Originally Posted by
coopah
My DS lives in the PNW and is charged 5 cents for each plastic grocery bag every time he shops! Does anyone know of a bag pattern that is quick and easy, but would be good for groceries? He eats a lot of fresh produce (dunno if they charge for those bags, yet). I'm thinking the bags should be able to be reversed, so they could be used more than once before washing. I know the pollution arguments for not using plastic, but now he'll be using water, detergent, and energy to wash these bags. Sometimes what seems to make sense...doesn't.
I have heard that the bags that the stores sell for groceries (those clothy type bags with the handles) should not be used for groceries, especially vegetables. They hold bacteria and germs and washing them is not good, because they are not made for washing. I use the plastic bags to put my vegetables in (the ones you pull off the roll in the produce dept) and then I buy a box for carrying my groceries in. Our Roundy's or Cub have cardboard boxes I buy for carrying the groceries in. A box will last a couple of years if not more and works really great. I suppose if you bag your fruits and veggies in the plastic bags and then put them in those cloth bags, it may work. I don't. I have to scrub veggies enough without having to worry about a cloth bag that holds bacteria and makes me feel like I am taking coals to Newcastle. Easy-peasy for this old lady!!!!!!!! I use my cloth grocery bag for carting fabric around or taking it to Hancock or JoAnn's to bring home my sinful stash!!!!!!
At our age and with a husband with no spleen, I refuse to use anything that can hold bacteria and a depressed immune system is nothing to mess around with. You can always double a paper bag!!!!!!!! Edie