Zip lock bags are commonly used for storing leftovers, but they can be used for a heck of a lot more. Plus, if you are really thrifty, these can be washed and reused as long as they weren’t storing raw meat or poultry in the original use. Just turn inside out, wash and let dry.
1. Store and organize toys. Separate by type of toy and group in bags - i.e., all the Polly Pockets go in one bag, Little People in another, Barbie clothes in another, each Lego set has their own bag, etc.
2. Store and organize craft supplies like markers, beads, ribbon, etc. by item.
3. Make ice cream! Mix 1/2 cup whole milk or half and half, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a pint size zip lock and seal. Put the pint size zip lock in a gallon sized zip lock and add ice to fill up the bigger bag half way. Add 6 tablespoons salt to the ice and seal the big bag. Shake for 5 - 10 minutes and you’ll have ice cream. Fun for kids.
4. Store your own home made pancake mix. Whip up a double or triple batch of your favorite pancake recipe’s dry ingredients and store in a labeled zip lock.
5. Use as your child’s lunch bag - great for lunches that aren’t refrigerated - reuse until damaged.
6. Pound chicken, veal or pork for cutlets by putting the meat in the bag and pound away with a meat mallet or wine bottle.
7. Grease a baking pan by putting your hand in a ziplock, hold butter with bag and grease pan without getting your hands messy.
8. Marinade chicken or meat by placing all marinade ingredients in bag, seal and knead the bag a little to combine, then add meat and shake a bit to make sure the marinade is evenly distributed.
9. Save your cell phone, camera and other electronics from sand at the beach by storing them in a zip lock in your beach bag.
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10. Save money and make your own individual serving snack packs by buying big bags of snacks like pretzels and chips and separate into individual servings in baggies.
11. When packing for a trip, keep undies and socks organized in ziplocks.
12. When traveling by plane, keep all important documents like tickets, passports, itinerary, etc. in a baggie so they are kept together and easily accessible.
13. Make graham cracker crumbs for pice crust by putting crackers in bag, seal and crush bag with your hands.
14. Make your own ice pack for boo boos.
15. Or make a heat pack - fill bag with uncooked rice and microwave for a minute or so or until warm.
16. Store sweaty or wet clothes from the gym - stash a few baggies in your gym bag.
17. Store frozen baked goods, berries, soups, breads and rolls.
18. Pipe frosting or deviled egg filling. Fill bag with mixture, snip of corner of bag and pipe.
19. Stash toiletries when traveling to protect against leakage - great for when your perfume breaks in transit - no clothes will get ruined.
Any other uses for zip lock bags? Share them here.
11.13.09 @ 7:08 pm
When our puppies have overnight stays at their home-away-from home, I pack their servings of dry dog food and their rawhide chewies in reused zip-loc bags. [I opt to send their food w/ them: NUTRISH, of course!] Our Corgi has a chewing fetish and must have her chewies!
11.14.09 @ 8:52 pm
I use zip-loc bags to to hold nuts and bolts when I’m disassembling a piece of furniture to be refinished. That way, when it’s reassembly, everything if there.
11.15.09 @ 7:23 pm
I put a damp wash cloth in them for going to the park to wipe little hands. I save on the cost of wet wipes and every little bit helps.
11.15.09 @ 7:51 pm
I use zip lock bags to mix devilled egg mixture.
Then once thoroughly mixed, cut a corner off
of the bag and neatly and easily fill the eggs!!!
11.15.09 @ 7:53 pm
I use them for cup cake batter and the cut the corner off of the baggy to make for easy filling!
11.15.09 @ 11:40 pm
Loose change and paper money…Kitty and Dog treats.Maybe even batteries
11.15.09 @ 11:51 pm
Try the Zip lock vaccum bags, they work great. However when washing them, DO NOT wash them in your dishwasher, it messes with the seal of the bag. i use anti-bacterial soap and shake for 30 seconds every day for a couple of days, then THOROUGHLY rinse them.
11.16.09 @ 9:20 am
For frostings and fillings, sometimes you don’t want to just snip the corner of the bag. The couplers and tips that go with traditional pastry bags can be fitted into the corner of a Ziploc, too. Zipping the top closed makes it easier to keep the frosting off of your hands. Make sure to use the freezer bags, as the storage bags may split under the pressure.
11.16.09 @ 10:21 am
Make “boil in a bag” omelets. Mix 1-2 eggs with the fixings like bacon bits, onions, cheese etc in a freezer bag. Zip closed. Drop into a large pot of boiling water for 13 minutes. Great fun for a Sunday brunch buffet.
11.16.09 @ 10:32 am
I want to know more about the vaccum cleaner bags. I freeze my fresh veggies from the garden that I can’t use. Husband use them to marinate for Frying Turkeys
11.16.09 @ 3:33 pm
If your on a trip you can put cereal in a baggie for your kids and for the adults you can put peanuts or chips or pretzels in them and or snacks for everyone…
11.16.09 @ 5:50 pm
I buy the snack size bags and then buy bulk snacks for school lunches. While watching a favorite program, I individually bag them and then return to original bulk packaging and put in our lunch cupboard with all other handy lunch only supplies. All ready to grab when making lunches each day!
11.17.09 @ 8:53 am
When buying a large chunk of parmesan cheese for use in cooking, the cheese can be grated in advance and stored in these bags, then popped into the freezer. This is especially good for Parmesan as the cheese doesn’t clump together and stays beautifully fresh. Saves time when you are in a hurry. Great too when buying fresh herbs or if you have a large quantity of home grown. Wash thoroughly, wrap in absorbent paper and store in bag in fridge, or without paper, pop into ziplock and pop in freezer.
11.18.09 @ 10:32 am
Make your egg omeletes in a quart freezer bag. add what ever you want to it. Mix it up in the bag. Bring a pan of boiling water on the stove. Pop in your bag and you have a perfect egg omelete.
11.18.09 @ 11:37 am
KEEP XTRA TINY TWINKLE LIGHTS IN A ZIP LOCK BAG, THIS WILL SAVE TOU FROM STEELING A LIGHT FROM A NOTHER SET BECAUSE YOU CANT FIND 1 LITTLE BULB TO MAKE YOU FAVERITE STRAND WORK. =) HAPPY HOLLIDAYS
11.18.09 @ 11:41 am
HERB BUTTER = CHOP YOUR FAVERITE HERBS, DROP EM IN A ZIP LOCK BAG, DROP A STICK OF ROOM TEMP BUTTER IN WITH EM, MIX WELL AND LET CHILL OVER NIGHT. =)
11.18.09 @ 11:44 am
USE WHEN SHIPPING IN A PINCH IF YOU HAVE A FRAGILE ITEM BLOW AIR IN WITH A STRAW SEAL AND ADD A FEW AIR FILLED BAGS FOR A LITTLE ADDED SECURITY SEAL EVEN BETTER WITH A LITTLE LOW TEMP GLUE IF AVL. =)
11.18.09 @ 11:47 am
KEEP KIDS CRAYONS IN A ZIP TOP BAG IF YOU TRAVEL ALOT WITH YOU KIDS, CARS GET HOT AND YOU WILL NEVER GET A CARPET OR CAR SEAT TO LOOK THE SAME IF A LITTLE MELTED CRAYON GETS ON IT.=(
11.18.09 @ 11:56 am
KEEP A RECEPIE IN ONE WHILE YOU ARE COOKING TO KEEP IT CLEAN. =)
11.18.09 @ 11:58 am
PUT YOU KIDS NAMES ON BAG AND KEEP THEM FOR BABY TEETH. =)
11.18.09 @ 10:53 pm
I put opened/used sewing patterns in them. Once you’ve opened that pattern tissue there’s no refolding it. I make sure the front of the pattern packet is clearly visible, and they all stack nice and tidy!
11.21.09 @ 10:55 am
I keep a ziplock bag in my purse for receipts only. When a cashier hands me the receipt, I put it in the ziplock bag, that way all of my receipts are in one place and I don’t have to wonder where they are. I also organize the receipts according to the store where the purchase was made, which makes it easier to retrieve a receipt in the event of a return. Keeping the receipts in a ziplock bag also keeps the receipts from becoming damaged inside the purse lipstick, nail polish, perfume, hot wings –j/k
12.16.09 @ 6:14 pm
To make your own refreezeable ice pack that is also flexible. Fill half bag with ice and add two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol. Refreeze after about 15 minutes and it will stay flexible and will be usable for many months.
02.19.10 @ 12:49 am
1. use for storing puzzle pieces
2. use for storing paired children’s socks. You can see in a jiff what you need and they don’t get lost in the drawer.
3. label and use for storing garden/flower seeds
02.24.10 @ 5:19 pm
i use ziploc bags for any leftovers, freeze them, and then when making soup, stew, etc. i take the frozen food out of bags, dump the food in a pan and in minutes i have a meal. saves time and money.
03.05.10 @ 8:21 am
I use ziplock baggies for children’s clothes. They want to dress themselves so you put matching outfits (shirt, shorts, sock, etc) in a baggie in their draw so they can get it out and dress themselves. It also helps keeps draws organized and helps for them when traveling. They can even help pack themselves because their outfits are already all together in a baggie.