Last year I noticed we were going through a lot of snack bags with my daughter starting Kindergarten and my husband working out of the home. I didn’t like the thought of continually going through boxes of snack bags. Then my friend Sharilyn introduced me to the wonderful world of reusable snack bags. I thought it was a great idea and determined to figure out how to make some more myself.
To me there is something so thrilling about using things that would otherwise be considered garbage, and upcycling and repurposing them into something that will be given a new vibrant life. For this project I have used fabrics from stained dresses, clothes that no longer fit or have been torn or cut, material from 2 different destroyed jogger strollers, toy parts, and yes, even new fun fabric. You can get really creative about the materials you use. Try to shift your paradigm when looking at your possessions and see if anything you have might work for the snack bags.
Here is a snack bag made of an old lunch bag, so I didn’t use a liner to make it.
My friend Carin came over last week, and we made a couple of snack bags for her and a couple of shirts to skirts! How fun!
Upcycled Repurposed Snack Bag Tutorial Instructions
What you’ll need:
- 10” square of fabric (or whatever size square or rectangle you want. Make sure when the material is folded in half, it is close to the size of the snack bag you want. You can also use a baggie to gauge the size.)
- equal size of fabric for a liner (I used my dad’s old wind shirt as a the inside lining.)
- matching thread
- scissors
- sewing machine
- 9” velcro (or about an inch smaller than the top side of the material)
The Instructions:
Select your fabrics. Here is my dad's old shirt.
Cut the two fabrics into equal sizes.
Put right sides together, and sew 1/2'' all the way across the top. Repeat the same at the bottom.
The parallel sides should open up like this. Here I only show one side opening.
Flip the fabrics so the the right sides are now both facing out.
Iron down the fabrics so you get a more professional look. Skip this step if you don't care.
On the liner side, pin the velcro down close to the edge of the top. Test the velcro to see if it lines up by folding, and then unfold.
Sew down the velcro all away around it. I sew an extra line down the middle because of the heavy use the snack bags receive.
Fold the fabric in half so the liner side is on the outside. Sew 1/4'' down both sides.
It should look like this with the raw edges on each side.
Flip. At this point you can be done.
If you want the bag to have a more finished look like this...
on the right side of the fabric, sew 1/2'' down each of the two the sides.
A side note. You can just wipe the snack bags down with a rag depending on what you put inside of them. I like to machine wash them. I flip them inside out, and put them in a mesh bag to prevent them from attaching to all my laundry. I have loosely put them in the laundry before to my chagrin.
Nice Mesh Bag for Snack Bags
I use the bags to put these snacks in. Dry ingredients work best, of course. I would use the bags for apples but not orange slices. It does depend on the lining fabric you use. My friend Jolie has used polyurethane for diaper wet bags, and I bet that would work well for the snack bags.
If you like this, you also may like:
Re-purposed & Reusable Cloth Baby Wipes & Wash Cloths
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- Re-purposed Shirt to Skirt Tutorial
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- Re-purposed Tin Can to Flower Pot & More
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Sonja
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I totally stumbled here from StaceyMakesCents, and am loving it! I keep telling my hubby I need to buy a sewing machine because I could start making so many things and saving some money in the long run… Now I’m thinking it’s time to start using some of your crazy money saving ideas and just put it together to buy the machine for all these great reusing projects! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Donna. Yep! In the long run, you’ll save money having a sewing machine. It’s an investment. So glad you stumbled here, and thanks for visiting!
Or you could just save yourself the heartache of using fabric for when plastic is called for and upcycle a 25# pvc cat food or birdseed (less greasy) bag into tiny little bags. as long as you are using velcro, the “green” savings is nil anyway. Pardon the cynicism, but you wouldn’t saw a log with a bologna sandwich, so don’t store one in a fabric bag! Geez! we can all take this recycling fad a little far sometimes….
Hello, I think it has to do with perspective. I have old clothes, and things that people would normally throw away that I have used for our snack bags. I don’t like throwing those old clothes away when I know I can make something very useful for myself and my family. By using reusable snack bags, I am trying to think beyond myself, to not only my family and future generations, but I am thinking about the world. Using the snack bags also teaches my children that we shouldn’t rely on a disposables, as our society is hooked on the notion of “do it, and don’t worry about the consequences” (and this concept goes WAY beyond snack bags). It’s okay to do a little extra work.
I am not quite understanding what you are saying about “the “green” savings using Velcro is nil,” but I got a ton of Velcro off of my defunct jogger stroller and was able to use it for my snack bags. Using our snack bags every week has allowed us to save money by reducing the amount of disposable snack bags we use. I only use disposable baggies for small, moist foods that are too small for our Pyrex.
Thank you for visiting.
OMGosh I love this! I am on a mission to eliminate waste from our home as well and I’ve had some success, but my answer to snack bags has always been to use and reuse ziplocks. Thanks for posting this. (visiting from the Homestead Hop)
~Taylor-Made Ranch~ Wolfe City, Tx
http://www.taylormaderanch.com/blog
We have saved a lot of baggies and money reducing the amount of plastic bags we use. Thanks for visiting!
I like the way you made these. Thanks for the tutorial! I love repurposing as well. I am now so addicted that I don’t even have much interest in projects that are not repurposing something.
I really like this idea, quick question, do you just use regular laundry soap to wash them? If you do, have you noticed washing powder smell. Ve got 5 kids and we go through so many snack bags it would be great to stop buying them
Hi Mel, I use regular liquid detergent, and I don’t notice any smell. Love them! Thanks for visiting.
Thanks so much for sharing at Heavenly Treats Sunday! I have a few of these, a friend of mine makes them, I am not that crafty! I use them all the time!
These are great!
I’m so glad you linked this up at One Creative Weekend! I love it! I hope to see you back tomorrow.
Awesome idea! It’s great that they’re washable. Thanks so much for sharing this at The Fun In Functional!
Great idea. I love that they can be washed and save money. Please come visit my linky party at OneCreativeMommy.com. I’d love for you to link up this idea and/or anything else you’d like to share.
Those are awesome and super cute! I would love for you to share this (and any other creations) at Pin It and Win It Wednesday @ http://www.cheapcraftymama.com!
Thanks, Kate! I will stop by!
What a brilliant idea. Not only are they reuseable but they look great. Ali x
Hi Ali, Thanks so much! We use them all the time. Thanks for visiting!
what a great idea! You might be interested in a competition I’m running this month, it’s about upcycling… http://thecraftersapprentice.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/something-old-something-new-competition.html
Thanks, Wendy, for visiting! I will check it out. Thanks for the head up!
Thanks for joining the WNWNW party over at http://prettyshabbyuk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/waste-not-want-not-wednesday-1.html, look forward to seeing you next week.
This is an awesome recycle idea! Love it. I’m going to add this to my list of things to make. Could be great gifts for a few people I know. Thanks so much for sharing on Motivated Monthly at Etcetorize! (Next month is gardening projects~)
Tamara, thanks for visiting! I think these make great gifts. Someone gifted me some and inspired me to make more!
What a great idea. Love it. I do hope you’ll visit me at My Dream Canvas!
Will do! Thanks for visiting!
Featuring you on Handmade Tuesdays today!
Hi Carrie, Thanks so much for the feature!!! I really appreciate it!
This is a great idea. Especially to use stained or outgrown clothes. Thanks for sharing at our Handmade Tuesdays party.
How fun! I love the colors. I’d love for you to link it up to Crafty Cousins. http://crafting-cousins.blogspot.com/2012/05/what-i-wore-sunday-week-16.html
~Natalie
Natalie, Thanks for the invite and for visiting!
How fun are these snack bags, what a great idea!!!! I’ll have to make a couple of these! Thanks for the inspiration!
Maria, Let me know how it goes. It’s so fun to create. Thanks for visiting!
I was just looking at a large M & M bag (56 oz) I have on hand and is almost empty and thinking if the bag could be reused. I think as lining for a snack bag would be perfect. It even has a closure so just need to cover it with fabric. It can be cut down in size if needed from the bottom so you preserve the closure. Guess I need to eat more M & Ms? I have been working on this bag for a month, so need to find another sourse for the liner of the snack bags if I want to make more than one a month. I like the cereal bag idea, they are very sturdy and last a good while. I have used them for patterns in sewing/crafts.
Awesome idea! I’ll be making a few for sure. Thanks for sharing. Would love to see this project linked up to Cabin Fevered Gem’s Linky Party where this month’s theme is projects related to the 3Rs. You’ve got a wonderful idea to share here! See you there, http://cabinfeveredgem.blogspot.ca/2012/05/motivated-monthly-linky-part-ay.html
What a great idea! I love this and am going to make a bunch for us. Thanks for linking up – I can’t wait to see what you do next!
I’m featuring this on the Delectable Home facebook page today!
Thanks so much!! I really appreciate it!!
Thank you! They are so fun to make!
These snack bags are so cute! I also am constantly frowning at the amount of sandwich bags we go through in our house with 2 in school and a husband who packs his lunch. Thanks for sharing this week at Allergy-Free Wednesdays! We’d love for you to join us again next week.
Have a great weekend! ~Michelle, AFW Hostess
These are so cool! I love that they’re completely made out of recycled clothes. I’ve seen the before made out of oilcloth, but this seems like a better idea! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by! We love reusing!
Those look really nice. I spent a lot of time looking at different bags to replace ziplocs for wet lunch items, and finally chose cereal bags to use as a liner with cotton on the outside for durability and the cute factor. I knew it was food grade and it surprised me how it doesn’t tear even when sewn through. I’ve been using them for years, washing them in my dishwater every night and throwing them in the laundry once in a while if necessary. I’ve made them even easier than yours by eliminating the velcro because I preferred no crumbs to get stuck there. I just make them big enough to fold over or use a bag clip.
That’s a great tip about throwing them in the dish washer. Are you concerned about the toxins in the plastic at all? Thanks for your input!
I certainly hope there are no toxins in cereal bags! I didn’t research it but maybe I shouldn’t assume that manufacturers use toxin-free materials in their own packaging. However, the food I pack in the bags is generally dry (sandwiches, cookies, etc.) so I wouldn’t think it would leach into our lunches anyway. And my apologies – I meant “dish water”, not “dish washer”. I hand wash them.
Oh funny about the dish water. I still think I will try it at least once to run it through the dish washer.