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There are many instances where I open food packets, but am unable to close it airtight after taking out some content. Food packets means, packet of noodles, biscuits, snacks, chips, etc. This moisturizes the food and reduces the quality and its crispiness.

I am not interested in using a rubber band as it becomes sticky over the time if not used. Also I do not want to transfer it to airtight bottles/containers as it consumes so much space in the cupboard. Since there are many plastic bags, I am not interested in buying plastic sealers for all of those. I am looking for hacks to close or seal the plastic covers airtight.

I usually twist and fold the opening of bag but over time it automatically gets loosened.

example bags of food

Alex
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Joachin Joseph
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8 Answers8

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Used plastic bottle which has lid will help to keep the plastic bag sealed and works as a container. This will seal the bags which has liquid also if used properly.

  1. Cut the bottle above the body and below the neck where it start to converge. Size can be changed to the need.
  2. Twist the packet opening and insert it from inward.
  3. Flip the plastic cover outside.
  4. Close it with lid.

enter image description here

Another method:

enter image description here

sources

Alex
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Joachin Joseph
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    You legend! A great way for recycling old bottles too! –  Dec 29 '14 at 05:43
  • I saw this a few times on 9gag and never tried it out, but this is surely the way to go. Water bottles are very cheap and easy to find. I can buy a small one for a few cents (in euros, not in dollars). – Ismael Miguel Dec 31 '14 at 09:08
8

You can use a binder clip, like this one:

enter image description here

(image source; used with permission)

They come in different sizes; for the packages you have, you might want to use slightly larger-than-average ones.

In my experience, these work best when you roll up the packaging as much as you can (the packages pictured in your question don't look like they'd work so well, but other things, like large bags of chips etc) to keep out as much air as you can, and then clip your clip so that it holds all the folds shut.

Alex
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Shokhet
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  • Appreciate your attached links for image source along with T&C. Now I got some idea on how to use free images. – Joachin Joseph Dec 29 '14 at 23:15
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    I don't know if I actually needed to do that; I just did it because it seemed like the easiest way to avoid trouble with attribution :P – Shokhet Dec 29 '14 at 23:20
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    @JoachinJoseph You convinced me to try and find out what's actually necessary, when citing other's images. See here for that discussion of site policy (as yet unfinished). – Shokhet Dec 30 '14 at 18:25
  • Thanks for the insight! I will also follow up that discussion. – Joachin Joseph Dec 30 '14 at 23:37
5

You can reseal most plastic packaging by folding the plastic over and gently warming the plastic with an iron, lighter, or hair-dryer.

An iron will work best because it will keep the folded edge straight while fusing the plastic together.

  1. Fold the package over.
  2. Cover the folded edge with aluminum foil, to prevent the plastic from sticking to the iron.
  3. Gently press the iron onto the edge for a few seconds until the plastic fuses.

enter image description here

Alex
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apaul
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    Cool! I'll have to try this one sometime. – Shokhet Dec 29 '14 at 17:27
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    Be prepared to clean off your iron from melting plastic. – J. Musser Dec 29 '14 at 19:16
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    Some plastics do not melt in a friendly way after initial forming. I would be scared to do this with bags storing food as you might get some melted plastic in your food. – AaronLS Dec 29 '14 at 19:50
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    In the context of food bags, the plastic is typically meant to seal under heat and pressure. The only difference between this method and what the factory did at initial manufacture is they have far better process controls. Still, it's not unsafe, or the factory wouldn't have been able to seal the bag in the first place. – Adam Davis Dec 30 '14 at 16:41
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    @J.Musser hence the aluminum foil. Anyway, the idea here is to warm the plastic enough to get it to fuse to itself. Just pressing the iron on for a couple seconds. – apaul Dec 30 '14 at 16:46
  • This is one heck of a solution! But it won't remove the danger of toxic gases caused by the plastic fusing. I recommend doing this in a well ventilated place. – Ismael Miguel Dec 31 '14 at 09:10
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So many options:

  • Fold and use paper clips. Folding the ends twice and using 2 paper clips will even keep chips (or crisps, for the British) fresh for several months. To get it really tight, fold the end twice, then fold the edges in, then put the paper clips on the folded edges.
  • Fold and use tape, as above
  • Try folding the bags without clips
  • Sealing clips, like the ones mentioned by Kristoffer
  • Change the container (e.g. use glass jars)

These are the ones I use, as applicable. I'm sure there are a few dozen other options that will be listed shortly.

Peter
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2

These sealing clips from ikea are easy to use, cheap and reusable.

Kristoffer Sall-Storgaard
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  • This is not exactly a lifehack, although a good solution – vladiz Dec 29 '14 at 12:10
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    @vladiz, lifehacks arent just unconventional uses of common items, its day to day things and tips that makes life easier: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lifehack – Kristoffer Sall-Storgaard Dec 29 '14 at 12:15
  • That is what I was trying to explain to other people in lifehack, but according to this comunity "device used as designed is not necesarilly a life-hack" and they give the definition here: http://meta.lifehacks.stackexchange.com/questions/8/what-is-a-lifehack?cb=1 – vladiz Dec 29 '14 at 14:17
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Buy a heat-sealer. Here is a cheaper example. I have used similiar models. Handy too, with any imagination. Uses PTFE strips so it does not stick to the plastic you are sealing. Adjustable heat so can be used to cut or even make weak seals that can be pulled apart by hand (at least with polyethylene - i have not tried on other plastics). I do not work for a maker of heat-sealers, or their suppliers.

klausnrooster
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  • Product recommendations are generally frowned on. – apaul Dec 30 '14 at 17:15
  • For the sake of my future posts please clarify. Recommendations of a general class of product are also frowned upon? That's what I meant to do (i used the cheapest example i saw), unlike the specific product from Ikea in the answer above mine. – klausnrooster Jan 01 '15 at 18:01
  • If your whole answer amounts to "here is a tool you can purchase that is designed to solves this problem" some people won't view it as a "hack". Unless it is a tool used in an unconventional way or outside of its usual purpose. – apaul Jan 01 '15 at 18:58
  • Thanks, I can see that. I made a ... leap because I assume the existence heat sealers is unknown to most. – klausnrooster Jan 01 '15 at 22:56
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    It probably is, I knew about them from working in restaurants, but I imagine many wouldn't. There is still some debate on the subject of conventional answers/products on Lifehacks' Meta site that may be worth checking out. – apaul Jan 01 '15 at 23:10
  • You can get a vacuum sealer for household use, which can be picked up for about half that price and work in the same way. They come with a set of bags for sealing but will work for most plastic food packets. I use mine with re-purposed noodle bags all the time. – user149408 Jan 03 '15 at 17:14
  • I'm with @apaul34208 here -- your wording certainly stands to be improved: "Buy this heat-sealer" looks extremely fishy to me. I would advise rewording your answer so that you explain what this tool is and how it works, and add in the link as an aid to explanation after that. You might also want to see this page from the help center for more info. – Shokhet Jan 04 '15 at 06:08
  • I clicked to delete my answer but was warned by a popup that I could lose posting ability altogether. So ok, i will edit. – klausnrooster Jan 04 '15 at 17:09
1

enter image description here

You now buy online this sealing cap to keep your food in plastic bag in airtight condition, however this can only be use for food in granule or kibble sizing, not noodles

Alex
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LESLEY NG
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    You don't need to buy this sealing cap. You can just use an old plastic bottle. But that method was already here. – Alex Nov 20 '15 at 15:28
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I use wood clothes pins (clothes pegs, as they call them in British English), the kind made from two pieces of wood with a strong steel spring in the middle. They're very inexpensive (last time I bought some, I got fifty or so for two dollars), and as long as the bag didn't tear down the side, one or two will close almost anything. I use them for cereal (they stuff down inside the box while clipped on the inner bag), coffee (I buy beans in a bag, and the wire tie built in is almost worthless when the contents are 25% gone), bread, and other similar things.

For a product like ramen, I'd probably just drop the package into a quart (liter) or gallon (four liter) zipper bag. With dry contents, these are reusable for a rather long time, and as airtight as the original packaging (personally, I can't picture eating less than a full package of ramen at once, but I know some folks eat very small portions); if you squeeze out the air when closing, they'll keep a product like ramen for a few weeks without noticeable staleness.

Zeiss Ikon
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