Yes, using Ziploc Freezer Bags helps prevent freezer burn by locking out air. However, to properly protect your food, you must make sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing.
* Ziploc® Brand Freezer Bags are the only bag designed with 9 Points of Protection based on a quarterly e‐commerce category audit of Amazon, Walmart and Target. The audit was last conducted August 2025 by searching freezer bag with the combination of features described at https://Ziploc.com/freezer.
Depending on your budget and the type of food, you can use freezer bags, freezer-ready plastic containers, freezer-safe glass or a sealed vacuum bag.
Freezer Bags. You dont have to use ziplock freezer bags to freeze food. You can use regular ziplock bags. Freezer bags are thicker to prevent punctures.
Reusable Silicone Bags
Silicone bags have gained popularity as a sustainable alternative to plastic bags. Made from food-grade silicone, these handy bags are reusable, dishwasher-safe, and freezer-friendly – suitable for long-term storage (up to 12 months).
To prevent freezer burn on meat, completely block air exposure and minimize temperature fluctuations. Vacuum seal your meat using devices like a FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer, or for DIY air removal, slowly dip an unsealed, zip-top freezer bag into a bowl of water to force the air out before sealing.
Putting a penny (or any coin) in the freezer is an easy trick used to check if your freezer lost power while you were away, and whether your frozen food is still safe to eat.
The safest and most practical alternatives to Ziploc bags are reusable food-grade silicone bags (like Stasher) and compostable plant-based bags (like those from Green Paper Products). These options eliminate exposure to toxic chemicals like BPA, BPS, lead, and phthalates found in traditional plastic.
The Amish use a combination of historic preservation methods, natural ice harvesting, and off-grid appliances to keep meat cold without standard electricity. Their methods depend on the season and the strictness of their local church rules (Ordnung):
You can generally safely refreeze thawed food if it was thawed in the refrigerator and handled properly. However, certain items should never be refrozen for safety reasons, and others will lose their texture and flavor completely.
Freezer burn is primarily caused by air exposure and moisture loss. The best containers to prevent it are those that create an airtight and vapor-proof seal.
Yes, plastic wrap helps prevent freezer burn, but it cannot do the job alone. Because standard plastic wrap is slightly permeable to air, you should use a "double-wrap" method for maximum protection: tightly wrap your food in plastic wrap, then place it inside a heavy-duty freezer bag or wrap it in aluminum foil.
10 Zero-waste plastic bag alternatives
Silicone is far and away a superior material to traditional plastic baggies when it comes to packing snacks and storing leftovers in the fridge or freezer. And these OXO products are made from LFGB-certified silicone, which means they meet the highest of safety standards.
The best Ziploc alternatives for the freezer are reusable silicone bags (like Stasher) or PEVA bags (like (re)zip) for a flexible, space-saving option. For rigid, zero-plastic, and odor-proof storage, use tempered glass containers with snap-locking lids.
Whether they are marketed for the freezer or general storage, all bags are made from the same material: polyethylene. The thickness of the polyethylene film is what differentiates a freezer bag from a regular zipper lock bag. In general, the thicker the bag, the less likely it is to allow moisture and odors in or out.
Disposable plastic food storage bags can be safely reused if they were used to store dry, non-greasy, and low-risk foods such as bread, crackers, or washed fruits and vegetables. However, bags that have held raw meat, dairy, eggs, or moist foods should not be reused due to the risk of bacterial contamination.
You may have heard of it: Freeze a cup of water solid, set a coin on top of the ice, and put it back in the freezer. The idea is that if your power goes out while you're away and the freezer warms enough for the ice to melt, the coin will drop down into the cup.
You can continue to spend them. Retailers will continue to accept pennies if you want to pay with exact change. However, you certainly shouldn't save them in the hopes that their value will increase, as that's unlikely to happen in the near future.
People put envelopes in the freezer for two main reasons: to safely unseal them if you made a mistake (like forgetting to include something), or to secretly snoop into someone else's mail.
To effectively prevent freezer burn, you need bags that block oxygen and subzero moisture. The best bags depend on your budget and equipment:
With modern preservation techniques, meat can last: -Frozen: Up to 12 months for raw cuts, and 2 to 3 months for cooked meat. -Canned: 2 to 5 years if stored in a cool, dark place. -Freeze Dried: 15 to 25 years, depending on packaging and storage conditions.
Properly storing food in a home freezer