FoodSaver Tips and Tricks: Making DIY Small Bags

[@oviedo2912]

I vacuum seal insurance, deeds and other important documents for hurricane preparedness.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Now that is a brilliant idea - thanks!

[@judyhowell7075]

A+

[@mahlonabowdon4437]

Great idea! I had some paper work in a storage area that got eaten by critters!

[@evilpieman]

Aye, great idea! 👍👍

[@beginingssful]

Just got a food saver. I've learned so much from you. Omg!!! I think you just saved my life...!!! Thank you!!! Big hugs!!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks very much for the compliments! Glad you liked the video, and all the best to you!

[@nancyhillyer8528]

I suggest that you use a small piece of parchment paper ( label size) put the info you want on label and stick inside bag (before adding contents). Put the slick side toward meat or whatever you have in bag so it doesn't stick on food. Hope that works for you.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks! It did work on difficult foods.

[@Neelie1947]

Great idea

[@rynait]

I travel a lot and use this to pack my laundry soap (lot cheaper to buy big box, and seal single "serving" in triangles. I have done alberta's technique [parallel bag] in 1999 and developed into triangles in 2000. Biggest reason this is better; filling triangles is far easier due to "wider" mouth-opening. if my memory serves me correctly, I was able to make either 6 or eight triangles of 1/2 cup servings onto the bag. Here is my technique. cut, but do not seal edges (the side where you create a bag), approximately 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 inch length. you seal in a pair of parallel in center of the bag, and double pairs of diagonal (across the bag, touching your made parallel and on opposite side, the manufactured seal), making triangular pockets (wait, don't cut triangles sections yet...) on one side of the bag, fill two of your open end triangles with your desirable materials, then vaccum-seal that side. flip it over, repeat filling with other side. then you can cut and separate the triangles, voila shorter process. also cut single line, real a tiny tiny notch, you then create a "tearable" bag similar to ketchup packets at fast food stores. another technique i use with this, is you can put in liquids such as ketchup, mustard, frosting, etc inside. cut the narrowest point either a tear notch or snip it off, voila you get "squeezable" style liquid service.

[@chrisjanstam1726]

Thanks from the Netherlansds, going hiking next week in Sweden, your tip come in handy.

[@starshot5172]

Ik ga precies hetzelfde doen over twee weken lol

[@Herexcelensee]

Everyone: Oh thanks now i can pack my trail mix Me: Weed baggies!!!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

You're not wrong....

[@Elysium-SparrowHelian]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge mate, super helpful to this newbie

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

You're very welcome!

[@PaulMJohnsSeattle]

About vacuuming problems: I've had these problems, too, if I try to vacuum and seal with the bag rotated 90 degrees from the usual direction (in other words, trying to vacuum and seal a side rather than the top or bottom). I discovered this when I sealed cheese in a very wide bag, then cut off the side edge (not the top or bottom) and tried to re-vacuum-and-seal the bag. The FoodSaver stopped vacuuming and started sealing before the air was removed. My guess is that the air channels run "vertically" (toward the normal opening) and not "horizontally" (towards the sides). If this is correct, then you should only seal the sides; and vacuum and seal only the top and bottom. All of the methods you show do this--your new seals are always "vertical." I'm guessing that some of the people who have trouble vacuuming are running into the same problem I ran into: they're trying to vacuum and seal on the side of the bag instead of the top or bottom. Does this make sense?

[@PaulMJohnsSeattle]

So I looked at the inside of a bag.... The ridges are wavy lines that run vertically. They run crosswise if the bag if the bag is inserted sideways, so they make a nice seal when inserted and locked down into the FoodSaver. Since it can't vacuum air out, it decides it's finished, and seals the bag. If you get a chance to update your video, you might mention this.

[@lindashankle9645]

I have the same question.

[@littlehills739]

my bags are dots like a peg board no pattern still cant seal

[@loriejoy6832]

Dean, that was GREAT, "thank You"!!!

[@mmancha1]

great video, and ideas. I never thought about doing medication on the food saver. Now i have a new project this week.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+mike mancha I got that idea from a first aid kit I bought that had a few different kinds of meds in sealed 2-pill bags. I figured I'd take a daily dose or full course of certain medications and seal them so I could cut down on space in my first aid kit. And after that I figured that a few other items like multivitamins and hydration salts would work well too. Glad you like it!

[@kellietrudel8222]

Really like your first aid kit! Love my food saver.... One of the best purchases I've ever made.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks! mine gets a lot of use every month.

[@ozdavemcgee2079]

I keep long sleeved T shirt, singlet, long johns and a pair of sox cryovacked in my pack. Does same job as a dry bag but smaller probably lighter. Its a spare change if I get caught in rain unexpected or dont get home one night. That, a cheap headlamp protected by clothes, and one of those cheap mylar tube bivis invaluable kit.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Great tips! I've actually been scripting a follow-up video to this one and I've done all of the above as well and they're in that script. Another thing I keep in these bags are batteries. In fact, I bagged 3 9-volt batteries 4 years ago and just opened one this week, and it's in excellent shape.

[@jeanbean1390]

I've done this for my bug out bag. Dry socks, dry gloves and a change of clothes...even if I get caught in the rain. Takes up less space in my bag also.

[@kathyelmore8064]

Thank you so much, I love the ability to seal my meds up. So much easier that packing 10 meds bottles. Thank you! Enjoyed the entire video.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Glad I could help!

[@starshot5172]

Thank you. I've always found vacuum packing super satisfying

[@jeanbean1390]

When I heat seal dry foods in mason jars, I get so excited hearing the lids pop while they are cooling. I need to get a life, lol.

[@mouse9008]

Thanks for the video and the tips, I just purchased my first food saver and can't wait to try it out. I would never thought of the medicine tips, This will save me tons of money, and showing us how to make the little bags. Thanks a bunch!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

m You're welcome, m! I plan to do another video soon on additional ideas - stay tuned!

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Great tip to share, whether using pre-made bags or FoodSaver rolls of bag material. Economical, too, as larger bags can be kept and re-used into smaller & smaller bags. Bags can be washed, sanitized, and re-used until there's nothing left that'll fit in the sealer. For short term use, no need to vac + seal non-compressible items. Just seal. Thanks for sharing.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Oldtimer Lee Thanks, Oldtimer Lee! I have a few videos coming out over the winter about making your own dehydrated meals for hiking and such, and maiking the smaller bags is a fundamental skill for these so I thought I'd post it first.

[@jacobvandenberg8498]

Alberta Bushcrafter

[@mireillekulisz8530]

Just found out your KZbin’s! So happy I did. I will use all your great tips!

[@maerreynolds2694]

Thank you for that tip. My husband always thinks that they're no longer good after first use

[@wonderseeker9771]

That friggin awesome, great tip. Been looking for small bags like that, now I ´ll just make them :)

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks very much!

[@melanatedanonymous1306]

Yes ma’am this is!!!!!

[@track1009]

What brilliant ideas 🙉 , thank you for sharing your tips 👍👍

[@loriejoy6832]

Can You dehydrate cooked dry beans and repackage for quicker cooking ?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Yes you can. I've also dehydrated cooked canned beans which are very similar. However, both of the above have a tendency to split open, so when you rehydrate them they're more like refried beans. Not that refried beans are a bad thing....

[@beverlyanderson1266]

Could you cook the dehydrated meal in those bags? I know you couldn't handle it when pouring boiling water in it, but would it withstand the heat from the hot water?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

It's iffy. I know it's OK to reheat frozen food in the bags but I wasn't able to find out if you can add boiling water to them.

[@melindagenier9401]

Thank you!! I have soo many new ideas now!! Thanks for sharing

[@scraperfect]

How do you seal teeny bags like with the meds? My machine requires "wasted" material where the machine locks below the seal strip. Can you do a short video just on this? THANKS!!

[@huebui8470]

Thank you so much for these tips.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

You're very welcome!

[@sarahbleakley2704]

great ideas. I can't wait to get a food saver. these are awesome inventive ideas.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+sarah bleakley Thanks, Sarah! I'm working up some new ideas as well as I get a lot of mileage out of my own unit. As soon as I have enough written down I'll do a "10 more uses for a FoodSaver" video or something similar. This will likely be in a few months when the snow flies, as it's an indoor kind of thing.

[@loriejoy6832]

I'd LOVE to hear more about Your dehydrated meals !!!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

I'm working on that. But currently, I've got a video or two on DIY oatmeal that's way better than the super-expensive stuff in the coffee shops and such. I can't believe people pay $3 or more for a fancy-labeled single helping of instant oatmeal with 25 cents of fruit or nuts added.

[@LaydeeLia]

I'd love to see videos about re-hydrating and cooking with the dehydrated meals u make

[@GRDray]

Excellent video, good info. & content. I've used the rolls. I'll be trying to make these xtra small ones soon. I like the allergy patch lol. Thanks for sharing.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks very much! I've done this with the rolls and with the pre-made bags and I actually prefer the rolls. They're a bit more work, but much more easily customized.

[@register1430]

very crafty idea. trail mix sleeves sound perfect. Challenge I'm been trying to find is way to make standup bags so it becomes the rehydration /cook pot as well for no clean up meal. subbed.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks for the sub! Not sure how to make standup bags as the bag material won't cooperate. But we bag leftover brisket and pulled pork and freeze and reheat it right in the bag, so they'll work for rehydration. If you figure out a way to stand them up, let me know.

[@julianamarinho8002]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing !

[@goudagalindo1790]

Wow thanks for making this video!!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

No problem!

[@sharonmoore4381]

Thank you Dean you have just saved me $20. A month just on the medication alone as a blister pack here in Australia would have cost me $5. A week that alone and the other tips are fantastic as well

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Wow! Glad I could help out! At $5 a week that works out to $260 a year, so that isn't small change, either.

[@whatsup848]

My daughter went to Peru to hike the Inca Trail. There were no facilities along the way. I vacuum packed individual packs of TP in order to save space in her back pack. Thanks for the tips.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

I'm slowly working on a list of ten or so more things you can seal that most folks don't think about. TP is on it, and now I see I'm going in the right direction. Incidentally, socks and undies are also on it too.

[@daniellecarling1694]

Wow such a good idea will have to go buy a bunch of rolls so i can make my own bag sizes because have suff i need to get seald and also i can make my own trail mix got crannberys

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks! Cranberries are always great in trail mix.

[@samanthabloggins1775]

Some years ago I made sleeves to sort my knitting needles.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Now that's a great idea. I also use mine in a similar way to store loose parts and screws I might need later.

[@dtec30]

Do a follow up on making those pill bags

[@starshot5172]

That's so genius. I was struggling with cutting them up before sealing them

[@ChickensAndGardening]

I just got a cheap Foodsaver from Costco and this video's full of great ideas. Thanks for posting it!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Glad you liked the video! These tips work really well with the cheaper models.

[@BelindaTOV]

Hello from near drumheller! I just bought one of these thingies and im excited...might find a van sized bag for winter storage. Hahaha

[@karinheart]

Fantastic ideas and plan to make use of all info if not all

[@neilpenny5475]

Very clever. Thank you.

[@rehoboth_farm]

You can seal a bar of soap for when you travel. I also made one for a tooth brush once for traveling. Keeps things clean and separated. You can also make a multi pouch bag and seal mashed potatoes and gravy etc.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Never tried the soap trick but I've sealed a lot of other things. And I tried the mashed potatoes and gravy idea and it almost didn't work. I didn't use the vacuum but just the heat sealer as to vacuum seal it would have sucked the gravy into the unit. But another thing I've used it for is for bagging leftover pulled pork from the smoker - I swear the stuff tastes even better frozen and reheated right in the bag.

[@rehoboth_farm]

@@AlbertaBushcrafter One time I had a soap bar rub all over everything in my toiletries bag including my toothbrush. Bleck! I just filled a deep freeze with food saver bags of quinces. I'm going to be making pies for centuries.

[@marykayhuster]

Fantastic Idea and Execution!!!! (IE for short lol), you have realy given me some incentive for future use of those bags, especially loving the pills idea. I have begun dehydrating, and am totally hooked on that and am also learning how to make "Meals in a Jar," but those will be much better in the little bags as you so expertly pointed out. I am going to realy enjoy employing what I have just learned from your video. I am subscribed to you now and will be looking forward to new postings and will reasearch for previous ones also!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

MamaKay Prepper Thanks very much for the kind words! I don't do too many videos on dehydrating and preserving food as I'm just relearning it after a long absence. However, there should be several good vids to come on this topic as I've been experimenting even more with these things. Thanks for the sub!

[@MendedAndWholeLife]

Great tips especially how to pack Tylenol in first aide kit.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Just remember to mark the expiry or replace the meds regularly. And the really nice thing about sealing meds in these small bags is that you can outfit multiple kits for a lot less.

[@TXARMYVET89]

I vacuum seal ammo and gun powder and primers. Works really well.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Ammo I figured would work and it keeps it all in one place. But gunpowder and primers? That's a great idea - thanks for the tip!

[@loriejoy6832]

Your a certified first responder...please do a video on tourniquets :)

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Wish I could, but that certification needs to be renewed. Plus, there are some pretty big liability issues surrounding tourniquets, so if my advice is wrong and someone sues me for it, game over.

[@MrAcook61798]

Fascinating. Just one question.... what is a trail mix, please ?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Trail mix originally was a mixture of nuts and dried fruit. It makes a great high-energy snack for hiking without being highly-processed. Now trail mix can have additives like excess salt, candy and crackers, but if you search carefully you can find the healthier stuff.

[@theoriginallacey]

Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

[@LeChef1943]

Re. Paul Johns accurate interpretation of vacuum sealing a vertical edge problem. Your demo most definitely illustrated a sealed and vacuumed vertical edge. It would be most helpful if you would explain to the rest of us that in fact you turned the plastic bags 90 degrees to achieve vacuum sealing.

[@IamGadgetcom]

you had posted " and that could be very dangerous in bear country" I had read that the food saver bags material does not leach a scent and that is why critters at home will not chew the plastic to get at the food. you might want to check on it. I have had a food saver for a very long time and it is among the most useful appliances in the home. Thank you for so many of you fine videos.

[@jeanvliet1742]

Great information. Thank you!

[@susieq7344]

Date: 06/17/2016. Review-Sometime back I purchased a FoodSaver 3230 and although it did last awhile, it was not as long as I felt it should of lasted because I only used it on projects and not all the time. It started smoking and would not seal, so I decided that I would purchase another Foodsaver Vacuum Sealer since I was in a bind and that is what they had in stock at WM. When I got the new one Oct. 2015, I felt like something was wrong but completed the project I was doing and went on to all the pressing things I had going in my life. Off and on I would use it for little projects and mostly for vacuum sealing jars. I recently used it and I'm feed up. It quickly over heats when heat sealing. Went online to contact FoodSaver and had a heck of a time getting a hold of someone. I originally submitted an email on 06/03/16 which came back saying they would respond in 3 days. As of 06/15/16 absolutely no response from FoodSaver. After jumping thru hoops for them, I find out from them that the newer FoodSaver models overheat quicker. FoodSaver tells me if I want a black color replacement like I had, then I have to wait 6 to 8 weeks and then they won't send it to me, unless I call them back and then see if they happen to have any in stock. They refuse to go ahead and take the information and send me a black one when it come in which is no way for customer service to do. Tried of dealing with this worthless company so I took the White color. Watch out... after they told me I would get a New replacement and I mailed it back in, they tried to say that I was going to get a re-furbished one, but I put a stop to that. I wanted to alert every one... you don't want to spend $90 on this piece of junk and a company like this.

[@MaZEEZaM]

Susie Q Thanks for the warning 😊

[@danilogallinari4638]

@Saint 12 gotta ig Bro?

[@lilsyrupshawty]

I wonder if it would be good for 1/4lb dried "plant" material.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Yeah, it'll work for that too.

[@pamelalain7166]

Send me some dried plant material please...lol

[@theresamcelroy7591]

Love that. Thanks for sharing.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

You bet!

[@kitchenmadamskitchen2564]

I learned a lot from this video. Thanks for sharing.

[@RMFernley]

I struggle getting my FS to vacuum & seal small bags made this way. The machine will not vacuum. It will seal, only, with the bag in the same spot. Suggestions? Thank you.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

I had the same issue with mine last week - it was running and running but never evacuated the bag, and all I could do was seal too. Cleaning the neoprene gasket with soap and water worked for me.

[@RMFernley]

Very good, thank you! A new question: How to prevent the vacuum from drawing liquid up & compromising the seal? I freeze meat and sometimes have resorted to putting a paper towel inside the bag. Is the bag too small if this happens? Thanks!@@AlbertaBushcrafter

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

@@RMFernley Actually, the manual suggests using a paper towel inside the bag for moist items. Another idea is to pat it dry first with a paper towel before inserting it into the bag, and that's what I do. For actual liquids, I freeze them first in disposable Ziploc containers, pop out the frozen item, and freeze that in the bag. Works beautifully when I make 8 quarts of soup and I want to portion it into individual bowls.

[@tylersnider3479]

good ideas, thank you sir do you make meals and dehydrate as a whole or do you dehydrate different parts separately?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks! I do both, depending on the food. For some meals like my deluxe oatmeal, everything gets sealed in one bag. For others like stews and soups I often dehydrate different ingredients separately as different ingredients have different rehydration times. I once tried a chicken, rice and broccoli dish where I should have rehydrated everything separately. It tasted wonderful, but everything was a sickly green color - you had to eat it with your eyes closed.

[@JJ-gc8du]

WOW...awesome. To clarify: these small pouches are NOT vacuum sealed, right? Contents are in a closed, but not anaerobic system, yes? Which, in itself, is endless. My FoodSvr needs a good 1.5-2" to extend the bag's open-edge down into the 'trough' where the actual suction is. I didn't see a long tab at the final-seal end on your examples. Just imagine if you could vacuum seal over-the-counter meds (analgesics, TUMS) in individual doses...might add 10 years to the original expiration date. Possibilities are endless. I loved the ideas from viewers in the comment section, too. Well done!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Actually, I don't think ant FoodSaver bag is anaerobic unless you add one of those oxygen absorber packets. But these get fairly close. And there aren't any long tabs because I actually trimmed those off. Oh - and another thing it works well with are batteries - especially 9-volt ones. I think I actually covered that. Not so much for exluding the air, but rather to protect these from the elements. I just opened a sealed 9-volt from 7 years ago and it's still at 98% - as good or better than storing it loose in a glove compartment or a cupboard.

[@RMFernley]

Many thanks for your tips!!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

You're very welcome !

[@mslaureen1]

I have the upright style food saver unit and as it's almost 3 AM. So I'm going to have to wait 'till later to see if I can do this with that unit. I've been prepping meals into jars but knew that wasn't practical in the event I was forced to leave home and most FS bags were just too large for the small stuff. Love your advise and 'really' love the condor site. Thanks for sharing!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Laureen Kanyan-Reimer Thanks, Laureen! I hope this works on your FoodSaver as it's a valuable ability to have. I've been finding even more uses for the smaller bags so I hope to post a follow-up video later this year.

[@smvop8rrrr]

how to you get the vacuum sealer to seal the small bag? I tried to do it and it doesn't vacuum the small bag.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

It depends on what type of sealer you use. The automatic ones don't work well with anything but a standard bag. With a manual sealer like the one in this video, I try to center it as much as possible, and make sure the bag is long enough that it goes down into the drip tray a bit.

[@thomasgarrison3949]

Thank you for sharing your video.

[@leestan4231]

How long will the dried jerky, and chicken last

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

So far, I can say that it keeps at least two years. Likely more than that if the jerky is dry enough.

[@marilynnrebholz2704]

Noted you are using a V2244 foodsaver model I have a V3440 model can I do the same?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+Marilynn Rebholz I'm not entirely sure. The V3440 is one of the automated models and several viewers have commented that the smaller bags don't engage the automated sealing mechanism. But I think it's all a matter of finding where the sensor is, and slipping the smaller bag into the slot at that spot. The other issue would be figuring out how to make the smaller bags using the seal function. Because the seal engages automatically when you insert the bag it would be tricky to get that small space between seals like I showed here. But if you practice a bit and don't mind a wider gap between the smaller bags, you might pull it off. I've never owned an automated sealer like that as I couldn't afford it. But now I can also see that they could be a bit more wasteful as well. Still, if you can make it work the automated sealers are pretty good tools to have as well. I'm sticking with the manual ones, though as they're a bit more versatile and only take a little bit more work.

[@jamieanderson9024]

I just got my foodsaver today and it comes with a large roll to make bags out of. I'm really wanting pint sized bags, but apparently I'll have to order those online. Can I use the roll to make a large bag, and then use this technique to turn them into smaller bags? I can't see any reason why this wouldn't work but I don't want to mess anything up! lol When I make my own bag out of the roll will it basically be the same as the pre-cut ones you used and work the same way?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Jamie Anderson Yes - you can do this. What I do to split a bag in half is first seal the bottom seam, then fold that bag in half along that bottom seam and crease it so you have a vertical fold running down the middle of the bag. Then seal on both sides of that fold and you've effectively split the bag in half. This is actually how we used to split bags into smaller ones before the precut bags came out and it still works today and is cheaper.

[@jamieanderson9024]

Awesome thank you! One more question- do you have any tips for vacuum sealing chicken breasts? I'm trying to avoid pre-freezing them but I also don't want the juices to run out and ruin the seal. Should I just make the bags a little bigger so the juice has a place to go?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Drain off the juices into a colander or just shake them off into the sink, then bag and seal it. This works better than pre-freezing, and they last a long time and I've never had one get freezer burned. Hey - here's another one: make a bunch of soup, then cool it and pre-freeze it in containers. Then freeze them as individual soups, just like stores like M&M Meats do. These are incredible - just drop the frozen soup blocks in a pot and heat them up, and just use one block per serving.

[@georgiabutler7364]

@@AlbertaBushcrafter What a great idea, we are now just the two older people, and being used to making everything large batches, we have left overs, which is not the same the next night. this will be what I will do next time i make soup or chili

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

@@georgiabutler7364 I've researched it, with help from the old crew of moderators from the Barbecue Bible website, and we've found that you can also reheat food right in the bag too. We figured this out when I smoked a couple of pork shoulders and had way too much pulled pork to eat. Freezing leftovers in batches is a wonderful idea and I do it with meat, chili, stews, soups, and anything else that comes to mind. Thanks for your support!

[@charliemagpie]

how do you close the lid, and suck the air out with the bags so full ?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Actually, there's about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of excess on the end of each bag, and it's enough to reach into the tray of the sealer and make an airtight seal. Plus, if it's solids and not liquids, you can close the lid and leave a tiny gap, then push the bag towards the sealer a bit to compact the bag's contents. Then lock the lid and seal as usual.

[@eastsidemuu]

how do u vaccume seal small bags I have the same model u have, and it won't vaccume seal bags, only regular seal

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

There has to be enough extra bag at the top to seal well. Make sure the top of the bag goes all the way down into the little tray at the bottom of the sealer as that is what gets the bag past the rubber seal and ensures a vacuum. Also, if it just keeps sucking the air our but never seals, you can manually press the Seal button while it is doing this and it will seal the bag. It depends on what is in the bag too. Liquids don't vacuum seal well.

[@PaulMJohnsSeattle]

The air channels are directional and run vertically (same direction as the long dimension of the roll), therefore vacuum seals need to be perpendicular to that (horizontal) so that the air can be removed. You can make a vertical seal without vacuuming (for the sides of the small bags), but if you try to make a seal parallel to the air channels, the sideways air channels will block the air from coming out, fool the machine into thinking you've vacuumed all the air out, and seal without removing all the air. Just make your final seal in the normal direction and you'll be good.

[@Adeline9418]

Do you have a thermal cooker? They're pretty cool!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thinking about it. They're a great way t get the perfect steak.

[@Adeline9418]

What brand do you have?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Mine is a V2244 which is one of the manual models. I haven't been able to try out an automatic one yet and I hear they don't work well. I'm trying to get my hands on one to test it, though.

[@ail2470]

I'm having a hard time trying to vacuum seal small bags. I have no problem making small bags, but they won't seal after vacuuming. I've tried many different ways; make sure the opening is free of dust or debris, packing one-third of the bag leaving at least 3 inches, tried a different sides of the sealing area, etc. I've gone through three different machines and they're all same; they vacuum nicely but won't seal. I now own FS FM2000, it does the same thing. What am I doing wrong?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

When this happened to mine, I removed the gaskets and washed them. Also, if you are getting a good vacuum but the machine isn't sealing, there should also be a manual seal button. If you are pretty sure the bag is evacuated but the machine doesn't start sealing, just tap that Seal button and it will start sealing on most models.

[@ail2470]

@@AlbertaBushcrafter Thank you. I'll try that.

[@joannamills4510]

How do you seal those tiny packages?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

The sealing strip for this FoodSaver model and many other vacuum sealers uses a hot wire or heating element which runs the length of the bag. So as long as you can get a seal and suck the air out of the bag, it should seal. You may have to tap the Manual Seal button on a lot of models though. Still, that works fine too once you do a few bags.

[@zuzanaterneniova1367]

Can i use this vacuum sealer method for making mini bags for raw food homemade bars?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Yes, this sealer will work. Any type of manual sealer will do the job., in fact, but the automatic ones where you just slide the bag in the slot and it does the rest won't work with this technique.

[@PAGodinez]

How do you vacuum seal those tiny amounts?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

What you do is make long and thin bags, fill them, and cut them so there is only about 3/4 inch that extends past the sealing strip. That's enough to go past the rubber gasket and ensure that the vacuum works. This does need a bit of trimming but not much.

[@LaydeeLia]

How do u re-hydrate the dehydrated hash browns??

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

What I do is add just enough hot water to cover them and leave them half an hour. If there's a bit of excess water you can pour it off or use it for thickening soup or stews.

[@LaydeeLia]

@@AlbertaBushcrafter - - I thot they might turn soggy & water-logged when dehydrating them... ??? If they still have a pleasant texture after being rehydrated, I'll no longer have to pass up on any of the half price deals on frozen hash browns for lack of space in my freezer (which is always full bcuz I load up on meat when it's marked down to 1/2 price just b4 the stores will be closed for a holiday). I'm really excited about this! Thank you for posting the video and replying to my query!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

@@LaydeeLia I buy the frozen hask browns on sale and run them through my dehydrator and they come out as dry as a cracker. And when I rehydrate them, they can be a little soggy but the frying pan dries up the excess moisture really quickly so as long as I dump out the excess water I haven't found them to be soggy at all.

[@thatgirlwhousedtohavereall5549]

@@AlbertaBushcrafter Do you have a video showing the dehydrator you have? OR which one do you recommend. I have 4 on my favorite list on Amazon, & don’t really know which one to choose.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

@@thatgirlwhousedtohavereall5549 Actually, I can tell you right now - mine is a Cabela's brand dehydreator, but the company who makes it is NESCO. So I'd recommend the NESCO brand as my current model has been going strong for 6+ years now.

[@RossBerger]

Hey! Great video. How do you seal up your small bags exactly? I cant get my same model food saver to create a vaccum unless i have about 5+ inches of open bag in the vaccum area.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Look for the sealing strip on the bottom of the sealer. I normally have to leave at least an inch beyond that strip and then tuck it down into the sealing channel. Plus, there's a removable tray that catches drips and that needs to be there or I've found it doesn't seal anything well. But as for making the smaller bags themselves, I usually start with the roll, then pull out enough width for the bag plus an inch. Then after sealing the first strip I pull the bag about 1/2 an inch and seal it again. Then I just repeat until I have enough small bags.

[@PaulMJohnsSeattle]

The air channels are directional and run vertically (same direction as the long dimension of the roll), therefore vacuum seals need to be perpendicular to that (horizontal) so that the air can be removed. You can make a vertical seal without vacuuming (for the sides of the small bags), but if you try to make a seal parallel to the air channels, the sideways air channels will block the air from coming out, fool the machine into thinking you've vacuumed all the air out, and seal without removing all the air. Just make your final seal in the normal direction and you'll be good.

[@LMGM5]

Thank you for sharing, those meals are awesome, your packaging just right. I see you use all of the bag, great. I will like to share a tip with you, instead of writing on the bag, write on a piece of duct tape or other tape. The sharpies pen are great but I have a feeling the ink goes thru the bag., or write on the very top of the bag, so it would not touch the contents of your bag.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+Laura M. Good point! Actually, one of the best suggestions I've seen was to use hockey tape or adhesive tape. The white stuff works great with permanent markers.

[@georgiabutler7364]

@@AlbertaBushcrafter they come with white patch to write on

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

@@georgiabutler7364 Yes they do, but it's not always big enough. And not all pens can write on it. I have a Pilot Fineliner that I use now and it seems OK.

[@melindagenier9401]

These smaller bags can be great for storing craft and sewing supplies as well 🙂

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

They are indeed great for that. And I use them for a lot of different kits like emergency kits and such too. Thanks!

[@roberttesar805]

I have a large supply of ammunition 22lr 9mm 223 etc. I use the food saver to vacuum seal them for long term storage

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Good idea. And it keeps it all together too.

[@IngeLyck]

I am watching this august 2019. Thank for :)

[@jimmiddleton5093]

You can dehydrate hash browns? 😮 That alone was worth watching the video lol Awesome video, thanks for the ideas

[@redstone1999]

Watch for oil content as it can go rancid. Not toxic, but tastes horrible. Best to bake on dry cookie sheet until light golden brown and dehydrate that. When you rehydrate it they will have that cooked baked hash brown. I usually put a teaspoon of tallow in frying pan to give them a quick fry (if I can have a fire).

[@bucklymcduffee4580]

Gonna try the pill pouches soon

[@julessanchez9216]

Great video, thanks for sharing !! I had a foodsaver just die on me, so this week I got another one. Great ideas, and I like the condor pouch.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+Jules Sanchez Thanks! Glad it helped!

[@kenerdner6626]

Thanks for showing me how to make custom size Foodsaver Bags.

[@03298kjskdjf]

VERY helpful video!! Thank you!

[@binecz1]

Thank you for showing..and learning me about this...

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+Esther Herbert You're welcome - glad to help!

[@newbaysie]

How did you vacuumed and sealed such small bags? Don't you need at least 2 to 3 inches of free space when you use the vacuum function?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

newbaysie My FoodSaver only needs about 2 inches of space at the top of the bag, so I just leave that much excess. It means you don't get as many bags, but it still works really well.

[@PhozenMage]

Hi! I was wondering for the bags do i need to cut them open to be able to fill them? or are they open on one of the sides already?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

They way you seal them together you'll usually have one side open. If you're doing a lot of them it's a bit faster to seal up all the lines at once and then cut them apart later.

[@littlehills739]

mine wont make smaller bags it keeps trying to suck never passes to seal setting then i put in full size bag works just seems a waste i tried putting scrap off cut left and right of smaller bag

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Some of these do not have a manual seal function. It isn't impossible to seal smaller bags with these but it's a challenge. Try looking at the front of the machine and see if there's a sensor or trigger that switches on when the bag hits it. If so, then that's where you want to put the bag for sealing.

[@littlehills739]

@@AlbertaBushcrafter sorry think i said it wrong - i can seal smaller bags -- just not vac + seal smaller bags

[@bryanadams256]

I have the 2244. What I don't like is the waste on a roll because of the space between the vacuum chamber and the seal.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

That's one of the things I don't like either about that unit. there's a lot of space between the lid and the vacuum so you lose a bit every time you make a bag.

[@carolyn8728]

Thanks for all the handy ideas for my new food saver. Great for the emergency kit!

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Glad to help - and you're 100% correct too. My own emergency kit has quite a few things sealed like this and they're still good. And not just food either, as these small bags help keep a lot of things together like fishing kits, batteries, fire-starting materials, spare clothing, and anything in general you don't want to get wet. And it's way better to customize your own kit as you'll know everything in it and how to use it.

[@peggieprillaman]

I have a V4865 2 in 1 Vacuum sealer, will making the smaller bags work on this model? Great video by the way! Keep them coming..

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+Peggie Prillaman It should work. I've even tried this with a cheap Toastess sealer and it worked but I've never tried an automatic one like the V4865. But as long as you can figure out where the automatic bag sensor is, you should be able to get a good seal. Sorry I don't know more about these.

[@plumber_midge]

I just bought a FoodSaver today after a huge buy one get one free sale on meat. Some bad stuff is going on, time to prepare if you're not already.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

That's one of my main uses for this appliance, actually. Saving meat, home-grown veggies, and even dry goods.

[@darrenernest]

Do you dehydrate single portions of oatmeal and then rehydrate with hot water while camping?

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Actually, it's instant oatmeal so it's already dehydrated, as are all of the other ingredients. All you need to do is add water.

[@gorbaggoescamping1329]

Hello, This is my first video of yours, really enjoyed it. Then I saw that you and I share an allergy and subscribed. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. cheers Gorbag

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+Gorbag Goes Camping Thanks, Gorbag! Love the LOTR reference in the username too!

[@GardenJensJourney]

Thank you so much for this video! Very informative! Love your first aid kit. Question though. Most meds have a 1 year expiration date and are said to be dangerous to use after that date. Do you find that putting them in these vacuum pacs gives them a longer shelf life? Seems like you'd have to refresh your pack every year with new meds. 😕 Though that doesn't seem too hard to do, really.

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Actually, I've been starting to write the expiry date on these. And with a lot of those meds, it's the chemicals in them that break down that makes them expire, and you can't always tell if they've expired, too. So sealing them in these small bags is more for packing a small quantity, and for protecting them from the weather.

[@clairebauman8979]

where does everyone buy their bags???

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

I get mine at WalMart or Costco, but only because Amazon Canada doesn't have great prices like the US and Britain. Lots of scammers.

[@______3597]

Costco is the best

[@taz7449]

I noticed you have an older model V2244, which operates differently than my new V4980. My experience making small bags was very 'hit-and-miss'...mostly 'miss'...I tried making small bags and found I have nowhere near the maneuverability you have with sealing, and that I can't get a seal with the smallish bags that I was able to fabricate (vacuum motor engaged but no seal). I called Foodsaver and was told I have to have a factory seal on both sides of any bag, which means you can't make small bags :( Do I need an older unit or am I missing something? Thanks in advance

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+Thad Galvin Tough call! I had no idea mine was an older model, for one. But I think it might depend on the model too. You may need to experiment with different areas of the sealing surface as well. Mine seals really well along the whole bag area but some of the "snorkel" type sealers may need some trial and error - or they may not work at all. Maybe the suction o your model is so strong it would blow out anything but a factory seal?

[@ng7896]

Me too I love my dehydrator

[@humai771]

Wow it sealed mine shut and I couldn’t put anything in it after I divided it and sealed it

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Keep trying - it took me several attempts to get it right.

[@joeazores]

Awesome idea thank you

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Thanks for the compliment! These little bags are very useful.

[@pamz9151]

guess works better to make smaller bags when your food saver isn't an automatic one because it waste bags at certain size then starts working. I have to get new food saver mine finally wore out. Thank you for the suggestions. God bless you for sharing

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

+Pam Z Thanks! I discovered that the automated sealers don't seem to work for this but if I manage to get my hands on one and figure a way to do this I'll post it.

[@loisadams837]

New to Foodsaver’s. Just got my machine and just wondering how to seal the small bags. When I use my machine I need about 3” above the food for the machine to lock down and seal the bag . What am I missing? Thx

[@AlbertaBushcrafter]

Is that 3" from the front of the machine, or 3" from the bottom of the drip tray on the inside? I usually have to leave 2 to 2 1/2" from the top of the food when vacuuming it so the bag goes deep enough into that tray for the unit to get the proper suction, but when it seals the bag it actually does so about 1" above the food.

[@TheChicamustang]

Good info. Thanks