Ziploc Zip'n Steam bags. Any experiences/opinions?

[hollysmom]

I purchased a box of these at Costco today. I would search for a thread but the &)*#! search engine will not search on 'zip'.

Has anyone used these? Seems like a good idea that would eliminate some cleanup and might allow you to marinade and then cook in the same bag.

SSM

[Puppylove]

my mom swears by these (esp. for salmon) and she put a pack in my and each of my sisters stockings at Christmas. I haven't used mine yet but thanks for reminding me I have them! Sorry I'm no help!

[gabbyh]

I'm going to look for some this week; there were featured on The Biggest Loser and looked great filled with chicken and veggies.

~Gail

[margeslp]

I have bought them and love them. I was delighted to get that brilliant green color of broccoli as you see it on your plate in a restaurant. My WW leader recommended them.
I will be looking for a sale on them next Xmas - I like to give all the ladies on my list a new kitchen product that they probably avoid because of cost.
I have a good friend who is a prolific cook who claims she can do as well with plastic wrap over a bowl. To each her own.

[mrsnudelman]

I use Simply Glad steamer bags and LOVE them. When I'm cooking something time consuming for dinner, these are so great to pull out and make a quick veggie dish. My favorite thing to do is steam broccoli. You're so right about how green it gets.

Karen
www.testdrivekitchen.blogspot.com

[VAcooker]

I have just started using them on occasion and I am really pleased with the way the veges come out. I have used these bags for steaming broccoli and for green beans so far. My kids love the way the broccoli tastes when it comes out of the bag and they affectionately refer to the broccoli I cook in these bags as "plastic bag broccoli" :) and they request my 'plastic bag broccoli' often!

[Hammster]

Dissenter here. :D
Why not just steam veggies in a steamer on the stove? No bags to throw away. (Landfill, going green, all those threads?) And, the veggies get just as bright in the steamer. You just have to turn them off at the right time. The bag doesn't make them bright green, the cooking time does.

[Bawstinn]

I have used them and I like them. I'm also a fan of the Steam Fresh veggies that Bird's Eye puts out (the unseasoned ones).

I agree that it isn't hard to boil the water, chop them and steam them yourself, etc., but when you get home from work at 5:30 and your 20 month old is chirping 'eat! eat! eat!' ... I'll take whatever shortcuts I can so I can still put a healthy, non-processed, non fast food meal on the table :p

[VAcooker]

...I agree that it isn't hard to boil the water, chop them and steam them yourself, etc., but when you get home from work at 5:30 and your 20 month old is chirping 'eat! eat! eat!' ... I'll take whatever shortcuts I can so I can still put a healthy, non-processed, non fast food meal on the table :p


I agree with you Bawstinn...I view using these bags as a convenience for me for those very crazy days when there is not so much food prep/cook time and when I want to make sure my kids get a healthy meal put in front of them. I can wash, chop, season, place in a bag and pop in the micro and *forget* about it until the micro beeps. Quick and easy. :)

[TieKitty]

Another dissenter here. I steamed broccoli and cauliflower and they both turned out "rubbery". My DH noticed the texture and he didn't even know I was using the bags. Maybe I was doing something wrong but it's back to normal steaming for me.

[LaurenP]

TieKitty - you might be steaming to long

[KristiB]

Are they reusable?

[sneezles]

Dissenter here. :D
Why not just steam veggies in a steamer on the stove? No bags to throw away. (Landfill, going green, all those threads?) And, the veggies get just as bright in the steamer. You just have to turn them off at the right time. The bag doesn't make them bright green, the cooking time does.


I agree! We need to step towards using less disposable items rather than more. Good grief, most of you probably have a dish you can use in the microwave if that's your preferred method of cooking veggies but the couple of extra minutes it takes stove top is so much better.

[KristiB]

Original thread is HERE (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=109003&highlight=ziploc)

I love a treasure hunt:)

[funniegrrl]

I've been steaming vegetables in the microwave ever since I've had a microwave. I can't imagine spending money on a non-biodegradable, disposable specialty product that does the same thing I already do without. The bag would be no more convenient than what I do now.

[wallycat]

I'm neurotic about plastics and microwave heating so haven't tried them.
I just take 1 tbs. of water and add it to the veggies and lightly cover with wax paper in a microwaveable bowl....

[Hammster]

Original thread is HERE (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=109003&highlight=ziploc)

I love a treasure hunt:)


Glad to see my opinion didn't change. ;)

[beccac]

I find that they are super-easy, convenient and not messy at all and my veggies turned out perfectly.

My husband was given them while at school by a team that was working on the marketing for them so that is how I acquired them and since we already had them, I am using them.

I am almost done with my 'sample', though, and I think that my guilt will not allow me to buy new ones since they're so wasteful.

But, I do like them.

[deniseannsc]

Another dissenter here. When in a hurry (or not) and I want steamed veggies I wash, cut my veggies, and place in glass bowl. Cover, microwave 3 to 4 minutes and they're done to perfection. Bright green color for the broccoli too. The bags seem a waste of money to me.

[Puppylove]

I still haven't tried mine, but I think that is because I have the pampered chef micro-cooker. It is basically a plastic pot with a snap on lid that has some ventilation holes. I love it because I can just tip it to drain out any excess water and it doesn't get too hot to handle in the microwave. Since I cancelled our CSA we eat a lot of TJ's frozen veggies and I make them all in this, as well as any canned goods (refried or baked beans, chili, soup, etc). I think I've been hesitant to try the bags because I've never liked the taste of microwaved meat - so much so that if I send back a cold entree at a restaurant and they bring it back to me nuked I won't accept it - it tastes bad. Perhaps I'll try some marinated meat and see how it turns out. TJ's had curried chicken tenders available right now.

[Gumbeaux]

I wonder what plans they have for their next product. Maybe bags you can use to boil stuff (http://community.cookinglight.com/showpost.php?p=1037846&postcount=24)? :D

[KristiB]

I wonder what plans they have for their next product. Maybe bags you can use to boil stuff (http://community.cookinglight.com/showpost.php?p=1037846&postcount=24)? :D

That's called Sous Vide :)

I cook up brown rice and use my food saver to seal up individual servings and freeze. When I want rice I boil the bag. That's definitely more of a timesaver as brown rice takes 50 minutes. Foodsaver bags are also reusable as long as you aren't using them for meat. I throw those out.

Anyway I steam my veggies on the stove and it takes a couple of minutes-not long at all. Sometimes I use the microwave. I'm trying to cut back on waste so I'll never use the bags.

[Puppylove]

So I tried the bag with the TJ's curried chicken tenders and it was a big disappointment. The chicken didn't cook through all the way though it looked like it was done but the center of the mass of tenders was uncooked. And it came out rubbery. I ended up finishing them in a pan. I might try fresh veggies in another one (I have 6 left) just to see, but I wouldn't buy them for myself.

[CindyWeightWatcher]

My only concern is steaming in plastic. I remember reading that steaming in plastic is unhealthy. I hate putting it out there without the backup material but that is what I remember.:confused:

[MISSINDI]

I'm neurotic about plastics and microwave heating so haven't tried them.

Yeah, I was wondering about that. I saw the bags featured on Biggest Loser, but my mom reminded me about plastic not being good to go in the microwave. Are these something special that makes them safer?

[funniegrrl]

Manufacturers of regular sandwich bags, zipper bags, etc. explicitly state that they are NOT supposed to be heated. I am betting they came up with these, made from a different plastic, because so many people were using the regular ones in the microwave. So, if you are the type of person who never ever ever heats food in plastic, then I would think you would avoid these too. But, if you already use other microwave-safe plastics, these would be fair game.