Instances of using glass for food storage date back as far as ancient Egypt. Fast forward a few thousand years, and it remains a solid food and beverage packaging solution. Glass bottles maintain their shape throughout use, are solid, and, thanks to new advancements in processing, are more shatter-resistant. Read on to discover the best types of glass bottles and containers to use when packaging various foods and beverages.

Why Use Glass Bottles at All?

Glass is lighter and more durable than ever, making it more consumer and manufacturer friendly. A 2017 study estimates 90 percent of consumers prefer the flavor of food and beverages packaged in glass bottles. With the proper airtight caps and seals, glass can also increase the shelf-life of foods and beverages. As an added benefit, a glass bottle's contents doesn’t develop an after-taste that often occurs with packaging prone to chemical-leaching. In blind taste-tests consumers also said products from glass bottles taste better than those packaged in other materials. Glass bottles also have an aesthetic and nostalgic feel; for example, some soda brands make their products available in both plastic and glass bottles at several major stores. Why? Some people say it tastes better packaged in glass than other materials, some love the retro feel, and for others it's just personal preference. 

Choosing the Best Glass Bottles and Containers for Foods and Beverages

For a tamper-evident packaging solution, bottle viscous food products like corn syrup in clear flute neck glass decanter bottles with lug caps. Honey practically advertises itself in Skep or Honey Bear glass jars that have a wide enough mouth to accommodate honey dippers. Quilted Mason jars with vacuum seal lids provide beautifully designed packaging and airtight storage for fruit preserves, jams, and jellies. Squat bulb or small square jars are often chosen for specialty mustard and other condiments. Pickled items, like herring in white wine vinegar, maintain their savory taste longer when packaged in glass jars. To preserve the taste and consistency of thicker salad dressings, packaging solutions like ring or long neck dressing bottles are the best option. Manufacturers use green or yellow glass bottles for oil and vinegar packaging because they have natural light filtering qualities that protect flavor profiles.

Glass beverage containers for liquor and spirits come in wine, flask, square, round, and beer shaped bottles. The most popular color for bottling beer is amber, closely followed by green, while wine is regularly bottled in green or blue glass wine bottles. Clear bottles are widely used for bottling water, chilled coffees and teas, and sodas. Bottling milk in tall square or round bottles with safety button lugs helps protect it from tampering, and the bottles can be sterilized, reused, or recycled. Clear glass juice bottles display the beverage inside, and help prevent the loss of beneficial vitamins during storage. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Step Outside the Box

While there are best practices for packaging food and beverages in glass bottles, that doesn’t mean you can’t try something new. When brainstorming packaging ideas, keep in mind that the glass bottle you choose needs to make sense for your product. Beverages in honey bottles wouldn’t be convenient to drink from, but a blue, frosted glass Boston Round bottle is a beautiful and workable beverage container. Some yogurt manufacturers even package their product in small glass jars with foil seals to maintain its health benefits, and reduce landfill waste. Be innovative, and consider ways to use glass bottles of various colors, shapes, and sizes in unconventional ways for packaging food and beverages.

Choosing the right glass bottle for specific foods and beverages can prolong shelf-life and reduce food waste, while promoting your brand beautifully. Glass bottles also provide plenty of opportunities for creating unique packaging designs to showcase your food or beverage items.