I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.
Seriously. Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this. I mean really, I paid for the bag, I might as well use it, right?
~Mavis
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Nina says
I don’t buy a lot of packaged goods, so I never thought of re-using liners. I will now–a brilliant idea! Thanks.
Delores says
I think you were actually born in the depression era and have just lived an incredibly long life. 🙂
This is a great idea!
Do you just wipe them out first?
Sarah says
I thought the same thing. My grandmother was born in 1908 and was certainly shaped by the depresssion. Every Christmas my gifts from her were Chex mix and zucchini bread in re-used cereal bags. I miss those gifts so badly!!!
Sherry in Sumner says
I have never even thought of this but what a good idea. My mom, however, used to use the wrapper from a cube of butter to grease the cake pan.
Nadia says
Doesn’t everyone?
MR says
I use them too, Mavis. They are much stronger than many of the zip locks. Glad someone else does this too!
Jennifer Meyer says
I don’t reuse them as bags, but I do wash and reuse them as wax paper instead of buying actual wax paper when I so rarely need it.
Linda says
I use them all the time. Also reuse any freezer bags as long as they don’t have holes. No one cares if my sandwich is wrapped in a fancy bag. And I did learn this from my mom who was a child of the depression.
Claire says
Thanks, Mavis, You mean I can actually come out and show my face to the world and bravely admit that nothing gets wasted but is used a second (or consequent time)! Woohoo!
Andi says
AND PROBABLY i could use bread wrappers the same way!
SMR says
I use bread wrappers all the time. I don’t see anything wrong with reusing things. I also learned it from my mom
Cindy says
Yes! I use them to crush cookies for pie crust. They’re much stronger than ziploc bags.
Emily says
Brilliant!
Debbie says
Love the party platter dinner idea so healthy
Lisa Millar says
Not alone Mavis!! I have been using them for ages to store my baked bread… (and other things) They are so sturdy and reusable forever (almost!!)
I like Cindy’s idea above using them for crushing things…. !!
Mel says
I make all our cereal and crackers, so we never really have any to reuse. I do save oatmeal tubs (perfect to wrap and gift cookies) and produce clam shells (perfect to gift garden veggies).
Cheri says
I know how to make crackers, but I would love to know how to make cold cereal besides granola. Do you have any links to recipes?
Mel says
I normally stick to granola these days (I seem to have developed sort of a dependency on it, but that’s another story), so it’s been a while since I made true cereal, but it’s similar to the process for crackers. I can’t seem to find the exact recipes I’ve used in the past, but these look pretty close to some I’ve tried: http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-cinnamon-toast-crunch/ and http://theconscientiouseater.com/homemade-bran-flakes-cereal/
Next on my list to try is this: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/make-your-own-cracklin-oat-bran-cereal
Cheri says
Thank you so much! I will check those out.
Kari says
Brilliant! Thanks, Mavis!
Karin Carson says
They are fantastic for using to pound moose/chicken/pork/deer when I make cutlets or snitzle, I learned this from my grandma who also lived through the depression, I remember her using her finger to run inside of the egg shell when she used them to make sure she used every last bit .
Have a great day Mavis and Lucy .
Susan says
Ooh, Karin, I was coming here to say the same thing. These thick plastic bags are perfect for pounding meat or even crushing crackers or cookies. .
jamie N. says
I reuse cake mix/brownies mix bags for pastry decorating bags. They are strong and can handle melted chocolate and frosting. Don’t try it with cereal bags, most will split at the seams when you squeeze.
Mavis Butterfield says
I LOVE that idea!!
Suzan says
A few years ago, here in Australia, some children became sick from this as unsafe dyes had been used. It left quite an impression on me. I will reuse bags but I am extra careful and it pobably isn’t necessary now.
Stacey says
I never thought of this, but will start saving them right away!
Julia says
My parents save and use all the bags from packaging. They often send me home with a stack. They are great for sandwiches and storing leftovers.
Jean says
I use them as freezer bags: they can be resealed in my vacuum sealer.
Margaret @ Live Like No One Else says
I just put 3 of them in the recycling bin. I going to pull them out right now. What a great idea, as well as using them as wax paper!
Cheri says
I reuse bread bags and have begun to reuse some of the plastic wrap that Papa Murphy’s uses to wrap their pizzas, because they use way too much. I have not thought of reusing the inner liners of boxes, though–great idea
Anna says
I always save these for pounding out cutlets, so strong, works great. I also use bread bags for breading veggies or fish. Almost like shake and bake, then just throw the bag away, easy clean up. Waste not, want not.
Karen says
We used to save the bags from store bought bread to reuse for wrapping meats for the freezer. I still rinse out bags, even ziplocs. And I reuse containers for butter etc too.