CAMBRO containers, with drain for salad greens or alternative container???

[erica]

I was at the farmer's market today and noticed someone buying many pounds of loose-leaved salad greens. He packed them into a clear plastic covered box with a drainer/colander insert. In answer to my question, he told me that this was a Cambro container and that salad greens would keep in it for one week.

I just looked online and am shocked at the prices for these sets. The sources that I found in a quick search seem to require buying lots of multiple boxes.

Has anyone used these for salad storage at home? Do the greens really keep much longer than when stored any other way? Where is the best place to buy a singled box, cover, and drainer? (I am in NYC). Or is there a way to rig up a similar set-up by using less pricey items?

This is all new to me. Would like to learn!

http://cool.cambro.com/Colanders_and_...

[soupkitten]

go to any restaurant supply store, or in nyc, may get a better price online.

cambros are more expensive than tupperware, but this is because they are heavy duty restaurant storage that will last many years of daily restaurant use (going thru the hobart 3-4 times daily, safe storage of hot foods w/o leaching/warping etc). so in other words they should last a home cook a lifetime. for me it's a "once you've had the best you can never go back" type thing-- tupperware is annoying and inferior, and i use 1 qt and 2 qt cambros for home fridge storage pretty routinely. i also use glass containers.

there are other brands of restaurant containers other than cambro, but the word cambro is used in common restaurant parlance, like you'd use the words "xerox" or "band-aid". . . or "tupperware."

[erica]

Thanks very much! This is about what I am talking about except I do not need the sliding lid...

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/cambr...

[dscheidt]

All of the components in that kit are available as indivdual pieces, as are alternative lids. (They're also probably available in smaller sizes. That one is 18*26*9, which means it's 15 gallons. That's lots of lettuce. I'm pretty sure they're available as half-sheet sized; and might be quarter too.) Pick the lid you want.

[erica]

Just to update: I found this at the Container Store and will try it to see if it does, indeed, keep greens fresh. At $14.99 it was much cheaper, and smaller, than the Cambro set I had originally coveted:
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/ki...

[uwsgrazer]

Just wondering how your Container Store product(s) are working out. I assume all of their offerings are only a fraction of the price of Cambro. Is the saving justified?

[SanityRemoved]

Cambro products really need to be seen in person to be appreciated.

[erica]

I never did buy the Cambro, but the Container Store greens-keeper works really well.
It seems to be the same principle as the Cambro, but smaller in size and of less durable plastic. I would give it a try first before plunking down the big bucks for Cambro.

[goodeatsgal]

I haven't used these, but the first place I'd go to look is a restaurant supply store. I'm sure you have a lot of those types of stores in the NYC area. Here in the Bay Area, they all carry lots of Cambro.

[grant.cook]

Cambro is pretty cheap at restaurant stores.. worst case, buy two Camsquares or the round ones of the same size, and drill a bunch of holes in the bottom of one.. they nest..