DIY Reusable Grocery Bags

I've been using reusable bags for our groceries for years now.  When I remember to get them out of the trunk, that is.  I've been wanting to get some bags that could be washed (hello, leaking chicken!) and would last a long, long time. 

So I hunted down some canvas bags on Amazon.  I picked some that had a bottom gusset, which means they expand a bit on the bottom and were machine washable.  The main reason I wanted to get new bags was so I wouldn't be putting produce in the same bag I used for chicken last time.  I also wanted to get some that were heavy duty and just the right size.  I was previously using some that were huge, but I would overload them and the heavy load caused the straps to start to rip.  Luckily, those old bags were 100% recyclable, so I chucked them in my recycle bin as soon as the new ones arrived. 

I didn't want to have to wash my bags every time I used them.  I just wanted the option in case one got dirty.  So that meant I needed to figure out a way to identify which type of groceries to put in each bag.  Enter, the trusty paint pen.  I had this paint pen leftover from a previous project.  You can find paint pens at craft stores or Amazon.  Just make sure you look for one that says "permanent" if you plan to wash them.   

I ended up getting four bags, so I thought about the four categories most of my groceries could fit in.  Produce, Dry Goods, Meat, and Dairy ended up being my categories.  While these don't cover everything, it definitely covers most of my groceries.  I also bring along this freezer bag for frozen groceries.  (I should also mention I shop at Aldi, which means I bag my own groceries.  I wouldn't expect a bagger at another grocery store to adhere to my bag labels.)

Once I had my categories nailed down, I just neatly wrote the categories down on each bag.  I thought about doing some sort of fancy cursive, but decided to stick with a simple font that can be easily read.  Usually I have Archer and Lyla with me, so I need to hustle when it comes time to bag since the snacks are running low by this point in the shopping trip.      

The paint pen claimed to be permanent, so I wanted to wash them once to test the claim.  The bags came out great and are currently stashed in my trunk!  I tried them out the other day and they worked out beautifully!  

There's nothing like making grocery shopping just a little easier and more exciting!