What can I use instead of zip lock food storage bags?

Are you trying to avoid using plastic in the kitchen — especially disposable, single use plastic containers, food storage bags and plastic wrap? Here’s a non-toxic reusable alternative to plastic zip lock style bags.

Two sustainable kitchen rules I follow are to choose non-toxic materials and to go with reusable when possible. Silicone food storage bags satisfy both, but are they a good replacement for plastic zip lock style food storage bags?

I’ve been pretty successful at finding convenient alternatives for just about everything.  Except for one: how to replace plastic zip lock style food storage bags. What can I use instead of plastic food storage bags?   I don’t want to have plastic in direct contact with my food, and plastic freezer and food storage bags aren’t reusable.

Sure, you can find many eco-friendly, reusable alternatives to plastic sandwich and snack bags. But I don’t eat sandwiches or snacks, so what I’m looking for is actual food storage bags.  I use glass or stainless steel containers or even sturdy linen wraps to store just about everything, but sometimes you just really prefer a locking plastic bag.  For one thing, you can squeeze the air out of them, which is very useful.

I have finally found a good alternative to plastic zip lock style food storage bags: food grade silicone.

Silicone is inert, doesn’t out gas or leach dioxin or lead or phthalates.  It’s non-toxic, safe for food, resists microbes, is easy to clean and stands up to hot and cold temperatures. They are not cheap, but if you take care of these bags they will last a very long time.

What I’m using now is Lékué silicone food storage bags.  Here’s what I like and dislike about them.

Pros

• Bags are very sturdy and well made
• Design allows the bag to stand upright on its own on the counter and in the fridge–which is more space efficient and neater–and also allows you to pour liquids into it easily
• Seal works really well, zips easily and stays locked
• Silicone is so versatile: it can be used in the freezer as well as in hot applications such as sous vide
• Has measuring marks clearly labeled
• No plastic, no toxins, no gmo ( found in many bioplastics )

Cons

• Bags are expensive: you really have to think of them as an investment that will last for years
• The same design that allows the bag to stand upright makes it harder to use for sous vide cooking
• It takes more room to store the bags because they are bulky
• The largest size I’ve found is 2 quarts, or half a gallon, which is not big enough to use for marinating food or storing larger portions

Is silicone safe for food storage?

There are different grades of silicone, and any packaging sold for food will be food grade, which means it is exceptionally safe. As I mentioned above, it contains no gmo, no toxins, no BPA and is non reactive. It doesn’t impart any kind of taste to your food and doesn’t leach anything into your food.

The design of this silicon locking storage bag allows it to stand upright on the counter and in the fridge.

These can be used in the microwave as well, though I don’t use a microwave so I’ve never tried it. I’ve tried flat ones that are sandwich sized, but I find they are hard to clean — and hard to dry, even with the special drying rack that comes with some sets.

A gallon size option would be really useful, but so far the largest I’ve found is half gallon.

What non-toxic reusable alternatives have you found for food storage in your kitchen?

Learn more

SHOP: silicone food storage bags. specifically: half gallon silicone bags

IDEA: have you considered airtight stainless steel for food storage?