I am conscious about being environmentally friendly, and I always feel guilty about the number of disposable freezer bags that I use.  You see, most of the time I’m cooking for one, so I make large batches of food, divide them into one or two serving portions, and freeze them.  I try to use tupperware containers as often as I can but they disappear with Ed and my sister, Krystal, for months at a time (I deliver most of the frozen meals to them).  I have already purchased many tupperware containers and I simply don’t have the storage space for more.  Also, freezer bags don’t take up as much space, and freezer space is a hot commodity in my apartment.  So I was very excited to discover AnyLock’s reusable food storage bags and sealers (Slide ‘n Store).  They work better than disposable ziploc bags while reducing waste!  Furthermore, AnyLock’s sealing rods are the best bag closing/sealing product I have ever seen or used.  I’ve shared my detailed review of these products below.  Note that this review is based only on my personal opinions and experience with the product.

Review of AnyLock Reusable Food Storage Bags and Sealing Rods

Product Info:  The company AnyLock carries plastic reusable food storage bags and sealing rods (sold together or separately).  Their design and concept are similar – actually, better – than ziploc bags.  The sealing rods can be used to close any thin food packaging.  The bags and sealers come in different sizes and are freezer and dishwasher safe.  To my knowledge, these products can only be purchased online and appear to be available from several sources.  (I was lucky enough to receive them as a gift.)

Pros:

• The food bags and sealing rods are reusable so in the long run you will save money and you will reduce waste.  The airtight sealers will also keep your store bought bags of food fresh so less food will go to waste.
• The sealing rods can be used to seal any food wrap or packaging (as long as the material is not too thick), so you don’t have to purchase/use the AnyLock food bags if you don’t want to.
• It is much easier to obtain a complete seal using the sealing rods than it is with the ziploc bag zipper system.
• The seal created by the sealing rods is more air tight and leak proof than the seal created by any ziploc bag, elastic band, or food storage clip that I’ve ever used.
• The base of the bags can be folded inwards so that the bags lay flat for storage, or the base can be folded outwards so that the base is flat and the bags stand up.  I love this feature for several reasons:  1.  This allows you to save space in the refrigerator/freezer;  2.  This makes for a tidier refrigerator/freezer; 3.  this leaves your hands free to pour food into the open and free standing bag; and 4. This allows for easy storage with minimal space required.
• It is very easy to store the bags and/or sealing rods; they take up very little space
• I cut a head of lettuce in half and stored one half in a ziploc freezer bag and the other half in a brand new AnyLock bag.  I used bags that were similar in size and I left both of the bags on the same shelf in the refrigerator for three weeks.  The bags’ abilities to maintain the freshness of produce was comparable.
• The material of the food bags is thick and puncture resistant.  I love that the sides and edges are fortified with extra plastic as well, because ziploc freezer bags are easily scratched in the freezer resulting in leaks that aren’t apparent until you start defrosting your food.  Now you can safely store frozen soup, milk, and other liquids without concerns of leaking.

Cons:

• It is more difficult to squeeze all of the air out of these food storage bags than it is to do so out of ziploc bags.
• The food storage bags are very cumbersome to wash.  Also, oil and fat really clings to the plastic.  Luckily, these are dishwasher safe.