Maintaining the freshness and good taste of any perishable food for a long time is not an easy task. Meat, for instance, can only last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. A day longer, mold and bacteria take over, and the meat becomes stale and harmful to your health.
If you must keep it longer, store it in the freezer using one of the best meat bags for freezer available in the market. This way, it stays fresh and tasteful when you’re ready to use it. And best of all, freezer bags help save space in the freezer and are also versatile. For these reasons, you can store and preserve different types of perishable foods with them.
But what are the best freezer bags for meat like? The ideal freezer bag should be thick enough to withstand the extreme temperatures of the freezer. This thickness prevents the meat from getting freezer burns. It should also come with a tight seal to closely secure and preserve your food.
Top 5 Picks
Note that there are several working freezer bags to choose from. However, this article will only give you a list of five that managed to emerge at the top from in-depth research. These bags are of heavy-duty plastic, have tight closures, and above all, are BPA-Free, hence safe for your health. They are:
- Glad Trash & Zipper Food Storage Freezer Bags
- Ziploc Gallon Food Storage Freezer Bags
- Stasher Platinum Silicone Food Grade Reusable Storage Bags
- EcoLifeMate Gallon Size Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags
- Hefty Slider Storage Freezer Bags
Getting the Best Freezer Bag
It’s quite a challenge picking the right freezer bag out of the many out there. However, it doesn’t have to be this hard, as long as you know the difference between freezer bags and regular storage bags. Many people have probably used the typical types to store meat in the freezer. The chances are that they got disappointed by the results.
These two bags are similar in many ways, are both of plastic, have seals, and come in various sizes. However, they differ based on their functionalities and quality.
Freezer bags are a lot thicker than regular storage bags, meaning that they’re sturdier and more durable. Due to their thickness, they can store food for a more extended period, withstanding the harsh conditions of the freezer.
In them, the meat will not get freezer-burned. Even more interesting, freezer bags are versatile, meaning you can store any other food in them, fruits, vegetables, and leftovers.
Here are the top five picks of the best freezer meat bags you can entirely rely upon. These meat storage bags will preserve and maintain the fresh taste of the meat even after an extended period.
Guide: What To Look For When Buying Freezer Bags for Meat?
There are several factors that you must consider when shopping for the best freezer bags for meat, including:
- Material
- Size
- Closure
- Versatility
- Brand
Material
You probably know by now that all freezer bags come from plastic materials. However, it’s not just any plastic that can make the best freezer bags.
The best freezer meat bags must be waterproof, durable, sturdy, and above all, environmentally friendly. Therefore, the material has to possess all these qualities to be considered.
Polyethylene plastic makes a good deal of freezer bags for a good reason. Not only is the material durable, but it’s also strong and eco-friendly.
Another common material for freezer bags is silicone platinum. Silicone platinum is waterproof and even more robust and durable than polyethylene. It doesn’t harbor any harmful chemicals that can jeopardize your health, and most importantly, it’s reusable.
Size
The size isn’t so much of a bother since you can get absolutely any size you’re looking for in the market. It all depends on your storage needs and how big your freezer is, though freezer bags tend to save space.
The best decision is to buy freezer bags of different sizes, gallon, 2-gallon, pint, or small. This way, you get to cover all your storage needs at any given time or situation.
Closure
A good closure ensures your food doesn’t get freezer burn while in storage. The closure should be strong and air-tight.
There are many types of closures that you can find on freezer bags, and others even possess multiple types. Many people love zip closures since they’re strong, air-tight, and easier to use. Freezer bags with double or triple closure systems are the best.
Versatility
Versatility also matters a lot when picking the best freezer bags for meat. You’re usually not going to be storing only one type of meat. Are you? In this case, you need freezer bags that you can use to hold fish like tuna, beef like brisket, chicken, bacon, lamb, to name a few.
Brand
There are several freezer bags available today, but are they all safe for use? The leading brands in freezer bags production are Hefty, Ziploc, and Glad. Any freezer bag from these companies is safe to use, reliable, and patented, so you don’t have to worry about your food getting freezer burns. Other brands like Stasher are also doing an excellent job.
5 Best Freezer Bags for Meat Review
Here is a detailed review of the above five top picks for the best freezer bags you can buy to store meat.
Glad Trash & Zipper Food Storage Freezer Bags
These are large freezer bags for meat, suitable for big cuts. They’re made of an extra thick and durable plastic to prevent freezer burns and a double seal lock zipper for an air-tight and secure lock.
The 160 pieces are enough to last you for a long time. Since they’re also the best reusable freezer bags for meat, you can imagine how long a single purchase can last.
Pros
The double seal lock zipper is 100% air-tight
Big cuts of meat can fit well in them since they’re of a gallon size
They’re BPA-free
Will serve your storage needs for a long time
The extra-wide seal makes them easy to lock and open
You can use them to store both raw and prepared meat
Cons
Some people find them smelly
Others also complain of the zipper being too hard to seal
Overall, Glad manufactures one of the best freezer storage bags to help keep your meat fresh for a long time, preventing it from freezer burns. That’s what a good freezer bag should give.
Ziploc Gallon Food Storage Freezer Bags
Buying a single pack of Ziploc gallon freezer bags gives a total of 120 pieces, covering your storage needs for an extended period. They’re large enough to store bigger cuts of meat and any other type of food in larger quantities.
If you’re looking for the best stand-up freezer bags, you can never go wrong with this type. Their bottoms are expandable to allow easy filling. And since they’re BPA-free, you get to have the peace of mind that the food won’t get any chemical contaminations.
Pros
This pack gives you great value for your money with the 120 pieces
You can store large portions of food in them due to their gallon size
The freezer bags are microwaveable
The bottoms are expandable
Are BPA free
Cons
The freezer bags may be too tight to open
Ziploc gallon freezer bags gives value for money. And to think that you can take them out of a freezer direct to a microwave tops it all up.
Stasher Platinum Silicone Food Grade Reusable Storage Bag
Platinum silicone is one of the best materials used in making freezer bags. This material is leak-proof, strong, durable, and environment-friendly. The most crucial part is that the bags are BPA, PVC, and Latex-free, eliminating the fear of any chemical contamination.
Even though you only get to have four pieces of freezer bags in a single purchase, they’re all reusable.
Pros
These freezer bags are dishwasher and microwave safe
Are BPA, PVC, and Latex-free
They’re the best reusable freezer bags for raw meat
Are Eco-friendly
The lock system locks both the meat juices, flavors, and nutrients in
Cons
Some people complain about the ripping off easily
The biggest size is only half-gallon, hence not suitable for bigger cuts
A single purchase of these Stasher freezer bags means that you forget about buying freezer bags for some time. That said, they’re only fit for smaller quantities.
EcoLifeMate Gallon Size Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags
These are large, versatile bags capable of handling most of your freezing needs. Whether you are marinating game meat, lamb, or chicken, you can trust these gallon-size bags to do the job. They’re made from food-grade silicone hence phthalate- and BPA-free.
These meat freezer bags are flexible enough to fit in your dishwasher. Thanks to the zip top-slider, you can keep these bags air-tight and leak-proof.
Pros
Are reusable meat freezer bags
Can handle large quantities of meat
Made from food-grade silicone
The bags are microwave safe
Leak-proof
Heavy-duty
Cons
The slide bars aren’t oven-safe (remove them before heating the bag)
Slide bars open/seal from one side
Overall, EcoLifeMate bags best suit users who want to store huge chunks of meat.
Hefty Slider Storage Freezer Bags
A single purchase gets you a total of 56-gallon freezer bags that will protect your meat against freezer burns due to their thickness. Also, to avoid trial and error, the zipper clicks closed. This way, you become 100% sure that the food is securely locked inside. And with their simple sliding motion, you can easily open and close them up whenever necessary.
Pros
They’re BPA-Free
Are thick and durable
Are easy to fill
Easy to open and close
They are also perfect for larger meat quantities
Cons
These freezer bags can sometimes leak
Other people complain about their zippers not working as they should
Comparing Hefty vs. Ziploc freezer bags, they’re both functional and with perfect closures. However, Hefty freezer bags are microwaveable.
FAQs
Are Freezer Bags Suitable for Meat?
Yes. Freezer bags keep the meat fresh, maintaining its nutrients and flavors for an extended period. You must ensure they’re tightly sealed to prevent freezer burns.
Can You Freeze Meat in Ziploc Bags?
Yes, freezing meat in Ziploc bags is safe and highly recommended. Follow the FDA’s safety rules for freezing foods to get the best out of these bags.
Is It Safe to Freeze Meat in Plastic Bags?
Not at all. Regular plastic bags are thin and will allow air in, getting your meat freezer-burned.
How Long Will the Meat Mast in Ziploc Freezer Bags?
Depending on the type of meat, it should last a maximum of four months without going bad.
What Can You Use Instead of Freezer Bags for Meat?
You can also use aluminum foil, freezer containers with sealable seals, and mason jars to store meat in the freezer.
Best Guides on Using your Freezer Bags
Looking for detailed instructions on different products and how to freeze them? Check out the instructions below to learn more:
- Can you and how to freeze brisket?
- Can you and how to freeze salami?
- Can you and how to freeze bologna?
- Can you and how to freeze tuna?
- Can you and how to freeze hot dogs?
- Can you and how to freeze braunschweiger?
Conclusion
There you have it, the best meat bags for the freezer. These bags are all safe for use, will keep your meat in the freezer for a long time, preserving its flavor, nutrients, and freshness. And with the above simple guide, you now know what to look for when shopping for the best freezer bags for meat.
