Best Reusable Silicone Bags – Save Money, Save Space, Save The Environment

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Plastic is a big no-no in the kitchen.

If you’re unsure about how to eliminate it from your home, a good place to start is by revamping your food storage bags. Think silicone instead of plastic!

Why are silicone food bags better?

Silicone is better than plastic because it won’t leach chemicals into your food. It’s also better for the environment than single-use plastics that clog our landfills.

So, with that in mind, we’ve got reviews of five silicone storage bags that are a total game changer in the kitchen, whether you need convenient snack bags or you want to freeze your food in safer ways.

Let’s check out the best silicone bags: save money, save space, save the environment!

Overall Winner: Stasher 100% Silicone Reusable Food Bag

This is the world’s first self-sealing bag that isn’t made of plastic, so it’s definitely worth the number-one spot in our reviews for being one of the best silicone reusable bags. Let’s check out its details.

Featured specs

• Pinch-lock seal
• Free of contaminants

Benefits

• These bags make it easy to keep your food safe from contaminants, as they don’t contain BPA, PVC, or latex.
• They have a pinch-lock seal. This means that whatever you store in your bags will be tightly sealed and airtight.
• You don’t just get one bag with this purchase, but a bundle pack that includes one half-gallon sized bag, two sandwich bags, and one snack-sized bag.

Drawbacks

• Some people have reported that the bags are difficult to clean and can lead to food stains that are not easy to remove.
• Although they seal well, these bags can sometimes be difficult to open because they’re so airtight. You have to pinch them, then pull them apart to open them correctly.

Extra Features

• You can safely use these bags in the microwave and freezer, so they’re very versatile for a variety of tasks in the kitchen.
• These storage bags are really easy to clean and what makes them even more user-friendly is that they don’t have separate pieces that you could misplace.
• They come in 13 color variations that are all transparent so you can easily see what’s in them.

Buying Advice

A pack of these best silicone storage bags costs around $50, which really isn’t bad considering you get many useful bags in the pack. You’ll also be getting a quality product from an award-winning company.

Runner-Up: Shark Lock Silicone Food Storage Bag

These bags are made of food-grade silicone. They’ll offer you many ways in which to store your food in healthy, sustainable ways.

Featured specs

• FDA-tested, food-grade silicone
• Waterproof

Benefits

• You get six useful bags in this pack: two snack bags (10-oz each), two medium sandwich bags (32-oz each), and two large bags (50-oz each).
• These bags have an airtight seal so you don’t have to worry about spills and they’re also waterproof.
• Since they can be turned inside-out, you can easily and quickly clean them. But they’re also safe for putting into the dishwasher.
• They can withstand temperatures of up to 446 degrees Fahrenheit and freezing -40 degree Fahrenheit temperatures, so they’re versatile while also being one of the best reusable freezer bags.
• They’re also safe for use in the oven and microwave.

Drawbacks

• Some people have reported that these bags are difficult to close, and some have expressed frustration with getting the bags to close all the way.
• Others have reported that the sizes of these bags are disappointing because they’re thick, so there’s not much space inside them to store food.

Extra Features

• These bags are safe for you and the environment. They’re free of harmful chemicals such as BPA, lead, phthalates, and latex.
• They’re not only non-toxic but also odourless, so you don’t have to worry about them making your food smell or taste funny.
• They have a sliding closure piece that helps to prevent any leaks and freezer burn.
• The company is serious about providing healthy and sustainable storage bags: their food-grade silicone bags were tested by the Food and Drug and Administration to ensure their purity and were also tested twice by an independent inspector.
• They’re waterproof so you can even use these bags to store valuable items such as your cell phone or wallet.

Buying Advice

These Shark Lock food storage bags come in a pack of six and cost around $15, which is really value for money. They are a fantastic way to stop using plastic bags for food storage.

Alternative 1: Stasher Reusable Silicone Food Bag

Stasher makes our list of reviews again, this time with a smaller pack containing three storage bags. But it has some wonderful benefits. Let’s check it out!

Featured specs

• 64.2 oz bag
• Pure platinum food-grade silicone

Benefits

• This pack contains three bags with the following sizes: a sandwich bag that’s 15 oz, a snack bag that’s 9.9 ounces, and a gallon bag that measures 64.2 oz. What’s really nice about this storage bag pack is that you get a much larger bag than what we’ve seen in other products.
• Just like the other Stasher bag, this one is airtight and has a pinch-press seal so your food will retain its freshness.
• The bags are made of pure platinum food-grade silicone. Platinum silicone, as its name suggests, contains platinum as a catalyser. This means it’s of a higher quality than other types of silicone, and this further makes it suitable for storing food.
• These bags are safe to be put in the microwave and dishwasher.

Drawbacks

• Some people have reported that these bags tend to retain odors, which can be unpleasant.
• These storage bags are quite expensive.

Extra Features

• These bags are extremely versatile. You don’t only have to use them in the kitchen, but can make use of them in many other ways. For example, you can use them as travel bags for your cosmetic or hygiene products, or let your kids use them to store their lunches and craft items.

Buying Advice

These Stasher bags are a bit costly – you will need to pay around $40 for them. But, they’re so versatile and healthy that you’ll love using them around the home. They’re also sure to last you a long time.

Best Silicone Freezer Bag: Xomoo Reusable Food Container Silicone Bag

If you want to store more food and leftovers in the freezer, you’ll love this silicone freezer bag that makes freezing your food so much more convenient.

Featured specs

• Anti-slip zipper
• Remains upright

Benefits

• The six bags in this pack are made of food-grade silicone. They’re free of latex, PVC, and BPA.
• The bags make use of anti-slip zipper sealing technology so that they’re really easy to open, even for kids who are using them.
• One of the bags has a round design, which makes it very easy to clean, whether by hand or in the dishwasher.
• The bags are easy to store upright in the freezer, thanks to their fixed bases that make storing soups and other liquids a breeze.

Drawbacks

• Some people who have purchased these storage bags have reported that if they’re packed in the freezer with other items, this can cause their seals to open.
• Others have found that some of the bags in the pack don’t stand upright even though they’re supposed to.

Extra Features

• The bags are transparent so you always know what’s in them at a glance.
• You can safely use them in the microwave, oven, fridge, and freezer without a problem.
• Their zipper design means that no plastic strips are used.

Buying Advice

This silicone bag bundle costs around $30. Since you get six bags in the pack, this is value for money. They have some great features that you’ll love using, such as their zipper technology and how they can stand upright.

Best Silicone Snack Bag: Homelux Theory Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags

You want a snack bag that will keep your snacks fresh and delicious when you’re on the go, so make sure you invest in these best reusable snack bags by Homelux Theory. They’re so much more than standard snack bags!

Featured specs

• Leak-proof design
• Storage hooks

Benefits

• They have an hermetic seal that will keep your snacks fresher for longer. Basically, hermetic means that the seal is airtight.
• They come with handy storage hooks so you can use them around the home and never misplace them.
• You can write on these bags with a marker that also comes off easily. This feature makes these bags a very useful item to have in the kitchen.
• They’re safe for use in the oven, microwave, refrigerator, and freezer. You can also safely wash them in the dishwasher.
• These bags can withstand low temperatures of up to -60 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the lowest temperature any bag that we’ve reviewed can tolerate, so it’s perfect for all your storage needs.

Drawbacks

• This might not be a drawback for everyone, but all four snack bags in this pack are the same size – they’re 15 oz. It would’ve been nice if you could get snack bags of different sizes in the same pack. If you want larger snack bags, you’ll have to purchase separate bundles from the company.
• Using these bags can sometimes be a bit awkward, such as if you have to fill them with liquid. You need someone’s help to keep the bag open so that you can fill it because it won’t stand on its own.
• Some people who’ve purchased these bags have reported that they’re difficult to close.

Extra Features

• These bags have measurements on the outside so that you can see exactly how much of a certain food you have stored in the freezer.
• People have reported that these bags really are leak-proof, which is a feature that’s hard to find in many storage bags on the market. Since they’re resistant to leaks, you can safely go ahead and store liquids in them without worrying that they’ll make a mess.
• The bags all have different zipper colors, making it easy to differentiate between them. Assign one to each member of the household!

Buying Advice

If you’re looking for a snack bag that can be used to freeze foods and provide leak-proof storage, these bags are the one for you. They cost around $15.

Reusable Silicone Bags FAQ

Interested to know more about reusable silicone bags?

Maybe you have some concerns about silicone, such as if it’s safe, so let’s check out some commonly asked questions about silicone food bags.

Are silicone reusable bags safe and is silicone safer than Peva?

Silicone reusable bags are considered to be safer than plastic. This is because silicone is non-toxic and silicone rubber doesn’t react with liquids or foods, and it doesn’t produce toxic fumes.

That said, you’ve probably heard that some silicone can leach chemicals.

This is why you should always be sure that you’re choosing food-grade or medical-grade silicone as this shows that it’s safe to come into contact with food.

These types of high-quality silicone also decrease the chance of chemicals being leached out of them and entering your food.

As we’ve seen in these reviews, silicone food bags can be put under great stress and not be dangerous.

For example, they can be stored in the fridge and freezer, or used in the microwave and oven, without being toxic. Plastic, on the other hand, is a little trickier.

When using it in the oven or microwave, you have to ensure that the plastic can be exposed to high temperatures otherwise the chemicals that are present in the plastic, such as BPA and phthalates, can end up in your food.

These chemicals are not found in high-quality silicone storage bags, such as those we’ve reviewed in our buying guide.

When it comes to silicone storage bags that you can reuse many times, these are better for the environment than single-use plastic bags.

As Treehugger notes, by using reusable silicone bags you can prevent over a hundred plastic bags from winding up in landfills or the ocean where they can harm and even kill marine life.

Is silicone safer than PEVA?

PEVA is a non-chlorinated vinyl. It’s regularly used as a substitute for PVC and because it’s not chlorinated it’s considered to be safe.

That said, PEVA does contain other chemicals, and they haven’t been tested to see how they can negatively affect humans.

Research published in the Journal of Toxicological Sciences has already found that PEVA can be dangerous to animals.

For example, scientists tested the oxygen intake of freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus, a species of worm, when these animals were exposed to PVC or PEVA for different lengths of time.

They found that VOCs – which were present in both of these materials – did cause stress to the worms. 

If the safety concerns surrounding PEVA aren’t enough to put you off it, consider that PEVA food storage bags can’t tolerate high heat, unlike silicone which seems to take extreme temperatures in its stride.

What is the difference between food grade silicone and regular silicone?

Earlier, we mentioned that you should ensure the silicone products you purchase to store food are food-grade. But what does this really mean?

Food-grade silicone is a silicone that’s non-toxic and it doesn’t contain chemicals or chemical by-products, which is why it’s really safe for it to come into contact with your food.

Food-grade silicone is also regulated by organizations such as the FDA to ensure its safety.

Food-grade silicone is safe because it won’t release dangerous chemicals or react with other materials.

If the silicone you’re using is not food-grade, this means that it can contain other fillers, chemicals, and dyes that can all decrease its durability, quality, and safety.

How do you clean a silicone reusable bag?

As we’ve seen in our silicone bag reviews, many silicone reusable bags can be cleaned by being put in the dishwasher although you can also wash them by hand.

In order to do so properly to ensure the hygiene of your storage bags, you should follow these tips:

• Use some warm water and liquid dish soap to gently but effectively clean them.
• For a bit more of an intensive clean, you can use bottlebrushes to scrub away particles and germs.
• Don’t try to turn the silicone bag inside out unless this is advised by the manufacturer. Doing this can cause the zippers or bonded edges of the bag to weaken, which will make them experience wear and tear prematurely.
• If your silicone food bags have retained odors from the food that was stored in them and these smells don’t come out after a simple cleaning, you should use vinegar to clean the bags. Put your bags in a sink that’s filled with equal parts warm water and vinegar. Leave them there for about an hour before washing them.
• After washing your silicone reusable bag, always ensure that you dry it properly. You can do this with a kitchen towel to prevent water spots and to prevent bacteria and mold from accumulating underneath the seal. You can also dry silicone bags on a drying rack or even the clothesline to ensure that they air-dry properly.
• If you can’t seem to eliminate those unsightly water spots, here’s a tip: put a bit of cooking oil on a paper towel and then use this to buff the silicone bag.

How long do silicone bags last?

One of the biggest things you’ll need to consider when choosing what food storage bags to purchase is how long they’ll last.

After all, you don’t want to purchase one bag, or a bundle of bags, only to find that they disintegrate after a short time of use, especially if you intend on putting them to good work in the kitchen.

A good reason to choose silicone food bags is that they have a really long lifespan.

As proof of this, silicone food manufacturer Stasher tested their silicone bags for use 3,000 times.

Imagine being able to use your silicone bag 3,000 times! In case you’re wondering, this equates over eight years of use, as Digital Trends reports, which is pretty amazing.

Conclusion

Choosing silicone bags for food storage should be one of your priorities.

They’re much better for the environment than plastic and have other benefits, such as being able to withstand extremely hot or cold temperatures, which makes them useful for storing food in the freezer and cooking it.

In this buying guide, we’ve reviewed five of the best reusable storage bags you can find on the market, looking at their important features, what makes them useful, what you need to know about them, as well as their costs.

It’s clear to see that you can find the best silicone food bags for your needs. It’s time to make the switch from plastic to silicone.

You’ll never look back as your silicone bags are sure to last you for many years, while saving you money in the long run.