Apartment Therapy Re-Nest | Are There Any Eco-Friendly Sandwich Bags? Good Question

...And nothing hold a messy sandwich together like a good baggie. If you think about it, this baggie would only have to remain waterproof for about 5 hours until lunch time and then it can start biodegrading right away!

Sent by Ayse

Editor: Ayse, yes, there are some better plastic baggie options out there, but first we're going to redirect your question and give you some alternatives. We like baggies too, but when it comes to sandwiches, there are plenty of options.

• First of all, have you considered a washable, reusable container? You could use a plastic container or even a glass box with a lid, if you want to avoid plastic. Here's an Aladdin Lunchbox that is especially good for sandwiches.

• Secondly, did you know that you can wrap sandwiches very securely in wax paper or freezer paper? Here's a great tutorial at Tipnut on wrapping meat securely. It can also be applied to sandwiches. The Drugstore Wrap, at Tipnut.

• Wax paper is compostable, so even if you don't want to wrap your sandwiches, you could also just use wax paper bags, like these: Natural Value Unbleached Wax Paper Bags. You can also put a waxed paper bag inside of a plastic bag to make it more airtight and to let you reuse the plastic bag more easily.

• You can also buy reusable, machine-washable wraps for sandwiches, like this lined Wrap-N-Mat (also available at Whole Foods), or these oilcloth wraps at Etsy. Also check out these Kootsacs.

For better plastic alternatives, try cellulose bags:

• Cellulose Bags at Green Home. These can be recycled with other paper products and are not made of petroleum, and the biodegrade in 30-90 days.

And finally: did you know that Ziploc plastic bags are actually recyclable at some recycling centers? Check your local recycling guidelines to see if they accept plastic number 4. This is not very common in city recycling programs, but Lime.com says that Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, and Wegman's Food Marts will also accept plastic bags for recycling.

Got a good question you'd like answered? Send your queries and a photo or two illustrating your question, and we'll see if the Re-nest editors or our readers can help answer your question.

>>Read more Good Questions here!

(Images: Lime.com; UnMaskIt; Etsy seller RickRackQueen)

A washable reusuable container is your best bet, if you ask me. You don't even need to go the fancy aladdin lunchbox way. I got some rubbermaid containers at the grocery store that were just exactly the right size for a sandwich made out of standard store bread. I like these containers even better than a baggie because they stop the sandwich from getting smooshed on accident.

posted by RoseCampion on February 6th 2009 at 10:38am
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My hubby and I use the Wrap-N'-Mats and loooove them! Simple, effective, easy to clean. I think we got ours at reusablebags.com

posted by Mikki on February 6th 2009 at 11:03am
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I like my sandwiches very tight so I just use aluminum foil. Wrapped right it can be used multiple times and it could be recycled. It's also very cheap and does not require yet another product to consume.

posted by swandiver on February 8th 2009 at 10:36pm
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I splurged on a To-Go Ware tiffin set ($30 at WF) and I use it for everything - granted, I have to cut my sandwich in half (big deal) but it keeps everything nice n'fresh. Plus, it's not just for sandwiches & it's reusable. And not plastic.

I'm all over wrapping sammies in waxed paper or parchment, too.

posted by keltrue on July 6th 2009 at 2:24pm
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I wash and reuse my ziplocks all the time, have never had a problem with 'avacado smears' because they are washed very well.

posted by Hollie on September 17th 2009 at 5:03pm
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I also wash and reuse my ziplock (gladlock here) bags, no worries. Same with the bags from the bulk bins (nuts, etc). I turn them inside out and wash them each day after work, leave them on the drying rack, and use again the next day. I thought it was weird at first, but now I can't imagine being as wasteful as I was before! As a bonus, if I use a bag for marinating meat, I can throw it away and not feel bad because I've already gotten lots of use out of it.

posted by mrlew1 on September 18th 2009 at 5:57am
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Until you find an alternative you like, spend a few more minutes washing your ziplock bags -- they actually wash and dry well, can handle multiple cleanings.

I filled a small jar with rice, poked some chopsticks in the rice and hang my washed ziplock bags on the chopsticks to dry overnight. The next morning they're ready to use for lunch again!

posted by terrafaith on September 18th 2009 at 11:18am
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