Where can I get cheap disposable plastic food containers?

[UnrealCaker]

Like the ones they use in restaurants when ever some one as for a doggy bag. I live in NYC. Where exactly can I go to get them? I tried some 99 cent stores in my area and they don't have them either. When I look online they sell them in massive bulks that I do not need and cost a lot. Heck even those containers that they stuff like soup, ice tea and other stuff from delis and people who order to go.
I have a cooler handbag which is big enough to fit up to 16 cans plus a frozen ice pack.
I want to make some ice cream brownies and bring them to school but the cooler is too small for me to have them all together in one big bulk.

I was thinking of just carrying a tub of ice cream in the cooler and the brownies in my cupcake carrier but that would be too much of a hassle for me, plus the ice cream scooper I need, a long with having to buy plates.

[JerryMe]

Smart and Final.

[coll]

None here on the East Coast.

[CindyJ]

Another vote for the restaurant supply stores. Head down to The Bowery and have a look around.

[MikeB3542]

Glad has plastic containers...not a freebie, but guessing they are less than a buck a piece. Should be able to find at any decent supermarket in the plastic wrap aisle.

[iyc_nyc]

These plastic take-out containers are less than $.20 each for the 16 oz size: http://www.wesellcoffee.com/page29.html

They appear to sell them individually but you may need to make sure there's no minimum order. :-

)

ETA: Just read on their 'About Us' page that there is no minimum order. But can't vouch for them, as I've never ordered from them.

[GH1618]

Is this the sort of thing you want? These are available in packages of 50 as well as the usual case of 200 or more.

http://www.ecoproductsstore.com/sugar...

[breadchick]

Online restaurant supply stores offer all kinds of plasticware. It's crazy with the choices. Chinese take out, deli, etc.

Try a search for webstaurantstore or similar.

[Bacardi1]

I literally have DOZENS of both pint-size & quart-size containers that I save from Chinese soup take-out. They're freezer, microwave, & dishwasher safe & I get multiple uses out of them before they bow out.

[cheesepowder]

I order sauce, deli, salad, etc. disposable containers from www.plasticcontainercity.com They have a $25 minimum to order, so may be more than you want, but they don't have a minimum quantity.

[UnrealCaker]

I found a 99 cents store that sells aluminum containers insets of 3 for $1.79, I think I might go their since since it's in one of my grocery shopping areas but what worries me is that the plastic lids on those aluminum containers are pretty weak. I'm afraid that the weight of them might crush one another even though I'm going to be putting slices of cake, brownies, fudge and a scoop or two of ice cream. $25 minimum order is a bit too steep for me. I'm trying to still find a place that sells deli containers cause I know the plastic on those is more sturdier. The plastic will probably be more insulation than the aluminum

[wyogal]

It depends. I've gotten the foil w/plastic lids and although they are kinda flimsy, when they are on top, it's a physics kind of thing, I think. They are more rigid when atop the pan and the edges are crimped around the plastic, if they are on"square", not tilty. Is the plastic lid domed like the ones used for the graham cracker crusts in foil pans?
Does that make sense?

[EWSflash]

Try an Asian grocery store. They usually have the Chinese takeout type of cardboard containers in bulk.

[ttoommyy]

Try Party City on 14th Street. I believe they have them

[UnrealCaker]

14th street seems to far, I'll try the one on 34th street thanks for telling me about them

[laraffinee]

If you have access to Costco, they have a section of various sizes of such items. I was just looking at them this weekend at my local Costco.

[Puffin3]

Yup. A restaurant you frequent or a supply store.

[coll]

You should go to a restaurant supply store; they often sell "sleeves" of paper goods, which would be 25 or 50 quantity. If you're talking about "deli containers" (hard to tell from your description, what shape are you imagining?), you will have to buy the cups and lids separately. There are two kinds available, the "heavy duty" which you can reuse quite a few times, and then the regular which are thin and meant to be disposable. Those regulars should be cost effective, especially if you're giving them away.

[iluvcookies]

Where in NYC are you? I'd post ot the Manhattan or Outer Boroughs board for specifics. I have seen knockoff gladware (2-3 pc for 99 cents) at Jack's 99 cent store on 40th/Madison, and I'm sure their other locations will have them too.

[Clams047]

I keep / reuse / stock pile the plastic to-go / deli containers I often get at the grocery deli.

[sunshine842]

I would approach a restaurant where you're a regular and ask if you can buy some containers.

If that doesn't work, it might be time to reconsider the ice cream.