Choosing the Best Food Storage Bags

Choosing the right plastic bag can be daunting given the number of choices. However, armed with some basic information, you'll be able to choose the right food storage bag for your needs!

Eco-Friendly Plastic Bag Options and Alternatives

Green plastic t-shirt bag with various pastries in plastic containers surrounding it

Eco-Friendly Plastic Bags

Available in a variety of styles and materials based on your needs, an eco-friendly plastic bag is a great choice for any business looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Not only are these bags reusable, but many are also recyclable and even biodegradable. Whether you need deli bags, t-shirt bags, or even handle bags for produce, there is an eco-friendly option to meet your needs. Many of these bags also feature a recycling symbol to make the environmentally-friendly use clear to customers.

Narrow brown Duro paper bag with loaf of bread being placed inside on red and white checkered table

Eco-Friendly Paper Bags

For an eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags, paper bags are a great choice! Although they are often not as supportive as a plastic bag, paper bags are biodegradable and decompose much faster than plastic bags. Due to their material, they are also often recyclable. Paper bags are available in various colors, with or without handles, and come in different sizes for all of your food-wrapping needs.

Black reusable canvas bag with white sun graphic with container of tomatoes being placed inside

Reusable Bags

Reusable shopping bags are great for a variety of businesses, and are designed for customers to use again and again. These durable bags can hold more than a standard paper or plastic bag, allowing customers to carry fewer bags for the same amount of groceries. They're often available in insulated and uninsulated varieties to ensure food is transported in the best manner possible. These bags also save you money on the cost of stocking paper and plastic bags, providing an eco-friendly and cost-savings benefit.

Types of Plastic Bag Materials

We offer plastic bags in several different materials. Because each type of plastic has specific characteristics, understanding the differences can help you narrow your choices.

Chef placing tomatoes in white HDPE plastic bag

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) Bags

HDPE features a variety of qualities that make it one of the most common plastics used in the world and many of these qualities translate to making it an excellent material for plastic bags. HDPE is light-weight, resistant to temperature, water, and vapor, has high tensile strength, is relatively transparent, and meets FDA/USDA food handling guidelines. These qualities combine to make versatile bags that are excellent for both serving and storing food in retail and take out situations. HDPE plastic food storage bags will allow your grocery store, convenience store, deli, or restaurant to work with greater efficiency, no matter how you choose to utilize them.

Sandwich packed in a clear LDPE plastic bag on a wooden counter

LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) Bags

This type of plastic is commonly used for food bags and utility bags. Because low density polyethylene is breathable, products stored without refrigeration or freezing will not last as long, compared to a polypropylene bag. Though not as strong as HDPE bags, LDPE plastic storage bags are capable of storing bulk food items like fresh vegetables and fruits. Additionally, the clear plastic makes it easy to identify contents, so you can keep up in the fast-paced setting of a commercial kitchen. Highly versatile, the low melting point of LDPE makes these bags popular for use with heat sealing. Like HDPE, LDPE meets FDA/USDA food handling guidelines.

Hand holding hotdog buns wrapped in a clear LLDPE plastic bag

LLDPE (Linear Low Density Polyethylene) Bags

The biggest difference between LLDPE and LDPE plastic bags is that LLDPE food bags have a thinner gauge, but with the same strength. For example, a 0.85 mil thick LLDPE bag has the same strength as a 1.5 mil LDPE bag, allowing the user to "down-gauge" and save money! Similar to LDPE bags, LLDPE bags can be used for storing food in both refrigerators and freezers and the meet FDA/USDA food handling guidelines. These bags also allow for easy identification, and, as a highly versatile product, they are perfect for use in commercial kitchens.

Hands placing many Double Bubble candies in a clear polypropylene bag

PP (Polypropylene) Bags

Polypropylene bags combine excellent chemical resistance and strength. Unlike LDPE or LLDPE bags, polypropylene bags are not breathable, resulting in longer product shelf life for retail situations. Items like herbs, nuts, candies, and other confectioneries are perfect for storing in PP bags. Additionally, polypropylene bags are clearer than LDPE or LLDPE bags for enhanced product visibility. PP bags also have a high melting point, meaning they are great for heat sealing, and, similar to the other plastic food bag options, they are FDA/USDA approved.

Bag Gauges and Thickness

Gauge is the term used to describe the thickness of a plastic sheet, or in this case, bag. It's usually measured in mil's or microns. Generally, a higher gauge food bag should be used if the contents are particularly sharp or heavy. The higher the gauge mil or micron, the thicker the bag is.

1 mil = 0.001"
25.4 microns = 1 mil