The 7 Best Reusable Food Storage Bags of 2024

The Bottom Line: The Best Reusable Food Storage Bags

In the world of reusable food storage bags, I think you really can’t do better than the (re)zip Food Storage Bags—either the 8-piece set of 4-gallon and 4 half-gallon bags (view at Amazon) or the 4-pack gallon bag set (view at Amazon). If a starter set is what you want, go with the 10-pack of Qinline Reusable Food Storage Bags (view at Amazon).

Choosing Reusable Food Storage Bags

There are quite a few options out there when it comes to reusable food storage bags. Keep these points in mind when shopping:

Consider the Materials

The majority of the food storage containers we tested were made of either silicone or PEVA (polyethylene vinyl acetate). Silicone tends to be a bit thicker and sturdier than PEVA, while PEVA is typically less expensive than silicone. In addition, silicone can typically withstand high heat, which means it can go in the microwave and dishwasher, while PEVA often cannot. 

Reusable food storage bags also come in cloth versions, such as Bumkins’ polyester bags with a waterproof coating. These bags don’t seal tightly like silicone and PEVA, so plan to use them for toting dry snacks in backpacks, lunch boxes or purses. 

Pick the Right Size and Design 

When choosing a set of reusable food storage bags, think about what size and capacity will be most useful to you. Do you need small bags for your kids’ (or your own) snacks, or are you looking for large containers to squirrel away big batches of leftovers or meal-prepped ingredients? Also, consider whether you prefer bags that lay flat or stand up on their own; the former typically takes up less storage space, but the latter is excellent for pouring in things like soup and stew, and they’re sometimes easier to store in the fridge or the pantry. 

Are They Easy to Clean?

If having to hand-wash your food storage bags means you’ll use them less (hi, it’s me!), be sure to read the specs carefully before buying. All the silicone bags we tested can go in the dishwasher, while many PEVA bags should or must be hand-washed. Meanwhile, fabric bags can typically go in the top rack of the dishwasher or into a standard clothes washer. If lingering stains and odors is a dealbreaker for you, look to our picks that withstand staining the best. 

Are They Durable?

Most reusable food storage bags are durable and should hold up well for the long haul. That being said, consider potential weak points, such as zipper closures, that could break down over time. 

Factor In the Price

If you recall, this was one of my reservations about reusable food storage bags. They can be pricey—especially the silicone ones—but over time, they can ultimately save you money compared to single-use plastic food storage bags. The bags on this list range from $1.40 to $14 per bag and are usually sold as a set (so $10 to $70). 

Remember, silicone tends to be more expensive than PEVA, but it also typically seems sturdier and more durable, so you might save some money in the long run by choosing silicone. 

Our Reusable Food Storage Bag Tests

For each of the seven sets of bags I evaluated, I conducted a series of three tests: a leak test, a stain test and a freshness test. For the leak test, we filled the bag with water and sealed it, then held it upside down to see if any water leaked out. For the freshness and stain test, I roasted a batch of vegetables: broccoli for its strong odor and butternut squash for its vibrant color that can stain. I then froze each bag of roasted vegetables for up to a month before assessing how they looked and tasted when reheated.  

After the initial testing, I incorporated my favorite bags into my cooking routine and day-to-day life. I used them for meal-prepping ingredients and storing leftovers, I sent them to school packed with snacks and I used them to freeze produce—among many other things. 

Remember, we also previously tested 12 sets of bags—some of which were repeated in my most recent test. In the initial test, we also conducted a leak test, a stain test (which involved storing vibrant foods like tomato sauce and beets in each bag for three days) and a freshness test (where we placed a peeled and pitted avocado in the bag and stored it in the refrigerator for three days). 

We Also Considered

Homelux Theory Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags, 6-Pack ($24 at Amazon): This six-piece set contains a variety of bags in vibrant colors. Made of food-grade silicone, each set includes two small (2-cup), two medium (4-cup) and two large (6-cup) bags. These bags feature a plastic slider bar (pictured above) to keep them sealed, which I felt was cumbersome, especially because it requires two hands. Also, the plastic slider makes the bag top-heavy and so it didn’t stand upright very well, even though the design looks like it should. These bags showed no signs of leakage during my test, and they’re also dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and can be used for sous vide cooking. 

W&P Porter Silicone Reusable Bags Starter Set, 5-Piece Set ($70 at Amazon): Durable like the Stasher bags yet slightly easier to load food into, two of the bags in this set stand up on their own while the other three don’t. In my tests, these bags didn’t leak any soapy water and they easily came clean in the top rack of the dishwasher. But a turmeric-heavy soup stained them slightly and the wide bottomed bags were more challenging to store. Perhaps most importantly, these bags were the priciest per bag of the bunch at $14 per piece. 

SPLF Reusable Storage Bags ($15 at Amazon): While these PEVA bags sealed tightly and kept foods fresh for days in our tests, they also stained very easily. The manufacturer does not recommend putting hot foods in them or placing them in the dishwasher or the microwave, which may be deal-breakers for some folks.

Xomoo Reusable Silicone Food Bags ($20 at Amazon): Made from silicone, these bags can go in the dishwasher, microwave, freezer and oven. You can even use them in a pot on the stovetop, such as for sous vide cooking, according to the manufacturer. While this versatile set kept our foods nice and fresh, the bags didn’t fare so well in our leak tests.

Lunchskins Reusable Zippered Food Storage Bag Set ($11 at Amazon): These pretty little fabric bags are an attractive way to take dry snacks on the go. However, the zipper seals are not airtight, and they leaked badly during our tests.

Common Questions

Are reusable food storage bags safe to use? 

When it comes to the safety of silicone, PEVA and TPU-coated reusable food storage bags, there are no easy answers. “Although some of the compounds might seem to be safer than previous plastic bags, it’s hard to know without actual testing data,” says Michael Hansen, Ph.D., senior scientist, advocacy, with Consumer Reports.

Similarly, Samara Geller, senior director of cleaning science for the Environmental Working Group, says that, when it comes to materials such as silicone, more studies are needed to identify what chemical additives and materials might be left behind from processing and to assess the levels at which these chemicals might migrate into food that’s stored in the bags. For that reason, Geller says, “We currently recommend glass and stainless steel as the best options for reusable food ware.” She adds, “If these options aren’t available or you’re set on using silicone, try platinum-cured silicone products, which may help to minimize the potential for harmful impurities.” Two reusable bags on our list are made of platinum silicone—Stasher (pictured below) and Zip Top bags. 

Another way to mitigate potential risks when using reusable or disposable food storage bags is to follow the usage instructions from the manufacturer—for example, if the manufacturer says not to put a bag in the dishwasher or microwave, follow those guidelines. 

How many times can you reuse a food storage bag? 

This varies from bag to bag, but in general, you should get hundreds of uses out of any of the bags on this list. Unless your reusable bag is visibly damaged or begins to smell bad, there’s no reason not to keep using it. I’ve been using my re(zip) and Ello bags for almost six months now and they still look brand new. The Stasher website, for example, calls its bags “endlessly reusable,” and while we can’t speak to endlessness, we can say that several EatingWell editors have been using their silicone bags for years with no signs of damage.

You can extend the life of your reusable storage bags by following the instructions from the manufacturer about how to use and care for them and heeding the instructions about whether they can go in the dishwasher or the microwave. 

What’s the best way to clean a reusable food storage bag? 

This will also vary depending on the bag, and you’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s directions about the best way to clean your bag of choice. For example, most silicone bags can go in the dishwasher, while most PEVA bags need to be hand-washed (although some can go on the top rack of the dishwasher). Ditto for drying—the manufacturers’ instructions are your best bet. We will say that, for most of these bags, finding a way to hold them open while air drying helps to get them completely dry. We’ve tried putting them over a glass on the counter or a wooden spoon sticking up in your drying rack—and there are also specifically-designed drying racks for reusable food storage bags. Some bags can be turned inside out for drying, while others will warp if turned inside out. So, again, following the instructions given by the manufacturer will point you in the right direction. 

Can reusable food storage bags be microwaved? 

I sound like a broken record at this point, but it’s important to consult the manufacturers’ guidelines when it comes to microwaving your food storage bags. As a general rule, though, most silicone bags can go in the microwave (some are also oven proof up to a specific temperature), while the majority of PEVA bags should not be zapped, as they could potentially leach harmful chemicals into the food contained in them. Fabric bags (especially synthetic) are another no-go for the same reason—and if they have metal zippers or other hardware on them, it’s a double “no.”

Are reusable food storage bags freezer-safe? 

All but one of the bags on our list can go in the freezer, and they do a great job of protecting foods from freezer burn. The exception is the Bumkins brand, which does not recommend using its bags in the freezer because they are not airtight. That said, it’s more of a freshness issue with the Bumkins bags rather than a safety issue. 

Our Trusted Expertise

Brierley Horton, M.S., RD, is EatingWell’s Senior Commerce Editor. She has 15 years of experience reporting, writing and editing nutrition and health content. For this particular article, she personally tested seven reusable food storage bag sets and 36 individual bags over a 4-month period. 

A previous version of this article was written by Megan O. Steintrager, a former food editor for EatingWell and has more than 20 years of experience in the food space. In addition to her own expertise, Megan consulted two experts for their insights on the safety of reusable food storage bags: