Looking for a way to cut down even further on your plastic bag consumption? Thought about produce bags but not wanting to dish out between three and seven dollars a pop for them? Read about how I snagged a full set of four for a buck today, and explore other DIY options for freebies with items you have in your home.
I've been wanting to do this for a while now. I really have. But with my life in transition for so long and with several other projects I've taken on, my time for DIY is dwindling rapidly. And while I don't mind paying a bit more for one or two bags of precision design to get me by on the fly (more on this in an upcoming reusable bag review), produce bags are something I'll need a fair amount of when I make the transition. At even three bucks a pop, a set of a dozen just doesn't seem that reasonable. Enter, Tidy Totes. They come in a resealable snap pack of four. My source? The local Dollar Tree. That's right. Twenty-five cents a piece, baby. Bring it on.
If you don't have a local Dollar Tree, they are also available at Amazon, Pep Boys, Walgreens or Ace, according to their web site. Look in the automotive sections. This is where the "hack" part comes into play. Since they are marketed as a car organization product, they don't come up when searching for reusable produce bags. They are green mesh bags with a drawstring closure, and roll up compactly for storage in their own container or with your shopping bags. While these will work great for produce and such, they are mesh and as such unsuitable for things like flour and spices. For that type of bulk buying and plastic elimination, you may want to go with this DIY style made with recycled sheer curtains. They certainly look workable to me, even if you have to buy used sheer curtains at the thrift store. If you've got some in your closet and some extra shoelaces kicking around however, you could whip some up for free if you're craft capable. For other shopping bag suggestions, keep an eye out for my upcoming review article of several urban-geared designs, check out Linsey's article on free sources, or give the Gorgeously Green coupon code a try.
Thanks, Myscha - I ran right out and found them. They were in a very odd place, with the air fresheners, but eventually they turned up.
I also picked up some microfiber clothes there last week, 2 for $1, and I'm loving them. No more paper towels (well, at least not very often.)
I appreciate the tip.
You're very welcome. Hey, I figured if I looked until I was bone weary and gave up, others must have too. It was by total accident that I ran into them. We were there to pick up some other things. Then I came home and did the research as to where else they could be found and why I hadn't run into them in my search. That's when I figured out the automotive organizational angle. No WONDER I hadn't found them before. Glad you were able to take advantage in your area. What a score, huh? I'm SO excited!
Do you think those mesh car organization bags are made of something that could leach into your produce and be bad for you? Just a thought.
Great tip!
Any ideas of what to use in place of ziploc baggies for school lunch sandwiches? Because I've been using my old produce bags to wrap sandwiches. If I stop getting produce bags, I'll have to go back to buying baggies :-)
Of course, I could use rubbermaid containers, but they take up a lot of space in the lunch box, and when they get forgotten and moldy, they're hard to clean. Or I could wash my baggies, but that's kind of a pain, especially when they get greasy. I'd rather have something I can turn inside out and throw in with my laundry. Ideas?
The problem with using any sort of cloth bag for a sandwich is that the bread would dry out. Also, any condiments or liquid like substances might not be completely contained, possibly making a big mess. But there are alternatives to plastic bags.
Reusable plastic boxes (Rubbermaid, Tupperware, etc) work well, but you're right that they take up more space than a baggie. Is there a problem with using a bigger lunch box or bag?
You could try wrapping a sandwich in waxed paper or aluminum foil, especially the stuff salvaged from other uses.
I tend to reuse the plastic bags that hold my lunch items, as long as they're still fairly clean. I rarely use condiments on my sandwich, so I can often use a single bag for a full week, sometimes longer. I just put the bags back into my lunchbox after I finish my lunch and then use them when I pack my lunch for the next day.
wrap-m-mats work great. Here's a link to them...
http://www.wrap-n-mat.com/
Ziplocks are easy to clean, even if they are greasy from mayo. Just turn them inside out and put them in the dishwasher. You'll find they degrade a bit, so one or two washings and they are done - especially the zipper part. But for a sandwich, you don't need a great seal anyway, so you can use them a few more times. Other thoughts for protecting that sandwich: foil, plastic wrap and even paper towels.
I use them when we have guests. I put a couple in the little guest room box so they can be used for laundry or whatever. I keep them in the car and use them to gather rubbish and then put them back. They are a versatile option but I have never used them for produce. Since I'm a vegan, and I swear by the expensive produce bags, I must try this.
Thanks, everyone!
Betsy, you know (and I haven't done any technical research here) I can't imagine it would be worse than any other non organic fabric bag product on the market. And it's such a temporary time that things are stored in them while they are transported back to our house, I'm pretty much OK with it. It would be a personal choice, though.
The resealable bags - Perf Go Green ( a product I reviewed a short time ago) is set to launch some type of food storage bag this year. Not sure if it's the lunch ones or not, but I hope so. I have a conference call with their PR person soon on another company she reps. I'll see what I can find out.
The sandwich. There was a reusable option mentioned in Gorgeously Green. I'll try to find time to look it up today. I'm off for errands and it' crazy today though, so no promises. Thanks for commenting, folks. Glad the tip was helpful.
The wrap-n-mat works quite well for PB&J or bagels. They're not all that expensive although a homemade version only took me about 15 minutes. Some left over cotton cloth, an extra-thick freezer bag (quart) cut accoringly (it's food safe according to the powers that be), and some hook and loop closure from the bottom of the notions box was all it took. A few simple seams and it's done.
As for bulk foods and produce, I've also quickly made some cloth bags from unbleached muslin (about $1 a yard at the fabric store). No need for a closure, you've got to write the bin number on the twist tie anyway. After flour you may have to run them through the wash, but they come out just fine.
Our entire family uses either Rubbermaid or Tupperware sandwich containers. With 5 of us bringing lunch daily, that's a lot of plastic bags or wax paper. We've got the kids trained to open their lunchbox and used container as soon as they get home and toss it in the sink. I load them in the dishwasher and they wash beautifully on the top rack (so long as you don't use the heat-dry cycle). They're no big deal to wash by hand, either. They get no greasier than ordinary meal dishes. Just make sure you wash all the less-greasy dishes before you throw in your frying pans or then they -will- get greasy.
The secret to making it all work in a standard kids lunchbox is shape. If you have a traditional "hard" lunchbox, dare to be square!!! Tupperware containers cost more, but they're squarer and fit in a hard lunchbox better. Rubbermaid makes a nice reusable juice box (rectangular instead of round like a water bottle), and Sterilite makes inexpensive little square 1/2-cup containers. Use a squared off reusable ice package, cloth napkin, and plastic fork (which also can be washed and reused many times before they become brittle). It's a snug fit, but it -does- fit.
If you have one of those soft padded lunch bags, on the other hand, I've found it's sound to go round. Rounded beverage containers or a water bottle, Rubbermaid sandwich containers, and round 1/2-cup whatnot containers (I like Rubbermaids round ones) fit best. And your lunch will never get squished from leaning against the soft bag while shoved in your backpack or when that fat lady sits next to you on the subway.
If you don't have all this stuff already, go to the store and experiment with what fits before you buy anything.
I wouldn't wash baggies in the dishwasher. It will release
BPAs and plasticizers that are very bad for you, making these more likely to go into your food.
I'm also not crazy about the aluminum foil recommendation.
Aluminum mining and manufacture are really, really bad for
the environment. Even if you can recycle it (we can't), it's
still a very high-energy process.
Thanks for the suggestion. Picked up a package last night, and as luck would have it the seed packets were displayed right in the aisle nearby 10/$1, so I picked up my veggies and flowers for the summer at the same time.
The bags are very light - 14 grams (0.5 oz) according to my kitchen scale. I was worried that they would have a plastic toggle to hold them closed (and weight more) but they're just a drawstring.
An alternate use: additional delicates bags for laundry. I think they're made of the same fabric as the bag I have. I would have to tie these bags closed, but they might just work.
I'm so thrilled they worked out for you. I for one was psyched to find the option. I was thinking I'd have to wait longer to make the switch, but at that price it was easy to absorb the cost of transition.
Thank you Myscha for posting about this, I ran out and bought 2 packs of those Tidy Totes. Now if I could only sew I'd be a happy girl with all the possiblities of cute produce bags. I'm a bit new to being "green" but this is right up a frugal girl's alley so it's a perfect fit.
Blogged about here: http://bagofbargains.com/2009/03/16/is-it-frugal-or-green/
I've been doing web searches for quite some time looking for replacement produce bags [I take the disposable ones back to the store], and your post came right at the perfect time. Just bought them last night - can't believe I got 12 bags for $3! Much better than one bag for $3.50 + shipping.
James, you're very welcome. I looked and looked as well. That's why I was so excited when I found this option. Glad it worked out for you.
I saw these the other day at my local dollar tree and I had an urge to pick them up, but then i couldn't think of what i could use them for! I simply LOVE this idea! I'm going to make sure to pick up a few the next time I'm at the dollar tree!
Thanks so much for the tip about the Tidy Totes at the Dollar Tree. I was afraid they might not have them any more; but they did (and yes, in the automotive area). They are especially wonderful for the Farmers Market. I have been using them for storing my produce in the refrigerator but they don't work to well for fruits and veggies without tough skins or that have a high water content. How do you store your produce once you get it home?
Well, many of them end up in the crisper drawers. For more sensitive items like berries or greens, I wash and chop them to store in air tight containers with absorbant cotton clothes in the bottom. (ones I don't mind getting stained)
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My company, Real Food Bags, just introduced a line of reusable produce bags. We have a 3 pack for $5 including shipping. Although they are not as cheap as the bags in your article, they were designed for this purpose. The best thing about them is that they are light & thin enough to keep 5-6 in your pocket or purse but strong enough to carry 5 pounds of produce. They are also made in the USA.
