even when a container needs to go in the fridge or freezer. A sticky note could never! Sure, you could use those pre-labeled stickers that come with some food storage sets, but once they're stuck to a container, they're usually there for good, meaning you have to keep using that container for whatever you originally put in it. I prefer to have the ability to switch things around if needed.
The kitchen I worked in used blue painter's tape exclusively, and, in my experience, it's the most common. That said, I like having a few colors at home for easier sorting. Yellow for spices, green for vegetable-based items, red for fruity foods, etc. This 6-pack of Mr. Pen Colored Painter's Tape is just the ticket — it's not too wide, is sticky but not too sticky and includes as many hues as a home cook could need.
Now, some culinary pros insist that each piece of tape be cut with scissors rather than torn off to achieve straight sides. The thinking behind this is that cooking is so detail-oriented that there's no element too small to overlook, including tape-cutting. And while that makes sense for a food establishment, I don't find it as necessary to do at home, unless you prefer the way it looks. Your house, your rules!
Have you ever seen something so satisfying? My Type-A self could cry. (Getty Images)
More than 3,100 Amazon customers say Mr. Pen Colored Painter's Tape is up to the task, whether for labeling or artistic purposes.
One — who's apparently cut from the same cloth as I — wrote, "I bought this to label leftovers with, what they are and the date I cooked/bought them. They're super easy to write on, easy to tear from the roll and don't leave a sticky residue."
"Great for kids," raved another shopper. "We use this tape all the time to hang artwork on our walls at home and for kids' projects. It doesn’t damage anything, including painted walls."
"For the price, I really believed I would get one roll of tape," said a third fan. "Years I have spent as a designer and drafter. This tape is wonderful for tacking down art paper on the boards without destroying the paper while keeping it well placed."
"In general, they stick," noted a generally pleased reviewer, "but I need Scotch tape for cold glass containers that have sat in the fridge for a while. Best to label before they go in the fridge! They don't leave any residue, either. Highly recommend!"
"It sticks a lot better than I thought it would," wrote a final buyer, who added, "[It's] kind of on the small side. ... It will work for what I need them for."
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Soon your fridge will be able to produce its own production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Food Containers.
Speaking of food containers...
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Thousands of Amazon shoppers love these sturdy containers, which have airtight seals to keep food fresh. In case you're trying to cut down on plastic, this set is made of glass — but not just any glass. We're talking about borosilicate glass, which is used on thermal tiles in space shuttles. Not only does it conveniently allow you to see what's packed inside, it's oven-safe up to 1,040°F. You can also store these containers in the freezer if you have leftovers you know you won't get to right away.
Check out our roundup of the best food storage containers for additional options.
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
