Best Vacuum Sealer
for Meal Prep

Why Vacuum Seal Your Meal Prep?

A vacuum sealer pulls the air out of a plastic bag and heat-seals it shut. For meal prep, that does three useful things. Food in the freezer is much less likely to get freezer burn, because there’s no trapped air to dry the surface. Portions freeze flat and stack neatly, so a week of lunches takes up less space. And you can buy in bulk — family packs of chicken, a whole pork loin, a big batch of chili — and split it into exactly the portions you’ll use.

One important limit: vacuum sealing is not a substitute for refrigeration. Removing oxygen slows some spoilage, but certain harmful bacteria grow without oxygen. Perishable food that’s been vacuum sealed still belongs in the fridge or freezer, just like any other leftovers. Follow standard USDA food-safety guidance for how long cooked food keeps in the fridge.

The Three Kinds of Vacuum Sealer

External (countertop) sealers. You place the open end of a bag into the machine, close the lid, and it vacuums and seals. These are the most common home sealers and what most meal preppers should buy. They need textured or embossed vacuum bags, which give the air a channel to escape.

Handheld sealers. Small battery or corded wands that pull air through a valve in special zipper bags or containers. They’re convenient for reusable bags and quick fridge storage but aren’t built for sealing large batches for the freezer. Some countertop models, such as the FoodSaver VS2150 below, include one.

Chamber sealers. The whole bag goes inside a chamber, which lets these machines seal soups and marinades without sucking liquid into the pump and use cheaper smooth bags. They’re larger, heavier, and more expensive, so they mostly make sense for people who seal in volume.

Features That Matter for Meal Prep

• Moist/wet mode. Adjusts the cycle for damp foods like marinated meat. It helps, but it doesn’t make an external sealer liquid-proof.
• Pulse or gentle vacuum. Lets you stop before the bag crushes soft foods like bread, berries, or cooked fish.
• Built-in roll storage and cutter. If you make custom-length bags from rolls, this saves a lot of fiddling with scissors.
• Bag width. An 11-inch sealing bar handles most roasts and family-size portions; 8-inch bags suit single servings.
• Accessory port and hose. Lets you vacuum compatible containers, jar sealers, and zipper bags as well as heat-seal bags.
• Drip tray. A removable tray catches stray liquid and is much easier to clean.
• Bag compatibility and warranty. Check which bags the maker recommends, and how long the warranty runs. Both vary by brand and model.

A Simple Vacuum-Sealing Workflow for Meal Prep

• Cool cooked food first. Let it cool, then refrigerate it before sealing, so steam doesn’t condense in the bag.
• Pre-freeze soups, stews, and sauces. Freeze them in portions — a container, muffin tin, or a bag laid flat on a sheet pan — then vacuum seal the frozen block.
• Portion by weight. A kitchen scale makes it easy to pack consistent servings.
• Leave headspace and keep the seal area clean. Leave a few inches of empty bag above the food, and wipe the inside of the opening dry. Moisture or grease there is the most common cause of a weak seal.
• Cushion sharp edges. Fold a paper towel over bones or crisp edges so they don’t puncture the bag.
• Label and date every bag before it goes in the freezer, then freeze bags flat so they stack.
• Let the machine rest if you’re sealing a big batch. Many home sealers need short breaks between seals to avoid overheating; check your manual.

To reheat, thaw portions overnight in the fridge. If your bags are labeled boil- or sous-vide-safe, you can also warm sealed portions in a water bath.

Vacuum Sealers and Bags Worth Considering

Rounding out a meal-prep kitchen? See our guides to food processors and air fryers, or browse all small appliance reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions