Seal-A-Meal

We just put our rabbits in ziplock freezer bags. We can reuse the bags for the meat scraps to freeze them for our dogs.

 

I have an older unit from a garage sale years back that I wouldn't be without. I don't use the special wrap they sell for the units as it is far too expensive. The local grocery sells plain plastic, 1 quart bags (the kind you need twist ties for). They come in a box of 100 for around $1.25. I can get 2 lbs of burger or a single rabbit / chicken in a bag.

It takes some practice to get a good seal but it works great once you get the hang of it. I always place the sealed bags in a ziplock anyway. I don't feel wasteful about using these because they can be rinsed when your done, then put into the recycle with any plastic grocery bags you might have. The zip locks bags can be reused many times over.

Well, that's my 2 cents for what it's worth. Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

We have a Foodsaver Professional II, which we bought at one of the sporting goods stores. Costco sells a cheapie version that doesn't hold up that well. The one we bought is well worth the money (I think it was about $200 or so when we got it), especially when we want to do a lot of sealing all at one go. It is one-finger operation, no holding down the sides with both thumbs nonsense. You can walk away from it while it seals.

We reuse the bags you buy for them, except when it's meat--much harder to wash them properly unless you want to run them through a dishwasher), and you can also buy canisters. We use one canister for coffee beans only, for example. The bags and canisters you can get at Costco too.

There is a difference between using regular bags/ziplocs and their cut to fit bags, and that is freezer burn issues. If you are really good about using your stuff in a week or two of freezing it, using regular bags probably isn't too bad. However, if stuff tends to get lost in your freezer, or you shove it around a lot before you eat it, the stronger cut-to-fit bags hold up a lot better, and don't get holes in them.

One thing that we do that cuts down a lot of the bagging/resealing is that for cheese I grate up about a week's worth or two and stick it in one of the ziploc plastic containers, and it keeps just fine in the fridge for when we want to sprinkle cheese on omelets or whatever.

Just my observations.

 

I really like "Seal-a-Meal" devices. They do take a little getting use to, but once you get the hang of what you are doing it is easy. I bought a send one at a garage sale just for the bags that came with it. It was also a wider model than my first one.

Folks, I have news for you. Once a Zip-lock bag has been used once, it never seals properly again. While it seemingly does, I would argue the point after many soggy sandwiches carried in a tray in the top of my water jug.

Try sealing a bag clear full of water in a new bag, and do the same with a previously used bag. Lay them on your countertop overnight if you feel you dare. Don't blame the puppy on the puddle of water on the floor the next morning. They just don't seal correctly the second time around. If water can get out, then air can get in to freezer burn.

Sure wish I could budget in one of those high dollar vacuum machines. They seem great.

 

I was under the impression Seal-A-Meal was a different "animal" than vacuum seal. My Seal-A-Meal seals bags but does not create a vacuum. The Seal-A-Meal bags can be put directly in boiling water to reheat the already cooked food in the bag. I only use the vacuum sealer nowadays especially for meats as they stay freezer burn free for a long, long time in a vacuum sealed bag.

 

I have both a non vacuum model and a vacuum model Seal-a-Meal brand sealer.

Aren't most of the vacuum sealers Telia (maybe Talia) Food Savers?