Ziplock Zip 'n Steam Bags

I picked up Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags on a whim at the grocery store. We tend to eat fresh vegetables instead of frozen or canned, so the Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags seemed like a good choice for my family.

I paid about $3.00 for 7 large 10"x10" Zip n' Steam bags. I've had them now for about a month, and I'm down to my last one. I give Ziploc Zip 'n Steam Bags a 3 for value since they cost about as much as I would expect. Each bag is made of nice thick plastic that is pretty durable, but not reusable. All the Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags in my package worked fine and were free from defects.

The real beauty of Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags is how convenient they are. I loved being able to steam my vegetables without having to get a pot and steamer or glass casserole dish dirty. I'm not one for formal family dining, so I just served the vegetables right out of the bag.

Clean up was as easy as tossing the Zip n' Steam bag into the trash. I know it's not the most "green" product, but it certainly made my life a lot easier. Ziploc has included cooking times on the back of each bag, so there isn't a lot of guess work involved in cooking things (more about the cooking times later). Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags are also good for fish, chicken, and other meats. We don't eat a lot of seafood, but I steamed some chicken to put in a salad and was very pleased with the results. The chicken came out tender and cooked all the way through, even though it was frozen. Imagine grabbing a chicken breast from the freezer, tossing it in a bag, microwaving it, and having it come out edible! Even better, you don't have any mess to deal with afterwards. You can add seasonings and oil or butter to the bag as well. I give a perfect 5 to Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags for convenience.

As I mentioned above, Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags are pretty easy to use. The included cooking instructions for most commonly steamed foods were fairly accurate, but I do have one small complaint. The instructions tend to overcook vegetables if you don't remove the Zip 'n Steam bag from the microwave and open it as soon as it's done cooking. The Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bag is so quick and easy to use that its likely you'll forget about it sitting in the microwave while you're cooking everything else. I recommend waiting to use the Zip 'n Steam bag until right before you are ready to eat. Otherwise, you may want to reduce the cooking time for fresh vegetables by a few minutes. Last night I use the Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bag to cook some fresh green beans, and I forgot to get them out right away. The beans still tasted all right, but some of them were a little shriveled. I give the Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bag a 4 for ease of use.