My new addiction to Zip-Tops

Have you heard of zip tops? They are simply one of the most wonderful inventions I’ve had the pleasure of discovering this year and today I wanted to take a moment to introduce them to you and explain why I think you would benefit from having them in your life! Oh and FYI this is not a sponsored post—it’s just one eco-enthusiast sharing faves with another!

Let’s go back in time

To give you a little context, let’s go back a few years. When I started paying attention to my consumption and started aspiring to consume less—and better, I went a little nuts. I wanted to eliminate all waste at once! Needless to say, I failed and the changes that remain today are the ones that I adopted gradually and felt most natural and easy to embrace.

One of the things I found difficult to replace completely was ziplocs. I used them for so many things: carrying a snack, storing leftovers, flouring chicken or pieces of tofu, packing for a trip, freezing something, gathering screws or pencils… The list goes on! Yes, I loved ziplocs. Except for the fact that they were made of plastic and were destined to end up in the garbage!

Reusing the ziploc?

I was very proud of myself when, inspired by my mother-in-law, I started washing and reusing my large ziplocs. It wasn’t such a big deal to buy them if I reused them, right? But the reality is that I was still finding that we were buying more and more of them and that often it was easier to throw them away than to clean them, especially if they were a bit oily after having been used. And of course, not every ziploc that left the house with a family member came home to take a bath.

The great discovery

This spring, as we were on our Floridian adventure, we had rented a house for 2 months. Opening a kitchen drawer, I discovered Zip Tops. A little skeptical at first, I inspected the blue silicone bags. Then, intrigued, I opened and closed a few. The next day, I decided to pack some leftovers in one of them. And another one. And that’s when I realized they were AWESOME! 

So, what’s a Zip-Top?

A Zip-Top is a small silicone bag (100% platinum silicone that contains no BPA, plastic, fillers or other harmful chemicals). This ingenious invention replaces single-use ziploc bags and can serve to pack sauces, snacks, leftovers, things and way more. And, according to the brand, I learned that a family can consume up to about 2,000 disposable ziplocs a year! WOW, right?

There are even some special Zip-Tops designed to freeze breast milk (true story!)

Why I adore them

Why do I love them so much? I’m not going to keep you in suspense, here’s why.

1. No searching for tops

I don’t know if you ever find yourself swearing as you search for a lid to match your Tupperware, but with zip tops, that’s not even an option! Since it’s a single piece that zips up, it’s super simple to store and pull out when you need it.

2. Dishwasher safe

This is a HUGE advantage for me! When the zip top is dirty, you simply put it in the dishwasher and it comes out clean. CAN IT GET ANY BETTER?

3. It goes in the freezer

And that’s really convenient. When I make cashew cream, I always prepare a little more than I need for my recipe and freeze the rest in small portions so I have some on hand. Now I can pack the extra cream in a zip top! I fill a couple of small bags with individual portions, place them in the freezer and when I need some, I dip the little bag in a bowl of warm water to thaw it. 

4. It’s easy to bring anywhere

Aside from the kid zip tops which I find don’t stay sealed as well as the standard collection, I find zip tops to be great for bringing a snack on the road.

5. Reheats even in the microwave

Leftover sauce? A little broth? Pasta to reheat from the day before? No need to use a new plate, you can reheat it all right in the zip-top. For people like me who are not fans of washing dishes, this is a definite bonus!

My fave set

So my absolute favourite is the full set of Zip Tops, which includes 8 bags:

• 3 sizes of the CUP zip-top
• 2 sizes of the Sandwich or snack zip-top 
• 3 sizes of the FLAT zip-top

The sets are available in 5 cool colours and you get a $20 discount off regular price when you buy the Zip-Tops in a set.

To purchase yours*, head this way: https://ziptop.ca/products/full-set 

* Just to clarify, I don’t get anything if you buy it! I’m sharing this discovery with you out of sheer conviction :).

That’s it! My discovery of the moment. Now tell me: do you find it useful when I share my fave eco-friendly finds with you? What products did you discover that make you want to tell everyone about them? Let me know by commenting on this article!