Tilla Foodsaver: good to have when buying organic produce

[Lorien]

or buying in bulk. It's that vacuum sealing contraption that was on infomercials for a while (may still be). I have one that I bought from Costco for $129.00, but I think it saves me twice that on organic produce costs every year. You can buy in bulk, and the food stays fresh 2-5 times as long. I don't want to sound like an infomercial myself, but organic produce is pretty expensive (you get what you pay for). I prefer using the cannisters over using the plastic bags; they're more eco-friendly, plus the food doesn't get squashed. Since I eat a lot of salads it also saves on trips to the health food store every week (less fuel costs over the year).Not much that I advocate spending money on, but I think that a vacuum packing system is worth the $$$.

I don't know about the Tilla company though; hopefully they aren't big GOP contributors!

www.costco.com

www.foodsaver.com

[K8-EEE]

1. What A Great Idea!!

My husband and I have decided not to exchange gifts this year and just get them for the kids....but my b-day is Jan 2 and I've been trying to think of something practical to ask for, I would use this FOR SURE. I am CONSTANTLY buying produce, because 1) I like it really fresh and 2) I hate wasting stuff. HATE! HATE IT when I find slimy spinach or something at the back of the fridge, it makes me feel so guilty.

[Lorien]

2. I'm with you on the guilt thing

I forgot to seal some strawberries last week (large quanity on sale), and they got "furry" in no time-an expensive reminder to use the darn thing as soon as the groceries come home!

The other plus of the cannisters; you can see what you have easily, and the food looks more tempting than when it's in a plastic bag or tupperware type container. I find I reach for the produce more often. Go to the foodsaver site for special deals on the cannisters (cheaper than Target and other online sources-the Costco set comes with three, but you'll want more if you eat plenty of fruits and veggies).

[fudge stripe cookays]

3. But just in case things do get a little scary,

try to set up a compost pile, so you're constantly re-using things.

I started mine as soon as we got our house, and I love it! Although I do need to get a turner so it'll heat up and decompose faster.

FSC

[Lorien]

6. Got one of those too!

a tiny little composter for my tiny plot of land. :-)

[Ilsa]

4. Is there much difference between the newer

Foodsavers and the older ones? Does it offer something special?

Saving produce, organic or not, is a good reason to invest in this, I think.

I think I'm sold.

[Lorien]

5. Not much aside from size

colors, and extra buttons. Sometimes Tuesday Morning (an overstock store) carries the discontinued models. The Foodsaver site also has it's own overstock page.Basically all it needs to do is suck the air out of something, shut off when it's done, and use heat to seal the plastic bags.

The $129 Costco set includes pretty much everything you need to get going. I can't remember if it has a mason jar sealer, but that's a handy, cost effective tool. The only additional items that I bought were the extra cannisters and a wide mouthed jar sealer. Hand wash the lids, and the stuff should last for many years.