Two weeks ago, I wrote about testing the Handi-Vac vacuum sealer. The results are in, folks.
I’d expected that vacuum sealing, whether to freeze or refrigerate, would make food last longer. True indeed.
After 16 days, the Handi-Vac green beans were a little slimy, but still firm. They were beginning to turn, but still didn’t have a noticeable odor. While I wouldn’t call them tasty, let’s just say that a small bite didn’t do any harm.
The beans kept in a regular Ziploc bag, on the other hand, were pretty rank. The beans were quite slimy and soft. And as you can see below, the rot had definitely set in. No bites were taken.
While I originally wrote that I’d only test the green beans for 10 days, I wanted to give the two storage options more time to distinguish itself. Basically, both looked pretty good after 10 days.
That means two things: First, vacuum sealing food makes more sense for long term use (and since Handi-Vac is aimed more at freezer storage, that makes sense). Second, food lasts longer than you’d expect if stored properly. (I was careful to get as much air out of the Ziplock as possible.
The prognosis: The Handi-Vac’s convenient size makes it a useful device for people who often store food for more than a week or two. But if you routinely freeze large cuts of meat, etc. it might be worth considering a more powerful device like the Frisper Freshkeeper, both for its quicker sealing and reusable bags.
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Sorry to say, but some foods were harmed in the making of this post. Just know that the poor green beans who made the ultimate sacrifice are now in a better place–my compost pile.
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