Glad SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags – Simply Glad to Microwave Food So Easily!
Written: Sep 16 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: no need to add water, stands up in microwave, virtually no clean up
Cons: gets incredibly hot
The Bottom Line: There are some definite pluses to using this product (like no messy clean up). I would use these again, especially to steam veggies.
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| HJS33's Full Review: GLAD SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags |
Background
I am not a cook, or more accurately, I am not a GOOD cook, but thankfully, my husband is a very good cook. Otherwise, I would be in a lot of trouble. So, when I was offered the chance to try Glad SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags, I figured my husband would be the one to test the product, because I would probably ruin whatever I make. Little did I know that we both would test out this product successfully, because they had an omelet recipe that even I can handle!
The Product
Glad SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags are microwavable bags that help you to easily steam vegetables in your microwave, without adding water, and without messy cleanup. They can also be used to make other things, like omelets, cooking meats, etc.
They are very simple to use. Just put your favorite vegetable in the bag, stand the bag up in your microwave and cook, then serve. I noticed that the food and bag, especially when steaming vegetables, comes out VERY hot, and since the bags are designed to vent steam, it is best to be very careful when removing the bag from the microwave and opening it.
The bags hold quite a bit of food; they can hold 3 – 4 servings of vegetables. The suggested cook times on the bags are based on a microwave that cooks at 1,000 watts. If you would like to look up suggested cook times for other watts, just check out the Glad website; they have suggested times for a 700 watt microwave and a 1,200 watt microwave.
As I mentioned before, you can cook more than just vegetables in the bags. I’ve already mentioned omelets, but you can also cook meats/fishes and other items, like potatoes, etc. If you choose to, you can even use the bags to store leftovers or snacks. I personally do not see the benefit of this; other products on the market do this for me, and for less money. Storing liquid items is not recommended, unless you make sure the bag is stored upright and filled below the steaming vents. I personally do not see the point/benefit of using the bags this way either. Too often items tend to get shifted in the fridge; this just seems like an accident waiting to happen.
The price of a package is pretty reasonable too. You can get a 10-count package for approximately $2.99.
My Thoughts (and my husband’s)
I thought the bags would be used just for steaming vegetables, but then I saw the directions on how to make an omelet, and I just could not pass that opportunity up. I have to admit, it was very easy to do. I cracked the eggs and put them directly into the bag, added seasonings, a little cheese, mixed everything a little and then cooked according to the directions on the package (even though the directions were for a ham & cheese omelet, it worked just fine with a plain cheese omelet). When the omelet came out, it was incredibly hot. Just a reminder that the bag does have steam holes in it, so you can feel the heat, etc. before you even open the bag to remove the omelet. As for the omelet itself, it was very tasty. The texture was nice, and the best part is, I did not have to clean up anything, since I made the eggs right in the bag. It was a nice treat.
My husband was next to test the bag, and he steamed some broccoli by modifying a recipe he found on Glad’s website. He cooked 3 – 3 ½ cups of broccoli for about 3 ½ minutes. They came out wonderful. They were steamed just right, very flavorful and tasty (despite the fact that it was frozen broccoli). The worst thing I can say about this experience is that the bag was incredibly hot, and some of the juices leaked a bit. At first my husband and I thought that there was a tear in the bag, but after looking closer, it looks like the leak came from the steaming vents. All was well; this was just another reminder to be careful when removing the bag and the vegetables from the bag, and to make sure that the bag is standing upright in the microwave when steaming.
Both experiences were fantastic, and have made me want to go out and purchase these bags to try a few more times. I did have one concern though, but this concern was alleviated by doing some research. I was wondering about how safe these plastic bags were when microwaving, and if the plastic was getting transferred to my food somehow. Simply put, Glad’s bags comply with the FDA regulations for safe cooking in the microwave. If you would like to read more detail about FDA regulations, etc., just check out www.plasticsinfo.org or www.fda.gov.
Overall
I would definitely use these bags again, but only for steaming (not storage). The food looked good and was incredibly flavorful and tasty. Now I need to get adventurous with my cooking and try something new.
Thank you all for reading/rating.
Heidi (hjs33)
PS. I received this product from Fleishman-Hillard, and had the pleasure of testing it free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
HJS33
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Location: West Bloomfield, MI
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I miss the summer!
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