Hi, I’m Katie, and I’m a reusable snack bag junkie.
It’s true.
Now that I’ve been using reusable sandwich and snack bags regularly for over six years, it’s not even weird anymore…to me.
Every so often, I see myself through someone else’s eyes as I unzip a cloth bag full of trail mix or perhaps allergy-free pumpkin muffins, and I wonder what they are thinking. Reusable bags, in general, are much more mainstream than when I started using them, so it may not be the first time someone has seen a reusable sandwich bag, but they’re still a pretty rare beast out in the wild.
Do they think I’m super crunchy? Super frugal? Super DIY? Do they figure I made them myself right after my underwater basket weaving class?
I don’t know, but what I DO know is that there’s no going back to plastic. The reusable bags are just too cute, too waste-reducing, too…reusable. I love that I never run out of bags, and I love that we don’t throw all that plastic away. I can pack a waste-free lunch almost 100% of the time (minus an apple core or something here and there).
And now I’m going to peer pressure you a bit (a lot). Our whole family has tested out enough different ones that I’m confident I can recommend the BEST style and brand of reusable snack and sandwich bag for your family, kids or adults.
Here are the brands of reusable sandwich and snacks bags that I’ve tried:
(many of which are found on Amazon, affiliate links below)
- Itzy Ritzy
- 2 Red Hens
- EcoLunchGear
- Snack Taxi
- Kids Konserve
- Frugal Granola (now closed, but similar to other Etsy sellers I’m sure)
- Lunchskins
- neat-os
- Eco Ditty
- Celadon Road
Are those “in no particular order?” No, they are not. 😉 It’s quite particular…
The Best Reusable Bags for Lunch and Snacks…
…have certain qualities that make them easy to use, easy to wash, long-lasting or stand out in some other way.
- No hidden traps: Opens fully to get crumbs and goo out of the corners
- Ease of Cleaning: Easy to rinse/wipe food off the material
- Quick Drying
- Longevity: Still looks good over time
- The Seal: Retains some moisture inside (for juicy foods) and keep air outside (for dry goods and staleness prevention)
- Shhhh! Opens quietly and easily for church
My top three bags by far are 2 Red Hens, Itzy Ritzy, and EcoLunchGear.
They are the ones we default to most often (and we use bags a LOT with three kids in school full time), and also the only brands that I’ve purchased more of as my kids have grown. There used to be a close fourth on the list, but sadly I had to take Lunchskins off my Recommended List completely (see below for more).
Here’s the low-down on each bag individually, in order of how well we like them:
Itzy Ritzy: One of the Best Reusable Sandwich Bags out There
The star feature for Itzy Ritzy is the zippered closure, which (was) unique among all the styles I own (until 2 Red Hens came along).
The zipper means that there’s no loud rrrrrrrrip! sound when you open the bag, vital for quiet places like church or meetings. It’s very easy for even young children to open (sometimes strong Velcro can be a challenge for young toddlers).
The inside is a very smooth BPA-free, PVC-free, pthalate-free plastic lining that wipes clean so easily. Sometimes I’ll put off cleaning our reusable bags out because I think it will take too long, but any Itzy Ritzy bags usually get rinsed and flipped open to dry right away. There’s just something about the material that makes food just fall right off it.
The inside also reverses completely while allowing the cotton exterior to remain right side out, such that both parts can dry really easily at the same time. (Others like the Snack Taxi force you to fold the fabric part inside when flipping inside out to dry, so that stays wet and the whole deal takes twice as long to dry.)
Itzy Ritzy is big enough to hold four muffins or huge bunches of grapes, and it does very well with moist things like baby carrots and even strawberries. Bottom photo courtesy of ItzyRitzy.
I can’t believe I don’t have more photos of this brand, but I think I know why: they’re always in use. We have three of them, one for each kid, and they’re constantly in a backpack, lunchbox, or (ahem) desk. They’re a clear favorite in our house!
2 Red Hens: A Favorite Reusable Snack Bag for Kids and Toddlers
shown with some lovely homemade blueberry fruit rolls
We didn’t get to try 2 Red Hens until we already had years of experience with other reusable lunch bags, but it vaulted itself quickly and decisively into the top choices for KS! They literally check all the boxes of “must-have qualities,” and then some.
These 2 Red Hens bags are truly amazing – they use zippers, which means you can have them in church for little ones. (Imagine the problem Velcro bags cause in quiet places like that – rrrrrrrrrrip!!!!) They are very wipe-clean-able, which not all bags do nearly as well. They literally have zero corner issues because they unzip on THREE sides and open up all the way flat. That’s the best part – no crumbs or gooeyness in the corners that you can’t get out (although there are some extra flaps around the seams that take a few additional seconds to wipe sometimes, on very messy foods).
I was telling someone on my team about these great new bags, and she mentioned that her toddler would love that, but she’d unzip all 3 sides and end up with her snack all over the floor. But the moms who designed them are too smart for your toddlers, too – there’s a really tight snap stopping the zipper after it opens just one side. So no accidental toddler snack explosions.
They are very sturdy, made of non-toxic plastic, and look brand new after a year of use. They dry super fast because there’s nothing thick or fabric going on.
Plus? They’re so. so. cute. Best designs I’ve seen if you want to look posh at lunchtime!
They come in large and small sizes (sold as a 2-pack from what I can tell) and 5 patterns currently. The only note I’d give you is just to cut the massive tag (on the inside) out the moment yours arrive.
You can find 2 Red Hens on Amazon from time to time (not always available) or see a specific print here. They’re sold by the manufacturer here.
EcoLunchGear: Great Local, Organic Choice for No Waste Lunches
Ecolunchgear is another product that has demonstrated its worth with the test of time. Not only do the bags continue to look awesome ever after 5-6 years of use, but we grab them. Out of all the bags we have, these are certainly stand-bys.
This picture shows the snack and sandwich sized bags.
I love these bags mostly because they really open up alllll the way so you can every rogue crumb (wish I could say the same for carseats).
I also love that they’re dry in a jiffy, are made in Michigan, and the nylon insides keep some moisture in. I don’t love the humongous Velcro panel, but it’s only an aesthetic issue, and I actually think newer versions might cover it completely. EcoLunchGear also has the neat feature of that extra Velcro strip so that you can fold over the sticky part for washing so the bags don’t stick to everything in the laundry (kind of like cloth diapers).
These were off the market for a while, and I’m so glad they’re back – and now in organic fabric, too!
Snack Taxi: A Reusable Bag that Holds in Gooey Kid Messes
Snack Taxi is a close fourth, if I had to put them in order. It’s held up very well over 6 years, and we rely on it a lot for larger, moist items. It was the go-to for carrots or grapes before we added Itzy Ritzy in fact.
Snack Taxi has a pretty sturdy polyurethane coated nylon interior and a large flap that folds over to close. We have actually survived an entire plum smashed flat in a backpack inside a Snack Taxi, so it does hold in goo very well!
It turns completely inside out, although there are corners that crumbs could potentially get stuck in:
The drying is much slower than EcoLunchGear or Itzy Ritzy, and you have to remember to turn it right side out and let it have a second chance to dry.
Kids Konserve Reusable Sandwich Wraps
I just have a sandwich wrap from Kids Konserve, but it’s very different from any other bag or wrap I have. It’s made of a very thin, crisp plastic. You can get an idea of how it feels in these photos demonstrating me opening the wrap:
What I DO like about this material is how easy it is to wipe clean and how fast it dries. It also takes very little space to store, which is great.
It is hard to get it to lay flat, though, so the placemat idea would take more time to pin down than most kids have at lunch; the mat just holds its folded shape too well. And it’s a bit smaller than some wraps; I’m comparing to the Wrap-n-mat (on Amazon) which I purchased for my mom years ago. She’s still using it, it’s in good shape, and it gets the job done. Kids Konserve generally runs less money than the Wrap-N-Mat, so if you don’t mind it being a bit smaller, it’s a great deal.
Frugal Granola: Truly Plastic-Free Beeswax Coated Fabric Snack Bags
I hope there’s an Etsy seller making bags and wraps like these, because we really, really like them. Frugal Granola closed up shop soon after we got these samples, but the beeswax coating on the fabric sandwich wraps and tiny snack bags has really held up amazingly well, and this is by far the best plastic-free option, if that’s important to you.
The only downfall might be the crumb-catching corners on the bags, but they actually go inside out much more thoroughly than most because the stitching allows it to become a square when the inner seam is outside. It’s also a little more time-consuming to wash these out – instead of a quick rinse under water, I do tend to use a clean, wet dishcloth for two reasons: (a) they’re not all that fast drying when they get completely soaked and (b) it really requires a bit of abrasiveness from the cloth to get food off the beeswax coating.
If you’re a DIY kind of person, I’m guessing a Google search for beeswax coated reusable fabric bags would yield some great tutorials!
Lunchskins: Great Reusable Bag, Until…
Lunchskins are a very basic shape, Velcro-closure reusable bag that comes in both snack and sandwich sizes. They work well and do the job, but strangely I can’t think of any star features or any major complaints to report.
- Lunchskins do turn inside out fine
- They are easy to wipe clean (BUT do stain on the inside and outside easily)
- They do dry quickly
- They can handle slightly wet/moist foods without passing the moisture through the fabric
- They are bpa-free, phthalate-free – food-safe polyurethane
(shown above with other lunch gear from Mighty Nest)
My colleague Shaina of Food for my Family reviewed Lunchskins as her top choice after 9 years of lunch packing experience and 10 brands of bags. She runs them through the dishwasher, but I always find that to be more trouble than it’s worth, because the bags sometimes come out looking dirtier than they went in and you still have to air dry them.
I used to place them in 4th out of all the ones I’ve tried…but then this happened after only two years of use:
It might be easier to see in this photo:
The plastic coating on the inside is starting to flake off quite seriously, and we had to take them out of commission because I didn’t want little pieces of polyurethane getting in my kids’ food and mouths.
So disappointing! It is happening to both of the bags we have, and this is only after two years of ownership. We don’t really wash them much at all in the laundry, I would guess only 2-4 times total. They were great bags and easy to use and ones we grabbed often, but I really can’t recommend them if they won’t last longer than a few years. 🙁
neat-os: Uh oh…
We’ve had a selection of neat-os bags for at least a year now, and they have some great features (and one huge problem).
- Neat-os bags come in large sizes too (pictured), which is so cool, because they’re the only reusable bag I know of that gets as big as a gallon zippered bag (and bigger!).
- You can see through the bag without opening it, which is one advantage over just about every reusable snack bag we tested here.
- I loved using the bags for cut raw vegetables in my salad drawer and other large items in the fridge.
- They’re made of non-leaching plastic and made in the US.
- Like other reusable bags, they are not air-tight – so no good for bread products or crunchy snacks overnight.
- They zip – my favorite!
- They turn inside out and are not difficult to clean and dry, and they don’t seem to stain easily, but there is a small risk of crumb-in-the-corner syndrome, because the corner is sharp, unlike Itzy Ritzy’s rounded corners.
- The large bags are touted for freezer cooking, but I wouldn’t dare. They don’t hold liquid at all. That doesn’t impact the sandwich size as much, but I would hate to freeze and thaw anything in them – juices everywhere. Same goes for freezing meat – I’d never do it.
- Neat-os have a see-through window stripe in the center so you know what’s in the bag. A very cool feature, BUT…
- The seam where the transparent plastic meets the rest of the bag doesn’t hold up. Both of my larger sizes got a lot of use, but before 6 months had passed both had holes in them. 🙁 I can’t justify the price for that amount of time, such a disappointment.
- Note: The smaller sandwich-size bag has held up fine over 3-4 years now without a tear.
Here’s just a bit more about the product from the neat-os FAQs, for your information:
“neat-os are made of FDA certified food-safe materials. All materials have been certified as bisphenol-A (BPA)-free, phthalate-free, PVC-free, and lead free. The fabric is a cotton canvas that was designed for chefs and is coated in food safe plastic, that can withstand high temperatures and is non-abrasive, making it easy to clean lots of different ways.”
They are washable by hand or dishwasher or washing machine…
Eco Ditty: A Truly Plastic-Free Reusable Sandwich Bag – but Never for Sandwiches!
Eco Ditty does have some really cool color-your-own bags, but you have to be committed to “no plastic at all” to really appreciate 100% organic cotton bags with no beeswax coating.
Bread products or tortilla chips go stale fast, even before lunchtime if you pack in the morning, and baby carrots soak through immediately. So that means you should never pack a sandwich in this sandwich bag…ironic, right?
They’re cute and good for some things like dried fruit or chocolate chips, but you have to be aware of the breathability of fabric. They also looked old after the first washing (but haven’t really gotten worse after that).
Overall I don’t think I’d purchase Eco Ditty for myself, but if avoiding plastic entirely was a goal, this remains a great option. Photo from Amazon.
Celadon Road Wrap: Just Fine
This sandwich wrap is pretty standard. I think I like it better than Kids Konserve just because it feels more durable and lays flat really well (plus my daughter went gaga over the spots). It’s shown above with two full-sized gluten-free pumpkin muffins and holds them just fine.
Since we don’t do a lot of sandwiches around here, we’ve also put grapes and cherry tomatoes in it easily. The surface wipes clean very well, and the only problem might be the same with any wrap: it’s tricky for my 5yo to figure out how to wrap it up correctly.
Celadon Road Reusable Bag: Clear but Clearly No Good
Celadon Road‘s reusable bag product is one that may have looked cooler in the catalog than in reality.
I love that it’s clear – the only one I’ve seen where you have a chance of seeing the contents, something many might miss when switching from plastic sandwich bags. It’s also made by a very sustainable company, and I appreciate that, and the built-in “mat” that folds out is a nice feature.
However, it wins the prize for being the hardest to clean. The plastic (EVA, which is a PVC and BPA-free plastic) is very thick and only semi-pliable, which I appreciated at first because it feels sturdy and strong. However, it makes it difficult to flip the bags inside out to wash, and getting into the corners is almost impossible.
The bag stained very quickly from some pumpkin muffins, demonstrating a drawback of the clear view since now it always looks kind of icky. Other bags stained too, but at least they’re hidden inside. (Itzy Ritzy does not stain easily at all, by the way.)
I was already leaning toward saying that I do not recommend this product, when in the course of taking these photos, I flipped my large 3-week-old sandwich bag inside out to demonstrate and this happened:
It’s only a matter of time before that tears all the way down the seam and renders the bag scrap plastic. I emphatically cannot recommend this one.
Squooshi: Reusable Food Pouch
Although a Squooshi isn’t a reusable bag, it is a reusable food pouch and deserves a mention here.
You can put things in a Squooshi (on Amazon) that you could never put in a bag, like oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies and applesauce. The Sip’n lid means no spills (phew!) and they’re so. darn. cute.
Check out my full review to see what you think. We tend to put leftover smoothie in them and freeze it for lunch, and my kids love them. They are harder to clean than a glass bowl with a lid, which is what I’d send frozen smoothie in otherwise, but it’s a tradeoff for style and fun.
If you get them, my recommendation is to only get the larger size and just know that they’re a treat, and use a bottle brush to wash them (rinse right away!).
For more reusable lunch container reviews, be sure to check out my bento box review as well!!
More Healthy / Green Lunch Packing Ideas:
- The Healthy Lunch Box :: an eBook
- Packing a Healthy Lunch to Go :: ideas for lunches of all kinds, no junk
- The Best Lunch Packing Gear :: reviews of a ton of bento boxes
- Kids Unpack the Lunch :: learning responsibility
- Berry Good Wraps :: unique lunch idea
- 10 Bread-Free Packable Alternatives to Sandwiches
- Gluten-free Lunch Ideas :: food allergies at school
- Can’t do no waste? Packing a Reduced Waste Lunch
- Handling school lunch begging and community snacks :: wisdom from the KS community
- Fixing School Lunch in Two Easy Steps :: more veggies anyone?
- 10 Tips to Pack Brilliant School Lunches and Avoid Wasting Food
Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post to Amazon from which I will earn some commission if you make a purchase. I received most of the products in this post as review copies, but many were years ago. I have purchased Itzy Ritzy and EcoLunchgear on my own as well. My opinions – obviously – are 100% my own, and no money changed hands for this post. See my full disclosure statement here.
Gretchen @ Desert Survivor says
Interesting to hear about all the different brands. We’ve been using Bugsella reusable bags with good results.
Sarah B says
I really like our Itzy Ritzy and Re-Pac bags. Our one SnackTaxi is good but stiffer so I find it harder to clean. Haven’t used the LunchSkins bag at all because of how stiff it is, so hard to clean.
Susan C. says
Who knew there were so many brands! Thank you for this thoughtful review. We have a reusable Tupperware for most lunches, but also use bags and wraps from Beneterre. And I love their produce bags for farmers market shopping. http://www.beneterre.com/eco-reusable-bags.php?/
Cathie says
Am I the only one that things these are a little pricey? I know that it would be only fair to compare to buying boxes and boxes of plastic bags, but I still can’t consider buying one bag for $10-$15.
Cathie says
thinks these things.
Sarah B says
I agree – they’re pricey. Which is why I bought some with a Groupon, another time with 30% off deal, and won some in a giveaway. My collection has grown slowly.
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship says
Cathie,
They do seem like a huge chunk of change at first, and I wish I could figure out just how many baggies and therefore $ I’ve avoided, but I couldn’t even guess. Def. watch for sales, or DIY them even. I think especially once I’ve had them a few more years, they’ll be worth it – plus it’s one less thing I have to worry about running out of/putting on my list/clipping coupons etc.
🙂 Katie
Cathie says
That’s exactly what I was thinking – to DIY some. I have been doing Bento-style lunches for my son, mostly using Tupperware and tiny jars that I’ve saved (think jam samples.) But sometimes, I need a baggie for those cheddar bunnies. I wish I had seen that Groupon that Sarah B. mentioned! Gonna dust off my sewing machine…….
Sarah B says
I realize they’re not bags and they’re still not cheap but deals like this are how I expand my reusable storage — https://www.livingsocial.com/cities/1-washington-d-c/deals/773806-reusable-lunch-boxes-trays?afsrc=1&id=773806-reusable-lunch-boxes-trays&utm_campaign=digest_athomedigest&utm_content=2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=blast
Rebecca says
WE have 12 ReUsies bags for lunches, 4 for each kid, plus we use some small tupperware for mellon and yogurt. We try to stock up when a company is changing styles or discounts last year’s fabrics. Our ReUsies cost us only $5 a bag instead of $10 because they were putting out a new version, we got the old one.
Also like the Little Green Pouch for things like smoothies, they are bigger and hold almost a cup for older kids.
Rachel says
What an amazing and thorough review! I appreciate how you went through all the details. In addition to lunch skins, I think you need to try out another one out there that I helped create — neat-os!
Check it out — http://www.neat-os.com
neat-os were designed to remedy some of the short comings of other reusable bags. Based on your concerns I think it will meet your requirements to be in the top three of the reusable bags.
Christine says
For what it’s worth, the Celadon Road baggies say right on the package that they might stain, and I do not think that they are intended to be turned inside out 😉 But I definitely prefer the standard sandwich wrap for most things, and I agree-the dots are ADORABLE! I still think the baggies are a good alternative to ziploc for things like grapes, cherry tomatoes, sandwiches and pretzels. Thanks for your hard work on this review!
Marcy says
Try Abeego for another beeswax-infused fabric option! I have the variety pack and like them a lot, except as you mentioned cleaning is a bit tedious, and my kid tended to leave them balled up for a week before bringing them to the sink, which led to some staining and one getting mold.
http://abeego.com/collections/all/products/flats-varietypack-beeswax-sheets-cover-dishes-wrap-cheese-wrap-produce
Emily says
I just wanted to share this link because we have and love these:
http://2redhens.com/products/chevron-stripes-snack-bags
They open fully and have a zipper on 3 sides. We just hand wash and air dry since this will be our first year of packing school lunches…
jayda says
No plastic is safe. Bpa free plastic is still plastic and with time, this too will be cause for concern.
Anna Kate says
I might have missed this part but can someone direct me to a good bag for dried goods. I pack my own lunch the night before work and I have noticed my Boom chicka Pop popcorn seems stale the next day. I have only tried Good Lunch snack bags which Velcro. Maybe a zipper would be better. Please advise!
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship says
Hey Anna Kate,
The zipper might be better – but I have yet to find a reusable bag that is super reliable for crunchy things. Overnight might be okay, but for popcorn you might be better off with a stainless steel bowl or something. This is the one we use for yogurt but about 2 sizes up would be perfect for a serving of popcorn: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/LWP8cm (they last FOREVER so it looks like a lot of $ but after 10 years it will be nothing) You could also use a zipper but stick the bag into a bowl with a lid on your counter overnight, and then it would be airtight at least until you left the house.
Good luck! Katie
MM says
Thanks so much for the thorough reviews. Have you tried Bumkins reusable bags? I’m wondering if they’re as awesome as their bibs (which I love because they’re effective and easy to clean). I’m also wondering how safe/non-toxic the material is since now I would be using it for food storage. Their website says they’re “lead free, PVC free, BPA free, phthalates free, vinyl free, and lab tested food safe” … but I don’t know if that covers everything. 🙂
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship says
MM,
I haven’t tried them but I also love the bibs! My neighbor picked up some of that brand on clearance and had only good things to say though – I think the “free of” list covers pretty much everything you can avoid while still using plastic of some sort 🙂 Katie
MM says
Thanks! I think I’ll try the Bumkins and the Itzy Ritzy… and maybe the 3 Red Hens. The Bumkins seem to be about half the price of the others, so I’ll be thrilled if they work out. Thanks again for your in-depth reviews! Very helpful!
Tracie says
Did you try the Bumkins? What are your thoughts? Would you choose Bumkins or itzy ritzy?
Christina J says
We’ve used a couple of those brands, but right now my favorites are from ChicoBag, they have a small velcro tab after the top folds over and i think they hold wet-ish foods well. You can fit a large sandwich in them, or fold it down to the second velcro tab for snack size. The price isn’t too bad, I think $11-12 for a pack of 3? I like the idea of how easily the Itzy Ritzy cleans, as well as the one that opens on 3 sides, it’s like a portable placemat! 🙂
Marta says
Do you have any recommendations for bags to hold a whole loaf of bread in and also what to use for freezer? I struggle to find plastic free alternatives for those. In freezer I mostly store some prepade things like cooked beans, extra muffins for snacks etc.
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship says
Hi Marta,
Freezing is such a tough one! I totally still use zippered bags for beans and muffins. Sometimes I’ll do beans in reused glass peanut butter jars or sour cream tubs (still plastic but at least reusable) but the flat bags take up so much less space. I really can’t think of a good, flat alternative! For homemade bread, again I still do use plastic bags and just tap out the crumbs or wash them to reuse. I don’t worry as much about plastic touching dry things as I do wet – there is hardly any real contact for leaching to take place IMO. If you bake bread a lot and would like a plastic-free alternative, Life Without Plastic sells stainless steel, airtight boxes – they’re super pricey but would work for bread and may be worth it if you make enough bread. They’re great quality and the lids stay on very well (we only use the little cups but it’s all made the same way). Scroll down here to see various sizes: https://www.lifewithoutplastic.com/store/eating/bentos-and-boxes/airtight-watertight-containers.html?acc=a1d0c6e83f027327d8461063f4ac58a6
Edit on that – when I went to look up the stainless steel box, I noticed they have a HUGE food “wrap” that is cotton coated in beeswax and should work for bread:
https://www.lifewithoutplastic.com/store/plastic-free-food-wrap-by-abeego-giant-flats.html?acc=a1d0c6e83f027327d8461063f4ac58a6
Maybe one of those will help! 🙂 Katie
JenP says
We just got some planet-wise zipper bags – clear ones. They make the corners angled so things don’t get stuck, but we don’t flip them inside out to clean. Not much use yet but we like them so far!
Alissa says
Hi Katie, thanks for this post, reusable bags isn’t something I have got around to yet, even though we have reduced most other plastic products. Are any of these suitable for freezer cooking? We freeze a lot of soups each month, and don’t have the storage space to put them in glass dishes. Thanks!
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship says
Hi Alissa,
The neat-o’s are big enough and would be great BUT I really don’t trust them to not get holes in them. Soup would be not so good! 🙁 I don’t think you’re going to find anything 100% watertight enough for soup in the freezer, sorry. Plus it would still have plastic touching your food anyway if it’s watertight, even reusable, you know? Bummer!