A Little Kitchen Gadget That Has Me So Excited!

Less than $40, reusable bags, and a freezer full of vegetables. What’s not to love?

Friends, you know I love a good kitchen gadget. Especially one that makes life a little easier, saves us money, and helps keep food from going to waste. Well, I think I may have found another winner!

It all started when I became intrigued by those vacuum-packed travel bags. You know the ones. You stuff your clothes inside, suck all the air out, and somehow manage to fit half your closet into a suitcase. (which by the way, I feel like I did when we just went to Disney 🤣)

Pretty impressive, right?

So naturally, my mind wandered to the kitchen. If they can do that with clothes, why not food?

Now, before you ask, yes, I already own a food vacuum sealing machine. And honestly? I’ve never been all that impressed with it. It’s bulky, requires special bags, and just isn’t something I find myself reaching for very often.

So, off to Amazon I went. And that’s when I stumbled upon the Compacty Vacuum Sealer for Food by Odilona.

It’s a small, cordless, handheld vacuum sealing system that comes with 30 reusable bags.

Yes, friends. You read that correctly.

REUSABLE BAGS!

Now, the jury is still out on just how reusable those bags will be. I’ll have to report back on that one. But regardless, the entire system was less than $40.

Well, you know what happened next. Into the cart it went! And the next day it was on our porch!

First Up… Asparagus!

When my little gadget arrived, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. And what better place to start than with one of our family’s favorite vegetables?

Asparagus!

We absolutely love asparagus in our house. Not only is it packed with nutrients, but it’s so easy to prepare.

A little olive oil, some seasoning, toss it in a pan, and you’ve got yourself a delicious vegetable to go alongside just about any meal. And Costco sells asparagus in packages that are just the right size for our family. So I picked up a package and decided to put my new gadget to the test.

Friends! THIS THING IS AWESOME! Seriously.

It’s so easy to use. You place your food inside one of the bags, seal the top, position the little handheld vacuum over the valve, and push the button.

And just like that, it starts sucking all the air out!

I stood there watching that bag shrink around the asparagus, thinking…

Well, would you look at that!

No bulky machine. No dragging out cords. No complicated process.

Just a little handheld gadget doing exactly what I hoped it would do.

And I was impressed!

So Naturally, I Went Back for More!

Because why stop at one package when you’re onto something good?

I picked up three packages of asparagus and one package of Brussels sprouts.

And within minutes, all four packages were vacuum sealed and tucked away in our freezer.

Ready and waiting for one of those evenings when we need a vegetable to go with dinner.

How convenient is that?

Now, I should mention that I’m still learning about this little system. I want to see how well the bags hold up, whether they truly are reusable, and how everything looks and tastes after being frozen.

And one little food-prep note: vegetables like asparagus and Brussels sprouts generally benefit from blanching before freezing to help preserve their quality. Vacuum sealing removes air, but it doesn’t replace proper freezer preparation.

So there’s still a little experimenting to do!

But as far as ease of use goes?

I’m sold!

It’s the Little Things, Friends.

One thing I’ve always appreciated about cooking at home is finding ways to make things a little simpler.

We love homemade meals. We love fresh vegetables. And I especially love having things on hand that make preparing dinner easier.

I don’t want to spend a fortune on kitchen gadgets, and I certainly don’t need another appliance taking up precious counter space.

But something small, cordless, easy to store, and under $40?

That gets my attention.

And if it helps us waste less food and keep our freezer stocked with vegetables we enjoy, even better.

Will it replace my old food vacuum sealer? Well, let’s just say that machine may be collecting a little more dust. Ha!

I’ll keep you posted on how everything holds up in the freezer and whether those reusable bags live up to their promise.

But for now, I’m one happy girl with a new kitchen gadget and four packages of vegetables ready for another day.

Sometimes it’s the simplest little discoveries that make everyday life just a little sweeter.

And that, friends, is what A Small Town Soul is all about.

Let’s Chat!

Now I’m curious!

Do you vacuum seal food? Have you tried one of these little handheld systems? And more importantly, have you found reusable bags that actually hold up after several uses?

I’d love to hear what works in your kitchen!

Because you know me… I’m always up for learning something new.

And apparently, buying another kitchen gadget. Ha!