After starting my zero-waste journey I decided to swap out a lot of my houseware items for better quality, reusable, and longer lasting options. Right from the outset, silicone seemed like a great replacement for a lot of single-use plastic items around my home — especially in the kitchen. It seemed to be the default heat safe, food grade alternative to a lot of cheap plastic tools but if I’m being totally honest I didn’t know much about the material beyond that. I wondered Is silicone really safe … or even environmentally friendly?

It’s finally time to get onboard with the updated, eco friendly silicone alternative that can do way more than your standard ziplock. Not only that but they are super easy to clean and will last for up to 5 years! Keep reading to learn 25 ways you can use silicone storage bags in your everyday life.