Gastronorm containers are real all-rounders. They fit into hot counters and cold storage shelves, ovens, bain-maries and storage racks, appliances such as combi-steamers and much more. However, it is important to ensure that the variant used is also suitable for the respective application. After we have episode 1 of the blog series dealt with the history and range of sizes of GN containers, this time we will be looking at the right choice of material and equipment.
The materials for GN containers in comparison
These practical kitchen utensils are usually made of stainless steel or plastic. Which material is preferable depends on the type of food to be stored or transported, the required temperature resistance or the weight requirements.
Stainless steel GN containers
Stainless steel containers are particularly robust and durable, so their higher purchase price pays off over time. Thanks to their high-quality appearance, they are also ideal for use outside the kitchen, for example for food presentation.
Further advantages:
- Stainless steel conducts heat better than plastic and is therefore the first choice for use in heat-retaining containers, for example.
- The material can also be used in a wide temperature range, from ice cream counters to convection ovens.
- The containers can be fully recycled at the end of their life cycle.
What to consider:
- Stainless steel GN containers are susceptible to dents, for example if dropped. This, in turn, can be detrimental to their longevity.
- They are not suitable for use in microwaves.
- The weight is particularly noticeable when a large number of stainless steel containers need to be transported.
Plastic GN containers
Gastronorm plastic containers, on the other hand, are real lightweights. This improves handling, for example when catering for large events. The transparent design allows a clear view of the contents even when closed.
Further advantages:
- Dents and dings are not an issue with plastic GN containers.
- They insulate longer than stainless steel containers and therefore show their advantages when it comes to keeping things cool.
What to consider:
- Plastic containers crack or scratch more quickly and bacteria can colonise them.
- Contact with oils or grease can cause discolouration, and colour loss is also possible over the course of the product's service life.
- The low tare weight makes them susceptible to tipping when heavily loaded.
- Overall, GN containers made of plastic are less durable.
- Due to the manufacturing process, the number of available moulds is smaller than for stainless steel containers.
The amazing variety of GN containers does not end with the different sizes and materials. There are also four basic variants, in addition to the standard version:
GN containers with bow handles
They make it much easier to remove and carry heavy or hot contents, and even allow two containers to be moved at the same time without tipping over.
- Food can be easily decanted.
- The containers can also be stacked when full.
GN containers with perforation
The perforations in the Gastronorm containers ensure, among other things, shorter cooking times in the combi-steamer and faster cooling after use.
Perforated Gastronorm containers are also a practical aid when draining food.
Depending on the depth, they are available with bottom perforation or with bottom perforation plus side wall perforation.
GN sheets
They are used when food needs to be presented attractively, for example at a cooking station or buffet.
The particularly robust, specially annealed version is also ideal for use in combi-steamers.
Do you want everything to be nice and crispy when roasting and baking? Then granite-enamelled GN trays with a black surface are the perfect choice.
GN lids - convenient and practical
They are real classics in the kitchen, preventing food from drying out due to air ingress as well as spoiling due to moisture. Thanks to a recessed grip with a handle bar, lids can be lifted and closed again without the risk of burns or injury.
Special shapes with a spoon recess or hinge are suitable for serving food, for example, while particularly flat lids without a recessed grip are ideal for Cook & Chill.
Finally, there are also lids with a seal. They are a blessing for catering service providers, who can use them to transport soups or sauces to the event venue with ease.
Cooking inserts for GN containers - ingenious for cooking!
You could call them the little siblings of the perforated GN containers: Cooking inserts also have holes, but are slightly smaller than Gastronorm containers so that they can be easily inserted into them. This turns a normal container into a practical kitchen tool for cooking and blanching vegetables in the combi-steamer or for draining food.
Gastronorm accessories: small parts with a big impact
At the end of this episode, we take a look at the accessories for Gastronorm containers - sometimes inconspicuous additions that prove all the more useful in the everyday life of a professional kitchen.
Then there is the GN-Roste. If you have food and drinks, teller and cups that do not contain gastronomy or food, but if you do so, you will be able to grill them!
Thanks to the insertion bars, smaller GN containers can be assembled to size 1/1 in just a few simple steps, as found in serving trolleys or bain-marie basins, for example.
Finally, insert trays serve as spacers between the bottom of the container and the food. A typical application: draining lettuce properly.
So much for the theory behind the Gastronorm containers. In the third instalment of the blog series, we will see the kitchen gadgets in action.
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