I'd like to introduce you to the Reynolds Handi-Vac Vacuum Food Storage System. This thing is AWESOME!! It cost me around $7, and the bags it uses are not that much more expensive than the regular ones.
It is a simple little gadget... All you do is fill the bag with your food item up to the "fill line" on the baggie. Then you seal the top and lay it down on a hard surface. You put the tip of the vacuum sealer on the round sealing vent and push the button. You stop when the sound changes (which indicates the air has all been vacuumed out).
It doesn't work for high-liquid foods like soups, etc, but I have LOVED all the things I've been able to toss in the freezer in them. My cheese lasts longer, my salad doesn't get soggy, and my leftovers taste fresh. Freezer burn no longer exists in my house. :) You can re-seal the baggies until your food inside is gone, but the manufacturer doesn't recommend washing/reusing the bags after that because of the possibility of food particles getting caught in the textured surface.
If I'm going to buy freezer bags anyway, why not spend a few cents more and get the kind I can vacuum seal shut?? The kids love to operate the sealer, and it doesn't take up a huge amount of counter space like those expensive vacuum sealers. I love it!
For more information, go to the website for the Reynolds Handi-Vac.
I saw this at Walmart the other day and ALMOST bought it. maybe I'll have to after all. Pretty cool...
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