Which do you prefer when you go shopping? Paper or plastic?
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When the store clerk says "paper or plastic", ask for paper. You can take the bags apart and use the paper for sending packages, copying pattern pieces, using for book covers. You can even decorate it and use it for wrapping paper.
By Ardis Ilene Barnes
Editor's Note: I also use them when I make homemade granola or party mix. I pour the mix into the paper grocery sack and it absorbs the excess oil or butter.
I ask for "paper in plastic"; that way, I get the paper for such projects as you mentioned (also for lining my bird's cage) AND I get the plastic bags, which make great trash bags and are great for tying up stinky diapers. Not to mention that they are much easier to carry up the stairs.
A little note about those paper bags that you might not know. My son works in a grocery store. If the store has roaches, and most stores do, even if they spray, they still have roach and mice problems. Anyway, roaches love paper bags. They crawl into them or into the folded cracks, and they also like to lay their eggs in those cracks; and BINGO guess who is taking unwanted guess home with them and don't even know it.
When you're moving and run out of boxes you can fill the bags so that you can fold over the top and tape them shut. They're sturdy and lightweight, making excellent box replacements. They're good grease absorbers, as pointed out, and I use them in the bottom of my kitchen wastebasket.
TerryfromChilliOH
I always get paper. I do use it around the house but I also reuse it at the store. When I am planning on doing my big shopping for the month I take them back and they reuse them. I usually have enough plastic from Walmart for the trash cans at home.
We use canvas and string bags for grocery shopping and still have enough plastic ones from other sources to use for trash. Some stores will give you a credit for each bag of your own that you use. The canvas and string bags also don't break easily and hold more stuff than paper or plastic and are easier to carry.
I take neither. When I go grocery shopping or just shopping in general I always take my own cloth tote bags. I know a few years back I got some free from a store everytime I bought a certain dollar amount. I have bought some from stores but I bought them when they were on sale I have even been given some from people when I went to their garage sales.
I know when I use these bags I can reuse them over and over again, I wash them in cold water when they get dirty. When I use my canvas bags I have the bagger stuff them so that means less trips from the car to house when emptying out the trunk. Yes I do use plastic bags at times but I can usually get them from people I know who are more than happy to get rid of them because they have so many of them.
Ziggee
I prefer paper. When I take fresh bread from the oven, I turn the pan over on the paper. Absorbs beautifully. Also use them to absorb butter, etc. from my homemade Chex Mix. I also use them to wrap packages in that I'm sending. I don't throw the greasy bags away. I use them as fire starters in the fireplace and/or the wood furnace.
I use the paper bags for putting in my shredded papers. I then use it for a GREAT fire starter in my wood stove. Best firestarter, and free, I have found yet.
Store ice cubes inbrown paper bags in the freezer. The ice cubes will not freeze together into one big blob. Also store frozen foods that you have in Ziplock bags for longer storage without freezer burn. It will also keep "like items" together in the freezer.Just fold the top down and label the bag with contents inside using a Sharpie marker
I prefer plastic as I have one of the trash cans that they fit in perfectly, thus saving on trash can liners. I take the trash out more often now, instead of letting it sit and possibly smell. I would not use the paper bags from a grocery store for anything that my food (fresh baked) touches, as you never know what may have touched that bag! Just think how many times that "item" you bought has been touched and put into that bag (not to mention the roaches) by someone, that I am sure did not wash his hands every time he got into something!! EEEwwww! I know people that use newspaper for fresh baked cookies to cool on......yuck!
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