Where To Buy Produce Bags
Experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab and Cleaning Lab swear by these ultra-durable reusable produce bags. In fact, products from the Lotus brand consistently outperform competitors in our tests. Consumer reviews on Amazon for the nine-piece set are equally outstanding: " You can sort groceries while they're being bagged at the market which makes it efficient when putting them away at home," says a rave reviewer. They are versatile, easy to use and easy to close. Rest assured they also stay closed thanks to the highly effective bead closure on the drawstring, so you'll never have to worry about things falling out of the bag during transport. They're perfect for all kinds of veggies, including greens but can also be used for travel, corralling toy pieces and more.
where to buy produce bags
At just over a dollar each, this set of five produce bags is a good choice if you're new to using reusable bags and don't want to make a financial commitment to fancier ones. The mesh polyester breathes to keep fruits and veggies fresher, and they're machine washable between uses (just keep them out of the dryer). And if you find yourself constantly forgetting to use them, they can take on another purpose (like a small laundry bag to keep your socks together!).
These mesh produce bags are made of polyester, so they're durable without being heavy. Each has a colorful tag attached that states the bag's tare weight (a.k.a. the weight of an empty bag), which makes it much easier to purchase produce sold by weight. This set comes with three different sized bags, ranging from 12x8 inches to 12x17 inches so you can fit bigger items like heads of lettuce.
These bags from IKEA have wide netting, so you can safely store your fruits and veggies in them without worrying about ventilation. Since the bag isn't structured, it allows you to fit oddly shaped or extra-large fruits and veggies. And compared to structured bags, you can fit plenty. They also have carrying handles that let them double as regular grocery bags (and look stylish when hanging on hooks in your kitchen!). They come as a set of two.
If you're buying more than just fruits and veggies, these muslin bags are a better alternative to mesh. Because there are no holes like many mesh produce bags, these are great for smaller bulk foods like grains, nuts, flour and sugar because they won't fall through. Plus, they're certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for Ecology and Social Responsibility.
These reusable bags have color-coded tags, so you can use the same one for a specific type of produce each week if you prefer. They're all the same size, too, so you don't have to worry about grabbing one that's too small. One Reddit user in r/ZeroWaste has been using these eco-friendly bags every week for years without noticing much wear and tear.
The Purifyou Premium Organic Cotton Storage Produce Bags are our top pick for the best reusable produce bags, because it comes in a set of nine with multiple sizes, depending on your produce needs. Additionally, these work really well for shopping and carrying groceries home, as well as storing produce in the fridge, which helps to keep veggies and fruit fresh for longer. For a more budget-friendly option, we turn to Ecowaare Set of 15 Reusable Mesh Produce Bags, which comes out to just over $1 per bag at full price. Aside from price, these bags are highly durable and can hold up to 10 pounds, and they feature different colored drawstrings that help indicate their size for easy shopping and storing.
Reist, Troderman, and Kennedy say that the best material for reusable produce bags are made from cotton, muslin, hemp, or polyester. You can also find bags like Lucky Family Green Compost Bags made from corn starch, which is an excellent biodegradable material.
Produce bags can be washed in the kitchen sink by hand and typically tend to dry quickly, due to their material. You can also just as easily throw most of them in the washing machine with dish towels or other laundry for an easy cleanse.
The Stasher bags have a lot of uses beyond food, too: You could use them for everything from packing toiletries in a carry-on to storing craft supplies. We also appreciate that Stasher has thought of the whole lifecycle of its bags: If your bag is damaged or you want to retire it, the company has a repurposing program to reuse the silicone.
The EcoRoots bags are made from unbleached cotton and come in three sizes, with six cotton mesh bags and three solid cotton bags in a pack. The largest size will fit a head of celery, a bunch of kale, a medium-size head of napa cabbage, or (just barely) an extremely large head of cauliflower. The mesh is fine enough to contain foods like grapes, radishes, or snap peas, and it gives the bags a little more stretch so you can pack more inside them. The plain-woven bags can hold finer grains, smaller beans, or nuts.
The Carry-All set comes with a small, medium, and large bag (9.5 by 8.5 inches, 10 by 12.5 inches, and 11 by 16.5 inches, respectively), each in a different color. You can also buy the drawstring bags in a combo pack that comes with a smartly designed mesh tote with a pocket.
We sifted through dozens of reusable kitchen items in our research, from bags to wraps to utensils to reusable paper towels (the latter turned out to be a little ridiculous; you have to throw them away after about a week, whereas a kitchen towel can be washed and reused for years). We narrowed our scope to focus on the replacements we think have the most potential for daily and long-term use: bulk and produce bags, food-storage bags, food wraps, reusable lids, and silicone Food Huggers that fit directly over fruits and vegetables.
To test the produce bags, we stored leafy greens, herbs, and carrots in them for four days, then checked for freshness. We also put the same types of produce in a zip-top plastic bag as a control and compared the results. We then measured and weighed each produce bag to check its listed tare weights, and washed and dried them all several times to check for shrinkage. We also looked over the stitching and fabric to check for quality.
To test resealable bags, we filled them with tomato sauce and left them in the refrigerator over a weekend, then washed them in the dishwasher to see how much they stained. We also tried washing them by hand. We tested the bags for leaks by filling them with water, shaking them, and trying to pop them open by putting pressure on them with our hands. For the silicone bags, we steamed and cooked vegetables sous vide to see whether the bags imparted any flavor and whether they stayed watertight.
We tried out several different options from Eco-Bags: the Medium Organic Cloth Bulk and Produce Bag, the Large Organic Mesh Drawstring Bag, the Medium Gauze Produce Bag, and the Medium Organic Net Drawstring Bag. These bags are more expensive than our picks, and they shrank the most out of all the bags we tested.
Instead of using single-use plastic bags for each fruit and veggie pick, why not try reusable ones for shopping and storing produce? From hemp, cotton, cornstarch, mesh, polyester and linen, to other materials including biodegradable or compostable types, these handy reusable bags come in a variety of options. Above all, they save space, keep food tidy, organize your fridge, and, most importantly, reduce your environmental impact.
Always check the washing instructions on your produce bags before cleaning. Many cotton or canvas bags are machine washable, and some may have specific care instructions. When in doubt, handwash them in warm, soapy water and hang on a line to air dry.
Four Star Plastics offers wholesale plastic bags for use in self-serve produce applications at supermarkets, grocery stores, and fruit/vegetable stands. These high quality, high density poly bags provide outstanding strength and are light weight, making them an excellent choice for a utility storage bag or produce bag.
Cutting down on use of plastic bags, even the thin ones used for produce, has a more positive impact on the environment. Yet overall, using plastic produce bags offered at grocery stores (or bringing your own) still makes for a less messy shopping experience.
A zero-waste grocery trip essential, perfect for tossing into your grocery tote or cooler. Designed in a pack of 3 for your convenience, transparent so you can easily see the produce inside and lightweight enough to go undetected on the scale. Save a pretty penny while you're saving the planet.
Can't have too many produce bags! Those plastic bags at the grocery have go to go. These are great for the grocery store or farmer's market. They easily fit inside my other bags and keep my produce neat for checkout and safe delivery to the frig.
However, reusable produce bags can go a long way in promoting zero use with regard to the use of plastic bags. As such, this post highlights five reasons to switch to reusable produce bags that can also help you make a difference with regard to reduction of environmental impact.
The major benefit of reusable produce bags is that they are eco-friendly, unlike single-use plastic bags that usually find their way into landfills. The unfortunate part about plastic material is that it takes millions of years to decompose so it continues to pose a threat to the environment though in the landfill. Recycling is also not a commercially viable option in some cases and the plastic will remain alive.
The other benefit of reusable produce bags is that they are durable and ideal for bulk shopping. When buying products like potatoes, fruits as well as vegetables among others, you need a durable bag. This is when your reusable produce bag comes in handy since it is made of strong material that does not easily break.
Zero waste reusable produce bags are cost-effective in that they are made of cheap but durable material such as cotton or canvas. The material used in making reusable bags is easy to get at a lower price. You can reuse the bag several times and this will save you money from buying carrier bags every time you go shopping. 041b061a72