What You Should Know Before Vacuum Sealing Your Food at Home

If you’re trying to eat healthy and organise meal prep, or you’re a busy parent trying to feed a number of mouths on a budget, vacuum sealing food can really help. In the blog we’ve answered the question: What you should know before vacuum sealing your food at home.

Pac Food vacuum sealing bags are a great way to ensure what you’ve bought doesn’t go to waste by increasing its shelf life. They can also be a huge help if you’re trying to prepare your menu in advance.

For more information about our range of products, click here, or continue reading.

What Type of Food can be Vacuum Sealed?

Large cuts of meat and ground meat, including poultry, pork, beef and lamb
Dairy items such as cheese
Seafood
Ready to eat foods
Nuts
Seeds
Berries
Snacks
Coffee beans
Vegetables
Smallgoods (including ham or pepperoni)

All of the items above can be sealed uncooked, but if you’re wanting to cook before sealing the food, you can do so with some vegetables and meat products.

How Does the Shelf Life Change When Using Vacuum Sealing Bags?

For some food groups, the lifespan of items can increase significantly when you store them correctly with a vacuum sealing bag.

The below table will give you an idea of how shelf life can be improved.

*Please note: Typical storage life will vary depending on product quality and freshness at the time of packaging and all shelf lives noted are approximate.

Food	Stored In	Normal Shelf Life	Vacuum Shelf Life
Large cuts of meat: beef, poultry, lamb and pork	Freezer	6 months	2-3 years
Ground meat: beef, poultry, lamb and pork	Freezer	4 months	1 year
Fish	Freezer	6 months	2 years
Coffee beans	Room temperature	4 weeks	16 months
Berries: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries	Refrigerator	1-3 days	1 week
Cheese	Refrigerator	1-2 weeks	4-8 months
Flour, sugar, rice	Room temperature	6 months	1-2 years
Lettuce	Refrigerator	3-6 days	2 weeks
Nuts	Room temperature	6 months	2 years

Tips for Labelling Pac Food Bags

To avoid confusion about the contents of your sealed bags, it’s a great idea to write on the bag or use a label.

This is particularly handy for freezer and fridge items – that way you can include the date the item was packaged and when its due to expire.