The Best Reusable Food Bags for Sandwiches, Snacks, Meal Prep, and More (2024)

There are some things a hard storage container just can’t do, like fit neatly into a lunchbox or mush around when you need to mix a marinade. That being ahead, I simply abhor waste. Standard disposable plastic bags can be reused, but the plastic degrades over time, so they're not a long-term solution.

Reusable storage bags are made from food-safe materials like silicone or food-grade PEVA. They’re designed to be cleaned in the dishwasher and used countlessly. We first tested reusable food bags in 2022, but both of our favorites were discontinued. So, we decided it was time to re-evaluate things: We tested notable brands alongside newer offerings, landing on two top picks.

The Winners, at a Glance

Rezip’s reusable bags strike a balance between strength and flexibility. They’re thin enough to fold up and store in a shallow drawer, yet strong enough to resist leaks. Their lightweight material is easy to manipulate whether you’re stuffing them full of vegetables or giving them a thorough cleaning. Thanks to the pleated base, these bags can stand up on their own, maximizing storage space in your refrigerator.

Greater Goods reusable bags are made from thick, dishwasher-safe silicone. They have a flat base and a wide oval mouth that makes filling and cleaning a breeze. During testing, they fit snugly in our refrigerator without any leaks or spills.

The Tests

• Leakage Test: We filled small, medium, and large bags from each set with water and food coloring to test their seal strength. After filling, we inverted the bags, shook them over the sink, and knocked them around on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, taking note of any small leaks or explosions.
• Filling Test: For each set, we filled a small bag with raspberries, a medium bag with strawberries, and a large bag with chopped kale. We observed how much the bags could hold and how easy it was to fill them. We also placed a whole peanut butter and jelly sandwich into one bag from each set, noting whether the size and shape could accommodate it without any structural damage to the sandwich.
• Staining and Odor Retention Test: We filled one bag from each set bag with 1 1/4 teaspoons of a paste made from turmeric and canola oil. After eight hours, we cleaned the bags according to the manufacturer’s instructions, looking for any stains or lingering odors.
• Usability Test: Throughout testing, we observed how each bag was to seal, fill, and store.

What We Learned

Thicker Wasn’t Always Better

The bags we tested fell into one of two categories: light and flexible food-grade PEVA or thick silicone. Thin PEVA bags were uniformly easier to open and close. A zip-style closure made from soft silicone doesn’t snap into place the way a rigid material does. Because of this, it can be harder to achieve a proper seal with the former. During testing, the thick silicone Stasher, Bumkins, Winrock, and Xomoo bags all broke open when inverted and shaken. The Greater Goods bags, however, are more flexible than other silicone models. This made it easier to seal, and it fared slightly better during testing—only the medium bag leaked after shaking.

Shape and Capacity Both Mattered

A huge bag is great for copious leftovers, but capacity doesn’t matter if the bag has a small opening. This means ease of filling is just as important as the actual available space. Thick-walled silicone bags with a flat construction, like the sets from Stasher and Bumkins, were the hardest to fill. It was difficult to hold the springy walls apart and the thick zipper acted as an extra obstacle.

Some of the silicone models (including one of our winners, Greater Goods), solved this problem by designing oval bags with flat bases that stay open and upright by default.

Standing Bags were Easier to Store and Fill

Stacking items on top of one another in the refrigerator is like setting a trap for yourself. Inevitably, you’ll end up sending a cascade of leftovers onto the floor at some point. The desire to stack things, though, is understandable—in most cases, we run out of fridge shelf surface before height. Therefore, storing reusable bags upright and vertically is the most practical.

In addition to storage, upright bags were easier to fill, since you didn't have to use one hand to keep them constantly open. In this area, silicone bags (mostly) outranked soft PEVA bags. Of the 12 models we tested, five had flat bases for standing, four of which were silicone (if you’re keeping score—Winrock, ZipTop, Xomoo, and Greater Goods). The rezip, our overall winner, was the only model that combined a standing design with flexible material.

A Few Stains Were Inevitable

When it came to staining, we had to grade on a curve. Almost every bag sustained a little aesthetic damage after enduring an eight-hour facial of turmeric paste. Here, the silicone bags took the lead again. The silicone sets from Greater Goods and ZipTop showed minimal staining, and any yellow marks were helpfully disguised by their tinted materials. The PEVA bags, on the other hand, were all sheer or translucent. After the spice paste, they ranged in hue from dandelion yellow to radioactive pumpkin orange. The only exception was the rezip set, which emerged with only a slight buttery glow. The silicone bags were also easier to clean—these sets were all dishwasher-safe.

The Criteria: What to Look for in Reusable Food Bags

Look for reusable bags with a firm seal and flexible shape. For easy filling and storage, choose a set that can stand up on its own. For convenience, we recommend a dishwasher-safe option.

Our Favorite Reusable Food Bags

What we liked: This set had just the right amount of structure—the bags were strong enough to stand up on their own and flexible enough to open wide for filling. Rezip’s bags performed well in all of our tests. The largest bag held a full bunch of shredded kale, and none of the bags leaked when inverted.

What we didn’t like: While the thin material has advantages, these bags may be more likely to rip over time. The translucent material also shows stains more easily than tinted silicone.

Key Specs

• Number of bags: 5
• Material: Food-safe PEVA
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe
• Capacity: Set includes (1) 32 oz bag, (2) 16 oz bags, and (2) 8 oz bags

What we liked: Of the thick silicone bags, the Greater Goods set had the best size range. The tinted, dishwasher-safe silicone showed minimal staining. The heavy-duty material gave these bags added stability while filling, while the wide mouth made it easy to place ingredients inside.

What we didn’t like: This set’s extra-thick seal was more difficult to close compared to thinner models. Although most of the sizes were easy to use, it was difficult to reach inside the tall, narrow 16-ounce bag. Bulky silicone will take up more storage space than flexible PEVA.

Key Specs

• Number of bags: 4
• Material: Silicone
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe
• Capacity: Set includes (1) 64 oz bag, (1) 32 oz bag, (1) 24 oz bag, and (1) 16oz bag

The Competition

• Stasher Silicone Reusable 4-Pack Bundle: These tough, flat plastic bags were difficult to fill.
• ZipTop Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags: We liked the open shape and stain-disguising color of these bags, but they were difficult to seal and leaked when inverted.
• Xomoo Reusable Food Container Silicone Bags, Set of 6: These thick bags were a little tricky to close and prone to leaking.
• Winrock Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bag: Of the thick silicone bags, the Winrock set displayed the most staining.
• Lerine Reusable Bags: Of all of the bags that we tested, this set fared the worst in the stain test—the bags transformed from clear to bright yellow.
• Greater Goods Reusable Food Bags: These flexible, dishwasher-safe bags lost points for laying flat in the refrigerator and flopping over on the dish rack.
• Forid Reusable Storage Bags: We loved that this set included a gallon size option, but didn’t like that it was hand wash only.
• Ideatech Reusable Storage Bags: This hand wash only set stained badly after testing with turmeric.
• Bumkins Silicone Reusable Bags: This set only included two bags, both of which were impractically small and difficult to fill.
• Qinline Reusable Food Storage Bags: These flexible, versatile bags lost points because they aren’t dishwasher-safe.

FAQs

How do you clean reusable food bags?

The majority of the reusable food bags that we tested were dishwasher or top-rack dishwasher-safe. For exact care instructions, check the manufacturer’s instructions.

What's the best way to dry reusable food bags?

Whether you hand-wash or run your reusable food bags through the dishwasher, they should be fully dried before being reused or stored in your cabinets: Lingering water can cause mildew and will eventually impart a musty smell. You can air-dry reusable food bags but setting them upside-down in a dish rack. Placing them over a utensil, like a wooden spoon, will keep them open, allowing for maximum airflow. But the best way to get PEVA and silicone food bags dry is to dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.

Are reusable food storage bags worth it?

Yes—in addition to reducing waste, reusable food bags can be a better value than disposable plastic bags. Although they may cost more upfront, their long lifespan will result in saving money over time. While not the sexiest kitchen tools, they definitely level up your culinary game.

Are there disadvantages to reusable food storage bags?

When it comes to reusable food bags, the primary drawback is that they may discolor or retain odors from some foods. Many of these imperfections can be removed with a good deep cleaning.

What’s the best way to get stubborn stains or smells out of reusable food storage bags?

If your reusable bag has retained some odor or color, try giving it a deep clean. This can be achieved with a few simple ingredients. For odor, try soaking your bag in a solution of one part water and one part vinegar (we recommend distilled white vinegar). For stains, make a paste out of baking soda and water, smear it on the stain, and let it sit for a few hours before washing.

Why We’re the Experts

• For this review, we tested 12 sets of reusable food bags. This is an update to a previous review that evaluated nine sets of reusable food bags. Both of our winners from that former testing were discontinued, so it was time to reevaluate.
• Madeline Muzzi is a regular contributor to Serious Eats with extensive experience testing products and cooking in high-pressure settings.
• Madeline has written our reviews of flatware sets, ice makers, and more.