Vacuum Sealers – What You Need to Know Before You Buy
A vacuum sealer is one of those kitchen machines you don’t realize how much you’ll use – until you buy one. We use our vacuum sealer for food storage, sealing jars and bottles, corrosion protection, resealing bags and emergency preparedness. You can also use your vacuum sealer for sous vide cooking. In this post, we’ll discuss ways to use your sealer, do a comparison of Foodsaver models and their features, and share some tips on Foodsaver bags.
How does a vacuum sealer machine work?
Vacuum sealer machines sucks the air out of a plastic bag or container and seals it so no air can get back in. When sealing soft or juicy items in plastic bags for freezer storage, it’s best to freeze the items for a few hours before vacuum sealing them. This prevents the food from being crushed or losing its juice during the vacuum process. Vacuum sealing does a great job protecting the contents from oxygen, liquids and bugs.
Here’s a quick demonstration of how to use a vacuum sealer.
Why Get a Vacuum Sealer?
I’ve put together a list of different ways to use a home vacuum sealer to demonstrate how a vacuum sealer can help in your kitchen and home.
My Top Choices for Best Vacuum Sealer
#1 – Food Storage
I use my vacuum sealer for food storage more than any other use. Vacuum sealing dramatically extends the shelf life of food in the freezer, refrigerator and pantry.
In the Freezer
Have you ever tossed a bag of produce into the fridge or freezer, thinking that you’ll use it up quickly so you don’t need to do anything special with packaging, only to find it later, freezer burned or moldy?
It takes just seconds to vacuum seal food, and vacuum sealing extends the shelf life of foods to years instead of months. Vacuum sealed meats don’t oxidize and turn brown. We always get our bulk beef purchase vacuum sealed.
Produce Keeps for Years Instead of Months
I use my vacuum sealer for fresh frozen produce such as peas, broccoli, strawberries, peppers, blueberries, kale, chard, green beans and pretty much anything else that is not a puree.
I like to freeze the produce on sheet pans, and then pack into meal/recipe size bags and seal. That way, when I open the bags, the peas or berries aren’t all clumped in one big frozen block, and I can pour out at little or as much as I need at one time. Pre-freezing soft or high liquid items keeps them being crushed and juiced by the pull of the vacuum.
You can see my original vacuum sealer in action in this post about how to freeze peas, and the FM2000 in the post about freezing beans. The vacuum sealed bags can stack like books on a shelf in the freezer and take up little space. If you cut the vacuum sealer bags open neatly, you can also reseal and reuse the bags at least once, sometimes more.
I can easily store food for a year or more, which is great if we have a bumper crop of something one year and a crop failure the next. Two year old vacuum sealed berries look like they were picked and frozen the day before. Try that with produce in a regular zipper bag, and you’ll end up with a block of ice.
Below is a comparison of two packages of broccoli, one vacuum sealed, one not. I thought I’d use the second package up quickly, so I didn’t take the time to vacuum seal. Big mistake.
How to Vacuum Seal Liquids and Single Servings for Freezing
One of our readers, Cheryl L., shared how she prepares high liquid foods and single servings for vacuum sealing on the Common Sense Home Facebook page:
I pre-freeze food with liquid, such as: soup, sweetened berries, tomato sauce, etc. in plastic bowls. When frozen solid, pop out the food, slip it into a bag and vacuum seal.
I also put individual servings such as enchilada’s with sauce into an open sandwich bag and freeze. When frozen, I pop the unsealed sandwich bags of frozen enchiladas into a a vacuum sealer bag and then vacuum and freeze. Placing the open sandwich bags into the vacuum bag allows the vacuum sealer to take out all the air, keeps the sealing area of the bag clean for sealing, and it makes removing individual servings very simple.
Portioning liquids and purees into ice cube trays is another option. Simply fill the trays and freeze, then pop the cubes out and vacuum seal. When you open the vacuum sealed bags or containers, you can use a little or a lot, and reseal if needed. You can also seal up leftovers in meal size portions for a quick to fix meal on busy weeknights.
In the Refrigerator
In the refrigerator, vacuum sealing helps food to last for weeks instead of days. Once you break the seal, the shelf life on many liquids drops dramatically.
Now you can use your vacuum sealer to reseal wine, oil or vinegar with Foodsaver bottle stoppers. Simply stick in the stopper, hook up the attachment hose, and seal.
They sell the Foodsaver® bottle stoppers in a 3 pack, so you can seal more than one jar at a time. This would also be a nice option for sealing jars of herb infused vinegar or oil.
In the Pantry
Vacuum sealers are also great for extending the shelf life of bulk dry goods, such as dried fruit, herbs and spices, or even flour and sugar. For non-powdery dry foods, like fruit, peppercorns or rice, I place the items in a mason jar and use the jar sealer attachment. This is also known as dry canning. This is especially helpful when you have a bumper crop that will be in storage longer because there’s so much to use.
For powdery items such as flour and sugar, I leave them inside their paper storage bags, and vacuum seal the entire package inside a vacuum bag cut to size. If you want to try sealing powdery material in a mason jar, make sure to form a hole in the center of the contents to increase airflow, and place a coffee filter over the contents to reduce the amount of dust being sucked into the seal and sealer.
#2 – Sealing (or Resealing) Non-FoodSaver Bags, such as Chip Bags
Chip clips and clothespins might keep bag contents from spilling all over the pantry, but they don’t work very well to keep the bag contents fresh, especially under humid conditions.
To keep the crunch in your crackers, simply use the Seal Only function on your vacuum sealer. I buy a lot of herbs, spices and baking supplies in bulk Mylar bags, so this is a great way to keep them from going stale before I use them up.
Can I vacuum seal Mylar bags?
You can’t vacuum seal Mylar bags without using an extra step, like putting an inch wide strip of textured FoodSaver bag plastic near the opening of the Mylar bag. Vacuum sealing a bag requires a textured area of the bag in the vacuum sealing channel. The textured area provides space for the air to get sucked out. Without the texture, the sealer clamps tightly shut, and seals before it vacuums.
#3 – Sous Vide Cooking
Sous vide cooking is a hot trend in some circles, and a vacuum sealer can help you prep your sous vide dishes. Foodsaver bags are sturdy, and hold up well to extended heating and liquid exposure. Removing the air from your sous vide bag prevents the food from floating. (Floating leads to uneven cooking.)
#4 – Vacuum Sealing Protects from Corrosion
From ammunition to fine silver, air and moisture exposure tarnish and corrode metals over time. You can use your vacuum sealer to protect the shine on your silver cutlery and save yourself a lot of time polishing. Just make sure to wrap the cutlery in a cloth or thick paper before sealing, so that the fork tines or sharp knife edges don’t puncture the vacuum bag.
If you want to protect ammunition, make sure to use the seal only function, not the vacuum and seal. Vacuum sealing bullets may cause the slug to “pop” out of the cartridge. You can add oxygen absorbers for extra protection.
For the welders out there, one of the members of SurvivalMonkey.com notes that they vacuum seal their Broco exothermic cutting rods and underwater welding electrodes to keep them fresh, which reduces waste from boxes being open and rods being exposed to the elements.
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#5 – Emergency Preparedness
I like keep a stockpile of items we use regularly. When the boys were younger, we went through a ton of band-aids – because boys will be boys. I bought a LOT of band-aids.
Most were used quickly, but one box got shoved to the back of the linen closet. By the time I found it, the adhesive was starting to break down, and they were basically useless. (Note to self – clean linen closet more than once a year.)
Now when there’s a sale on band-aids, I unfold and flatten the boxes with the bandages inside, and vacuum seal the whole thing. When it’s time to use them, I snip open the bag, unfold the box, and it’s ready to go. They last for years.
You can use your vacuum sealer to:
- make your own premade meals
- preserve important documents and computer backups
- protect matches, clothing or emergency kits
- and probably one of the coolest options I read about – keep candles from melting into unusable blobs
Here’s another tip from SurvivalMonkey.com:
If you place your candles into a fridge/freezer first, then vacuum seal them, they hold their shape, regardless of the temperatures. They can be cooled down before opening, and used normally. I had tested a few, due to candles melting in my BOB’s (Bug Out Bags), in their cardboard boxes, which made a real disaster! Now, it doesn’t matter as they are in a predetermined cylindrical shape, and stay that way even if melted!
Please avoid vacuum sealing lighters, compasses and anything with sharp edges.
Features to Look for in a Vacuum Sealer
Fully Automatic or Partial Automatic Sealing
Some units, like the FoodSaver V4440 2-in-1 Automatic Vacuum Sealing System, are fully automatic. You stuff the edge of the bag in the slot and the machine takes over. The air is removed and the bag sealed, and you do nothing except insert the bag into the sealer. This is handy if you want the machine to do everything for you, but you need extra empty bag space to insert in the machine.
The FoodSaver® FM2000 Vacuum Sealer is partially automatic. It has a clamshell design, so you open the unit and line up the edge of the bag in the vacuum channel.
Once the bag is in place, you lock the unit in the “operate” position and push the “Vac/Seal” button. The air is vacuumed out and the bag is sealed. The unit stops automatically when the seal is complete. I prefer the partially automatic units over the fully automatic, because you waste a lot less bag material.
Accessory Hose Included
Some basic units have an port for an accessory hose (for sealing containers and vacuum seal zipper bags), but don’t include the house. The Foodsaver FM2000 is like this. I ordered a hose to go with my FM2000 (actually, I tried both types of hoses that Foodsaver carries), and neither one fit. It’s possible I got a lemon, but if you want to use an accessory hose with your vacuum sealer, I’d suggest buying a unit that comes with a hose.
Detached Accessory Hose or Retractable Accessory Hose
I had a Foodsaver Vertical V3840 vacuum sealer with a retractable accessory hose, which was really handy – until the boys pulled the hose out a little too far one time and it never went in again.
The Foodsaver V2866 has a neat holder for the accessory hose on the rear of the vacuum sealer machine, but it’s been discontinued. (You may still be able to find it from third party sellers.) The Foodsaver FM235-ECR has a clip that allows you to attach the accessory hose to the side of the unit. Both options help you to keep the hose close at hand without the risk of a retractable hose.
Bag Storage Built Into the Unit
Some of the larger vacuum sealers have room for a roll of vacuum sealer bags right inside the machine. These normally come with a built in cutter, making it easy to cut bags to size. If you don’t mind the slightly larger footprint, this is a handy option. Most smaller, less expensive vacuum sealers do not include roll storage or bag cutters.
Handheld Sealer Included
Many units with an accessory hose also include a handheld sealer, which seals Foodsaver zipper bags, canisters and containers. Basic units usually don’t include an accessory hose or handheld sealer.
Removable Drip Tray
You want a unit with a removable, washable drip tray. The first Foodsaver vacuum sealer I purchased many years ago didn’t have one, and it was a bear to clean up any liquid that got sucked into the vacuum sealing channel.
Seal Only Button
The Seal Only button is needed to make your own bags from a roll. It also lets you reseal non-Foodsaver bags, including Mylar, without vacuum sealing.
Notes on FoodSaver Bags
I prefer to buy the rolls of bags and cut them to size. For me, there are fewer seal failures with genuine Foodsaver® brand rolls. I watch for sales online or locally, and stock up. The bags last a long time in storage.
When I tried a “bargain” brand, I had more failures and could not reuse the bags because they would not hold a seal a second time. Not much of a bargain.
If you choose to use a non-FoodSaver brand bag, look for bags that are completely textured. This allows you to cut off an end or a side and still vacuum seal the bag. Some bargain vacuum sealer bags I tried only had a textured strip up the middle of the bags. This is functional for sealing the bag, but you if want to cut off a side and reseal the bag, it won’t work.
How much longer will vacuum sealed food last?
FoodSaver offers the following food storage guidelines:
Food Storage and More
I hope you’ve found this post helpful if you’re considering buying a vacuum food sealer, or that it’s given you some ideas for using your current machine. Questions or comment? Just leave a note below and I’ll do my best to help.
You may also find some of our other posts useful, such as:
- Preparedness Storage – Finding Room and Keeping it Safe and Sound
- Home Food Preservation – 10 Ways to Preserve Food at Home
- How to Can Food at Home – Quick Guide to Safe Home Canning
- Home Food Drying – 6 Things You Need to Know to Dehydrate Food at Home
- Home Freeze Drying – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
NOTE – When originally posted in 2014, this review included a giveaway, which has concluded. Congratulations to our winner, Terri H.!
Originally posted in 2014, last updated in 2019.
I absolutely love my Food Saver. Have been using one since my kids were small. I have expanded my freezing as I have gotten older. I have found that I do not like to blanch some veggies before flash freezing them. We have had fresh corn Christmas. I buy meat in bulk bring it home break it down seal it and in the freezer it goes. Go to farmers market. Bring it home clean the produce flash freeze in bags then freezer. This has most definitely saved me money and I love saving money.
I have been using a Food Saver since my kids were small. I love it. My meats don’t get freezer burn and fruits and veggies stay so fresh. I have frozen everything from jalapenos to brussel sprouts. I have tried blanching and I prefer not to blanch. Been buying in bulk for a long time.
I have two, one I purchased in the early ’90’s, then I received a newer one in 2019. My older one I keep in my Craft Room, to make small bags for my stamps and dies, and other doo-dads.
I use my Food-Saver to put my Command Strips in, suck out the air, and place them in my freezer. It might work for Band-Aids too? I buy a lot of Command Strips, as I live quite a ways from town. So, this keeps them like new, and saves the adhesive.
I just found your site, you have a lot of good ideas! Thanks for sharing your ideas with us for using our Food -Savers.
Glad you’re enjoying the site.
I have a question about vacuum sealing food. Should the item you’re vacuum sealing be removed from its original package before vacuuming and sealing ? For example, if I want to vacuum seal a 4 lb bag of sugar, should the sugar be removed from it’s original package and poured into a sealing bag?
Thank you!
Sue
With something powdery or granular like sugar, it’s actually helpful to leave it in the original packaging, and put the whole package inside the vacuum seal bag. The paper packaging allows air to be sucked out, but keeps the sugar from plugging up the sealer.
Here is the best and least expensive solution – a hand pump vacuum sealer.
No way! All these years I thought those were the covers. ???? I have been trying to figure out what to do with them. Holy Moly now I want to go seal everything in the cabinets just to play with the covers.
I use the vacuum sealer with used lids that are still in good condition.
I am on my second vacuum sealer. Bought my first one when the kids were young and we shopped in bulk because we lived far from a reasonably priced grocery store. I have held onto two jar tops and the sealer hoses, but have never been able to find jars that they fit. Plus I only have two tops. Will they work with mason jars and do you know where I can buy more tops. I would love to be able to store baking supplies in them.
The vacuum sealer jar sealer attachments are sized to fit wide mouth and regular mouth mason jars.
When you say “jar tops”, are you talking about the jar sealers, or something else? The jar sealers look something like a suction cup with a hose attached. You place a jar lid on, put the jar sealer over the lid, attach the hose to the sealer and the unit, and hit “vacuum seal”.
Hello.
I want to order Vacuum Pack Machines that you have in your shop.I want you to get back to me with the price including taxes and I want to know do you accept Credit cards as your payment.Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks for your Cooperation.
Mr Paul Hymen
I don’t sell vacuum sealers directly, but there are links to the sealers at amazon.com in the post.
If you go to ebay they have a brand of food saver bags called swisspak they are the same quality as the foodsaver brand. My cousin and I process our own deer meat and these bags are the only ones we use now. They have all sizes and also come in a roll. You should really try them. I haven’t had a single issue with them and they are way much cheaper than the foodsaver brand.
i did not know much about vacuum sealer. but i am interested to know more about it.i have a great knowledge that is vacuum sealer is a one kind of machine that seal the food item.
I’ve had 2 FoodSavers over the past 14 years. I find them an invaluable tool in the kitchen. I cook meals, seal them, put them in the freezer, reheat them, at some later date, and enjoy them as if I’d just made them. I enjoy the ability to buy meat and poultry “In Bulk,” seal and keep fresh until I use them for a recipe. I’ve had meat and poultry, sealed, in my freezer for over a year, unsealed them and used them the same as if I’d just bought them. I’ve also found many “other uses” for FoodSaver but my main use is for freezing and storing foods.
I’m sorry I didn’t read all the comments, but in case no one suggested this, I write bag contents only on the flap beyond seal so when I cut it off there is no marking on the rest of the bag. When you store the “bookcase” style, have all the flaps facing out. You can bend them to read them whereas if you write on the face of the bag, you need to move it to read contents. 🙂
I have a question. Is a vacuum sealer useful for things you use everyday? We are having trouble with our cheese getting prematurely moldy. I didn’t know if it makes sense to use the vacuum sealer on the cheese since it gets opened up at least once a day.
With two teen boys in the house, cheese never lasts very long around here, but vacuum sealing should help. If you were going to vacuum seal it, I would portion it into hunks that you could use in less than a week, and then seal individual chunks instead of the entire block. Alternatively, you could use one of the FoodSaver resealable containers.
Excellent. I love my vacuum sealer! I use it for all sorts of things, but this has given me even more ideas. Thanks!
I don’t know why I never bought one of these before but they sure do sound useful and have now put on my wish list as well as saved your article. Maybe I’ll get lucky and win one!!!! 🙂 The timing would be perfect since this is my first year in focusing on my garden for food production.
The giveaway has wrapped up, but the basic units are often on sale this time of year and work just as well as the big boys.
You don’t need to vacuum seal sugar, in fact, if you do, it will turn into a rock hard block. It just needs to be sealed to protect from moisture.
Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the information. Someone just gave me a sealer a couple months ago and I didn’t have a clue how to use it. Really appreciate the tip about getting good bags so they can be reused.
You’re very welcome. The “bargain bags” only have texture one direction, so they can only be resealed with the textured strip in the sealer. Given that I often end up cutting down bags as I use them and resealing a side, that’s not very helpful.
I don’t see anything about how the giveaway works.
The giveaway was live when the post was first posted. It is now closed.
Yes vacuum sealing is wonderful….however….you couldn’t GIVE me another Foodsaver brand one! In the last ten years I’ve purchased 5 of them. EVERY one of them I’ve owned has only lasted 6 -8 months. For the money they charge, they should last a lot longer.
And contacting customer service? What a joke! Twice I got laughed at on the phone and told to go buy a new one and the third time I was told there was nothing they could do to help me. Seriously??!!!
If you are going to invest in one….save up and get a professional one…not the cheap crap Foodsaver kind.
Interesting. My first unit lasted well over a decade, and the replacements are both in good shape after several years. I’d be a happy gal if all “cheap crap” lasted that long.
I have sealed diaper, wipes, food and so much more for my childcare go bag. I have enough in my car for at least 1 full day at least until mothers can pick up kiddies. Still need to do more
Okay, I’m sold. I’ve never used a food sealer but my husband and I are going into retirement, so I’m learning to buy in bulk on sale and freeze portions of meat and produce. It’s hard to use up a whole package before the food is freezer burned, so this sounds like a great money-saving alternative. Thanks for this post and the review.
You can wash and reuse the bags several times, too, which keeps costs down, and if you’re preserving meal sized portions instead of bulk preserving a harvest, it may be worth investing in some of the special containers, which can be used over and over again. Wide mouth mason jars can also go in the freezer, as long as you’re careful not to smack them into anything.
I had a Foodsaver but it died and would love to have another one! I dry canned Oreo cookies and tootsie rolls and hid them away from my husband and during a snow when he was searching for “something sweet, preferably chocolate”, i got them out and when opened they were as fresh as when I originally opened them! I also stored chocolate chips like this and they did not turn white and funky. I have missed one this summer for storing veggies out of the garden. Thank you for the chance to win one!
I’m planning to buy Foodsaver FM200 but I have lack of the way to use it. Thanks for your helpful notes!
GREAT post – I was just looking at these at Costco!!!
I had one of the Daisy brand sealers years ago. I used it for my 72 hr kit and for frozen food. I would be excited to try a Foodsaver.
Really impressive! I don’t have a vacuum sealer but it seems as a very handy thing! Thanks for the post! Love it! Greets, Storage Northwood Ltd.
I vacuum sealed pants, underwear for my bugout bag. They will stay dry until I need them and they take up less room.
Socks, too?
I own 6 food sealers, the foodsaver and the competitor. I love them. Everytime I come across one, at a yard sale or thrift store I purchase it. I always want to have an extra in case of one dying and still being in need. I have been there in the muddle of hunting season with a deer needing to be processed and had to go and purchase a brand new one for almost $200.00 at the local big box store. Never again. This way I also have an extra for a friend from time to time. I wish everyone luck for the winning of one, I did not participate. I’m set for now.
This looks really practical . I would like to try sealing fresh herbs and see how long they would stay fresh.
A vacuum sealer would be handy as we purchase dry goods and meat in bulk – this would help to store those items longer.
I have been longing for one of these. Sometimes I don’t have time to pressure can and this would help SO much. I have seen where it is awesome for preserving candy and snacks for traveling and the chip bag idea is great!
Wore out my first food saver that I got from a garage sale. Absolutely loved it.
Veggies, cheeses, frozen meals! The list goes on!
I would use the Food Saver to store wild raspberries and Saskatoon berries….and also for wild meat and fish…. It would also be great for boil in bag meals for those busy work days!!! I love all the information you provide! Thank you!!!!
This would be a great addition to my prepping tools. I don’t have a vacuum sealer. I would put it to work packaging all the food I dehydrate every year.
I have purchased 3 of these vacuum sealers over the past 20 years. Great gifts and you can save a TON of money and keep your food safe and tastey!
I would love this for freezing berries, and meat to prevent freezer burn.
We grow lots of vegetables and berries on our property and I would use this to freeze a lot of them.
This would be great as we now live in the country on 10 acres and starting to can and freeze what we grow. Also, some great ideas I haven’t thought of
This would be awesome to own! I have so many things I could use it on…like freezer meals and smoothie prep bags!
I would love to be entered to win this Laurie. When I was growing up, my mom had a Food Saver that was a Godsend when she was trying to get everything from the garden or from butchering, into the freezer while still working a full time job.
I would use it mostly for gardening items, but could also see it being handy for me when I get my farm stand up and running. I could vacuum seal items to sell so they don’t go bad so quickly, and give my customers better quality food.
I would love this for long-term dry food storage for bug-out vehicle, in our trailer, and in my BOB. I’ve always wanted one but never had one. This would be great to use with our dehydrator.
I have never sealed food like this before so no advice but if I won I would be sealing EVERYTHING!
I would use it to keep our food fresher longer 🙂
Thanks for this article! I’ve been looking into getting one of these:)
I owned the first one they had several years ago and I loved it to “death”…..it stopped working. I never purchased another one. I used it all the time for everything. Im sure that I will fall back in love with it even more now that my family has grown to 5 children.
So many uses! I get a lot of local produce when in season and freeze it to use throughout the year. I also like to soak and dehydrate nuts and do a lot at a time. I buy herbs and teas in bulk, among other things. This would be great for all of that!! What a great giveaway! Thanks! 🙂
I LOVE the FoodSaver machine. I had one years ago and loaned it to my nephew; he loved it so much that I gave it to him and bought another one. My replacement has the moist/dry options as well as the container & jar sealing option. Recently my children asked to borrow my FoodSaver, leaving me without the ability to seal up bulk purchases!!! 🙁 , so I’ve been eyeing the newest version (which takes up less counter space).
Finding out that it now has a bottle seal option as well as redesigned resealable containers just makes it all the better!
Never used a foodsaver before but am hoping to be able to put up a lot of dry recipes in Mason jars so that I’ll have complete meals in jars just ready to add water and cook. Oxygen absorbers don’t appeal to me due to the rapid deterioration of them before I have time to get them into the jars. The idea of being able to seal my flours, salts and sugars right in their bags or containers to keep them dry and fresh is very appealing to me. Thanks for the review. This seems like a price point I could try, but I’ll keep a good thought about winning one first.
I would use this to reseal my oils, herbs, and other food!
I’d use the vacuum sealer for sealing leftovers.
For Wine, etc., I acquired a bunch of 187ml glass bottles. I decant the left-over wine into those, filling them enough that the fluid stops just short of being drawn into the stopper, then vacuum seal them, allowing the smallest possible area of partial vacuum.
I use a Vacu Vin because I was given it and a bunch of stoppers. While a vacuum sealer will probably draw a better vacuum, with either method the lower volume of empty space means less air can remain.
I haven’t used a vacuum sealer before but have always wanted to try one out. Thanks for the chance to win one!
I use my old sealer to make single serve portions of my foods.
We buy most foods in bulk and are planning a garden this year. This would be a great way to put things up for the winter.
This system would really help me with my dog’s raw food diet, which needs to kept frozen. Freezer burn is a big problem with storage. With all the care I take to get her good food, I don’t want to see my efforts to keep her healthy go to waste!
I would probably start using this with items that I dehydrate, then I would go to the freezer items. I would also have to put together care packages to keep in the car and such.
What a fantastic giveaway! I’d use one (if I won or am to ever buy one in the future) to vacuum seal herbs, meat, veggies, etc. in my freezer to stop them from getting freezer burn. I’d also reseal herbs after I open them to make something w/them.
I would love to have a foodsaver to use with our garden produce so I wouldn’t have to worry about freezer burn.
I would use it for fruits and garden vegetables. Great tip on the band aids. 🙂
I like the tips you recommended for the foodsaver,especially the one about bandaids.It would be so nice to have one kitchen item to help with storing food,medicine,supplies ,etc. Thanks for the giveaway.
I would use it to seal food in the pantry, food storage, and freezer. My husband would use it for emergency preparedness. Thanks for the great giveaway.
One of my dil have one and I would love to win this one
I think the food sealer would be great for keeping supplies protected in my get home, or bug out bags! I had the food saver series back in the early 2000’s and it did well. I may take up ” canning ” again if I had this one.
a food sealer will enhance my preservation of the garden harvest, in addition to the day-to-day use.
I would use mine for both freezer food and dried goods.
I had an older food sealer that died last year and I haven’t replaced it yet. I am letting some of my food preps slide because I don’t have a sealer. This would be great!
I would use this all of the time for my food storage, thanks for the opportunity!!
Hmmm first comment didn’t go thru? Well here goes again! I hope I win… LOLZ
I use mine to separate buttons and other odds and ends like craft supplies.
Hi, never used a vacuum sealer before so this seems like a good way to start! By winning one ;o)
I would seal my leftovers for when I am feeling just too tired to make dinner -tadum-! IN THE FUTURE
I have used FoodSavers for years, but my current one just quit! Time for a new one.
Food, food & more food! I hate wasting food! Possibly homemade/DIY lotion bars too, so I can make bigger batches at a time (I assume that would help?)!
Vacuum sealing would definitely help trap that yummy chocolate smell in the lotion bars.
I’d use this for everything! I’ve looked at vacuum sealer devices in the past years…since the first one arrived on the market, and have always wanted one! Imagine the money I would save by being able to properly store food…keep items waterproof….save space! If I won this…I’d be just about the happiest person on Planet Earth!
I would reseal food items I buy in bulk into smaller quantities.
This vacuum sealer would be great to have. It would save on a lot of freezer burn. I use freezer bags for a lot of things so this would preserve food so much better. Thanks!
I REALLY need this!!!
Living in Vermont, we have a very short growing season, the food saver allows us to store our harvest for months, providing nutritious food during the cold dark months of winter. We also buy our meats from local farms in bulk, so the food saver allows us to store our cuts of meat as well.
What a great review this product got and what a great giveaway!
I would use it for everything..sealing first aid necessities, to foods and coffe beans. If you want to keep it fresh or protected, vacuum seal it.
I use my Foodsaver regularly. I cook a huge batch of chili and put it in bags with a small piece of paper towel at the top to catch the juices when I vacuum seal it. I also pre-freeze items to put in my Foodsaver bags. They actually seal better and the cold air cools the inside of the machine and allows me to seal more bags before I have to let the machine rest. I also dehydrate foods and put them in jars and make my own MREs with the dehydrated foods.
I have always wanted to try one. Are they usable in off grid situations, that use dc, solar, wind, and 12 volt?
Not this unit, unless you have an plug that produces AC output.
I would love to have a vacuum food sealer to preserve my fresh garden veggies! I feel like canning gets to cumbersome and just freezing in regular bags produces too much waste with freezer burn. Would love this option! One of the different ways I’ve seen these used and when traveling putting your toiletries in a vacuum bag so they don’t leak all over your suitcase.
this would be a great gift to help build up a stock pile of safe foods for my allergy kid.
I would use it to freeze smaller meat portions and for fruits and vegetables.
I have fruits trees and it would get lots of use. Thanks for a chance to win! Happy Holiday!
My dad bought mine for me….he was the king of vacuum sealing. I miss sealing small potions of meals with him. I use mine for as many things as I can think of. It gets its workout, however, during harvest time!
We have an older model which needs to be replaced but we love to seal bulk food items. We also have used it to seal camping items!
I have been wanting to get one of these for a long time. If I don’t win then I think I will get one for myself come birthday!
So many uses and it will save us so much money in the long run!!!
I’m just getting started and would to have one of these! Very handy!
I’d like to try sealing fresh produce for the freezer & using it with the canning jars. 🙂
I would live to have a vacuum sealer! My husband and I have talked about getting one for years. We have a garden so it would be helpful in preserving the veggies. We also buy our beef from a local farmer and th oou s would help keep it fresh longer. Thanks!
We have had to borrow a sealer every season for our produce and herbs, we would love to have our own.
What a great giveaway ! This would be great for sealing dry goods in canning jars rather than the oven method of sealing dry goods . Have safe travels and Merry Christmas !
This would be so helpful at harvest time. I do a lot of canning and dehydrating to preserve fruits and vegetables. A vacuum sealer would really expand my food storage.
I purchase meat and fish in quantity and it would be great to be able to vacuum seal for freezing.
I’d love to be able to preserve frozen food – no more freezer burn!
I’d use one for the meat/fish my husband brings home. It would be great for bulk gf grains, too.
Loved all of your ideas. Might try them all.
I used to have one many years ago. Don’t know what happened to it. Wish I had one now!
With 3 teenagers living at home this would be great to have! It would help out with the grocery bill!
I love my Food Saver and would love to win one for my daughter!
Would save on waste. With only two people in the house, there are always leftovers.
I would love to vacuum seal my gluten free products to keep them fresh. I have celiac disease so gluten free is my only option. The products are incredibly expensive, so if I could seal them for increased storage time, it would be a real savings!
Our family has shrunk. Since its just hubby and I there are a lot of leftovers. I would use a food saver to store leftovers.
I’d love the opportunity to have a sealer! I eat a plant-based diet and make my own “fast food” meals and freeze them in zippered bags. And I dehydrate fruits, veggies and grains. This would be a much better way of preserving them. Thanks for the opportunity.
Green Beans! I have a friend who generously shares her harvest each year. I freeze them whole and thaw as needed. But, after a few months they begin to get freezer burn. I would so like to enjoy the taste of fresh green beans all year round! I have never had a vacuum sealer, but would love to have one.
I would likely use mine mostly for food, but all of these ideas are wonderful!
I really want to start a garden next year when we move into a house (we’re in an apt just now) and I would use it to preserve all my produce. :: smiles :: (If God grants that I get any my first year of gardening.)
When we traveled when my girls were younger I’d bag and seal my daughter’s daily outfit accessories such as ponytails, socks, hair clips, etc…keeps everything organized and together. No digging for matching socks and accessories, so easy!
Of course I used my sealer for other common uses but thought I’d share something different than the norm!
I don’t have any tips, but I would use it for meats so we could buy while they are cheap. That way they would stay fresh a lot longer! Thanks for the giveaway!
I put avocados in wide mouth mason jars and vacuum seal the air out. It keeps them nice and green.
Seal meats in the bags and grains in the jars! Would loooove one!
I have an expensive food sealer from Ziploc & I use it for EVERYTHING– food storage, storing inedible necessities (like bandaids & matches) & to marinate meat, but it doesn’t have a mason jar sealer, which I would LOVE! If I had this model I would give my old food sealer to one of my daughters:)
Bulk meat, veggie & fruits for the freezer.
This would be a great way to save money by preserving food in many different ways.
I would use it for freezing foods. Lots of great ideas here. No tips as I have not owned one (yet)! Thanks for the chance.
I am all about herbal and natural…garden is huge and make my own teas and meds from herbs. I would LOVE to have this as I have borrowed my friends but haven’t been able to afford my own..sure would make a merry Christmas to me…thanks for the offer.
I have seven kids and so desperately need a food saver system! I would make ahead pizza crusts and seal/freeze them, vacuum seal Apple chips and so many other things.
I have a vacuum sealer I bought at a garage sale for $5.00. It must be at least 20-30 years old. Best investment I ever. I made I buy meat in bulk and reseal it. Not vacuum sealing, so I would love to win this.
I have a vacuum sealer I bought at a garage sale for $5.00. It must be at least 20-30 years old. Best investment I ever. I made I buy meat in bulk and reseal it. Not vacuum sealing, so I would love to win this.
I have been using the foodsaver since it first came out. Works great for all types of projects and saves me a ton of money in food each year. I love it!
I’d use the vacuum sealer to preserve all the veggies from my garden and I’d use a jar attachment as well on my jars.
I have a large garden and would love to keep all my produce fresh in the freezer!
I would love a vacuum sealer but all the ones that go on sale typically don’t have good reviews.
One Christmas we had lots of leftovers and started vac seal everything to take home…even the rolls…..we never laughed so hard and still talk about those rolls that suckered down to a flat nothing !!! Hahahahahaha Ahh the memories of a simple time. Now I love how much room these save in the freezer.
If you pre-freeze bread products on a cookie sheet before vacuum sealing, they’ll look much nicer. 🙂
I would mainly use a Food Saver for freezing foods, especially leftovers, but this blog gives other good ways to use one.
I have always wanted one of these! I just started canning produce this year and would love the addition of this to dry can goods as well!
I have been wanting one of these to help with freezer meal storage.
I have no tips to offer unfortunately. I would seal all the summer berries that I like to use in wintertime smoothies! Thanks.
I moved and can’t find my Foodsaver. This would be so great. I garden so saving produce would be one way , but there are so many other way. I’ll be buying a lamb at the 4-H auction so it would really come in handy for that. Thanks
Hi
I would use the vacuum sealer for freezing fruits, veggies and meats and for storage. When I buy a large bag of food I have put half in a jar and then sealed it in a bag.
I am always wearing mine out from freezing meat, game, excess garden produce, bulk purchases, sauces and baking items to name a few. I know I can take out a frozen piece of meat two years old and it will not have any freezer burn. I have “vacuum sucked” old books to preserve as well as newspapers of historical interest as well as comic books.
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I would replace my old vacuum sealer with this new model. Thank you for having this give-away.
I love to buy in bulk so the foodsaver has really helped. Mine is so old but is still keeping up with demand. My favorite is sealing up cheese to avoid mold. I know I can just cut it off and use the rest but when I seal it I don’t have to worry about that bit at all.
My husband and I have been talking about getting one. I’ve got a restricted diet and have to cook at home and like to cook extra to freeze. This would be great to not worry how soon I need to use it.
This is in my Christmas list- we harvest nearly ALL of our own food so I NEED this!! Yay-
I’d use it for my summer produce – namely zucchini. Love to be able to skip the freezer burn!
I am new to food sealing. Would love to start. 🙂
I need this to preserve our garden harvest and my hubby’s hunting bounty!
These look useful! I’d use for preserving fruits and veggies!
I would love to have one to use with my meat, especially when they have a really great sale! I’d also use it to seal up our birth certificates, passports and other impt. documents.
Would love to win this – I had a different brand food sealer that was terrible. Hoping Food Saver is better…:)
We grow a large garden each summer, and I think a Food Saver would help with processing the food for the freezer.
First thing that comes to mind is sealing the one pound bags my spices come in. I have Organic Ceylon Cinnamon open and about to open one of my Organic Turmeric 5% and don’t want to lose any of its healthy properties. Another more immediate thing would be to seal the block of cheese. I have never had a sealer with the Vacuum before. Actually I have been without a sealer for a very long time. Maybe the Time is Now! Happy Holiday Everyone!
I usually buy in bulk as much as I can.
I had a food saver and it was really nice for splitting up stuff to be frozen and to vacuum seal dry goods in jars.
Many many years ago I had a Daisy that I eventually wore out because I like to make big batches of stew, chili, etc and sure could use this 😉 I got my son one for Christmas a few years ago and he uses his all the time
So need one!
I would use it to continue preserving food items and my prep items. Thanks for the chance to win!
Sweet i hate throwing food away or when something of value get wet or rusty
Have never used a Food Saver. Looks like a great addition to our food storage. Have used the mylar bags and buckets for storing bulk foods.
I’m getting a pressure canner for Christmas, now this is at the top of my ‘We need this’ list! I’m excited for a chance to win one!
I’ve never had one but I’d definitely use it for meat, crackers, and that anti-corrosion tip was really cool!
I have been using my food saver for more than 10 years. It is struggling now, but still limping along. I would love to win a new one! I’ve had it since before I got married, and the first time I came home with 20 lbs of beef (there was a great sale) my husband thought I had lost my mind. I talked him into helping me seal it. He still didn’t believe until we found one of the packages in the back of the freezer almost 2 years later. It was still perfect. He is now a believer.
I do not have a food sealer/saver. I talked about this on my survival preparedness site. I am not reviewing different products trying to figure out what one would be best for my followers and myself. As I can tell, this would definitely be a great investment…Thank you for the information from your site and I will be sure to pass this along.
What a blessing it would be to be able to use the Food Saver to freeze the meat we buy and store pastas, beans, dehydrated fruits, sugar, flour, rice, cereal, etc for long term storage. I’ve been wanting a Food Saver for the last 10 yrs, but it’s never been possible to get one.
I found a food saver for $3.00 in a thrift shop, after using it for a year I truly understand the value of it. I would love to win one as mine finally died. Thank you for all the great information.
In addition to vacuum sealing vensin and other meat purchased in bulk, I also like to seal dehydrated veggies in jars adding oxygen absorbers for longterm storage.
I would use it to seal all the fruit I freeze and also my mint tea.
I would use it to preserve my homegrown hops for my homebrew.
I’d love to win the vacuum sealer so I can keep my fruits and veggies from going bad so quickly. I’m learning to live more sustainably and be more self reliant with the help of your blog, and this would be a big help in putting a lot of that knowledge to good use in the new year! 🙂
I grew up in a household that used a vacuum sealer to preserve fresh veggies from our garden. Would love to add one to my kitchen!
Now that I’ve moved in with my daughter we have two foodsavers, her’s and mine. We buy in bulk and the foodsavers save us money as we stretch the longevity in which food can be saved. The models are getting old!!
That looks like an excellent tool to have for the harvest.
I forgot to note that I make cat food for our two kitties. they can’t go outside. old and no teeth. The recipes make quite a bit, and they get bored eating the same one every day. So I make several batches of their favorite flavors. I like to use all the meat I purchase for them at once so no-one makes the mistake of fixing people food with meat they don’t like that the cats like.
I use a 1/3 cup scoop and plop them on a baking tray to freeze (each cat eats one ball a day). Then I take a few of each flavor and seal up a week at a time. Each bag has an assortment of flavors. Happy healthy cats. Happy me with happy cats eating an economical meal. They have some dry to supplement if still hungry, but they are a trim, muscular 10 lbs each.
I had a unit years and years ago and still find bags of yarn and chapstick that are in perfect condition. Now have a newer “automatic” model. works well, a little fiddly, but the end product is as I remember.
Our kids are grown, so a lot of the more thrifty sizes are way too big for us, but we still need to stay in budget as retirement isn’t cheap. I break up the bulk sizes into more manageable amounts for the two of us. The vacuum sealer is essential to eating healthy on a budget for two.
Am considering buying the more budget friendly one to keep in the van for use in traveling.
I like to stock up on small memorable items to use for crafting holiday gifts but don’t have the space to deal with the air trapped in zip bags. For larger items, I use the bags you use a vacuum to remove air and use the vacuum from housekeeping at the time share or hotel before we pack to leave.
I also do some bulk cooking with friends and I seal my share up as soon as I get home, but it would be better to do it fresh to minimize contamination. Maybe some of them will purchase their own units as well.
My husband and I are really starting to get into homesteading and being more prepared. We have wanted a Food Saver for awhile so we can begin freezing and canning foods! We’re also hoping to store dehydrated food that we prepare! We’d love to have one of these since we’ve never been able to get one before!! Thanks for the opportunity!
We are working toward becoming more and more self-sufficient, hunting our own meet (deer and turkey) and growing our own veggies and fruits. For next spring we have a tractor, and are planning a huge garden. We need a vacuum sealer! 🙂
I would use it to store food better. I don’t know any tips because I have not used one.
Thank you very much for the chance to win one!
For those who don’t win and can’t afford one, you can get a hand pump brake bleeder at Harbor Freight for $25, and you can use the canning jar attachments (on Amazon) to vacuum seal jars. Works awesome with three hand pumps. I use that method for my dehydrated food. Won’t work for bags, but I also scrounged a 1970’s heat-only sealer for bags for $1 at a rummage sale. I’ve used that in combination with the hand pump to “approximate” bag sealing, as well. 😀
I use my FoodSaver for freezing goodies from the garden after the harvest, sealing up small items to protect them, to keep jerky fresh when I ship it to my daughter who is currently serving (US Army) overseas and for freezing ‘cold cash’.
My mason jar attachment doesn’t seem to pull a seal on a canning jar, no idea what I do wrong.
But I found that if I put a jar into one of the canisters, it will pull a seal.
Sometimes I have to wiggle the sealer a little bit as I snug it on to the jar to get a good fit, but maybe you have a defective unit.
I like using the attachment to vacuum seal beans and rice in mason jars.
Hi,
I always recycles my old bags since starting to grow my own food. New vacuum sealer will help me a lot.
This vacuum sealer will help me to get ride of old breads plastic bags and everybody will enjoy the view of new and great sealer.
Being single mother will be a great present for one in a life time.
thanks. Best christmas to everybody.
almas nathoo
I would love to vacuum seal produce from my garden. And bulk purchases.
I have worn out two vacuum sealers over the years because they are fantastic. I have also thrown out a lot of food that has been ruined when I haven’t used it. We buy meat in bulk and love to vacuum seal it to keep it in great condition. I also love being able to toss things in cool water to defrost without worrying about the water getting inside.
I’ve never used one before but it sounds like I need to win this one and change my life!
I have been wanting one of these for sooo long! I would definitely use it for camping, and for emergency prep bag, but the biggest use would be freezing our gardens produce, especially peppers (which seem to freezer burn no matter how long I let them dry before bagging).
I would seal and store many things for the freezer!
Great post !! I would love to win the vacuum sealer!!
Personally I’ve never owed one so I don’t have tips, but I would use it for food storage . I know my husband would use it for ‘prepping’ for emergencies items
I prefer freezing over traditional canning for some things. May have to look into one of these.
I buy in bulk whenever I can, and we’ll be starting on our first steps toward homesteading in the spring with a garden and chickens. I’d LOVE to have a vacuum sealer to go with my dehydrator and canning equipment to preserve what we get out of our labor.
I just had to throw away my sealer. The seals were not holding in the freezer. Lost some of my produce. Just haven’t gotten around to getting a new one. This would be great!
Good suggestions,,I know I would use one that’s for sure
I’d use it for storing fresh produce for winter and for bulk items.
I have a food saver actually I have worn out 3 of them bought one for my daughter and one for my daughter in law as well. I use it for all kinds of things .I have sealed documents so in case of flood they will not be ruined, I use it for food storage,freezer, and dehydrated foods as well, I use it to seal things like beans and chocolate chips so they stay fresher longer . If I can fit it into a bag and I want to preserve it I do it. I have sealed things like tooth floss, tooth brushes and aspirin. I use my food saver so much it is practically an every day thing, but at least once a week. If I win the food saver I will be honored and so very thankful and it will get good use.
I flash freeze tons of fruits and veggies to use for my husbands smoothies. he has a health condition that doesn’t allow him to eat well because of lack of appetite. The smoothies let me get in calories and nutrition that have kept him healthy. I would use the vacuum sealer to freeze in instead of freezer bags. Thanks for all the good ideas!!
I would use it for darn near everything! My mother has one and we used it for sealing foods that she would buy in bulk and then portion them out. My husband and I are a part of an organic food co-op and we don’t always use up the fruits and veggies. This would help greatly with our food storage.
I’d use it to replace my now dead one, died Saturday.
I would use it during harvest season for freezing our fruits and veggies and for packaging up bulk meat into meal size portions to freeze.
I would love to have a vacuum sealer for a variety of reasons — freezing food, keeping dehydrated foods longer, and storing preps underground without getting dirt in them. 🙂
We have 5 kids and 2 grandbabies, we buy everything in bulk. Plus we just started homesteading and need to be able to improve our storage . We would be so thankful to win this. Thank you.
I would use it for storing garden produce 😉
i thoroughly enjoy the benefits of using FoodSaver products! i have 3 that i alternate using when one get too hot. i also have the jar sealers and i recently bought the canister set to seal other-than-standard mason jars. additionally, i have the freshsaver and bags for everyday use! with the amount of product i store, i can always use another 😀
I do a lot of gardening so this would be handy for freezing extra produce.
I have had my white food saver for over 10 years and love it! It’s a vital part of my kitchen!
I will use this food sealer to seal all of the fresh produce and herbs that I will grow in my very first garden!
I have an older model and would love the upgrade. Thank you
I would love to win. It would save money by not throwing out food. Lisa Wright
looks like a really useful tool. I would love to vacuum seal ammo and dried food preps. This could solve some of my long term storage problems.
I’d use for fruits, vegetables and Meat; no more freezer burn.
I’d use it for all my groceries and camping
I have been using a vacuum sealer for a couple of decades, as well. We started with clothing for the motorcycle bags. There is nothing quite like reaching for dry sox (after a rainstorm that you could shower in) and grabbing a sopping mess of several types of clothing, and those zipper bags are so flimsy they were worse than useless. This also applies to fishing, camping, hiking, hunting, & horseback riding, clothing and food and first aid items.
I also vacuum seal butter and other dairy items for the freezer, silver that I only use once or twice a year, fabric and notions to keep my quilt projects together and manageable, flour that I put in the freezer to kill mealy bugs, and my own Bug out Bag meals.
The one thing you ALWAYS have to keep in mind, however, is that these bags don’t rip like the cheap stuff from the store. Keep a pair of scissors or one of those little letter openers with the metal blade handy.
Would love to win this! Mine died a few months ago and it just hasn’t been in the budget to replace it. I miss it so much!
Wow! I have always wanted one but never thought of using it for anything but food! Awesome idea (s)!
I have never used a food sealer but have been eyeballing them this entire year! I can’t wait to try it as I find I freeze a lot of extra’s and hate when it gets freezer burnt.
I’ve never used a vacuum sealer, but as I garden every summer and freeze part of my crops, it would certainly be very useful, as I can see from the broccoli sample. Thank you for the opportunity to enter the contest.
Having a sealer would help me to put aside all the produce I get from my garden. I have looked at them often but I just haven’t thought I should splurge in such a way for me but all your ideas for using it make it sound more appealing than ever.
I’ve owned a vacuum sealer for years, but would love to have a new one.
Years ago, when we did a lot of traveling for my daughter’s softball games, I would use the vacuum sealer to seal things like makeup, perfume or mouthwash. I learned the hard way what can happen inside your luggage when you aren’t looking.
I would love to win one! I would use it for so many things. It would be great to store my herbs from my herb garden. I would use it for meats etc.
My 3rd child, my son has severe brain injury, I would use it to store some of his meals. I make him all organic whole food meals and it would be great to have a way to freeze some properly. 🙂
Thanks for the chance to win!
I care for my ex-husband who is disabled, and I would use this to ‘package’ the meals I make for him – his ‘special’ frozen dinners, without any salt! He has COPD, Congestive Heart Failure, Renal Failure, Diabetes….among other things and can’t walk. All of his food must be prepared from scratch, including making his spaghetti sauce from Roma tomatoes! I can’t purchase frozen dinners for him because there are just too many carbs and sodium which would send him into a flare of CHF! Needless to say, I’ve wanted one of these for quite a while!
I LOVE and use my Foodsaver so much that we are due for a new one. It works great on mylar bags to store herbs in. We seal everything when we go camping, wet matches don’t light very well.
Awesome giveaway!! We put-up from the ever increasing garden & fruit trees. I was able to finally get a small dehydrator that is great from the herbs and dryer fruits. We would LOVE to be able to afford a sealer!! I had one years ago, but unfortunately it never worked properly. I would use the vacuum sealer for the obvious freezer storage, but we would also use it to store/keep our herbs fresher..in jars & bags. We would also use it to “dry” can our pantry staples, keeping those items fresher and those tiny-bugs from entering. Also great for “make ahead snacks & meals when having to travel, especially with the grand daughter! This would GREATLY enrich our food preparedness/harvest. Thank you so much for this fantastic opportunity!!
This is great! I love all the ideas of others uses, thanks for this!
Great information. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I really need one of these!
My original Food Saver decided to bite the dust the beginning of this month and I am at a loss! I used it for freezing bulk meats, herbs that I had dried and even for some of my grandkids items when they go camping. Due to the holidays and financial restraints I am unable to get one till some time next year. I miss my old friend….
Love the ideas about ammo and welding rods.
If going on an extended trip, I like to vacuum seal socks,undies, and military roll my tees, and seal together to save space. The added benefit is making them waterproof for emergencies.
I have worn out two vacuum sealers over the years. They have saved me time and money by keeping my frozen items free of freezer burn and ice build up. Really enjoyed your article and had never thought of using the sealer for some of these things. Thanks for the new info and for this awesome give away.
I would love to win a vacuum sealer. I love the idea of vacuum sealing documents and dry canning. We do some of that now with a model, but do not do as often as we would like because it gets picky about what it will dry can and what it will not. 🙂 Love this blog because it is so practical! yet whimsical!
Laughter is the best medicine. 😉
I have a freezer full of aluminum foil surprise packages! Don’t know what is in them or when they got there. When I open one, it is usually freezer burnt. Hate wasting food!! This would be absolutely wonderful to control the aluminum foil surprises and no more wasting food!
I’m with you: Life since getting a vacuum sealer is so much better!! I used this exclusively for freezing produce from my garden this year, and I can’t begin to describe how much better each and every thing that we have cooked has tasted in comparison to the old freezer-bag way. I also was introduced to “dry-canning” and purchased a set of mason jar sealers. This awesome tool paired with my dehydrator has been a life saver! No more worry about whether I accidentally sealed air in with my dehydrated goods. I just pop them in a mason jar, vacuum & seal it and we are good to go. And I know it’s safer in glass jars. I’ve had too many times that someone has “accidentally” punctured a bag and not bothered to mention it to me. I would be lost without my FoodSaver!!
I have a pretty large garden for a city dweller. I would use it to increase the storage life of my dried vegetables.
I would use it to make my First Aid kits for hiking and camping and lots and lots of FOOD!
I would use it to seal my meat before freezing, fresh fruits for homemade smoothies and so much more.
For jerky and other things I dehydrate!!! Plus also for deer roasts etc in the freezer 🙂
We love having a food sealer, and with butchering time coming up we can always use a new one!!
I don’t have the space for canning like I did years back so I’ve been trying different ways of preserving foods like partially dehydrating then freezing vegetables & fruits in jars or fully dehydrating them and stacking them in jars which is not very space saving. This would be a great alternative- thanks for the chance to win this vacuum sealer!
Not to give away my age, but as a pre-teen I remember the original “Seal-a-Meal” we had; I remember how fun it was to watch the air get sucked out and how much fresher the food was. Since then I’ve resorted to using straws with Zip-lock bags and some things are not meant to be taken care of that way (i.e. Onions). How nice it would be to get back into more permanent storage solutions now that I’m beginning container gardening to go with my now portable lifestyle. Thanks for having this giveaway (and the others); it’s nice to get ideas from and have options to try something without the high cost.
I need it for freezing and dehydrated items.
I love using my vacuum sealer. I’ve used it to seal fruit leather, stick cinnamon, and matches, as well as all of our meat for freezing.
Maybe the third time (of posting) is a charm. Okay–my goal is to have my frozen broccoli look like the bag on the left. Thanks for your great site and all the ideas gotten from it.
Merry Christmas!
I soooooo….. Need one of these! i use ziploc bags currently and that wont air seal a jar 🙁
Thank you for the chance to win one.
I have always thought one of these would be so neat! I do alot of preserving of fruits every summer and this would work great! Great give away!
I’ve never owned one so no tips but I would repackage bulk foods for storage.
I have helped vacuum seal fresh fish. They do make a big difference in the quality of frozen food. I just looked up the canning jar sealing. Wow O Wow that is awesome. I am definitely going to try it. I have about 20 gallons of organic popcorn to preserve. It has problems with meal bugs, so I normally freeze it but that takes up a lot of freezer space. I hope it works.
I would love to be able to stack little baggies of food instead of all the space jars take up!
I’ve been looking for something just like this for months..love how compact this one is! I’d start vacuum sealing all our freezer foods!
This is an awesome opportunity, and I thank you for the chance to win a food saver vacuum sealer!
Oh, how I wish I had ‘inherited’ all the great stuff my mom had! She had a vacuum sealer, a manual shredder (the one with the cylindrical blades, with three feet and suction cups….MUCH better made than what is available now!) A meat slicer, a dehydrator, and on and on I could go! But when she was selling them, I didn’t have the thinking about self sufficiency, and all the ‘prepper’ stuff I do now, so they are long gone to someone who saw their value!
It would be nice to have at least ONE of the great tools she used to feed our family and preserve the bounty of a garden and bulk food sales!
Thanks again, and I hope I win! 😉
Thanks, for the opportunity. I would use this in pretty much all the ways that you have listed. It would come in handy when cooking large amounts and split up and freeze into single portions. especially on those days when I can’t cook.
We have a 1/4 of a grass-fed beef coming in January. With just the two of us, it will be more than a year to finish all that meat off, so vacuum sealing the packages would greatly improve the freezer-life of the meat.
I have sealed my twin baby’s first outfits in my foodsaver bags and they still look brand new 21 years later!! LOVE my foodsaver!! 🙂
I would use a vacuum sealer for making dinners and freezing them, as well as freezing meet for long term storage.
I’d use it for packing up bulk meat purchases and freezing berries.
This would be a wonder addition for preserving food, both in the freezer and dehydrated. Thank you so much for the opportunity to win this!!
Would love one of these to seal and store food when freezing, stocking up on stuff, and many uses!!
I would like one to store dehydrated fruit and vegetables.
I don’t have a food saver but have been saving my swag bucks to get amazon gift cards to order one. Thanks for the chance to win one.
Had one for 5 yrs & it stopped working & have really missed being able to preserve all of my foods for my family.
We have a lot of blackberries and I like to freeze lots of fresh veggies so this would be great to use for that!
I have an old one of these and have used it for freezing meat and fruit. Have used it to seal items for camping (matches, etc.) for camping. Have used it to reseal crackers, chips, etc. Would love to have a new one! What an awesome give away!
I would use it for storing my harvest of veggies. My hubby and i just bought several acres to start our own homestead. A vacuum sealer would be a great way to preserve our harvest for year round food.
I would use the vacuum sealer for all the tips you suggested. I’m especially interested in using it for resealing wine and vinegar.
I’d die for one of these! So out of my budget though. 🙁
(p.s. I see you on Pinterest but there’s no “follow” button??”
Not sure what’s going on. I logged out of pinterest and looked at my profile from the outside, and I can see a Follow button up at the top right.
I just realized I really really want one of these! Thanks for opening up my eyes!
I’d love to try a vacuum sealer especially for dry canning. It would come in handy for all the deer jerky we’ve been making this winter.
Love my Food Saver. Use it all the time. Storage of food, clothes, craft stuff. etc. Its great. Really makes fresh fruit and vegetables stay fresh much longer, so, much less waste.
We are so very new to all this, but it feels like this ‘homesteading’ is what we have wanted all along, we just didn’t know the name for it. 😉 This would be a great tool to have as we get to our first harvest!
I have always wanted to try one of these and someday I will. I had no idea that there were so many ways to use one. I would be using it to seal meat and probably a lot more now, lol.
Being a widow this would come in so handy for me for putting frozen foods into smaller packages and not eating the same thing for 3-4 days so it does not get freezer burnt. Thanks for the tips..
Wow, thanks so much for posting this! I’ve been thinking about one of these for years and now I see it has so many uses! I want one!
I’d mainly use one for freezing garden produce.
I’ve used mine for so many different things. Such as cheese, meats, herbs, marinating, freezing extra meals. I use it for resealing almost everything.
Will use it primarily for food that is going in the freezer.
I would use it to store the vegetables and venison we harvest.
Thank you so much for all the wonderful advice. I look forward to reading your blog. I have to admit I’m new at trying to get back to the basics. My daughter has been diagnosed with Ciliac Disease, so I am revamping how we do things. I look forward to saving money by resealing items. Didn’t know you could. Merry Christmas.
Lisa, I don’t know if you’re on Pinterest, but I have a couple of boards that focus on gluten free recipes and related content – http://www.pinterest.com/commonsenseidea/gluten-free-recipes-and-tips/
http://www.pinterest.com/hrmmag/gluten-free-recipes-healthy-recipes-magazine/
I would like to try to use a Foodsaver in my scrapbooking room. Maybe seal some pictures? I would also love to have one to be able to store my homemade cookies so they stay fresh (particularly before Christmas).
I want to try vacuuming fresh herbs next year. I have a old white food saver that is on its last leg. We seal our potato chip bags and frozen vegs. I wouldn’t be without mone.
When potatoes are on sale I but a bunch and make twice-baked potatoes.
I vacuum seal them for the freezer. When I’m ready to bake them up I take out the ones I need and re-seal the remainder for next time.
great unit! I didn’t know that about ammo, glad it was mention.
Definitely will help out space wise for the freezer..
Would love to win this and Give it to my son to use to store their garden Produce… I could save it and give it to him for his Birthday in March…I can see his eyes light up now..! ! !
My son and I are starting to do some emergency survival preparedness so the Food Saver would be an awesome addition to our supplies!
Wow! This sounds like a great addition to my kitchen. Always wanted to try one!
I have no tips since I have never owned one 🙂 but I would use it for so many things food and stuff
I would use the vacuum sealer for dry canning mainly. I have all the basic dry items: rice, flour, sugar, beans, brown sugar, ect. I also need one for all of my meats and veggies for the freezer. The dry items wiil go into food grade buckets with gamma seal lids. Getting one of these will save me tons of money in losses I have without one. Looking forward to getting a unit and getting started!!!
I could use this for my garden produce, for when we get a deer…and my husbands chips and crackers that end up getting stale. I could even seal my dehydrated fruits and jerky and keep them fresh! Having this will be a super addition to my home canned goods. Thank you for having this giveaway. ~Tricia
I would vacuum and seal most of my dehydrated veggies and fruits, and I would occasionally use it for marinating chicken or other meats.
I had a small sealer that lasted quite a while. When it died I really missed all the various uses not limited to sealing up bags of snacks after opened. I would use the larger newer version for dry canning, sealing bags for the freezer and travel.
I bought a used model decades back just to give it a try. We’re still sealing lots of bulk meats, berries and veggies from our huge garden with the old one. I’d love to have one that I can seal jars and bottles with so I can expand my preserving!! Thanks for the opportunity!
I love to find new uses to save time and energy but I find the best uses for the food saver make it a daily appliance so I have even made a cover for it!
Would love to win the sealer. Have never had one but know many people who love theirs.
I would definitely use the food saver to preserve the flavor and enjoyment of fresh vegetables and herbs .
Any other freezer method just leaves dried freezer burned items that have to be discarded.
Thanks
I really want to try dry canning some dehydrated things from my garden. I am new to gardening AND dehydrating, so I am looking for fail-safe ways to stretch my harvest.
After seeing the freezer burn, which we deal with with produce from our garden unfortunately, I would absolutely use it for freezing produce and also for the dry canning. Love the ideas, I didn’t know it could be so versatile.
I would use it for meat and veggies to freeze. 🙂 I would love it right about now too, because I just opened a bag of dried eldererrie’s to make elderberry syrup and need to reseal them. 🙂
I have one, but it’s really old and the vacuum seal doesn’t always work. Would love to have a new one, especially with all the spices and dry item I do in mason jars!
I can think of so many things to use a food saver for! I could do more dehydrating of fresh fruit and veggies and herbs. I can’t even imagine the things I could do with the jar attachment – but I’d sure like to try!
I have been trying to save up to get a food saver but every time I get close I wind up with another emergency! I had a seal a meal back in the day and it did great but never had the jar attachment. I’ve used the handheld one that uses the special bags but they’re not very durable. Nothing beats the make your own roll of bags and a full size vacuum sealer!
Sorry if this is a duplicate. I thought I’d already posted, but it must not have taken. Anyway, I would use it to freeze items so they don’t end up looking like the clump of broccoli on the right.
Thanks for this opportunity!
I dehydrate fruit and veggies and store them, I would use it to freeze various items for making smoothies, I would use it to store my winter/summer clothing, I would use it to reseal which is soo cool! I learned that from your post here, Thank you!
I would like to be able to freeze things without having them look like your pic on the right! Thanks for the opportunity!
I would use it for all kinds of things. Many things on the list I wouldn’t have thought of vacuum sealing! So many more options. . .
I would love to have a vacuum sealer. I would use it to freeze all of my meats so they do not get freezer burn.
Thanks for the extra uses for the foodsavers! Merry Christmas!
I am just learning to can and freeze and can see this as a BIG help—thanks for the chance to win one!
I use my food sealer a lot! Mine, after 20 plus years is no longer working. So, this would be a great to win!
Wow! One of these would be so useful for my garden produce….
Freezing berries prior to vac sealing is the way to go to avoid losing juice to the sealer as the vacuum starts squeezing down. I’d really like one with the jar sealing feature.
Great article!
Yep! I always freeze my berries on sheet pans first. 🙂
I had a food saver before. We used it often for garden produce. More frequently though, we’d get clearance produce from the Farmer’s Market at the end of the day and I would vacuum seal it and pop it in the freezer! It was so handy!
With an acre garden this sure would be a useful item for our homestead. Had a cheapo model years ago but haven’t really looked into the good ways they’ve changed.
Yes, the sealing strip is more than twice as wide as it was on my old sealer, and now almost all of them come with a “seal only” option.
Love the candle and bandaid ideas–very frustrating to have supplies ruined. I freeze meat bought in bulk and would love for it to keep longer than it does in the zipper bags. Have a great week!
I would love to have one of these i’ve been looking at them trying to save enough to get one.
I don’t have a Food Saver … yet. But, I’d liketo use one for my food preps and to seal mason jars.
I love your blog and your Pinterest Boards. I still use my v900 food saver but it is about to give up the ghost. Winning this would be a major step forward for my preparedness needs. I purchase some of the stronger bags and make my own size bags. I have sealed important papers, certain recipes, many foods, and would love to win this one. The 900 tells you how old mine is.Thanks for all you do.
I would love to have this with the option to use on mason jars.
I love using the Foodsaver! I like to buy herbs and spices in bulk and vacuum seal them in smaller portions. It preserves the flavor and saves me money!
We love to fish and it’s great to be able to vacuum seal our catch and enjoy it in the off months. It tastes like we just reeled it in! Our old sealer has died after 15 years and we are really in need of a new one.
I lived in a motorhome for several years and found that a vacuum sealer was a necessity. I would buy steaks and seal individual servings. Since we had a small freezer, the steaks would remain fresh in the frig for a couple of weeks. Same with blocks of cheese. The vacuum sealer also made storing frozen chicken and fish in the small freezer easier and if the power happened to fail, there was no meat juice all over the freezer bottom.
Too bad we didn’t have one on the boat when we sailed! It would have made freezer storage a lot easier! Even if having to run a generator to use the vacuum sealer.
Now, since I am living on a fixed income, a vacuum sealer would help me save money every day!
Audrey
I love your blog and your Pinterest Boards. I still use my v900 food saver but it is about to give up the ghost. Winning this would be a major step forward for my preparedness needs. Thanks for all you do.
Along with food uses, these devices are excellent for protecting collections such as coins and paper money.
I would love to have on of these. I am new to dehydrating and this would be perfect to help keep my dehydrated goodies longer.
I would love to use a vacuum sealer for freezing goods and for extending shelf life of dry goods and non-food items!
Had a vacuum sealer for years and guess I wore it out. It died on me. Would love to try a newer, better version. I would vacuum seal dry clothes for my son to take on his fishing trips in case he got his wet & smelly. Even if the bags fell overboard, they would float and he would have clean, dry clothes. I have chickens and I froze my extra eggs in ice cube trays. When frozen, I would pop them out, put in vacuum bag and seal. Great for cakes, omelets, etc. During the winter months, when the girls laid fewer eggs, I always had a supply in the freezer.
I thinking out of the box: I’d use it to organize me craft supplies and yarn stash.
I have had a Foodsaver vacuum system for many years. Two, to be exact. My first one was worn out from years of use, and the second one wore out this past harvest season while I was sealing over 50 lbs of fresh-picked huckleberries and about 100 lbs of fish. I have LOVED my Foodsavers, but now I don’t have one because I can’t afford to buy a new one. I would really like to win this Foodsaver, and would continue to use it for food, emergency supplies and extra clothing to keep dry while camping. I like to pack an entire extra set of clothing when I camp, as well as an extra blanket and pillow….. just in case. It makes packing for a trip efficient, too, because you use a LOT less space in your luggage.
I would like to make a week’s worth of meals in advance and use a foodsaver vacuum sealer to preserve it and prepare it.
I would want to experiment so not sure how I would use it but would try it out for sure!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing them.
I would love to win. Have an old Food saver and it is just like me. Too old to do much work!!!!
My current sealer is showing signs of wear. I can’t bear to think it might die on me! I use it for everything. Freezer crockpot meals, leftovers for the freezer, garden harvest, nuts after soaking and dehydrating, jerky…I could go on and on. Love it!
We freeze and can a lot of our garden- would be great to have this to help keep things fresh, such as wine, and for resealing chips and thing that go stale so fast!
ALWAYS USE IT TO FREEZE CHICKENS AND DUCKS THAT I RAISE, SAVES ON FREEZER BURN.
Bread. Living alone and being so fond of bread I often have more than I need. I would love to see how this would do with bread.
I have never had one, but do wish I had one, especially at harvest time! Plus when I cook in bulk to be able to make and freeze individual meals would be wonderful!
I have an old Foodsaver that has seen better days, have been trying to limp it along…would love to win a new one! We use it primarily for food storage, love it. Thanks for sharing some other great uses!
I don’t have one of these, but my son does. He loves it, mainly uses it for meat. I think it would be good for vaccum sealing things to be mailed.It would keep those cookies fresh when you send them long distances, such as overseas. I keep craft items and project supplies in ziplock bags, this would be better as they would store better and not take up so much room., also handy when traveling, put things in suitcase better.
I’ve used a sealer to seal up a bit of extra cat food for emergency rations and for meat storage in the freezer. I’ve found with the new sealers that if I hold the bag with the end up it sucks more air out, making a better seal.
I could really use one of these… both of our children have “flown the coop” but I still have trouble making a meal for just hubby & I…it would be great to have something like this to freeze food or store the extras so we don’t end up having to throw the extra out because we can’t eat it fast enough
Dry canning is great for dehydrated foods. I reuse commercial jars that have a seal built into the lid by placing the jar in a large canister before pulling a vacuum. The idea for keeping candles sounds wonderful.
How interesting- I had no idea you could do so much with a vacuum sealer! Let me add a 6th, because it’s what I was researching them for: moth proofing wool & fine fibers. That would be the 1st thing I would use one for
I would buy veggies and meats in bulk and freeze them.
I have had one of the older models of vacuum sealers. They work good but, I would love a newer model. You can seal just about anything. It really helps to keep thing together.
I would love to win a new Vacuum Sealer w/ bags. I can’t afford to buy one on my limited income & need a way preserve the foods I buy.
Would love to own a resealer, have never had one before. So many used and help sav ed products I buy regularly.
I would love to try one of these as I do freeze a lot of produce during the summer & autumn.
I live alone and buy food when on sale. A Food saver will allow me to keep meats for longer periods of time. I also buy spices in bulk and this would allow them to stay fresh longer. My daughter has one and she loves hers for her partner is a hunter-fisherman and they use their unit all the time
I would use it to seal the veggies I get from the farmers market.
I have yet to use a food sealer. We just bought our first home and I am planning on putting in a big garden. I would love to have a vacuum sealer to be able to prolong the freshness of our harvest and save on money we would spend at the store.
you can seal extra small things like jewels or snaps and have them in one place,put them in a big enough bag to be resealed after using
I have been wanting to get a Food Saver. We raise a large garden and can or dehydrate everything we need. This would add another way for us to preserve our harvest. Thank you
we love our now slightly older foodsaver – we feel like we really don’t waste anything now, as we can ‘zip’ it for the freezer.
I would love to try vacuum sealing! Last summer I tried canning for the first time and loved it. I think this would be another great way to preserve the foods I harvest from my garden.
I have cooked large meals all my life and now that I only have to cook for myself I find it difficult to cut back. Sooo, I bought the paper plates which can be microwaved, cook my meals, seal with the vacumn sealer and pop into freezer. Now I have a dinner in a hurry. Mine is an older model and I would LOVE to win this one and donate mine.
I’d use it for my frozen foods, dehydrated foods and dried foods…
i have wasted so much food from freezing in ziplock baggies. Time for a Vacuum sealer!
I have wanted a food saver for years but just haven’t been able to afford one. Year after year I fight the freezer burn and it’s no fun to put fresh organic food in the freezer only to lose it a couple of months later due to the BURN> grrr. Believe me, I would put this to good use
I would love to be able to dry can items! I bought a ‘cheapo’ sealer, thinking I wouldn’t need the jar attachment. I vacuum sealed so much when I first got it, DH had a dream that I vacuum sealed him!
This would be an awesome addition to all of the other ways I use to preserve the fruits of my labor from my garden. Using this instead of freezer bags would help keep all of these goodies fresh! Thank you for the opportunity!
would love one to use with dry goods in mason jars!
Thanks for sponsoring this give-away!
I would use it for everything from meat to veggies from the garden to bags of chips.
I would love to be able to not have to toss out moldy cheese anymore!
I LOVE FoodSaver! I use it to store dry goods, salad in a jar in the fridge, all sorts of ways!
I use the sealer for fresh herbs, then toss them into the freezer. When I need them for cooking they’re always much better than dried!
buying a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables for usage during the winter months.
For storing in the freezer and in jars -thanks!
I’ve never used one, nor do I know anyone with one. I would like to give this a try.
Love the information you shared. I have never thought I needed a food saver until NOW and now I don’t know how I have lived without one! LOL
I want to use a vacuum sealer to help preserve all of my dehydrated foods!
My mother has had one for years and has loved it. I think it’s time I tried too!
My favorite use for the Food Saver is vacuum sealing jars. I seal lard in half-pint jars, dehydrated apple slices and hot peppers, rice, beans, wheat berries in quart jars. I like your ideas about cooking oils. I’m having trouble getting a seal that lasts for freezer bags. Also great for waterproofing documents (keeps snoopy eyes out of them, also, because they’d have to tear up the bag to read them!)
one of my favorite things to vacuum seal is frozen 1 lb meatloafs. Perfect weeknight meal for two.