🔒 Why I Love My Vacuum Sealers

I’ve been using a FoodSaver vacuum sealer for over 20 years—and I’m currently on my fifth one! It’s a staple in my kitchen, especially when it comes to prepping in-season fruits, vegetables, and meats for the freezer. I truly can’t imagine doing without it.

✅ What I Love

My FoodSaver is perfect for preserving food quality and cutting back on waste. My latest model is a huge upgrade from older versions—when I hit the “seal” button, it seals instantly, which means no more crushed crackers or snacks. That wasn’t the case with my older machines, where you had to anticipate the delay and hit the button early.

I also love using 50′ rolls to make my own custom-sized bags. You can find them just about anywhere (Amazon, Walmart, etc.), but my favorite rolls are from VacuumSealersUnlimited.com. They’re thicker than most I’ve used and hold up especially well in the freezer. These rolls are too large to fit inside the FoodSaver or cutter, so I simply re-roll them into 25′ lengths—takes just a few minutes.

♻️ On Reusable Bags & Reducing Waste

One issue I had in the past was with FoodSaver’s older zipper bags—they didn’t reseal well after washing. To be fair, they weren’t really marketed as washable back then. But things have changed. The newer versions are not only washable, they’re also thicker than alternatives like Chef Preserve’s—making them far more durable for freezer use.

And no, I didn’t grow up washing bags—my mom was a career woman and didn’t have time for that. But once I learned about the massive plastic waste floating in the Pacific (allegedly the size of Texas—and possibly a second one forming), it really opened my eyes. Now I try to be more mindful of the waste I create – especially when it comes to plastic!

🛠️ Vacuum Sealing Made Easy (and Efficient)

If you use a vacuum sealer regularly or want to reduce food waste and plastic use, investing in a quality FoodSaver and reusable supplies is absolutely worth it. I truly can’t recommend it enough.

🔄 Resealing Mylar-Style Bags

This FoodSaver is especially great for resealing thinner Mylar-style food bags like Lesser Evil Popcorn and Simple Mills Organic Seed Crackers. If you’re vacuuming and sealing, be sure to hit the “seal” button exactly when you want it to engage–timing is everything for a clean, airtight seal, and to be certain you don’t end up with cracker crumbs instead of crackers!

Vacuum-Sealing in Mason Jars

For bulk pantry staples like spices, homegrown herbs, flours, beans, etc. I rely on Mason jars in several sizes: 12 oz, 16 oz, and 24 oz., all of which are safe for the freezer. While I used the jar sealer kit with the FoodSaver’s accessory port for many years, I don’t love that it doesn’t automatically shut off when sealing jars. I have to manually stop it, which means I can’t just walk away and multitask.

🧩 The Jar Sealer That Solved the Problem

Someone eventually recommended a clever little gadget–an automatic jar sealer–and it completely solved that issue. It fits snugly over the lid (a tight fit thanks to the rubber seal, but that’s a good thing), and it works beautifully with both regular and wide mouth jars. Now I can press a button, walk away, and come back to perfectly sealed jars–no more babysitting the machine!

Click here to read my review for the Canning Jar Sealer.

Click here to read my review for the Chef Preserve.