Food Saver machine for camping food

[Joanne]

Hi all!

I know I'm jumping in late on this thread but there is another good reason to use a food saver and that is food safety! Raw meats, especially poultry, pose a cross contamination hazard when stored in a cooler. Repackaging the meat in the food saver bags will help reduce the risk of meat juices from contaminating the other food products in your cooler.

For those like me who are still in the dark ages and use an ice chest, this can be especially important. You don't want bacteria being carried around in the water and contaminating everything it touches.

I also bag my tube biscuits and cinnamon rolls before throwing them into the ice chest. That way they don't get soaked and ruined before I can bake them.

I'll probably buy on of the new handheld units before too long so I can repackage cheese before returning it to the ice chest. It will work great for leftovers too. (I always cook wayyy too much).

Joanne

 

[Corey]

Still have not bought one, but seriously thinking about ordering one soon after seeing the avocados here.
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=408865&postcount=42

For the past 1/2 year or more I have been eating one whole avocado with dinner each evening.
Cutting up enough avocados ahead of time for a weekend or week long trip would be nice.

Once they are sealed at home, can you freeze the bag, or will that ruin the avocado?

They have a new upright model out now too, the 3840 kit.
http://www.foodsaver.com/TVV3800.aspx

 

[mountainpete]

Absolutely love FoodSaver bags. Like others mentioned, I especially love that you can boil them, which is perfect for a no-mess reheat of homemade chili or soups.

Pete

 

[Corey]

Costco gives the above machine a bad review.

Many are saying the auto pump feature wastes a lot of the bag, and sometimes takes several tries to work.

 

[TheMike]

Many are saying the auto pump feature wastes a lot of the bag, and sometimes takes several tries to work.

You are correct. It wastes about 2" on both ends. You can't do anything to correct it. If you try by pulling the bag out a bit after it starts the cycle, it stops. My wife comments every damn time she uses it. It's nice but that's a drag!

We use it every time we go on outings. We pre-cook lots of stuff like speghetti and even burgers. If you do the engine block cooking, these bags are great for that. We take and put 3 precooked burgers in it's own bag. Freeze them before we go then throw them in the trailer frig when we leave. We then place it on the engine a couple of hours before we plan lunch. Then it's grilled burgers, no mess.

Anything you precook is great. Just throw the bag in a pot of boiling water (or the engine if you got time and on the move), remove when hot, cut the top and eat right out of the bag. Pulled pork, stews, chili, soups, whatever.

The best part is no cooking mess, no dishes, and you got a pot of hot water after the fact for whatever you want.

Edit: Sorry. I just re-read the above posts and realized I posted some of what others have said.

BTW: Freeze speghetti ready to eat. Meat and sauce included. It's actually better eating "left over" than when it's first made.

 

[TheMike]

Oh yea, I saw this on Extreme 4X4. Parts like U-joints. Pre-grease them up, vacuum them in a bag. Cut open when needed. No mess and the bags are stong enough to not break unless you mean to.

 

[Corey]

Mike, in your opinion should I look at the clamshell design, or take a chance on the newer upright one like Costco has and just fill the bag less?

 

[TheMike]

Mike, in your opinion should I look at the clamshell design, or take a chance on the newer upright one like Costco has and just fill the bag less?

I started with the clamshell version. It stopped sealing the bags so I bought the upright version. I wouldn't buy one of them again.

If you can get the clamshell type, do it. Some things aren't worth fully automatic. The clamshell ones let you seal where ever you want, even without a vaccum first (like if you wanted to seal at the very end).

Maybe the upright ones have changed. I don't know. I've had my upright one for about 6 months.

 

[jesusgatos]

I just got this one. Planning on installing it semi-permanently in my motorhome. Haven't played with it much, but I'm really looking forward to using it. I just ordered some accessories (reusable containers & lids) for it too.

 

[762X39]

Katherine and I have had the Clamshell style sealer for about 6 years now. Once in a while it doesn't seal properly (can't seem to pull enough air out of the bag to form a vacumn). The solution seem to be wiping down the 2 gaskets of the vacumn chamber with a moist dish cloth (or pre-moistened wipe).Always seems to work after that.
I work on the road alot and end up living in hotel rooms. I usually seal single portions of sandwich meats (cold cuts) and just about anything else and then throw it into my cooler.I pick up fresh bread and eat lunches like a king without wasting money at Scottish fast food restaurants.:chef:

 

[Ireland]

Does this system use "Safe' plastic ie no BPA'S ?

 

[Mike_rupp]

BPA (bisphenol A) is used as a monomer in the production of polycarbonate. It is also used in very small amounts as an additive in some other high end plastics. It is not used in flexible food packaging. Materials like polyethylene and polypropylene are about as clean as you can possibly get. PE used for films has very little in the way of additives and those are very inert.

 

[Corey]

Besides a local Costco near me, I have a Sams Club.
They have this upright model.
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=409409

Seems everywhere I read up on the upright ones folk's are having problems with them.
I probably should stick to a good clamshell one.
Will have to read up on them more and see if they offer the auto bag thing, or if that is just a gimmick.

 

[Corey]

Called my local Fred Meyers has a 2240 clamshell one.
http://www.foodsaver.com/Product.aspx?id=c&cid=87&pid=250

And they have an upright model for $139.
He did not have a part #, but I am going to guess that it is this one, the V3440.
It has the Smart Seal technology that the more expensive one the 3840 has.
http://www.foodsaver.com/Product.aspx?id=c&cid=87&pid=246

I told him I have heard mixed reviews on the uprights with the Smartseal thing, and he says I have thirty days to try it out at home.
If within that time frame it doe snot work for me, I get 100% refund on it, then I would try the clamshell one.

I take it these are the 11" bags?
If so, that is probably the only type of bag I will need to seal up pasta, avacados, and other grub for dinners for camping trips.

PS, maybe I will skip over the upright.
More bad reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Vacuum-Sealing-System-SmartSeal-Technology/dp/B001CSGR8S

 

[astn]

Awesome concept, however FoodSaver is a rip-off. They are following the Gilette model of business--give the razor away and rape people on the blades. There are models of vacuum sealer that don't require any special bag--you can vacuum seal the bags things came in (like bread, just don't vacuum too much), regular ziplock bags or non-zipping sandwich bags, all the way up to industrial bags of several mil thickness.

I don't recall what variant I have, but it's some cheap China machine, and it does an amazing job. It has a retractable nozzle and is able to use any plastic bag (not just the really expensive ones with the channels.) Sometimes you have to pay attention to make sure that the plastic doesn't collapse around the nozzle, but how many people aren't standing over the machine while it works anyway--it takes less then a minute. It also does a great job with vacuum sealing jars.