Replacement for Glad Simply Cooking Microwaveable bags for FBC?

[Yoyo]

I discovered these a few years and was going to try some out this year. They weigh 7.98 g on my scale. But yesterday, I went hunting at several stores trying to find them only to discover that they had been discontinued. Any idea where I can find a replacement? They now sell the Ziploc Zip n Steam bags but they don't have the nice gussetted bottom that the Glad bags had. :(

Thoughts?

[Eric Lundquist]

I suppose the gusseted bottom was pretty nice but you could always use a freezer bag.

Ebay has some Glad Simply Cooking bags

http://compare.ebay.com/like/161003740008?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

[Zorg Zumo]

7.98 grams per bag? Per 50? Per 100? Just wondering. Did they have resealable tops?

I FBC and I guess I missed these – always looking for something new. I've been using ZipLock Quart-size Freezer bags since forever.

[Yoyo]

Yes, 7.98 g / bag. They do have a nice zip-top closure. In the past, I've always used PackitGourmet boil-in-bags here
http://www.packitgourmet.com/CookIn-Bags.html

because they are designed to contain boiling water. They're great, except they are a little heavy. The large size one which I use for most meals weighs 13.1 g. Not terrible, but in an effort to save weight this year, I've been trying to slash the weight of my plastic (and use my pot whenever possible). Also, the Packit bags are tall and narrow, meaning that it is difficult to reach inside with your spoon. The nice thing about the Glad bags was that they are wide with a HUGE gussetted bottom. They were ideal for FBC. I think what I will do is try the Ziploc Steam n Bags, which should weigh around the 8 g mark (maybe less?). I'll have to buy some today and weigh them. I just never felt comfortable using regular Ziploc bags for FBC.

Eric, unfortunately the Glad bags you linked on ebay are the x-large size, so too big methinks. Also, they are a bit expensive at $15.

My strategy this year is to use 1 mil heat sealable bags and heat seal them, and then cook in my pot when traveling solo. I'm debating whether to take a pot cozy or not, it may not be worth the weight. The 1 mil bags I just got in the mail (6" x 8") weigh only 1.42 g each. Also, I can trim the bags to fit my food after I heat seal them bringing the weight down close to 1 g per bag.

[Hiking Malto]

What's wrong with plain old freezer bags?

[Yoyo]

Well….I guess you could use them, but I haven't. Opening one I get a scent of plastic, and I can only imagine what chemicals are leeching into your food when boiling or near boiling water is poured inside. Thus my interest in moving away from FBC to cooking in the pot.

[Paul Mason]

"Well….I guess you could use them, but I haven't. Opening one I get a scent of plastic, and I can only imagine what chemicals are leeching into your food when boiling or near boiling water is poured inside. Thus my interest in moving away from FBC to cooking in the pot."

A couple of points – the boiling water isn't at high temps for very long and it is being absorbed by the food all the while you are mixing, and kneeling the bag. So, I doubt there is a lot of leeching going on.

[Zorg Zumo]

If your goal is uber-lightweight, then going back to the pot is the right move. But then you're back to crummy meals and mess.

If your goal is food safety – stay home. The trail is a very unsafe place.

Freezer Bag Cooking is the best way I've found to enjoy better meals on the trail. FBC also allows me to cook and eat in all kinds of weather will no mess. Now if there is a problem with Ziplock Freezer bags and boiling water – I've never heard of it. And since I'm on the trail so infrequently in the course of my life, I'm not going to worry about it.

[Charles Grier]

"If your goal is uber-lightweight, then going back to the pot is the right move. But then you're back to crummy meals and mess."

I don't understand your assertion that cooking in a pot equals "crummy" meals. A bit of mess, sure, but putting food into a freezer bag does not automatically make for gourmet eating. As for the cleaning, rinsing out a pot does not seem too onerous a chore to me, a half minute of cleaning is hardly an ordeal. And, using a pot spares one having to carry used freezer bags containing decomposing food residue in ones pack for the rest of the trip as is required if one follows the LNT ethic. For short trips, freezer bag cooking is great: for longer trips, at 0.33 oz per bag, freezer bags and food residue can start to add weight.

[Zorg Zumo]

At the end of the day, when you're tired, you'll eat the same old Ramen or Lipton noodles again. Why? Because it requires creativity and time to make something interesting in a single pot. Or maybe a handful of instant rice and dehydrated lentils – yum!

On the other hand, Freezer Bag Cooking allows you to assemble your meals at home. I typically eat two entrees with a cup of coffee for dinner. All I have to do is boil water. And it works as well as my cozy insulates – so I have easy hot meals in the dead of winter.

And since there's nothing to wash afterwards, (I lick clean my long-handled TI spoon), I don't need to eat next to water.

99.999% of all backpackers are going to be out for a week or less – the used bags are not an issue (and you can burn them I suppose).

FBC is a better mousetrap.

[Kattt]

"At the end of the day, when you're tired, you'll eat the same old Ramen or Lipton noodles again. Why? Because it requires creativity and time to make something interesting in a single pot. Or maybe a handful of instant rice and dehydrated lentils – yum!"

Sounds like FBC is a good choice for you then; not necessarily for everyone else though. A little olive oil, garlic and know how and you can make something good on the spot, and eat it out of something that to me is more appealing than a plastic bag.
To each their own, as usual.

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