Back to Ask Maria Index
Ask Maria
Can I reuse plastic bags for storing food?
by Maria Gracia
Join our newsletter to be notified when the newest Ask Maria is
available.
Question:
Hi Maria! I love your newsletter! Hey, I’m a really frugal person and I have a question
that my husband and I are disagreeing on. I use the plastic food storage bags with
the zip-lock closure to store food in my refrigerator. When the food in any particular
bag is finished, I wash the bag out, and turn it inside out to dry in my dish drain. This
way, I can reuse the same plastic bag many times.
My husband says that, after a while, the bags start to smell, even though I washed
them…and he refused to eat food that has been stored in them. I can’t smell
anything suspect. Is it all in his head?
--Winnie L., Texas
Maria’s Response
Hi Winnie,
I’m going to side with your husband on this…and this is why. It’s very difficult to
clean food storage bags well, especially the corners and zip-lock mechanisms.
Since they cannot go into the dishwasher, they’re not sanitized well.
Plus, they don’t dry quickly or thoroughly.
All of this means there are germs on and in those bags. Any odor your husband is
smelling means something is definitely questionable to safely eat.
Instead, you’re better off storing food in food containers (I like Pyrex) or food bags
(like Stashers) that are specifically designed to be dishwasher safe. They can be
safely used over and over again.
Hope this helps!
Maria
Back to Ask Maria Index
By Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!™
Copyright 1998 - 2021 Get Organized Now!™
611 Arlington Way, Watertown, WI 53094
All of our GON information on this Web site, discussion forum, newsletters and
e-mail correspondence, is protected by copyright laws. Reprint is strictly forbidden,
unless stated otherwise on individual pages. Anyone posting copyrighted material or
correspondence, without permission from the owner of this Web site, will be liable for
damages. For reprint permission, please contact the owner of this Web site.
“ASK MARIA”
Your Organizing Questions
The Original
Get Organized Now!
Website - Since 1997
by Maria Gracia