Bagging Groceries

During this pandemic, in some parts of the country, we are once again being allowed to bring our own bags. The condition however, is that we have to do our own bagging. I am fine with that, but noticed some people who are definitely bagging incorrectly. That is, the way that they are bagging is going to result in crushed chips, broken eggs, bags that are too heavy and may break, and potentially contaminated raw foods. So here are some suggestions to help us all bag our groceries better.

A Matter of Geometry

When I was in my teens, I had a 6-month job to bag groceries at a grocery store that catered to NATO members, especially Americans. Unlike Europeans, Americans expected to have their groceries bagged for them, and would tip. So my job was to bag their groceries, and would be given the tips as my pay. But, being in Europe, I had to learn how to properly bag, and not just willy-nilly throw packages and food into bags.

The proper way to bag items bought in a general grocery store, is a matter of geometry. People buy squares (breakfast cereals), ovals (apples, watermelons), oblongs (bananas, egg plants), rectangles (eggs, tissue boxes), etc. My job was to fit these items in a cubed rectangle, by creating a sturdy base structure, and then take weight, food safety, and temperature into account.

• The Insider writes, Proper bagging technique is also essential to keep perishable foods safe, delicate foods unbroken, and heavy items from breaking your bag (or your back).

All these decades later, what I learned then, is a skill set I still use when I bag my own groceries. So, let me share some of those techniques with you.

The Best Bags

I want the bag to be capable of carrying 15# without breaking. Often, paper bags will break at the handles if they are bagged too heavy.

Regular Grocery Bags

My favorite recyclable, reusable bags are those shaped like a paper bag, that is, in a rectangle form with a flat bottom. It is made of recycled materials and is wipeable shiny plastic, not fabric. It allows me the most room for a fully packed bag, and you would be amazed how much can be fit into that space.

• Paper grocery bags are rectangle, feature a flat bottom that is best for layering food, and are easy to stack from heavy to light.
• The size allows for easier weight distribution to each corner for easier carry.

As a result, I do not pick up or save smaller bags that many companies gift to potential customers. Mostly, I find my grocery shopping can easily fit in one or two of the large reusable bags I prefer. There is no need to have a trunk full of gifted bags of all sizes.

The thing I like is that if these bags are made of recycled plastic and/or cloth, they are sturdy, long lasting, and easy to clean and maintain. Plus, once they start breaking I just recycle them again.

Reusable Thermal Bags

I do carry one reusable, thermal bag to keep cold and frozen food in, if I know I am going to push the 2 hour safety limit for bacterial growth. I may even have placed some ice packs in the bag to help.

• The USDA reports: Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 ° and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the “Danger Zone.” That’s why the Meat and Poultry Hotline advises consumers to never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.

If I purchase frozen food, I will often place dairy products (milk, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, etc.) in with frozen to help keep things cold.

Clean the Bags

To clean I spray the inside with a disinfectant and wipe it down if I am in a hurry. But then, will try at least once a month to fill the kitchen sink with water and wash the bag thoroughly with dish soap. Soaking and washing the whole thing and allowing it to air dry on the dish drainer.

If any container leaks raw meat it gets a very thorough cleaning right away.

Pre-Sorting While Shopping

Sorting Your Cart

Bagging actually starts in your cart and how you bundle foods. So I tend to shop in a way where I sort my cart as I shop.

• Heavy cans and glass are together toward the front
• Fruits and veggies together.
• Frozen foods together: The idea is to help keep the food in a consistently cold state.
• Raw meat should be bagged in plastic (even if I have to go back to the veggie aisle to grab some bags) and kept away from other uncooked or packaged foods.
• Cleaning powders + fluids together: The goal is to keep chemicals away from raw food.
• Crushable items are in the kid seat area of the cart.

Sorting Conveyer Belt

If I am not bagging, I have a game plan to get the items bagged correctly. These days, most baggers have not been trained and they make all sorts of mistakes that result in crushed, damaged or contaminated food. So my plan is designed to help them get it right. I put things on the conveyer belt in a way to get what I want.

• Frozen food first to help make sure they are all put in the same bag.
• Cleaning materials are next and if they bag it with frozen food I just ask them to put in the other bag.
• Heavier things like cans, flour bags, and jars so they line up the bags correctly.
• Medium heavy next like sack of beans, butter, potatoes and other fruits and veggies.
• Crushable things are next, like eggs, chips, avocado, tomatoes, and bread.
• Last are cards and anything you are eating or drinking

Have your reused bags ready, I usually open my two large bags if I know there is going to be meat or frozen food. I always separate meat and/or frozen food from the rest of the items so that the cold food can help keep everything cold.

But additionally, if I have lots of heavy cans or jars, I want to distribute the weight over two bags and not make one ultra heavy bag. The ultimate goal is to not exceed 15# for one bag, or no more than 6 cans per bag, or 4 large jars.

I do not bag any very large item that has its own handle. Examples of this are some bags of pet food. But may also include milk gallons, packs of beer, etc.

Bagging Architecture

Form a Foundation

Make a foundation of cans and heavy containers on the bottom of the sack. Start with cans in the four corners to help distribute the weight and build inward for a solid base. But, do not make it too heavy; I do not add more than 6 cans per sack.

If the bags get banged against things, having cans on the side will help keep food from getting damaged or shifting around too much on the way home. A good base might even keep the sack from being tossed over while driving around tight corners.

Build a Perimeter Wall

Using boxes, like breakfast cereal boxes, build a wall keeping the center clear for glass items or crushable items like chips. The walls will serve as protection.

Infill with Glass

Make sure all glass is upright and in the center of the bag. If possible try to not have glass clink against other glass, I try to separate them with something to prevent breakage. Often, you might see some stores wrap glass containers in smaller sacks and then put those in the center position. But you can use other foods too, like a sack of rice or beans.

Roof with Crushables

I put eggs, bread, avocado, tomatoes, berries, pastry, and chips on top. I also put any candy I want to hide from my spouse on top, so I can grab and pocket it before I start to drive home.

Packing the Auto

I pack so that heavy bags are next to the car and lighter bags are in the middle area. I also try to box in the bag with easily crushable items by surrounding it with sturdy, heavy bottomed bags that I know will not topple. Anything I am afraid will fall over I put in the front seat.

Unpacking at Home

I take the frozen food right downstairs and put items into the freezer.

Then I pull out all the cold but non-frozen food and start by sorting out the food by serving sizes and re-bagging them. So a pound of ground meat may be portioned out into two half pound servings. Those then go into the freezer after I label and date the bags.

Meanwhile, my spouse is most likely putting all the refrigerated items in the fridge right away. Remember that after 2 hours, outside of the proper temperature, food can start to become hazardous. So our focus is to get the cold stuff into their proper environments first.

Then I move to putting up fruits and veggies. Normally I do not wash any of the veggies or fruits until I am ready to use them. (This is why I generally start a recipe with washing hands and food.)

All else is put up at the end. Plus whatever dog treat I bought is given to them to enjoy.

Never Waste a Bag

I reuse or recycle all the bags I bring home. Hopefully, you do too.

—Patty

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News: With tourists gone, Bali workers return to farming and fishing. Essentially, the coronavirus pandemic has forced thousands to return to their villages and traditional ways of making a living. In fact, for many, the Indonesian island economy has declined so badly some have turned to bartering fruit and veggies so they can get necessities.

Pandemic: Coronavirus outbreaks at several slaughterhouses in Germany have forced meatpacking plants to review cooling systems amid global concern over airborne transmission risks. The outbreak has been so severe, that whole villages have been put on quarantine. This is NOT just a USA issue, but is an issue related directly to meat processing plants.

News: I do not know about you, but I do love State Fair’s food. Not too long ago there was a story about the Wisconsin State Fair. Since they cancelled the actual fair, they created a “Fair Food Drive-Thru.” It is not surprising that there were long lines as soon as it opened, if they did that here I would be tempted to line up too.

News: You never know what happens around the world. For instance, a Thai coconut milk producer, Theppadungporn Coconut, suffered a sharp drop in sales after a PETA + other animal rights groups accused the industry of using (abused) monkey labor to pick the coconuts.