I was washing zippered sandwich and snack bags the other day and wondering how others handle these -- if they save and reuse, how they wash, but especially how they store these previously-used bags.
We use these zippered bags for so many food items. They're just the right size when our leftovers and foods that need a covering are on the small side, like a few biscuits or cookies or an individual custard cup of my rice pudding. I find the bags to be easier to wash and dry than sheets of plastic wrap (which we also wash and dry until no longer usable). The bags will stand up on the tines of a rack to dry and are sturdy enough to last for many uses. Some of these bags are many years old. And they're in a variety of sizes. The original boxes are now long gone. So I had to come up with an organized way to store them for reuse so that my family members will actually reuse them.
After the bags are washed and have thoroughly dried, I sort them according to size and thickness (sandwich/snack vs. freezer bags). I roll up these piles and secure with a rubber band. I have an old roll and cracker basket that is long and narrow. And that's where I store the piles of rolled up bags.
My family knows to check the basket first before getting out a new bag.
When a bag is dirtied, it's stuffed into a tall container next to the kitchen sink. When that container is overflowing with bags, I know it's time to wash them all in a sink of hot soapy water. I wash and dry them all inside out, so the surface that will touch food is the cleanest part.
I know we've saved more than just a few dollars by washing and reusing Ziploc bags, as we've been doing this for decades, now.
What's your method?
