Plastic Reduction Challenge Day 16: Reuse Zip Bags

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One of my biggest shopping regrets is the day I purchased a large supply of quart and gallon sized Ziploc bags from a certain warehouse store. They were a steal and I was so proud of myself at the time. After about a year into the purchase and barely making a dent in them, I started to think about how I have hundreds of bags of plastic that I will use once and throw away and the guilt set in. But, the more I thought about it, I started asking myself, “why do these have to be single use?” I began to wash them out and reuse over and over. However, you know the ultimate destination of these bags is the landfill. Therefore, my long term goal is to stop using plastic bags completely. I will be using my bags for years and years, but in the meantime I have been researching and slowly incorporating reusable alternatives into my stock. Let’s check out your options for reducing the use of new plastic zip bags.

Today’s Challenge: We all have that drawer where we store our plastic zip bags, cling wrap, aluminum foil, etc. Today I want you to open it up and take stock of your zippered bags. Most people have quart size, gallon size, and perhaps snack size too. Let’s delay their trip to landfill a little bit longer.

How to get the most out of your plastic zip bags:

Wash out with warm soapy water
While rinsing, fill with water and check to see if the bag has sprung a leak
Open and hang upside down over a jar, glass, pan handle, or drying rack (I use this one)
Once dry move it back to your bag drawer. I keep the cardboard box and return the used bags back inside to keep the drawer organized. One is marked “holes” and the other is without.
Continue to use the bags just as you would use a brand new one. The ones with holes can be used for toy or craft storage, air travel (quart size), or really any other non-liquid purpose you can think of.

: My bag dryer

: Rolled up bags to reuse

If reusing your bags seems too daunting or you are looking for a swap for when you run out of bags, here are some ideas:

- Stasher bags: I LOVE these. They are reusable food grade silicone bags and, similar to plastic, they will hold liquids. There are a lot of pluses to these bags: no yucky chemicals seeping into your food, they seal well, they can withstand heat and cold, they are dishwasher safe, and they should last a lifetime. There are multiple sizes and colors. I use them to store cheese in the refrigerator, marinate meat, store liquids, and freeze food. The snack size is perfect for packing veggies or other snacks when on the go. Some people use them for sous vide cooking. They can be used for really any purpose for which you use a Ziploc bag, even non-kitchen purposes like transporting wet swimsuits. The downside is that there is an upfront cost. Put these on your wish list and request them for gifts. I am slowly integrating them into my supply of bags.
- Cloth bags: These bags are nice because they are more lightweight and take up less room. They work well for packing sandwiches and snacks, but will not hold liquids. You can find some with a Velcro closure and others with a zipper. Most can be laundered in the dishwasher or washing machine.
- There are just so many new options out there! Look for something that isn’t plastic, if possible, and that you can use long term.