How To Seal A Ziploc Bag

Have you ever wondered what is the best way to seal a Ziploc bag? The Ziploc is probably the most common used bag for food storage because its easy to burp out the air from the bag – which helps to increase the shelf life of the food inside.

Here’s how to seal a Ziploc bag…

To get even more air out of the Ziploc, all you need is a straw.

seal-ziploc-with-straw

Seal the Ziploc all the way across, then pull open a small gap in the middle of the seal. Insert a straw halfway into the bag.

straw-in-ziploc

Hold the Ziploc seal snug on each side of the straw so that it won’t open further, and will hold the straw/seal. Then suck out the air using the straw and then quickly slide out the straw while squeezing the seal shut.

Although not shown in the picture, what I find simpler is to use two hands, one holding each side of the straw/seal, then sucking the air out of the bag. Pinch your teeth on the straw and pull it out of the bag with your teeth – while squeezing the seal shut. It’s quicker, so it holds the vacuum a bit better.

suck-air-out-of-ziploc-bag

Obviously this method won’t work with liquids, and you probably shouldn’t use this method with meats, but it works great for other dry ingredients…

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10 Comments

  1. I do the same thing here with stuff I store in Ziploc bags. You can also do this with cloths for a camping trip. You will be surprised at how much you can shrink cloths down so you can get more in the pack.

  2. When packing gallon sized bags with heavier product, for example beans, rice or maybe something like lasagna, take the bag and slowly lower it in to a pail of water, the pressure will force out the air, allowing you to simply zip it shut. We do this when freezing fish. My boys frequently bring in a hundred pounds of fish that we have to process quickly, and this method has proven to be outstanding and a great way to get all the air out from around the filets.

    1. ancona, SUCH a good idea. I will be trying it next Ziploc. I have tried the straw, but not great luck.

      from the way you describe it, I bet that water process is darn close to vacuum?

  3. Good idea Ancona. I hadn’t though about doing it that way. I should have since I’m used to having my waders suck down tight on my legs when I’m duck hunting. I’ll be sure to try it next time.

  4. I find that one of those coffee straws from a fast food restaurant works great, leaving a smaller hole to close when straw is removed.

  5. Food grade silicon on the zip surfaces creates a better airtight seal too.

  6. Another good method of getting air out of a ziplock bag is to seal the bag leaving just one corner barely open, then submerge the exterior of the bag in water up to that corner opening. It will push the majority of the air out of the bag and then you can seal it up. Works best with freezer bags, they’re a little thicker than normal bags.

  7. Grew up really rule always got by with what we had on hand. Almost 100 percent food was from the farm. If do any large amounts, duct tape a clean funnel on a vacumm cleaner nozel insert tip in corner of bag then seal.

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