The Best Plastic Bags: Disposable vs. Reusable | Gear Heads
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- We want a strong, leakproof bag-reusable or not-that closes securely without a fuss and keeps food fresher for longer. Lisa and Hannah break down the differences between disposable and reusable bags to see which performs best.
Buy the Ziploc Gallon Food Storage Freezer Bags: bit.ly/452iKoK
Buy the LK Packaging Single Track Zipper Bags: bit.ly/3Vfe9w2
Buy the rezip Gallon 4-Pack Reusable Bags: bit.ly/3VhctlN
Buy the ello Reusable Gallon Storage Bags: cooks.io/4a5HH4i
Read the full review: cooks.io/43CQCYx
The Best Way to Clean Reusable Food Storage Bags: cooks.io/3TTuxli
Follow Lisa on Instagram: / lisam_atk
Follow Hannah on Instagram: / hannah_crowley8
ABOUT US: The mission of America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) is to empower and inspire confidence, community, and creativity in the kitchen. Founded in 1992, the company is the leading multimedia cooking resource serving millions of fans with TV shows (America’s Test Kitchen, Cook's Country, and America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation), magazines (Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country), cookbooks, a podcast (Proof), FAST channels, short-form video series, and the ATK All-Access subscription for digital content. Based in a state-of-the-art 15,000-square-foot test kitchen in Boston’s Seaport District, ATK has earned the trust of home cooks and culinary experts alike thanks to its one-of-a-kind processes and best-in-class techniques. Fifty full-time (admittedly very meticulous) test cooks, editors, and product testers spend their days tweaking every variable to find the very best recipes, equipment, ingredients, and techniques. Learn more at www.americastestkitchen.com/.
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Not turning inside out was a shocker. Also no to silicone. This was a good lesson. Kudos once again to the team.
You can wash plastic food containers with lids, like yogurt containers, that sort of thing. They are reusable and don't cost anything. You don't have to save ALL the plastic containers that come into your house, but keep enough on hand so you don't have to buy plastic bags for the freezer. They aren't see-through, but that's easy to handle, too. Just use a marker and write the name of the contents on the lid or side of the container. You can use them quite a few times before discarding, which is much more sensible for the planet.
I remember my grandmother saving all of the margarine and Cool Whip tubs to reuse for storing left overs and what have you. Her and my grandfather were in their teens at the start of the Great Depression, so they had it drilled into them to stretch a buck as far as you could.
Thanks Hannah for being that bug in Lisa's ear! I've been washing my zip bags for a long time, and I avoid using them that much in general. (When Lisa said she goes through a box in a matter of weeks, my mouth dropped open! I think I go through a box a year.) I've always been a bit bothered by the amount of plastic and paper towels that ATK goes through on their shows. Keep looking for alternatives and showing them to your audience.
The waste is tremendous. I am Brazilian and I always get so impacted by the quantity of bags, boxes and plastic in any item we buy. Of course we do use here more than we should, but at least there is a huge protocol for recycling ♻️
I have sets of glass and plastic storage containers in different sizes to avoid constantly using plastic bags. I have had brand name bags in several sizes for years because I use them only when truly needed. I regularly watch vloggers in Japan and that's another country heavily reliant on plastic bags, packaging and wrappers, particularly in small or individual portions for all the single working people there.
I had the same feeling. I don't even remember the last time I bought a box of Ziplocs. I use both types for different things.
Thanks to Hannah for keeping the environment in the forefront of her mind.
The zip slider is a must for someone with arthritis. Manually trying to squash them closed is a non-starter.
Investing in a vacuum sealer like the ones for sous vide might be another good option
@@sepioify That's a bit of extra work for someone who already has reduced use of their hands.
The slider bags do not seal as well as the press to seal. I Have arthritis in my hands especially in my thumbs and laying them flat makes it easy to get a good seal.
Be ware, while companies claim recycling is an option, not all plastics can really be easily recycled, and sometimes other parts included with those plastics mean they can't be recycled. There's a reason why reduce, reuse, recycle is in that specific order.
They can claim their bags are recyclable until the cows come home. It's still a useless claim unless local recycling centers actually accept them.
Most of the plastic recycled in this county is shipped to Asia, where most of it ends up in the rivers there and works its way into the ocean. This is the biggest source of plastic pollution in the world. People thinking they are doing something good for the environment are actually the biggest contributors to that pollution. Where I live, we have a clean incinerator for our trash, and we recycle glass, aluminum, and cardboard/paper, but plastic now goes to the incinerator. No more polluting the water for me!
@@katherinesmith9985 doesn't that pollute the air instead?
@TheLukemcdaniel It is a clean energy facility. Waste-to-Energy is a way to dispose of most garbage cleanly while producing energy for the surrounding community. We have several dumping stations around the area, for those that need to personally dump refuse, that then transfer the refuse to the W-T-E plant for disposal. Our community pickup has its own disposal contract with them. We also have a recycling and composting program. But no it does not pollute the air. We are not supposed to throw certain things away like batteries, light bulbs, etc. We have a recycling program for those things.
I use Freezer bags and wash and reuse them. Ziploc. I also use the 1 and 2 gallon bags to store my wool yarns to discourage moths. and projects.
Been washing and reusing my freezer bags for a long time. I rarely ever put raw meat directly in the bag. It gets wrapped first (a llittle extra assurance against freezer burn). ZipLok is my brand for all sizes, except snack nags. All of them are long and skinny. Good for no more than M&Ms and goldfish crackers. I buy the snack bags at Family Dollar because they're small squares and I can store half a cut onion in them.
Turning down the top part is also something I've been doing for years. It just makes sense. Who needs reusable when these already are?
Google is not allowing me to make an edit. My brand is ZipLok. I still see Glad. That was just a brain fart on my part.
👍
People who actually freeze their meat in portions and don't play around with cross-contamination.
Exactly. I couldn't believe she felt the need to ask, "can I wash it?" 😊
Please tell me, what do you wrap the meat in? Parchment? Aluminum foil? environmentally conscious folk want to know!
I wash "single use" bags for meat as well. However, I mark the bags meat and only reuse them for meat products only. That way, if any meat bacteria remains after a good wash, I know the second product is going to be cooked well, so I'm not worried about cross contamination. Cooked meat is usually stored in glass. Another thing I do to reduce bacteria growth in used bags is to store clean washed and thoroughly dried bags in the cheese drawer in my refrigerator. 💖🌵🌞😷
I very much like the Stasher bags. I have a ton of them. I buy bulk boneless chicken breasts and press all the air out of the bags (quart size, mostly) so they do touch the food. I use the gusseted Stasher bags for large roasts such as pork shoulder or chuck. They are great for this purpose, because I pretty much always have to take the meat/poultry I purchase out of the store packaging or it can't be thawed in cold water. However, I do freeze things that need larger, flatter bags so I will purchase some of the Rezip. BTW, I do also keep the disposable bags and each box lasts me a year or two.
Good2kno. I store in glass as much as possible. Fit 6 burger patties in a wide mouth and vacuum it before freezing.
I use one use bags, and reuseable. I also use vacuum seal bags for most of my product that will be frozen. The vacuum bags are hands down the best solution keeping items eliminating freezer burn and oxidation and freshness!!! We've all lost things in the freezer. After over a year I found a ribeye steak at the bottom of my freezer. When thawed in the bag inside the fridge, it looked dresh and tasted excellent
What brand of vacuum seal bags do you use?
I defrosted and cooked a steak that had been vacuum sealed for over two years, and it tasted as good as if I had just brought it home from the butcher shop. I always wrap first, then freeze on a sheet pan, then vacuum seal. Doing that has saved me hundreds of dollars over the years in lost product.
We are currently enjoying pork from a pig we raised several years ago. All packed in Food Saver vacuum sealed bags, and stored in a chest freezer at 0°f. Still as good as fresh!
@@capers72424I use the FoodSaver ones that match my vacuum sealer but I've also had good luck with the Kirkland brand from Costco
I've found ground beef, pumpkin puree, & a cherry tomato pasta sauce all over 2 yrs old in perfect condition at the bottom of my chest freezer. All were stored in Ziploc bags. I keep my freezer at -10F & ensure, as much as I can there's no air--I often use a straw to remove air. I also keep that freezer closed & "shop" from it once a week. According to the dept of Agriculture lowering the freezer temp from 0F to -10F doubles the life expectancy.
I sincerely appreciate these well tested well thought out videos.
Excellent presentation!❤
Such a delight to see Hannah & Lisa and their testing reports.
I like Lisa.
Great information! I love that you perform the rigorous tests so I can then make my decision. I’m going to add the reusable bags to the Ziplock I already use. Thanks!
I almost always wash and reuse. But I am old enough to remember washing aluminium foil!
The daughter of Ann Landers wrote in her biography that her mom washed and reused Saran wrap 😅
@@vickif.4645 We boycotted Saran Wrap because Dow made napalm
I still rewash and reuse larger pieces of aluminum foil. I am not going to throw out a 9x12 piece of foil just because I covered a pan.
Ah yes. The many uses of a brown paper bag. Everything that came through the door was repurposed.
I wash and reuse my ZipLock brand gallon bags unless I stored raw meat. I did get a tip to wrap meat in cling film first before putting it into the bag and I do see that tip here in the comments so more re-enforcement there. I don't wash and reuse 10 times but I may start reusing more after your info that it is ok. Great informative video, like always.
You guys are my favorite You Tubers! I started off as a die hard Lisa fan, but Hannah has really grown on me. You guys are the the best!! I'm gonna try out the rezip bags.
I have dexterity problems and I prefer the bags with the "slider", . It's a good idea for me.
Something most people want to know about. Thank you for this informative clip!😊
You two are the best!! I reuse small bags for freezing bagels until they rip, probably get 20-30 uses each
We have a selection of the silicone reusable bags, but the type with the separate slide on closure. Those are airtight and don't open, I love them for marinading because I can squeeze out the air and remove nearly all of it before the final slide shut. I use them sometimes as freezer storage, but mostly I use a vacuum sealer, which does a much better job than either of these types for freezing foods.
Giant freezer bags are my favorite general organization tool!!!
Great video! I have a mix of reusable and disposable bags but I do wash and re-use the disposable ones as long as they don’t have holes and they didn’t touch raw meat.
I have been portion out our meats, wrap in wax paper and then place in ziploc bags. I do reuse my bags for a long time. Once these bags are used up, I will switch to glass containers for the freezer. Our family do prefer to eat fresh meats so we do not buy alot. I quickly eat up what is in the freezer so that is less chance of food waste. Always rotate out what is in the pantry too
Went reusable a few years ago. Got my hands on a set of the Ello bags at Costco a few months ago. Various sizes. They are the best reusable bags I've ever used!
I have been reusing freezer bags for years. I have a special bag drying stand I was gifted with over 20 years ago.
I have a few stasher bags that I don’t love and hardly use.
Thanks for the research ATK.
I would like to know more about the production impact on the environment. Ie which option has less impact during the process of making them- what raw materials are used how does the gathering of those impact the environment. When making the bags how much energy and water is used? Otherwise awesome segment. I learned a lot!
The impact is negligible compared to waste from manufacturing facilities. The last company I worked at threw out a **massive** dumpster worth of foam and plastic 3 times a week, sometimes we'd have to load up a truck with more and take it to the dump.
Yay to ziplock freezer bags, been using them for EVERYTHING that needs ziplocking lol
I am on team both... I use the reusable bags to store vegetables & cheeses in the refrigerator and I believe after a year, it is saving me money by not throwing away a bag storing half an onion every few days. However I use the cheapest store brand gallon sized bags for breading or marinating raw meats so they can be easily thrown away. I use the Ziploc freezer bags for the freezer and since I don't use products daily from my freezer, if it is not raw meats, I can easily wash and reuse the bag.
I use both types, have been for years. When I wash them, I put a sponge or dishcloth inside them, so I can really clean the sides.
I've been wrapping individual portions in a layer of wax paper and aluminium foil, and then storing them in plastic bags to keep them contained and labeled. The food has less contact with air and the bags stay clean.
Thank you! I have many family members that I am trying to convince about the reusability plastic bags!
So how many times can the reusable ones be used? If i can reuse a disposable, that cost $0.11, 10 times, i would need to reuse the $5 one 450 times before it would cost about the same per use as the disposable. Do they really last through that many uses and washes?
I know that's just a price comparison, not considering environmental impact, but it is an aspect of decision making.
We’ve been washing the disposable ones for years, only throwing them out when they’re no longer air-tight. We tried some sturdy, reusable bags a few years ago, but neither one of us was able to seal them, so we just store our other bags in them. 😅 I’ll try the Ello brand. Thank you so much for bringing up this topic! It’s important.
I was recently using ziplocks from the 1990s (not for food anymore because they're almost 3 decades old). They were made much thicker then.
The ZipLoc gallon freezer bags I got have one side of the zipper lock that separates from the bag after re-opening it, so it guarantees only a single use. In fact, not even a full single use because you can't reseal it and put the rest of the frozen stuff back in the freezer.
A couple points that work for me.
For cleaning I tear up a paper towel and put it in with the soap and water to help with the agitation. I get a much better clean that way.
When using for meats, I will wrap in wax paper to avoid surface contact.
If the item is moist, and especially if I'm going to freeze, I'll make a little pouch out of wax paper and put it in that before putting in the plastic. Pre-freezing (slightly) before bagging helps even more, especially with meats.
Also missing from this test as the really excellent Zwilling reusable vacuum bags.
I have been using reusable storage bags for years and have yet to throw one away. The only need to replaced is if I give someone food items and they also recieve a great reuseable bag.
Awesome review. I keep both types. I use the single use for raw meats and fish (especially if I'm marinating something overnight) and the reusables for everything else.
Thanks for doing this! I'm looking to reduce my footprint. I always check out ATK regardless if it is measuring cups or a mixer that I'm planning to buy!
Perhaps you could do a video comparing options for freezing foods. I do wonder if it’s that much better to vacuum seal vs glass vs plastic wrap and ziplock (slider ONLY). Hands struggle mightily with regular zip locks
Yes, I hope they cover freezing foods.
I would love a video on this!
Air is the enemy so vacuum sealing is definitely going to win
I use a vacuum sealer and "single" use bags, I do try to re-use when ever possible. I also use the vacuum sealer to reseal things like rice, pasta, spices and nuts in there original packaging after each use.
Stasher bag fan here. But I use mine for other things than food. They work super well.
Very timely!
Awesome review 👏🏾 👌.
Amazon has the half gallon freezer bags and the pint freezer bags
I rarely use food storage bags. I just use glass food storage containers in the fridge, and sometimes in the freezer. For meat tho I do use a food saver with the plastic bags. It seems to make a huge difference in the quality of the meat after it's been in the freezer.
I've been really happy with the generic Aldi freezer bags (Boulder Brand). They seem just as good as ziploc to me.
I'm a big fan of Walmart's good value bangs. Been using for years and have never had them have burst seams or anything like that
Don't use dish brushes on any plastic bags... it's a great way to scratch a bunch of plastic bits into your food and prematurely wear out your bag. Also in my experience none of the PEVA type bags out there are actually dishwasher safe, as the seal ends up warping unlike with silicone bags.
I really don’t like the silicone bags; they’re hard to seal and attract hair dust and lint like crazy so they never stay clean
Ziplock has been my go to for a long time. I'll give the reusable ones a try. Do you have plans for doing a Bento box update?
My mother would wash and reuse bread bags when I was young. There were no ziplocs back then. She also used Tupperwear, which worked great, lasted forever.
My grandmother was fond of washing out and reusing margarine and whipped cream tubs.
for the yellow/red stains (from tomato, carrot and such) you may try to rub them with a drop of vegetable oil as the colour is soluble in fats (carotenoids) and then to wash it with a dish soap
I wash and reuse my freezer bags over and over. I just test to make sure they are still air tight.
I find rolling back the bag as they describe will cause the edges of ZipLock to crack and leak. What about FoodSaver? They don't mention it. I wash and reuse ZipLocks but store them in the freezer until the next use, I think it might help reduce bacteria growth
I store in the freezer and refrigerator bags that I use for the same thing such as bacon or meat and just mark it as such and keep it in either the freezer or the refrigerator depending. That way if there is bacterial contamination it's the same kind since it's the same meat
I use tge freezer bags to hold non-food items like drill bits and office stationary.
Great video 🎉
We've been re-using zip lock freezer bags for about a year now. Just wash thoroughly and dry. It has saved us a lot of money.
I've been really liking reusable baggies. Zip lock makes some serious ones, but a basic Amazon one is okay for most things (but not the freezer, bc they're hard to open unless they warm up)
I appreciate this test as it's something I wrestle with. Although, I found it contradictory when you said not to fold over the bags to turn them inside out, but then you said to fold down the tops to make them easier to fill?
Agree with you. I've been crying mine inside out and use them way more than 10 times.
I have another question - did the stronger reusable bags protect the content in the Freezer better - less Freezer burn and able to store for longer. THAT would be a plus too. But that would take a long term test. Maybe months
The best thing for the environment is to use what you already have. Going out and buying reusable bags only makes sense if they will get enough use to offset the resources used to make them versus the single use. Often they don’t. Definitely check before you invest a lot of money if you’re doing this for environmental reasons.
I do a mix. I mostly use generic foodsaver bags (Amazon) but I've also used and washed generic ziploc freezer bags for 20+ years. I pre-pack and cook or freeze raw most of our entrees. I have never washed and reused a bag that held raw meat (too hard to clean in the crannies, though I've read others pre-wrap in plastic film first), and I don't wash bags that held anything oily or really wet, like a marinade, sauce, stew, curry, etc. Too much work for a 12 cents bag -- it takes a lot of soap and water to get them clean.
I'm team both, i rewash my ziploc bags and my reusable bags. Keep disposable for marinating raw meat, or freezing fish. Also sometimes they are just better for the job, like sharing with someone.
Thanks for this review. I will look into reusable bags. Speaking of plastic use, can you do a review of filtered water bottles (both plastic and stainless steel) so we don’t have to keep buying plastic water bottles? Thanks!!
Hannah Rocks!
Thanks
I totally use the disposable ones for my printer filament, lol. 100% reusable without needing to wash them at all.
I've used ziploc for years and never wash and re-use. I'd like to know if you've tested vacuum sealer bags. I've been using a vacuum for years for meat especially, but lota of other stuff too. That way I can spend less money by weighing all my meat before sealing it. Simple to write on bag what it is and what date it was frozen.
Good, useful info. Reusable
I tried the re(zip) bags and tossed them after only a dozen uses, maybe, because they just became harder and harder to close. Had I known about the cooking oil trick, I'd have stuck with them! 💫😯
Stasher are best for stew, sauce, chili because they stand up to fill better!
Good Information.
Can you add a link to the drying rack you were using?
Yeaaaah, I buy the ones at the dollar store. They work just fine.
Have you researched vacuum sealers for mason jars? This looks like a fantastic option, but is it too good to be true?
I love all the info these ladies have …
We're using the Di Oro reusable bags (PEVA) and have been very happy with those so far.
The water and soap needed to rewash bags is another consideration. I live in Texas and we are under water restrictions a good part of the year. We are also on a septic system and having a lot of water and soap going down the drain can result in the system needing to be pumped out years earlier-which costs 3 to $5000 each time. The use of limited water resources to reuse plastic bags can have both a considerable impact on the environment and the pocketbook.
Need to send your water from kitchen/shower to the outside (yard garden)
@@celiahedges7777 Something I wouldn't mind trying if I ever have the money to spend on the plumbing.
I love Ziploc.
Team - Both!
Good video
question. Has anyone calculated the trade off vs the resources required to clean these bags? 1) Drinkable water is a precious resource. 2) Dumping the used water into the sanitary sewer system also consumes limited resources. I don't know. And the local region may make a difference. Water is more plentiful in some places than others.
Did you consider the amount of water usage when washing a disposable bag?
Something most people don't realize is that Zip-Lok bags are recyclable; you can put them in the container usually found at the entrance to a grocery store (where single-use grocery bags go to be recycled).
Recycling rules vary from community to community - I can toss my Zip-Loc bags in my "bag of bags" for soft and stretchy plastic for curbside pickup. Many waste and recycling branches of your local government (or whoever handles your waste) have a "waste wizard" app or searcher that can help you find out how to dispose of anything.
But I’ve heard the zipper should be cut off.
@@aayotechnology I don't know about the bags with zippers. If they're recyclable, it will say so on the box and probably give directions like removing the zipper.
I use both. I like to use disposable bags for raw chicken and fish, but I try to use my reusable bags for most other things.
Where can I find your bag dryer.
I like the idea of both options available. Tomato sauce based products and raw chicken in disposable.
Did u test the IKEA freezer bags? I live those more than ziploc
I do too!
What about Vacuum Sealed bags? How well do they hold up?
I notice all the food shows use plastic bags that press closed as opposed to the zipper (which is easier to open & close). are the press ones better? thanks!
I just got some Ello bags from Costoc (Canada) and the label says dishwasher safe
I'm looking for a good storage solution for the snacks I carry in my hiking pack. After miles of walking in the mountains, a plastic bag of almonds comes out looking like it was put through a rock tumbler, which is very concerning in regards to ingesting microplastics.
It would be much heavier, but what about a canning jar and metal lid?
Well I have been turning mine inside out to wash so that will stop I use both types and would like some more reusable bags
Don't stop just on their word. I and my friends turn them inside out all the time and we reuse our bags 10 or more times.
You don't have to go by their word. I and my friends and some commenters on this thread have said that they turn them inside out and wash them all the time and reuse them a lot. I can reuse mine well over 10 times. Same for my friends
I find the ziplock bags seal tracks goes bad after being in the freezer. It no longer reseals.
I always wash and reuse my plastic bags, I also do this with vacuum seal bags
Would really like to see ATK consult with the TH Chan School @ Harvard (Joseph Allen). BPA substitutes are, as bad, if not worse, than BPAs. I really dislike my eZip bags. Rarely use them, but the zipper closure fails to close properly and opens spontaneously. This is after only handwashing. Stasher is even worse. Super rigid and the zipper is terrible. There’s really no good solution, but we’ve changed our eating habits, to by more fresh food, on demand and use glass/metal. We’ll try the cooking oil trick and the Ello brand. Thx!
Team "none of the above". 3 years ago I stopped using all food storage bags and switched to pyrex and other glass containers. I do quite a bit of food prep (marinades, freezing staple ingredients, meals for the week, etc) and haven't had a single instance where I needed a ziploc bag. I'm actually curious what others use them for that can't be substituted.
For me, it is mostly about space. I can store a few dozen bags of raw and cooked prepped meals in the lower part of my house frig in Foodsaver and freezer Ziplocs. Not so with glass, which take up lots more room because they aren't flexible. Plus, with a glass base and plastic lids, how do you get the air out to avoid freezer burn?
@@beckydmc Thanks for the reply. Myself, to avoid freezer burn I fill up containers to the brim, plus I don't freeze stuff too longterm. Having a standalone freezer also helps with the space issue.
Can the resuable bags be used in sous vide ? obviously not vaccum sealed. I mean long term hot water immersion without releasing anything into the food.
I have been washing and re-using my gallon size plastic bags for years. My question is what way(s) to safely get rid of the ones that cannot continue to be used -best for the environment?
When plastic bags like those are no longer useful for food, I use them for travel or packing up my home to move.
I tried a set of silicon bags and they developed mold really quickly, even in the fridge. Once the mold took hold, there was no way to get them clean enough for reuse. I've gone back to disposables.