A step-by-step with photos for how to use FoodSaver. Plus find out which foods can be vacuum-sealed and which to avoid.
Learning how to use FoodSaver products has been a game-changer for me. It's significantly reduced our food waste which means no more groans and regrets when I open a drawer and find a pint of berries that went bad after only a day or two.
But first I had to learn how to use FoodSaver products and use them consistently. Now there's hardly a day that goes by that I'm not vacuum sealing something.
Is FoodSaver worth it?
I would never be without mine. The cost savings from less food waste over the past couple of years far surpasses the cost of purchasing a FoodSaver. It preserves not just the food but also its taste - which, for a foodie, means that the food I buy turns out better dishes, too.
Compared to ordinary storage methods, FoodSaver keeps food fresh up to 5x longer! They're the worldwide leader and innovator in vacuum sealing for consumers who need to keep food fresh and reduce food waste. I am definitely one of those consumers, and I can attest that my FoodSaver does its job extremely well.
My current FoodSaver is the FM3940, which is my favorite model to date and the one I'm using for this FoodSaver review. Its built-in, easy to use Fresh Handheld Sealer makes food preservation fast and easy!
Ordinary food storage methods trap air with food, causing foods to lose flavor and nutrition over time. My FoodSaver preserves both my food and its flavor with just the push of a button!
What foods can be vacuum-sealed?
Almost all foods can be vacuum sealed, so it's easier to provide a list of what shouldn't be. See below for that chart, but first I'll share the foods I use my FoodSaver most for:
- Fresh Berries
- Fresh Herbs
- All kinds of nuts
- Fresh Meat (sometimes I'll freeze them after vacuum sealing)
- Fruits and Vegetables (these are sometimes frozen after sealing as well)
- So many more, but those are my most common uses
How to use a FoodSaver
Using a FoodSaver is incredibly simple! I took a few photos this morning when I vacuum-sealed some pecans as well as some tortillas. If you're curious about which bags I use most often (shown in all photos), at the moment I'm obsessed with the FoodSaver® Easy Seal and Peel™ Bags/Rolls.
They're new and improved FoodSaver vacuum seal bag/roll solutions with the same FoodSaver performance guarantee - but eliminates the need for tools when opening. You'll simply cut the bag to fit whatever you want to seal, as in the photo below.
Once your bag is cut and you're ready to roll, you'll want to seal one end of your bag first.
Once the light turns off, your bag is sealed.
Now it's sealed! You can see it's been sealed in the photo below.
Now you'll place the contents inside the FoodSaver bag.
You'll place the bag back into the FoodSaver and press the "Vac/Seal" button. Your FoodSaver will start working its magic right away!
Once all the air is out of the bag, the "seal" light will come on to tell you it's doing its job.
And voilà, it's finished! All of that took me about a minute, yet the time savings I'll get from not having to run out to replenish my wasted food is infinite.
Where to purchase FoodSaver products
You can purchase all the FoodSaver products from the FoodSaver website.
I hope this FoodSaver review has shown you how to use FoodSaver products and how simple it is! If you struggle with food waste in your kitchen like I used to, you should definitely give FoodSaver a try.
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Dee says
How to vacuum seal jars
Carl A Jubb says
It would be nice if I could get accesories for my Food saver machine. They have been out of stock for many months