The Best Mesh Produce Bags

Buying Guide for Mesh Produce Bags

Why buy mesh produce bags?

Mesh produce bags gently cradle your fruits and veggies, carrying them from the store or farm stand without damaging them. They’re an eco-friendly upgrade from the thin, plastic, nonrecyclable produce bags typically offered at the supermarket.

What should you consider in mesh produce bags?

• Size: Is your favorite produce bag big enough to fit all your weekly produce? You may want to be sure. Dimensions are important, but so are weight restrictions. Every bag on our list has a specific size and weight limit attached to the product description. Some packs even come with more than one size per pack, perfect for busy families.
• Materials: The greenest choice will often be the longest lasting. You’ll want to choose materials that will hold up against washes, weight, and frequent use. Also, a higher quality bag will better handle incidentals. And if you want to go all-in on an environmentally-friendly choice made from renewable materials, you may choose a 100% cotton or hemp bag.
• Carrying Handles: Carrying handles can be convenient, especially if you prefer an outdoor produce market to a traditional grocery store. Some bags have wristlets or pull strings, while others have shoulder straps.

How long do reusable mesh produce bags last?

Most reusable mesh produce bags should last around a year with proper care. However, cotton and other higher-quality mesh bags can last much longer, in some cases up to five years or more. It’s essential to wash your produce bags regularly and not overload them with too much weight if you want to make them last as long as possible. You may also repurpose them once you get home from the store.

Our Picks for the Best Mesh Produce Bags

Pros: These resilient bags can handle all kinds of produce: heavy items, pokey items, and fragile items. They are made of high-quality BPA-free mesh material that is easy to see and convenient for shopping. After each use, they’re easy to clean and dry. Plus, they have the weight limit written on each of the three sizes of bags, so you can be certain you’re not overloading and damaging them.

Cons: These are not best for storing your veggies or fruits after you get home from the store. Also, they may retain the odor of your food if not washed thoroughly.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a great multisize set of mesh produce bags, these may be an excellent option. They’re durable and washable, and they have convenient tie strings to keep your produce from rolling out into the shopping cart.

 

Pros: Whether you’re shopping at the farmer’s market or a traditional grocery store, this set of mesh produce bags is an excellent alternative if you’re committed to not using single-use plastic bags. You’ll get a total of nine bags in a variety of sizes—giving you options depending on the type of produce you need to purchase. You’ll like that these bags are foldable and washable and come in larger sets if you need them.

Cons: Although a minor complaint, there’s no stopper on the drawstring to prevent the bags from reopening once you’ve closed them.

Bottom Line: Help the environment but remain functional with this smart set of produce bags in a variety of sizes. Customize your shopping experience by choosing from the different sizes you need for the produce you want to get.

 

Pros: For one thing, these cotton mesh bags can handle a surprising amount of weight, up to 40 pounds. They have some give and some stretch with their 13-inch long straps, so you can fit more items in them than you might think. These bags are machine washable for easy cleaning and come in four different colors: pink, gray, blue, and black.

Cons: Some may find that the holes in the mesh make it difficult to store items inside. Also, the opening of the bags is not very flexible.

Bottom Line: These mesh produce bags are wonderfully hands-free for the greatest convenience. They come in a beautiful, colorful four-pack for great value.

 

Pros: Whether you’re picking produce in your backyard garden or you need to haul a large watermelon home from the grocery store, these heavy-duty large net bags are the perfect solution. While we’re showing the 14-inch by 18-inch extra-large bags that come in a six-pack, you can adjust for quantity and size if you need. Each bag features a drawstring and is washable.

Cons: If you’re truly focused on sustainability, you might have a beef with the plastic toggle. Others noted that the mesh design can make reading prices in the grocery store difficult for cashiers.

Bottom Line: For more oversized produce, these heavy-duty, reinforced produce bags are a great investment. They’re made to be tough while still protecting the most delicate veggies and fruits.

 

Pros: If you struggle to keep the different produce bags straight, you’ll appreciate this pick. With a different color for each bag, it’s easy to keep track of what each bag contains inside. The bags measure 15 by 12 inches and can also double as general storage bags for other essentials like makeup, toys, and even clothes.

Cons: Some people mentioned that vegetables tended to spoil faster with these bags and that, instead, they worked better as laundry bags for delicates.

Bottom Line: Get a 5 or 11-pack of these color-coded reusable produce bags to make shopping more simple. Once you get home, organizing your produce will be much less of a hassle when you can count on the colors for each bag.

Final Thoughts

“Reduce, reuse, and recycle” is such an enduring idiom that adults and children understand the concept of leaving a greener footprint, and using reusable mesh produce bags can be the first step. If you wish to leave the world a cleaner place and want to invest in a convenient way to store your produce, grab one of our picks for a mesh produce bag.