Are “Freezer” Zip-Top Bags Actually Worth Paying More For? Ziploc Explains

This year, I made a New Year’s resolution to create healthier eating habits which, for me, means cooking in bulk more. Tired of eating unhealthy meals when I didn’t have the time to cook or hadn’t meal-prepped earlier in the week, I set out on a journey of big batches of soup, beans, steamed greens, and the like. But then I found myself confronted with another problem: sometimes these batches were too big to get through before they went bad. 

So, determined to keep my meals easy, healthy, and fast, I decided to portion some of my leftovers to freeze. This means I have had to find a helpful freezer container to store said portions, so I turned to a storage solution I often use elsewhere in my kitchen: the trusty ol’ Ziploc bag.

While I haven’t found an easier storage solution, I did find myself with a few questions about which bags to use and how to use them, so I consulted some experts over at Ziploc to get the 411 on which bags belong in the freezer and why. 

The Difference Between Freezer-Specific and Regular Ziplocs

Although technically regular Ziploc bags (you know, the kind we use in lunchboxes or to store half an avocado) have all the design features and quality manufacturing techniques to keep food safe and sound in a variety of climates, the brand’s freezer bags are especially equipped to keep freezer burn out and freshness in. 

The experts over at Ziploc told me that their freezer bags “are designed to protect in very low temperatures and harsh environments against punctures and tears.” So, in other words, while you can use a normal Ziploc bag to freeze food, chances are it won’t escape the clutches of freezer burn and will be more prone to rips and tears.

What Makes Ziploc’s Freezer Bags Better at Keeping Frozen Food Fresh?

According to Ziploc, what makes the performance of freezer bags fit for storing foods in the freezer are the following nine tried-and-true characteristics:

• Durability and thickness to prevent tears and punctures
• Freezer toughness (aka anti-freezer burn)
• Its “stay open design” to keep food away from the zipper while filling for a mess-free seal
• A click closure (i.e. a secure and locked zipper)
• Accurate sizing
• Strong side seams
• Double zipper strength (i.e. two sealing lines prevent blowouts)
• Non-slip grip
• Easy-open tabs. both of which facilitate easy opening and sealing

Can I Reuse a Freezer Ziploc Bag?

Yup! ZIploc says its bags are “made with high-quality materials that are strong enough to be used again and again”—which means the bags are safe to reuse several times.

The brand cautions against reusing bags that contain any raw meat, fish, eggs, or any other potentially allergy-inducing foods. This seems like a smart and safe choice to me! Before reusing, the bags should be hand-washed with warm soapy water, rinsed thoroughly, and left to air dry.