The vacuum packer is becoming an increasingly common sight homes around the world. Formerly a product used primarily by hunters or meat producers, it is now being used more and more in several different types of households. But what is the point of vacuum-packing food items? It seems to be so much work for… well, what? In this article, we tell you the benefits of vacuum packaging and why it might be worthwhile to invest in your own packaging for your household.
1. Vacuum-packed foods last much, much longer
One of the main reasons for vacuum packaging food products is to extend the durability of the food products. Did you know, for example, that frozen meat on average only lasts 6 months in the freezer? If you vacuum pack the meat, the shelf life is extended to 2-3 years instead. So the vacuum packer is not just for hunters, but also something that an ordinary family can benefit from as well.
It is not only meat that can be vacuum-packed. All foods with a firmer consistency, e.g. fish and hard vegetables can handle the vacuum packaging well. In addition, it takes up less space in the freezer and you avoid getting freeze damage to the food.
Home growers best friend
Nowadays, vacuum packers have been improved to also vacuum pack more sensitive foods such as fruits and berries without being mashed. The grower fancy can be of great benefit to being a vacuum packer because the vacuum pack holds tightly so that fresh aromas and flavors do not disappear from vegetables and fruits. With a vacuum packer you can enjoy the flavors of summer even in winter.
It is not just freezer goods that keep longer from being vacuum-packed. Dry goods can also benefit from a protective plastic cover. A vacuum-packed package of coffee stays fresh for 2-3 years without any problems, which can be worth gold if you want to leave some dry goods in the pantry in the summer cottage during the winter season.
2. Reduce food waste
We throw away a lot of food today. We throw out tens of kilos of fully edible food per person directly in the trash can per year. It is not just a waste of money, but also with natural resources. All the energy that has gone into producing the food, greenhouse gases formed through food production and transport – everything becomes unnecessary when we then throw away the food.
Vacuum packaging is an easy way to extend the shelf life of the refrigerator by several days. That way they stay better and longer without getting boring and shriveled. We tend to throw away foods that do not look so appetizing, even if there is nothing wrong with them.
3. Food planning
We have all heard the tip about selling and buying big packages at discount prices to save money. That’s a good tip, but big pack is only a saving if you don’t throw half because you can’t eat it.
The vacuum packaging makes it easier to really save money by buying large packages. Divide the food into several parts, preferably in potion sizes, vacuum packaging and freeze or put in the fridge what you should not eat at once.
Of course, this tip also works without vacuum packers, but by storing the food in a vacuum, you get extra long shelf life, which means you can buy more when there are really low extra prices on a food.
Vacuum-packed leftovers become perfect food boxes
Today, there are also vacuum packers with associated drawers that make it easy to store food leftovers in the fridge. With the vacuum pack, you don’t have to eat leftovers right the next day unless you want to. There may be leftovers on Friday, but during both Saturday and Sunday you have planned to have dinner with friends. Why not bring the vacuum-packed box directly as a food box to work on Monday instead?
Make sous vide with vacuum packer
A hot mat trend is to cook sous vide, ie. that the food is vacuum packed together with spices or marinade and then cooked in the bag on low heat. Since the cooking method is so gentle, both taste and nutrients are better preserved. Meat feels softer and more flavorful, vegetables retain more agility and vitamins, fish becomes tasty and juicy without falling into crumbs – can it be better?
Usually a special sous vide machine is used to cook the food, but it is actually possible to cook sous vide only with a vacuum packer. Vacuum-packed bags can be placed in a water bath or cooked at low temperature in the oven. Some manage even to run in microns. Read the bags carefully to make sure they can handle heating without releasing plastic materials.
