Plastic bags are not banned here, but some places do not supply free bags of any kind. You either have to bring your own or buy bags from them. I bought a reusable shopping tote from them a while back though for less than $1 that was really big and sturdy. I always intended to go back and get another one, but I just never got around to doing it.
With all the crazy bacteria going around now, I can see where this post could save someone a lot of pain, great post! So many hands touch the food before it makes it to our kitchens, we really need to be extra careful. Some of the items contain pesticides, so washing the bags would keep this from bulding up!
This thread is actually an excellent point, especially when it pertains to meats. We have a few re-usable bags, although we tend to use the giant Ikea ones where you can load up a ton of items in them. Yes, they will weigh a lot, but I figure I'd rather struggle for a few seconds rather than pace back and fourth from the car to the kitchen. Now the question is, how do we wash the bags. Perhaps a garden hose and a bit of soap should work. Thanks again.
Glad you found the post useful! I've not seen the Ikea bags so I really can't say what would be the best way to clean them. The first time I washed my reusable bags from Whole Food I had trouble turning them inside out. I think if I were to need to wash them in the future I would make up some kind of spray with vinegar. I also like the convenience of making fewer trips to get groceries into the house.
