The Best Freezer Bags for Meat – The Ultimate Guide
Quick Answer
The best freezer bags for meat include the following options: Glad Zipper Food Storage Freezer Bags, Ziploc Freezer Bags, Lemason Silicone Reusable Bags, and Hefty Slider Freezer Bags. Each offers durability, effective sealing, and protection against freezer burn to ensure your meat stays fresh.
Read on for more detail
Storing meat can certainly be a challenge. It seems like you have to store it just right in order to prevent freezer burn and it’s so hard to know just what to do to make your meat last and still taste fresh when you pull it out to use it.
Most meat is best stored double-wrapped using either freezer paper or plastic wrap and then sealing the meat into a freezer bag. It seems like this is the best way to truly store and preserve your meat for the long haul.
What is the best freezer bag to store meat in? There are a number of great freezer bag options and we will share many of them with you. Our top pick is Glad brand freezer bags but most of them are quite comparable to one another.
You can use any freezer bag you prefer or whatever you have on hand but some freezer bags truly do work better than others, especially when it comes to storing meats and preserving their freshness.
We’ve compiled a guide to walk you through what you should look for in your freezer bag and to share with you our favorite freezer bag options for meat. We will also give you some tips for the best meat storage processes using freezer bags.
Keep reading to learn all of the tips for freezer bags and meat storage.
Your Freezer Bag Guide
Choosing a freezer bag doesn’t have to be overly complicated. The problem is there are so many choices and you simply don’t know which one works best for what. Some of them are designed for freezing fruits and vegetables while some of them are better designed for meat.
You might also find that you prefer a different type of bag than someone else and that is ok as well. That is why we try to share several good options so you have a selection to choose from and you can always determine for yourself which you think is truly the best.
Freezer bags are extremely versatile. You can store a lot of things in them. While meat is our primary focus, we wanted to share with you some things you can use your freezer bags for in addition to meat.
- Various fruits – blueberries, strawberries, peaches, apples, and more
- Various vegetables – peas, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and more
- Leftovers of any kind
- Milk
- Casseroles
- Desserts
- Baked goods
You can store just about anything you want to in freezer bags. Keep in mind that there are also sealable bags that are not designed for the freezer and while they work well for various storage means they might not fully preserve your foods in the freezer.
Choosing a Freezer Bag
Not all freezer bags are created equal. Some will promise they will preserve your meat and other freezer foods but then you will find they are lacking in delivery and your foods come out freezer burnt.
It can certainly be a trial and error process. That’s where we come in. We’ve done all of the challenging research and sorting through the option to determine what you should look for in your freezer bags and which ones really work the best for freezing meat.
It’s quite hard to choose because some freezer bags will advertise what they are best for while others just state that they are freezer bags, but how do we know they store meat well?
The thing you should first remember is that freezer bags and storage bags are different and when you are freezing foods, especially meats, you need to be sure to use a freezer bag.
Here are a few characteristics between freezer bags and storage bags for your reference.
- Both are made of plastic
- Both can zip or seal tightly
- Both are available in a multitude of sizes
- Freezer bags are much thicker plastic
Did you notice in this list that there is only one primary difference in the types of bags? Freezer bags are made with thick plastic which makes them more durable and helps them to better protect the foods in them when they are used in the freezer.
Freezer bags can also seal in more ways than one but both types have a zipper-type function that seals out the freezer air (or any air). There is an option for a zipper device with a sliding function or there is a zipper seal that you zip with your fingers.
Additionally, storage bags have bag options that fold over to close which are typically referred to as sandwich bags and are most often used for chips and sandwiches and simple items for your lunchbox meals.
When you are choosing a freezer bag, you simply want to see if there is any information for the type of storage and recommended storage times.
The 4 Best Freezer Storage Bags for Meat
We will share with you our top 4 choices of freezer bags for meat but keep in mind you are not restricted to these 4 choices; these are just the best options we found in our research.
1. Glad Zipper Food Storage Freezer Bags
Check current price on Amazon.
The Glad zipper freezer storage bags come in gallon or quart sizes. For most meats, you will most likely need the gallon size in order to be able to store multiple pieces but the quart may work best for your needs.
These are a zipper-style bag that you seal using your fingers and the materials of the bag are BPA-free. The zipper lock has a double-seal feature to ensure the bag gets well sealed to protect your meat inside the bag.
Pros:
- Designed to prevent freezer burn
- Extra thick and durable material
- Double-lock seal that is extra wide
Cons:
- Zipper could be hard to seal
2. Ziploc Freezer Bags
Check current price on Amazon.
Ziploc freezer bags are made with freezer storage in mind. These bags are ideal for various types of meats as well as any other possible item you might consider freezing.
The Ziploc freezer bag has long been a trusted brand because it’s reliable and efficient. You can purchase these in quarts and gallons. The zip seal has a double locking seal that you close with your fingers
Pros:
- Preserves freshness of food with no freezer burn
- Seal is easy to seal and has an extended easy-open tab
- Durable long-lasting plastic that is also BPA-free
Cons:
- If you overfill, the bag could split
3. Lemason Silicone Reusable Bags
Check current price on Amazon.
If you’re tired of spending money on throw-away bags you can always check out these handy reusable bags that are freezer-safe. These can be washed and reused and will last for many uses.
This particular package comes with some medium and some large bags as well as some freezer and some storage bags so you have a variety of options to suit your needs.
The bags are easy to open and close and lock in your freshness while preserving the food within.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly alternative to throw-away bags
- Non-toxic silicone materials
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons:
- Concern for safety of reuse when you have stored raw meat in them
4. Hefty Slider Freezer Bags
Check current price on Amazon.
Hefty is a trusted name when it comes to storage bags. These bags are amped up with an expandable bottom so they can hold even more in them. Whether you’re storing meat or something else, that bottom makes the fit less awkward.
These bags have a trusting zipper sliding seal that seals them easily and perfectly for the ultimate protection of your foods. No more freezer burn worries.
Pros:
- BPA-free material, made in the USA
- Slider zipper with MaxLock functionality
- Thick and durable plastic
Cons:
- Be very careful to get the slider closed all of the way
Overview
No matter what your meat needs are, there is a freezer bag suitable for you. Many of these bags are designed similarly but they also each have their own unique characteristics and you might decide you prefer one over the other.
For example, the Hefty bags have a sliding zipper closure but reviews noted that this zipper doesn’t always seal well. Meanwhile, both Glad and Ziploc have double finger zipper seals that offer double seal protection as an extra measure.
Related Questions
We hope that you have found this guide to be helpful in determining the best freezer bags for meat.
We have included some common questions and answers for your review and we invite you to take a look and see if there might be additional useful information in them.
Do Sandwich Bags Work in the Freezer?
You can use sandwich bags in the freezer if you be sure to get them closed well. However, we do not recommend storing meat in the freezer in sandwich bags as they are thin and flimsy plastic that most likely will not prevent freezer burn.
Do I Just Put Meat Straight into a Freezer Bag for Storage?
Freezer bags are designed to work by themselves and do not require any additional layers for effective freezing. However, if you are freezing multiple pieces of meat or you simply want additional protection, you can wrap your meat in a layer of freezer paper first.
Up Next: 3 Best Glass Straws Of 2021