DIY Straw Vacuum Sealer
One of my favorite kitchen tricks that grew out of frugality – how to seal your produce for freezing with a DIY straw vacuum sealer.
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I’ve always been wary of lots of kitchen gadgets. First, they cost money and second, I never seem to have enough room for everything I’ve already got, let alone add another thing.
I know that there are people who would never do without their ________ (insert favorite gadget here: rice cooker? steam juicer? bread machine?), which is fine, too – each of us has to determine what works for us vs. cost, time, and such.
I do have some “must have” kitchen appliances like a Cuisinart food processor, an immersion blender, and a microplane grater. Cooking is just better with these items for me.
The one thing all these items I use have in common? The only cost involved is the purchase price.
Pros & Cons of Vacuum Sealers
Which is why I’ve never understood the vacuum sealer.
Con: You pay for a machine, then you have to continue to pay for special bags to use the machine. Yes, you will buy bags for freezing anyway, but using sales, coupons, and/or club stores I can usually get freezer bags for a lot less than the vacuum-sealer bags.
Con: The sealer machine bags are more difficult to reuse and can only be reused for sealing again. Once I’ve used zip top freezer bags once for produce, I reuse the zippered bags multiple times for just storing foods and dry goods.
Pro: My brother-in-law loves vacuum sealer, and he’s one of the most frugal people I know. He says the food stays better in the freezer and lasts longer.
Maybe it does, but our food gets used up in 6-8 months anyway.
The longest anything has been in the freezer is a year, and I guess we are just not sophisticated enough to taste a difference. Probably because the produce is usually used in soups and the fruit in smoothies at that point. (Also probably because we don’t have a frost-free freezer – see more below on this.)
Pro: I’ve seen it used to preserve dried/smoked meat and fish to keep on a shelf and if you do a lot of that, I guess it makes sense, then.
Pro: If you buy a lot of meat at one time (a cow share, for example), then you’ll want to keep the meat for as long as possible in the best shape – again it may make sense for you, then.
Since I feel a vacuum sealer doesn’t make sense for us, I’ll keep using the one trick that’s worked for years on regular produce and fruit, as well as bread and baked goods, to get the most air out of freezer baggies:
A Straw “Vacuum Sealer”
Yep, a straw. I keep it in the same drawer with the baggies and reuse it numerous times until it needs to be replaced.
Update: I also now use glass or metal straws, though they can be a bit harder to remove as much air.
How to use a straw as a vacuum sealer
1. Prepare the produce.
2. Zip close the bag, then open a little slit to insert the straw.
3. Hold the opening closed on both sides of the straw, and then use it to suck all the air out.
4. Then quickly pull the straw out while closing the small opening.
5. Flatten the bag for easy storage, label and date, and put in the freezer.
Update: You can see this demonstrated in this video on how I freeze green beans without blanching:
Wait, what about freezer burn?
Here’s the thing with freezer burn – it’s more pronounced in frost-free freezers, which is why frost-free aren’t recommended for long-term storage freezing.
(Side note: it’s because the motor is constantly cycling on and off to keep the frost at bay, circulating air and causing more damage to food. It’s also why they are more expensive, energy-wise to own.)
We don’t have a frost-free big freezer for this reason and that may be why I don’t notice much damage in our freezer bagged foods even after 8 months.
It’s also why I encourage anyone who wants to store food for a year or more to buy a regular freezer. Yes, it’s a pain to defrost – here’s how to defrost a freezer as easy as possible.
When I showed my brother-in-law my DIY straw vacuum sealer trick, he laughed at me, lol. What do you think?
More Updates:
I have gotten so many comments over the years along the lines of, “Just get a food saver.”
Beyond the fact that I tried to emphasize above that what fits for your kitchen and needs doesn’t always mean it will fit for someone else’s I did want to point out a few more reasons I’ve STILL not bought a vacuum sealer.
1) The bags are WAY more expensive to begin with, not to mention how I reuse them for many things because of the zippered tops. Here’s a price breakdown I did recently (may have changed a bit):
Bag prices:
Costco price: Quart freezer bags 13.79 for 216 = .06 per bag
Costco price: Foodsaver combo pack 39.99 for 36 bags and 5 rolls (roughly equal to 111 qt. sizes) or 147 bags = .27 per bag
Foodsaver machine is about $60 on Amazon.
2) It takes more time to use than zipping the top of a freezer bag. One reader told me, “The thing that surprised me most was how much time it takes to process a large quantity of food. Itās not nearly as quick as a ziplock bag. If you use the roll, you have to cut it, seal the bottom, fill it, then seal the top.”
3) Meat lasts fine with butcher paper. We have gotten meat from a butcher and simply use the butcher paper that’s been used for many years. We use it within 6-8 months and it’s fine.
I’ve also gotten many comments suggesting I use the water method of removing air:
-Fill a sink/bowl with water and then lower your filled baggie into it with just a bit of the top not sealed. The pressure pushed the air out and you can close the top.
If that seems best to you, go for it! I’ll stick with my much easer method that requires on a quick suck on a straw. š
This article has been updated – it was last published in September of 2009.
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I tried the straw trick with doing some freezer corn and I thought it was pretty clever.
Thank you!
Do you do this with raw meat?
Yes, but I keep the straw away from the meat and up towards the seal.
Someone gave me a bunch of fresh basil and I put it in water and set it up to enjoy the smell. My son and DIL do most of the cooking and they really aren’t into “herbs” unless they come in little red containers, and while I love pesto, they don’t. So I was looking for a way to keep the leaves without a hassle (or spending money on pepitas, etc.) Found your article on freezing in a bag, but I thought, “Squeeze? Really?” But this straw thing is ingenious! Thank you. (I’m not a big cook, and never comment!)
Well, thank you for taking the time to comment on this, Eugenia – I appreciate it! š
I have a better way than the straw vacuum sealer. My brother who was a professional cook came to cook for my daughter’s wedding. I saw him cut up a lot of salad and put it in a garbage bag. He gathered the top together then laid his body on the bag to push all the air out and tie it while still on the bag. I have used this method for years. I put vegetables in quart size or gallon bags then lay my big belly on the bag while I close the zipline bag. It looks like the vacuum packed packages that you buy in the store.
I also have a vacuum sealer for Meat and things that I can’t lay on.
I like the straw trick, but the bag eventually refills from outside air. So here is what I do: Use the straw trick, and then refill the bag with CO2 from my tank. Of course, this is not super frugal if you don’t already have CO2 – but if you’re making beer or carbonated water (which is frugal) at home, then it’s nice to have one on hand. The smallest tank usually lasts me 2 years of making carbonated water, etc.
Interesting, Brian – I’ve never thought about that!
I have used this method for many years!
Hi there! So happy I found your blog š Wanted to say that I tried (and LOVE) your Straw Vacuum Sealer trick! I have used it on my green beans and opened a bag a week later to use and they are just fine. This is a great way to preserve your green beans for sure. Thanks!
Yay – another convert. š
I love my Foodsaver Vacuum Sealer. I use both the bags (mostly for freezer storage) and the mason jar attachments. Did you know they now have..I think it is 1/2 or 1 gallon mason jars. I put my excess flour (after it has spend time in the refrigerator) and sugar in them.
I didn’t know that about the mason jars, Anna! Good to know. š
This has saved us a lot of money! I love the fact we can store food, soups etc and it lasts months now without spoiling.
what a smart way to keep the foods fresh for a long time! thanks Jami for providing such useful tip, can you let me know what is the longest time you can use the food inside the bag?
Thanks, Melissa! I keep our frozen produce for up to a year as we use it, bread for about 6 months and pantry items like chips a couple months.
Thanks for your tip! I’ll give it a try with my harvest.
My most used kitchen gadget is the steamer, I have three of them, one small size for smaller pans and two for medium and big pans. They have a perforated round base and the sides are formed by perforated petals that open (like a ladies fan) to fit pans bigger than the steamers base. My vegetables always look perfect, the colours preserved and bright, the flavour is fantastic. I steam without using any salt and all I put on top is a little olive oill then enjoy the natural flavours. However you can use whatever you prefer to add flavour.
I have also used the straw method but then stopped when I kept having trouble with the straw getting stuck and air getting in anyway. I started doing a modified version without the straw and it works much better for me: I would zip up the all the way but leave just enough open at the end, then I put this corner end of the bag to my lips and simply suck air out straight from the bag myself. It was much easier to close up the zipper and still keep the air from coming back in.
I also have an issue with some of the bags ‘blowing up’ and I just redo it whenever I find a puffy bag. I’m wondering if it’s worth getting a vacuum sealer, especially for my frozen meats, but….I dunno.
Thanks for sharing this practical tip. I’ve used this as well, but a modified more hygenic method . Lay the zip seal bag on it’s side, insert straw to the side of the bag so it doesn’t suction up against food. Position straw on a slight downward angle towards your mouth to lessen “backwash” of air or saliva. Keep track of your mouth end (maybe with a little piece of tape) so it doesn’t inadvertently get placed in the bag next to food. Wash well after each session or just throw it away. It’s just a straw.
I am SO doing this as well as your freezing beans method WITHOUT blanching! Thanks so much for the tips!
Great idea – I freeze a lot of produce; can’t wait to try it!
cool, that’s a great tip! (:
I have heard that tip before- using a straw. Too bad the air always gets back in the bag. I have found that by using vacuum seal bags the material actually keeps air from getting back in. My zipper bags used to always “blow up” and gain air while in the freezer. A FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer is now my favorite kitchen appliance.
I actually have done this for years too. It doesn’t always work enough for me, but it does well if you’re going to use the food in a month or two.
I have the same exact feelings about the vacuum sealer. I was silly enough to buy one of those Reynolds battery operated things that sucks the air out. It doesn’t work that well and takes forever to get the right seal so that it actually removes the air.
I’m switching to the straw.