Despite convention, this loose produce does not—I repeat, does not!—need to be placed in those plastic produce bags that line grocery stores. They also don’t need to go in plastic baggies once you get home. With the right reusable bags, you can keep them clean and fresh on the journey from the store to your fridge to your plate without ever needing to pick up one of those crinkly little eco faux pas. Once back in your kitchen, the right reusable produce bag can also help keep your produce fresh for longer. That way, you’ll always have some on-hand when you’re shopping (for bulk produce items like mushrooms; bundles of produce that you want to keep together; or things that you’re wary to have touching your cart for whatever reason) and putting things away in your fridge. The real selling point with these bags is their durability. I’ve had mine for over three years and they’re still in as good shape as the day I bought them. They have a cotton drawstring close, which makes them easy to hand-wash or throw in the machine (metal string tips can jangle around in the machine and sometimes fall off). I’ve found that this size is also perfect for storing toiletries and cosmetics, so you’ll find a few of them stuffed in my bathroom vanity too. Life Without Plastic Organic Cotton Mesh Plastic Free Produce Bag - Large ($6) Use it for: Lemons, limes, onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower Trendiness aside, I’m always wary to bring mine out and about because I’m nervous that smaller items are going to fall through the decidedly looser weave. Instead, I keep mine in the kitchen to store bunches of sturdier greens. Kale, Swiss chard, and collards always seem to last a little bit longer in my crisper when they’re nestled in them. Public Goods Wide Mesh Tote ($9) Use it for: Kale, Swiss chard, collards When I get home, I place the bags and their contents directly into the fridge until I’m ready to cook with them. Once I do, I return the mesh bags to my grocery bag until next week. Simple Ecology Mesh Reusable Produce Bags - Small ($3.75) Use it for: Mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, string beans I find that it can keep anything that tends to wilt—zucchini, peppers, and asparagus—looking fresh for an extra few days in the fridge. Vejibag Freshness Extending Produce Bag ($23.99) Use it for: Zucchini, peppers, asparagus I always have a stash (no pun intended) of different-size ones lying around in my kitchen. I use the small ones for storing little odds and ends that I collect as I’m cooking: Half an onion, a lemon that’s been cut into, etc. These larger, stand-up ones are great for snacky stuff. I’ll throw prewashed grapes, carrots, and celery in them so they’re sitting there waiting for me when I open the fridge. Bonus: They are dishwasher safe! And if you don’t get to something in time, you can throw your Stashers in the freezer. Stasher Reusable Silicone Stand-Up Mid Bag ($19.99) Use it for: Snacks like pre-prepped carrots, grapes, or celery Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
