Not only is it durable, lightweight, and easily cleaned, but food-grade silicone is also non-toxic.

Reusable Food Storage Bags- 12 Pack-PEVA Eco Friendly Leak

However, there is one caution to take when using this material. While this type of plastic fares well in room temperature conditions as well as in the fridge and freezer, it is not safe to heat. Therefore, this product should never be used in the microwave or the oven. PEVA is a safe choice for food storage that is a great choice for families who are always on the go. They come in a set of six bags, and as a bonus, they also include two stainless steel straws to help you further reduce the amount of plastic you use. Alternative Brands: Qinline and IDEA TECH also offer quality and affordable PEVA products with the same features listed above. Safe Food Storage Substitutes To Disposable Plastic And PEVA This is important to note because while the thought of as a better option, research has also found that “PEVA plastic has adverse effects on living organisms, and therefore it is not a safe alternative to PVC.”Since silicone doesn’t retain temperature very well, the hot air on the inside of the bag will keep the food in the microorganism breeding range for longer than it would at room temperature.

PEVA Bags | BioEnergy Consult PEVA Bags | BioEnergy Consult

More Durable – Silicone is far more durable than PEVA, which means the bags will last longer without splitting. The point is, it would take a lot of intent and time to destroy these bags or make them no longer viable for freezer use. You’ll bring down the temperature, but the cold air on the outside of the bag isn’t directly cooling the food. Many people find PEVA to be a safer alternative to PVC, which is one of the six types of FDA-approved food-grade recyclable plastic. Ahead, learn about the factors you should consider when selecting a freezer bag, including material, capacity, and closing mechanism. MaterialPutting hot food in a silicone bag and popping it in the freezer means you’re basically putting an insulated bag in a cold area. Between all the bags, you get a gallon and a half of space, and each bag has around 400 uses before the seal begins to degrade. Whether you’re trying to curb your plastic usage, save money on zip-top bags, or find a good storage solution for lunches and leftovers, reusable food storage bags are a great investment.

Bags - Consumer Reports Best Silicone Food Storage Bags - Consumer Reports

We rated how easy the bag seals were to open and close at the beginning and the end of our ease of use test. Safety. We chose products that are free of bisphenol A (BPA), a potentially dangerous compound used in plastics manufacturing ( 1). Yes, silicone bags can be placed in the freezer. It’s the seal on the reusable silicone bags that allow them to be stored in the fridge. You can even steam, boil, or place the freezer bags in the oven. Is It Safe To Rinse And Reuse Ziploc Bags? Silicone: This sturdy, rubber-like material has added to the increasing popularity of reusable freezer bags in recent years. Silicone freezer bags are dishwasher safe, resist odors, and don’t easily stain. Silicone can also withstand high heat in the microwave, the oven, or in a pot of boiling water, so you can freeze, thaw, and cook in the same container. Since reusable silicone and PEVA bags are best cleaned by hand, there’s human error involved—failing to clean those grooves could result in bacterial growth that’s passed by your usual cleaning regimen.

The Takeaway

Recyclability – both types can be recycled (though silicone recycling centres are more limited) so both are an eco-friendly alternative to standard resealable plastic bags. PEVA: Polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), a common material in shower curtains, is a nontoxic version of PVC. PEVA is stiffer than silicone or disposable plastic bags. Like silicone, it’s relatively stain- and odor-resistant, too, but it’s harder to clean than silicone. PEVA can’t go in the dishwasher; it needs to be hand washed in soapy water. With silicone and PEVA, the temperature ranges are much lower than the threshold for freezing water, and are often dozens of degrees lower than even a flash freezer.