Ditch Plastic Bags — Use Silicone Storage To Stop Smushing On-The-Go Food

We've all been there — you put your freshly washed berries or PB&J sandwich in a plastic bag to transport it to work, but when you get there, it's been crushed into an unrecognizable, unappetizing glob. This is the plight that comes with using plastic bags to carry your food on the go, so perhaps it's time to ditch them in favor of silicone storage.

Plastic bags have long been the standard method for transporting food from one place to another, but they come with many disadvantages: Not only does your food consistently get smashed, but in an increasingly environmentally conscious world, plastic bags definitely aren't an ideal choice. That's where more structured, silicone bags come into play. Stasher, a company that gained popularity after a stint on "Shark Tank," sells reusable silicone baggies for snacks that also give back — they donate a portion of all of their proceeds to nonprofits working to protect the environment.

Stasher bags might be a great option if you don't want to continue buying single-use plastic but still need easy, compact food storage. Stasher's silicone bags sport thicker sides than typical plastic, which are designed to limit smush potential. Stasher bags are also leak-free and dishwasher safe, and the company claims that by using one Stasher bag, 260 single-use bags are replaced each year.

Stasher bags' only downside is that they're definitely more of an investment than plastic alternatives — their snack-size bag costs $9.99, and the larger sandwich bag costs $12.99. ProKeeper is another, more cost-effective silicone bag brand that got Costco shoppers excited when their six-piece set was, at one point, selling for only $21.99.

While these silicone plastic bags are super cool, they might not be 100% smush-proof — they're still made of malleable plastic, after all. Fortunately, there are plenty of other reusable options out there: Lunch boxes with plastic compartments, for example, aren't just for kids and could be the solution you need to get rid of your crushed-food woes. Another container you could try is an insulated thermos; throw your berries in there, and they'll still be whole when you get around to eating them.