This One Reusable Option Can Replace Hundreds Of Plastic Bags Each Year

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The global population uses about 5 trillion plastic bags annually, per stats from The World Counts. Different countries have varying levels of use, as reported by National Geographic, with Denmark using an average of only four single-use plastic bags per year per citizen, for example, while Americans use a staggering 365 single-use plastic bags each year. Dependency on single-use plastic comes with a massive environmental toll. Plastic bags cannot break down organically, but they do shed microplastics into the environment, which inevitably wind up in our bodies (you might be eating a credit card's worth of plastic each week without even realizing it). Unfortunately, in our modern world, it's nearly impossible to eliminate all plastics from your life, but a great way to start is by replacing single-use plastic bags in your kitchen with something you can use over and over again for years. 

Sealable, washable, and reusable silicone bags are a perfect replacement for gallon zip-top bags, sandwich bags, and any other food-storage plastic bags you can think of. Our favorite is the Stasher Premium Silicone Reusable Food Storage Bags, which come in a pack of four and have a variety of sizes to serve all your food storage needs. They are perfect for bringing snacks in the car, for transporting your sandwich to work, and for meal prep storage in the refrigerator. Reviews on Amazon are overwhelmingly positive, with one customer saying that the silicone bags are easy to open and close even straight from the freezer, and that they've "saved so many other plastic storage bags from the landfill by using these and [there are] no weird smells or stains that get trapped in the silicone."

Although zip-top plastic bags can be reused for leftovers, why not eliminate the risk of microplastics from getting in your food entirely? A lot of sustainable replacements for plastic bags and storage containers can be heavy, normally made out of stainless steel or glass, but silicone bags like the Stasher ones are much lighter and easier to store when out of use, making them an easy swap for plastic bags in your day-to-day life. For a family of four, replacing routine use of single-use plastic bags with these four-pack reusable silicone bags could potentially keep an average of 28 plastic bags out of landfills each week. Not strictly designated solely to the kitchen, silicone bags are great to use when traveling for packing toiletries or makeup, or for holding sets of crayons at your child's activity table.

These Stasher silicone bags are dishwasher safe, making them a breeze to clean up and reuse because, frankly, if a sustainable product is difficult to use, you're less likely to make the change of incorporating it into your lifestyle. The bags work at room temperature, in the fridge, and in the freezer, and the Stasher bags specifically are microwave, sous vide, and oven safe up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. For more sustainable, plastic-free food storage options, check out the best reusable food storage bags according to Amazon reviews.