FoodSaver users! Do you worry about the plastic?

[MrsJohnnyG]

After being diagnosed with breast cancer this past fall, I've been gradually eliminating all plastic from my life.

But I've read sooo many great things about the FoodSaver. I'm tired of my fresh food going bad and it seems that this would be a good solution... except I hate the idea of all that plastic being in direct contact with my food, after all the effort I've made to eliminate plastic.

I can't find any info about what chemicals are in FoodSaver bags' plastic. Their website says never to boil food in the plastic... obviously, that part doesn't apply to any of us, but doesn't that speak to the fact that it probably has harmful chemicals that may be leaching into the food?

I haven't been able to find any information about what's in that plastic and thought I would ask. I will probably get a FoodSaver anyway and use it with glass mason jars, but the plastic thing seems so obvious I wondered if anyone here had been able to find any information about it.

[DebB]

Hi Julia ~ We've had a FS for many years now. To be honest, I don't use it all that often with how I eat. I don't FS any of the fresh produce. I do use Debbie Meyers green bags though. But, I tend to eat the produce up fast enough that I don't FS it for the fridge.

My husband basically low carbs and we use it a lot for his food.

I use it the most for freezing fruit in the summer time.

I was surprised that you said FS says not to boil the bags - because when we bought ours, that was one of the perks (we never did though) that you could boil it up.

I wonder if you contacted Tilia directly if they could give you info on the plastic?

[Mary Kay]

The only time I use mine any more is for when I put dehydrated stuff in mason jars. I put a small piece of cotton or unbleached paper towel in with it, and when I vacuum seal it with the attachment, the stuff will keep for a LOOOONG time.

I used to try to use it to freeze stuff, but decided I didn't really like it. the stuff didn't really keep that well, and the bags would often leak.

HTH,

Mary Kay

[MrsJohnnyG]

Thanks for your input... I'm mainly trying to think ahead to this spring/summer/fall when I will have a larger organic garden than I've had before and will want to freeze or dehydrate everything I can't eat at the time, so that I can enjoy my harvest into next winter.

Dehydrated stuff, I can definitely store in mason jars like you said, Mary Kay... I can't imagine produce staying edible in the freezer for months without something like a Foodsaver though. (Can you freeze food in mason jars?? That might be an option assuming that won't make the glass break... I'd have to invest in a huge separate freezer though because my little fridge/freezer wouldn't hold many mason jars.)

[DebB]

Hi Julia ~ Yes, you can absolutely freeze in glass jars. I've frozen successfully in glass for years and years.

If you want to go 'by the book' with freezing in glass, you can buy Mason jars just for freezing. They have a different neck configuration. They're straight with a slight outward curve, but there's not 'shoulder' on the jar like on the regular canning jars.

However, I've used regular canning jars all along in the freezer, with the FS and they work great. But, you're right - they do take up a lot of space. *Ü*

[MrsJohnnyG]

Oh, I didn't know they had a kind specifically for freezing! Thanks!! 'k, so now I have to save for not just a FoodSaver but a big honkin' upright standalone freezer... gee, to think I thought my "big spending" was done once I had my Vitamix and Excalibur! :p

[Mary Kay]

Julia G...You probably know this, but you can't do the vacuum seal thing for the freezer.....Hmmmm...thinking out loud....I wonder, but if you couldn't freeze it with the lid off, THEN vacuum seal them. Never tried it.

And I've frozen homemade grape juice and cherries in mason jars.....forgot about them and they got buried and found them two yrs later and ate'em/drank'em just fine!

I'd say, start lookingon Craigslist/Freecycle for another freezer!

I've even just taken greens ---like lambsquarters and amaranth and stacked/packed the leaves into jars and froze them. Then pull off the layers and put in smoothies etc.

BTW, how are you feeling? How is your cancer?

I know someone who cured her breast cancer by keeping her pH around 8 for about four mos. She had a very fast growing type...

Hope this gives you hope!

Mary Kay

[DebB]

Julia G...You probably know this, but you can't do the vacuum seal thing for the freezer.....Hmmmm...thinking out loud....I wonder, but if you couldn't freeze it with the lid off, THEN vacuum seal them. Never tried it.

Hi Mary Kay ~ I don't understand what you mean here. I vacuum seal jars and freeze all the time, but maybe that's not what you mean? *Ü*

[OnMyJourney]

I have a food saver and it's awesome. Haven't used it for the conventional uses though...well, not for myself. I bought it because my best friend was being sent to Iraq again and I wanted to send him foods that were fresh. I'm very much interested in using it for canning and freezing dehydrated goods.

[DebB]

I have a food saver and it's awesome. Haven't used it for the conventional uses though...well, not for myself. I bought it because my best friend was being sent to Iraq again and I wanted to send him foods that were fresh. I'm very much interested in using it for canning and freezing dehydrated goods.

Hi OMJ ~ I just wanted to toss this in - please know that you cannot use the FS for "canning". You can FS a perishible item, but then it must be refrigerated or frozen. I wanted you to know - we don't want no cooties in in our FS'd food! *Ü*

[OnMyJourney]

Hi OMJ ~ I just wanted to toss this in - please know that you cannot use the FS for "canning". You can FS a perishible item, but then it must be refrigerated or frozen. I wanted you to know - we don't want no cooties in in our FS'd food! *Ü*

:p @ cooties! Yes, I know what you mean. I just didn't know any other term to use...store? lol Yea, I guess that works.

[MamaSheppard]

@DebB,

I'm looking to invest in a secondhand one so I can have good, homegrown produce in the winter. Would it be possible, or even productive, to wrap your food in paper towel before wrapping it in the plastic?

In thinking take your produce, dry it off well, and wrap it in paper towel before putting it in the vacuum bags?

[DebB]

@DebB,

I'm looking to invest in a secondhand one so I can have good, homegrown produce in the winter. Would it be possible, or even productive, to wrap your food in paper towel before wrapping it in the plastic?

In thinking take your produce, dry it off well, and wrap it in paper towel before putting it in the vacuum bags?

Hi Mama ~ I'm aware of folks not wanting to use the plastic bags because of the plastic issues, but I'll be honest. I use the bags and call it good. I'm not trying to start a controversy, but it's one of those things I don't stress about.

If you want to wrap your produce in paper towels, yes - that would work as far as drawing a vacuum. Would it protect it from the plastic issue? I don't know...

You can always FS and freeze in glass canning jars too. They take up a lot of room, but that's another option. *Ü*

[MamaSheppard]

Hi Mama ~ I'm aware of folks not wanting to use the plastic bags because of the plastic issues, but I'll be honest. I use the bags and call it good. I'm not trying to start a controversy, but it's one of those things I don't stress about.

Oh I only asked you specifically because you seem to be the one who has the most experience with food savers. :D

[DebB]

Oh I only asked you specifically because you seem to be the one who has the most experience with food savers. :D

I've been using our FS for probably 7 years now. I just love it! If there's anything I can help you out with, I'm so happy to do that :)

I just wanted to be honest about the plastic issue though with you. I know lots don't use FS bags because of it. But I do. We've got a big garden this year and I'm hoping to be able to freeze a lot using my FS!

Do you have a garden? *Ü*