Why Try Stasher Bags?
I will also add the disclaimer that in order to minimize waste, I do use reusable Tupperware more often than I do Ziploc bags, so that did influence my opinion of the Stasher bags a little bit.
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Table of Contents
What are Stasher Bags & Why Should You Be Interested in Them?
How do Stasher Bags differ from other products on the market?
The different types of Stasher Bags
- Colors – You can get the generic clear, along with orange, blue, green, grey, pink, purple, red, and black bags.
- Sizes – There are five different sizes of bags that you can purchase (listed from smallest to largest): pocket, snack, sandwich, stand-up and half gallon.
- Bundles – Different bag bundles are offered at a bit of a discount. You can find a few offerings on their Amazon page (such as a two-pack or three-pack), but more on the actual Stasher website.
The Benefits of Using Stasher Bags
- You are saving plastic and other resources
- You can throw them in the dishwasher with all of your other items so you are not wasting any extra water or soap
- You are using a food grade product that can be reused multiple times, so it is safe for you and your family to eat off of and will last a long time
- They are a good conversation starter (just like any reusable product that is new to the market)!
How to Use Stasher Bags / My Experience Using Them
As I mentioned previously, we do not currently use a lot of disposable bags in our house. The most common uses would be to freeze raw meat or cooked beans, store trail mix, and occasionally pack a sandwich or something to take on road trips (although we normally always use reusable containers for that).
When testing out this product, I used them for just that and anything else that I could think of. We have used the Stasher bags as sandwich bags (although we use the stand-up bag more for sandwiches than the sandwich bag because it is a more practical size to fit both the bread and the contents of a sandwich), to freeze cooked beans, to freeze excess cookie dough, and to pack snacks (e.g., dried mango) for on-the-go. One thing I did not try is freezing meat in the bags because I worry about how clean the bags actually get (in terms of raw meat bacteria coming into contact with other types of food that could be stored in the bag afterwards) in the dishwasher.
Here are some highlights from my trial and error.
Freezing Stasher Bags
I had zero issues when freezing food in the Stasher bags. With the raw cookie dough and cooked beans, there were no issues with freezer burn, rancidity, off odors or anything when I pulled out the food to use/eat it at a later date. The longest amount of time that they were stored in the freezer was about three weeks.
How to Clean Stasher Bags?
I have a lot of good insight on this as I was testing out these bags in between houses, so I also got to test them out with two different dishwashers! In both cases, you need to have the bags fully cleaned before putting them into the dishwasher in order for them to wash clean. It sounds simple, but it is actually really hard to get all of the last remnants of raw cookie dough or globs of peanut butter from a sandwich off of the bag. The silicone material is smooth, but it also allows the food to kind of “rub in” while trying to clean it.
Another issue that I encountered was with drying the bags. Using the first dishwasher that was not as nice, the bags never dried during the drying cycle, so I had to let them air dry after running them through the dishwasher and it took about a day to get them fully dry and ready for their next use. Using the second/better dishwasher, the bags dried successfully during the drying cycle and there was no time delay with being able to use them again.
Stasher also has some cleaning tips on their website that you can follow (you can find that HERE), but there are a lot of extra steps besides just washing the bag out and sticking it in the dishwasher. And, if you are like me, if it cannot be washed easily and thrown in the dishwasher without causing any problems, then it is not worth my time!
Foods that Work Well Being Stored in Stasher Bags
My advice is to either store dry foods (e.g., dried fruit, cereal) or anything that is normally easy to clean off of a plate. As I mentioned previously, peanut butter and raw cookie dough are not good ideas. But, with the beans, they were easier to clean because of the liquid, as were mayonnaise and mustard from sandwiches. I would avoid storing any of the “stickier” food items in the bags.
Which Stasher Bags Are Worth Your Money?
To be very honest, Stasher bags are really expensive.
Based on realistic usage and what type of food items fit into which type of bag, I would only suggest investing in the following bags:
- Stand-up
- Snack
- Half gallon (only if you plan on doing a lot of freezing)
I would skip the sandwich bags and the pocket bags, based on their size and the available uses.
For me, I cannot justify spending the money on the pocket bags (or any of the bags) just to store non-perishable items, such as chapstick or pens and pencils. There are a lot of cheaper, reusable options that can be purchased for that.
And, to further drive home my point regarding sandwich storage and why I think only the stand-up bags are worth buying to store sandwiches, you can see how sandwiches fit for us in the sandwich bag (left) and the stand-up bag (right).
Pros
- You are using a reusable product and are eliminating waste
- The Stasher bags are dishwasher friendly
- The Stasher bags can successfully store food in the freezer
- The bags have sturdy zipper seals on them
Cons
- They are really expensive (especially compared to disposable plastic bags)
- Depending on your dishwasher, they can be hard to/take forever to dry
- Depending on what you put in them, they can be hard to clean (whether by hand and/or in the dishwasher)
- It is hard to keep sandwiches together in both the sandwich and stand-up bags
Conclusion
The Stasher bags are a great solution to disposable plastic bags (e.g., Ziploc bags), and are durable and made out of good, food-grade materials. However, there are other viable solutions to using both reusable and disposable plastic bags, such as plastic or glass dishes that are cheaper, and easier to manage and clean in most cases. For example, I was asked about storing chocolates and cut avocado in the bags. For me, those can go in small air-tight containers, stay better for longer and result in a situation that is a lot easier to clean!
I see the greatest value of the Stasher bags being in that they can successfully freeze food. That is worth the price of the bags for me. For all other uses, there are cheaper alternatives, made with just as good of materials that can be used.
Cheaper Alternatives
For this, I am not going to suggest a knock-off version of the Stasher bag, because (1) there are too many to try, and (2) the far cheaper alternatives do not lie in a reusable bag. Instead, I would recommend using either a plastic or glass reusable container.
Obviously, for those of you that are looking into Stasher bags for the convenience of taking them on trips, the cheaper alternative would be a plastic container, but those of you looking to pack your lunch for work in Stasher bags, a glass container might be a better option for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Stasher bags dishwasher-safe?
Yes. They fit easily in the dishwasher (on both the top and bottom racks), but unless you have a miracle dishwasher, they will not dry during the dry cycle.
Are Stasher Bags freezer-safe?
Yes, you can easily freeze food in them. I have not frozen meat in them, but multiple people have (as you can read about in the comments below).
Are Stasher Bags Worth It?
Only the Stand-up and the Snack bags. The other ones are too expensive and impractical for food storage.
What is the best food to store in Stasher bags?
Nuts and dried fruit. They make it easy to pack, store and clean afterwards! Once you get liquids involved, it is a lot more difficult to clean the bags.
How long do Stasher bags last for?
I am going on two years of using mine (although not daily use) and they are still in great condition. I always wash them in the dishwasher, and only one of the bags out of the bulk pack I bought has become discolored (it went from clear to gray).
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Hi, I’m trying to find something where I can put raw meat. I thought this could be the solution. What do you suggest for that?
Hi Catia – I’ve found the stasher bags are great for storing raw meat. In fact my friend found that 1 lb of ground beef fits perfectly into a snack bag. I’ve also found the stasher bags keep my food fresher and prevent freezer burn. To sanitize after use, simply wash the bag, then boil the bag in hot water for a few minutes.
how does your friend defrost her meat? i’m trying to freeze individual chicken breasts so I can cook it in my instnat pot. I was thinking of wrapping in parchment paper so they don’t stick together. But if i wanted to defrost the chicken breasts to cook on the stove top…How do you defrost the individual breasts? Typically I put 2 breasts in a Ziplock bag and then put the bag in a bowl of cold water, changing it every 20 min. Or put the bag in the fridge over night. I guess I would have to get a small stasher to defrost the chicken in, if i had a larger stasher with several chicken breasts.
Does you friend handwash, boil, then dishwash? or just stop at boil. I just got a new dishwasher, so I was hoping hand washing and putting it in the dishwasher would be sufficient.
sorry so wordy! I’m just trying to use less plastic, but still be safe from raw chicken bacteria!
Love for sous vide and like microwaving greens in the standup bags. I got the whole set but in the future will only buy standup. Not only do I find the standup easier to use, they are easier to track in to clean them and even to dry with a towel (I don’t use heated drying with my dishwasher.). I am fine putting raw meat in them but might walk then in the higher heat cycle (sterilize) in the Osheaga out bill them in a pot of water on the stove to make sure they are bacteria free. I enjoy them in the freezer. I have roulette like containers in glad and plastic not find I like stalker better. I tried ziptop as a Kickstarter project but find them too thick and hard to close. Stashets are a hefty investment I think we’ll be there way of the future. Maybe if they become more popular the cost will decrease.
It took forever to make eggs sous vide. I could make an omelette for 6, cook it, serve it and do the cleanup in less time than to make 2 eggs in the stasher. The cleaning suggestions are more like a primitive ritual—vinegar, water, boil, set out in sunlight naturally sanitize/bleach; place upside down on a bottle or a stand up paper towel holder. Come ON! Glass or Tupperware are better choices. Almost too expensive to buy for just freezing some meat. Not for me…
I wash and reuse my Ziploc bags – something I learned from my grandmother and mother, both of whom remember the Depression, when EVERYTHING was used until it was shredded. I am more interested in these for freezing leftover stir-fry or main dishes so my husband can fix boil-in-bag meals when I’m out. Otherwise, he eats out or gets TV dinners, neither of which is good for him. His cooking skills are almost nil. They might be good for boiling up a home fixed meal when camping, too, especially on backpacks where fires are not allowed.
for the sandwich bags (flat ones) maybe wrap a paper towel around it. To keep it together in the bag. just an idea.
The pocket stasher bags have been perfect for my handmade bar-soap when I travel! Keeps the soap from drying out, and the bag itself doubles as a makeshift soap dish. I’ve honestly found myself using them for a variety of things—but most of them are not related to food, haha.