Submitted by OpALbatross t3_11uck4n in BuyItForLife
Trying to figure out the most eco-friendly buty it for life products. I see the Stasher ones recommended a lot on other websites.
So, are they worth the price? Is there a better option that I may not be aware of? Are silicone bags something that can be BIFL? Any brand recommendations?
Yep. It’s bulky but that makes them very tight. I don’t mind that part but I guess to each their own. My sister uses glass jars for most things because she has a separate stand up freezer and has tons of space for them which I don’t have. Everyone is going to have slightly different use cases but it’s all a win moving away from disposable anything!
For sure! I feel like I could pour soup in one and play football with it and it wouldn’t spill.
I have frozen soup in them and they expand well and the seal held. So you’re not far off.
Those are the two things I figured would be worth the up cost lol. Good to know it isn't needed!
I’m not sure they’ve been around long enough to know if they’re BIFL. I bought some Stasher and I bought another brand set at Costco. The Stasher are better. Better sealing and more options for shapes and functions. I love the ability to microwave, boil, refrigerate or freeze in them as well as dry storage. Dishwasher safe. Great for travel stuff outside the kitchen. I do feel like I’m getting my money’s worth and I cut waaaaaay back on disposable plastic (I still will use for a few use cases). So they are a bit pricey but I’m 18 months in and no regrets.
Excellent, thanks!
Glass containers over bags
That's fair. Do you have glass food storage recommendations?
Pyrex is the generic answer,but the lids wear out over time
I have a set of rectangular nesting Pyrex with lids 20 years old. The lids disintegrated and I got replacements on Amazon.
Yup
Whatever you already bought that’s the appropriate size.
If you're trying to avoid plastic containers, working glasses with lids like these from Crate and Barrel or Luminarc are great for food prep storage or small portion leftovers. I have these jars in the 14 and 21oz. They can also double as wider drinking glasses. The lids will probably fail over time, but the replacements are cheap, and the sizing specs seem to have stayed the same for decades. For even smaller storage to hold things like sauces/dressings I use 4oz Ball canning jars.
I buy Oui yogurt and recently found lids on Amazon for them. They’re great for packing snacks or saving small leftovers. We’ve been trying to reduce plastic in our house so I also find myself using them as drinking glasses or trying to repurpose them when getting a gift for someone. Not great for stacking but I love how multipurpose they’ve become.
We had a coupon for oui yogurt and I just bought lids to reuse the jars for chia pudding!
I eat the dairy free yogurt and it’s so expensive so I feel like it’s one way to try to get my moneys worth.
I keep getting these silicone bags as gifts from a family member who works at a store that sells them, and I have to say I'm really not a fan. The silicone material is very thick, bulky, and heavy. As a result, the amount of usable storage volume inside each bag is infuriatingly small compared to the total space that each bag takes up. The seals are difficult to close and even more difficult to open. Worst of all, the bags are near impossible to clean, particularly the inside seams. I once used one to cook some chicken in the oven and the inside was permanently stained. I put it in the dishwasher upside down with the seal spread open over the tines, but the hot soapy water still couldn't reach the inside corners of the bag. I had to scrub out the inside seam with a toothbrush. Way more effort than it's worth.
In my opinion, you're better off with mason jars.
I've had mine for a couple years now and they're as good as day one. They're pricey, but better than any other silicone bag I've tried out and we no longer use any disposable bags at all. We use them in tandem with glass freezer jars and they also work for SousVide cooking.
They clean perfectly in the dishwasher.
I think they are worth it but I still try to find them on sale. The feel and quality seem better than other brands that I've tried and they wash and dry wonderfully in the dishwasher.
Great for when you don't want the heavy weight of glass for things like fruit or chips.
I’m going to say no. I have a handful and 2 of them I opened the zipper part too far and it tore them. I do like them for storing small items but not so much for food items.
I don’t like the prospect of cleaning them. Get yourself some nice glass reusable containers.
They're pretty great imo; just turn them inside out to wash and dry them.
I have had my IKEA ones for a year or so now and I like them. They stand up to fill and have a sleeve to keep them closed.
No
Zip Top is a lot better
I needed to find an alternative to glass containers because they took up so much space in my purse. The stashed bags are cute and much lighter. They seal pretty well too! I use the small ones to store pills and hair ties while traveling. I like how they are more flexible than plastic containers and also reusable.
I dig mine. I still use glass jars for anything I can, but have a handful of stashers for things that mist be in a bag. Kinda bulky, but I already have a couple that are several years old and work the same as my new ones.
UpperLeftOriginal t1_jcniy6g wrote
I have a few but they’re not my favorite. The quality is good. My trouble is with the shape and how bulky the zipper part is. Just kinda awkward.