After hearing my daughter and her husband rave about their new FoodSaver, I started looking into vacuum sealers to find out if I would benefit from having one in my own kitchen. I ended up finding so many great tips and ideas that before I knew it, this blog post had essentially written itself. (It sure is nice when it works out that way!)
Here are 15 genius tips and tricks for using your FoodSaver or any other brand of vacuum sealer. And if this list ends up convincing you to buy one for yourself too, then at least you’ll be in good company! 🙂
15 Genius Tips And Tricks For Vacuum Sealers
1. Save By Buying In Bulk
You can save a considerable amount on your grocery bill by buying meat and veggies in bulk. Portion them out into typical servings, then seal and freeze the portions.
2. Avoid Spills In Transit
Going to a potluck? Avoid spills and accidents in transit by vacuum sealing your food beforehand. It’s also a great way to take food along without having to bring a container, which is a bonus if you tend to be forgetful about that sort of thing. 😉
Related: This Is The Easiest Way To Stop Your Food From Getting Stale
3. Make Your Own Microwave Meals
Make your own “ready meals!” Arrange your leftovers on a heavy-duty waxed plate, then slip the whole thing into a bag. Vacuum seal the bag and place it in your freezer. Take one to work and microwave at lunchtime, either thawed or frozen. Make sure to check the temperature often while it’s heating (every 30 seconds or so should do the trick.)
4. Freeze Bananas For Future Banana Bread
If you have bananas that are definitely taking a downward turn in terms of freshness, keep them for a batch of tasty banana bread! Place your bananas in a bag, vacuum seal them, and store in your freezer until you’re ready.
5. Freeze Portioned Citrus Juice
When a recipe calls for lemon or lime juice, there’s nothing better than the fresh stuff. Buy lemons and limes in season, juice them all at once, then freeze the juice in ice cube trays or a silicone mold. Place the frozen cubes in a FoodSaver bag, vacuum seal it, and store it in the freezer until needed.
If you just need a tablespoon or two of juice for a recipe, just remove one or two cubes at a time. If you need a lot, just pull the whole bag out of the freezer, let the cubes thaw, then cut off a corner of the bag and pour out the juice.
Make Bags Of Any Size
- While pre-cut bags have the convenience of coming pre-sealed on one end, the heat-seal rolls are a much more versatile option.
- With the roll format, you can make bags as short as you want to avoid wasting material. (You can even make mini bags by cutting a section of the roll down the middle, though you will have to seal an extra side.)
6. Make Breakfast Quick And Easy
Breakfast sandwiches are a great on-the-go option, but they can take some time to make. Speed things up considerably by assembling several at once, then seal them in individual bags and freeze them. Just heat up a sandwich in the microwave for a speedy and delicious breakfast!
7. Keep Your Snacks Fresh
The vacuum function on on FoodSaver will crush chips if you let it go through the entire cycle, but you can vacuum out most of the air and seal them back up inside the original bag. It’s an easy way to keep your snacks fresh longer. (Don’t worry about the pretzels though—they can withstand the full vacuum and sealing cycle!)
8. Save Seeds
Vacuum seal seeds from your garden to use next year (and the year after that, and the year after that…)
9. Prevent Toiletry Explosions
Avoid toiletry explosions when flying by using your FoodSaver to seal them up in bags. You can virtually eliminate the chance of facing a gooey mess when you open your suitcase! You can also seal your own survival kit with necessities like a flashlight, flares, matches, and first aid materials. It won’t take up a lot of space, plus it’ll be waterproof until you open it.
10. Preserve Photos
Keep photos safe from dust, dirt, and insects in a (gently) vacuum-sealed bag.
11. Shrink Your Yarn
Store and organize your yarn in vacuum sealed bags. Not only will it help keep your yarn dust- and tangle-free, but it will take up a fraction of the space too. (And if you use the extra space as an excuse to get even more yarn… well, your secret’s safe with me.) 😉
12. Pre-Freeze Juicy And Wet Foods
It’s easy to vacuum seal and save juicy foods, but it does require one additional step. Place the item on a cookie sheet and place it in your freezer to “flash-freeze.” Once the food is solid, slip it into your bag and vacuum seal it. This is a great way to store all sorts of delicious fruits while they’re in season, like peaches, berries, tomatoes, etc.
13. Protect Seasonal Items
Seal up seasonal linens and clothes to keep them clean and dry until they’re needed. (This is another idea that could potentially save you a lot of storage space!)
14. Pre-Freeze Liquids
You can also use the “flash-freeze” method to store liquids. Just pour the liquid into a traditional freezer bag or a shallow freezer-safe container. Place it in your freezer until it solidifies, vacuum seal the frozen disk/block of liquid in a bag. You can easily store your favorite soups and homemade broths for months this way.
15. Make Your Own Honey Sticks
Use your vacuum sealer to make your own honey sticks. They’re a great way to take honey on-the-go for snacks or a cup of tea. They also make a thoughtful gift!
Read More: How To Make Your Own Honey Sticks In 3 Simple Steps
Do you have any vacuum sealer tips you would add to this list?
