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The Best Reusable Grocery Bag

Last updated on March 15, 2024

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If you’re concerned about the environment, you’re probably looking for ways to reduce your household’s carbon footprint. One way to do that is to cut down on single-use plastics, which have been cited as a top contributor to environmental issues. In fact, we produce 300 million tons of plastic every year across the globe, 91 percent of which ends up either in landfills or discarded as litter.

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Like other single-use plastics, grocery bags don’t break down easily. In fact, experts say they can take up to 1,000 years to fully degrade, and recycling isn’t a viable option because it costs more to recycle plastic bags than what they’re worth. Most curbside recycling programs ban grocery bags, forcing consumers to either toss them into the regular garbage or take them to a grocery store that accepts them for recycling.

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Reusable grocery bags have become a great alternative to grocery store plastic. Not only are they more environmentally friendly, but they’re also easier to use. You can stand them up on the carousel and fill them, then slide them into your trunk to take home. Typically, you can squeeze far more groceries into each bag, resulting in fewer trips from your trunk to your kitchen when you arrive home. But there are a few things you need to consider when choosing grocery bags, including capacity and ease of use.

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Our Picks For The Top Reusable Grocery Bags

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Product Overview
Our Take
 Top Pick

BeeGreen Cute Rip-Proof Reusable Grocery Bags, 6-Pack

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BeeGreen

Cute Rip-Proof Reusable Grocery Bags, 6-Pack

Express your fun side by sporting one of these reusable grocery bags next time you go to the store. From puppies to penguins or elephants and cats, you are likely going to find one of these that really speaks to you.

Overall Take

Fun PatternsSport these fun reusable grocery bags at the store to let everyone know what kind of animal you think is cute.

 Runner Up

Creative Green Life Wipe Clean Reusable Grocery Bags, 3-Pack

Creative Green Life

Wipe Clean Reusable Grocery Bags, 3-Pack

With this reusable grocery bags, 3-pack, you'll have all the bags you need for a full grocery shopping trip. The chevron pattern makes it stand out from standard reusable bags, and the long handles make them easy to carry. They each have a 30-pound capacity and have firm sides so that they stand up while you're filling them.

Overall Take

Attractive DesignThe chevron print on these reusable grocery bags gives it an attractive design for stylish shopping.

 We Also Like

reroucky Polyester Lined Reusable Grocery Bags, 6-Pack

reroucky

Polyester Lined Reusable Grocery Bags, 6-Pack

If you loves stars and stripes patterns, you'll enjoy this six pack of reusable grocery bags. The bags hold a whopping 35 pounds each and have a polyester lining that is easy to clean. Since the bags fold up small, you'll find they fit in any purse or glovebox when not in use.

Overall Take

Affordable PickYou won't have any trouble sticking to your budget with these low-cost reusable grocery bags.

 Strong Contender

NERUB Eco-Friendly Reusable Grocery Bags, 10-Pack

NERUB

Eco-Friendly Reusable Grocery Bags, 10-Pack

Simple, yet strong is the best way to describe this reusable grocery bag set. Each bag features a different solid color, such as yellow, red, blue and green. The bags are outfitted with durable handles and made to handle up to 40 pounds of groceries at a time.

Overall Take

Easy to CleanDid your package of chicken leak inside this grocery tote bag? If so, simply toss the bag in the washing machine for easy cleaning.

What to Look For

  • As you choose your grocery bags, picture the size of the carousels at your favorite grocery store. If you do self-checkout, you’ll need to be especially aware of whether your chosen bags will fit into the slots.
  • Having bags with rigid sides is helpful, as they will hold the bag open while you’re loading and unloading them.
  • When you aren’t shopping, you’ll need to store your bags. Some fold down to easily slide into your pantry or your trunk, while others fold up into small squares. You can also find bags that come with a zipper pouch to hold the bags between uses.
  • The handles of your bag will come into play, as well. Longer handles are convenient for tossing over your shoulder, but shorter handles may give you more control. Remember that you’ll probably be toting heavy items like canned goods and gallons of milk, so choose a bag with reinforced handles and tear-resistant fabric.
  • Insulated bags are bulkier and thicker, but they free you up to make a few stops on the way home without having to worry about your refrigerated and frozen items getting warm.
  • Over time, your grocery bags will accumulate dirt and grime. Some bags can be tossed in the washing machine to clean, then line dried. Others will need to be wiped down.

More to Explore

When you use a reusable bag, you and the environment benefit, but so does the store. If every customer brought reusable bags, grocery stores would save considerably on the number of plastic bags they have to purchase and stock each year. While they’ll never be able to eliminate bags completely, some grocery chains are incentivizing reusable bags by offering discounts for those who bring their own bags. Some shoppers have no choice, though. California has a statewide ban on plastic bags in grocery stores, and that type of legislation is starting to spread to jurisdictions across the globe.

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