Heads up, friends! Some of the links on this blog are affiliate links, meaning we might earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no cost to you. But don’t worry, we promise to only promote products that we truly believe in and think you’ll love too.
As many of us try to become more environmentally conscious and reduce our single-use plastic waste, simple changes in our daily habits can make a big difference. One easy but effective step is to switch from disposable plastic snack bags and sandwich bags to reusable alternatives.
Eco-friendly lunch bags not only help reduce our ecological footprint, but they also protect our planet’s wildlife by reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and the oceans. Plus, they’re often made from non-toxic materials that offer a healthier food storage option than disposable plastic.
Why Use Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags?
The world is facing a plastic pollution crisis that’s wreaking havoc on our oceans, rivers, and landfills. Single-use plastic bags, including those used for snacks and sandwiches, contribute to this ever-growing problem. Plastic waste takes centuries to break down, and it releases chemicals into the environment that harm plants and wildlife along the way.
Fortunately, there’s a rising awareness of the plastic pollution problem, leading to an increase in reusable home products, such as snack and sandwich bags, glass and stainless steel water bottles, and cloth diapers. By incorporating reusable products into our daily routines, we can reduce the amount of plastic waste we generate and its harmful impact on the planet.
Tips for Choosing Reusable Food Storage Bags
Reusable snack bags and sandwich bags are typically made from non-toxic materials like food-grade silicone, cotton, or beeswax. They’re designed to be washed and reused hundreds of times, which makes them a more sustainable and practical choice for eco-conscious consumers.
Plus, you’ll save money when you invest in reusable bags, since you don’t have to keep disposing of plastic bags and purchasing new ones. Here are a couple of tips for choosing reusable lunch bags for your kitchen:
- Invest in quality and durability: When purchasing reusable snack bags and sandwich bags, look for high-quality materials that can withstand regular use. Opt for options that are tear-resistant, leak-proof, and easy-to-clean such as cotton, polyester, and silicone. For me, the best reusable snack bags are the ones I can throw in the dishwasher or washing machine instead of having to wash them by hand.
- Choose a variety of sizes: Choose bags in different sizes to accommodate various snacks and sandwiches. Having various sizes in your kitchen ensures you have the right bag when you need it and makes life just that much easier.
7 Best Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags
Here are my favorite reusable snack and sandwich bags that you can swap out for those disposable plastic baggies. If you have kids, they’ll love the fun colors and patterns that these reusable lunch bags come in (we adults love them too!).
1. Bumkins Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags
I use these adorable reusable snack bags just about every day for my kids to take with them to school and summer camp. They come in a variety of cute patterns and sizes for all your food storage needs. The zippers never get stuck, they’re easy to wash, and they dry out quickly after washing them.
These reusable snack bags from Bumkins are made from polyester with added TPU for waterproofing. Note that these bags are not completely leakproof due to their zippered closure, so they’re best used for solid snacks.
They’re 7 x 7 inches for the larger sandwich sizes and 3.5 x 7 inches for the snack sizes. The bags are both machine washable and top-rack dishwasher safe (this makes them so easy to clean!).
Bumkins also makes a set of reusable silicone snack and sandwich bags that are great for food storage in the fridge (though in my personal experience, silicone does tend to stick a bit to itself when used in food storage bags).
2. Simple Modern Reusable Snack Bags
Simple Modern makes a similar reusable snack bag out of TPU-treated polyester, though these come in three different sizes. Their small size is 7 x 3 inches, medium is 7 x 7 inches, and large is 8 x 10 inches. I find that the largest bag works very well for storing things like carrots and cucumbers to use the next day in my kids’ snacks.
These bags, like the Bumkins, are free of BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, and vinyl. You can wash them in your washing machine (they don’t recommend the dishwasher for these bags, unlike the Bumkins ones), and should let them air dry rather than toss them in the dryer so they don’t shrink. These are some of the best reusable snack and sandwich bags out there, especially if you find a print you or your kids really love.
3. Nordic by Nature Cloth Sandwich Bags
Nordic by Nature is another great option for cute, kid-friendly, and eco-friendly reusable snack bags (my son loves the LEGO brick ones). They also come in reusable sandwich bag sizes (7″ x 6″) as well as snack sizes (7″ x 4″) and a larger option (8″ x 10″).
These cloth food storage bags are made from a polyester/cotton fabric with a PVC-free inside layer of TPU that is grease- and moisture-proof. You can wash these bags in the dishwasher (top rack only).
Their zippers are easy to open and close for kids and adults. If you aren’t happy with your bag, you can get a full refund within a year of purchasing.
4. Life Without Plastic Food Storage Bags
This eco-friendly reusable bulk foods bag is made from GOTS certified organic cotton and is designed to hold flour, sugar, or other bulk items in your pantry. It has a main bag with a drawstring over an inner bag that also has its own drawstring to prevent your foods from escaping. To clean this bag, you take out the inner lining and toss it in your washing machine.
5. Stasher Reusable Silicone Storage Bag
What I personally love about Stasher’s reusable sandwich bags is that they’re made of food-grade silicone rather than plastic. Their sandwich bag dimensions are 10″ x 8″, though they also offer packs with different sized bags.
These reusable sandwich bags can be cleaned in the dishwasher and are even microwave safe, up to 425 degrees. They’re also shipped to you in eco-friendly plastic-free packaging. They feature a pinch-lock seal. In one year, Stasher estimates that one of its bags can replace over 200 disposable plastic baggies.
In my opinion, these are one of the best reusable sandwich bag options for food storage in the fridge. They work well, and I trust silicone to stay clean and safe while storing my food. I’ve also found that these bags don’t stick to each other as much as the Bumkins silicone ones do.
6. BeeBagz Reusable Beeswax Sandwich Bags
I’m a huge fan of beeswax wraps for food storage, and BeeBagz offers these adorably printed beeswax reusable sandwich bags. You just add your sandwich or food that you want to store, fold the top down, and seal it shut using the warmth of your fingers to press the beeswax together. This creates an airtight seal that keeps your food fresh.
BeeBagz reusable sandwich bags also have some cotton fiber in them, along with the beeswax. They’re perfect for storing carrot sticks, cucumbers, peppers, cheese, nuts, sandwiches and snacks. To clean these beeswax sandwich bags, you rinse them (only in COLD water, not hot!) and hang them somewhere they can dry.
7. Re(Zip) Reusable Leak-proof Food Storage Bags
Re(zip) makes snack and sandwich-sized bags that you can use over and over again for food storage. I treat these more as store-it-in-my-fridge bags rather than sending them to school with my kids (for school snacks, I like the zippered cloth bags best).
These bags have an airtight seal that clicks into place and is actually leakproof. It’s easy for when you have leftovers or things like cheese you need to put back in your fridge, preferably without using a plastic storage bag.
Re(zip) recommends hand-washing these bags for best results with a drop of dish soap, though they are also top-rack dishwasher safe. They should not be used in your microwave or at high heat, so make sure your foods are done cooking and have cooled off before tossing them into these reusable storage bags.
These bags are made from PEVA, which is a type of vinyl that is often used as an alternative to PVC because it doesn’t contain chlorine, which has been found harmful when it off-gasses. Re(mix) claims that just one of its reusable plastic bags replaces 300 disposable ones, making Re(mix) bags a big win for the environment.
Reusable Snack Bags for the Win
Embracing reusable snack bags and sandwich bags is a small yet important step toward a more sustainable future. By reducing our reliance on single-use plastics in general, we help protect the environment and conserve resources. We can make a collective effort to incorporate simple eco-friendly changes to make things better for the planet, one bag of Goldfish crackers at a time.
Check out our other kid-friendly guides for more non-toxic products for your home:
- Best Non-Plastic Dinnerware Sets for Toddlers and KidsĀ
- Best Non-Toxic Baby Shampoos and Body Washes
- Ultimate Guide to Eco-Friendly Toys
- Best Non-Toxic Bath Toys
