Food Vacuum Sealer Rolls: Why You Need Custom-Sized Storage Bags

Food vacuum sealer rolls let you create custom-sized storage bags so you never waste space—or money—on pre-cut options. They’re perfect for everything from long spaghetti boxes to bulk meats, and they keep your food safe from moisture, pests, and freezer burn.

✅ Quick Answer: What are food vacuum sealer rolls used for?
Food vacuum sealer rolls let you cut and seal bags to any size you need. They protect food from air, moisture, and freezer burn, making them ideal for long-term storage, meal prep, and bulk buying—without wasting money on multiple bag sizes.

Whether you’re meal prepping, storing dehydrated foods, or stocking up for emergencies, these rolls give you total control over the size and seal of every bag. Here’s how to pick the right rolls and use them the smart way.

Food vacuum sealer rolls

Buy rolls in varying lengths and widths, BUT MAKE sure you don't get ones that are TOO WIDE for your particular food vacuum sealer machine.

Bear in mind the sides are already "sealed" if you will. It's just the top and bottom of the "bags" that need sealing.  They usually are sold as 11" or 8" wide rolls.

Food vacuum sealer rolls make it very convenient when you have long-length foods that you want to store, such as spaghetti!

No need to break the spaghetti in half to store it! In fact, I left the spaghetti in its box... just in case I forget how long to cook it :-) you know, different varieties have different cooking times!

Wondering why I bother to vacuum-seal spaghetti?

Well, in my neck of the woods, we're prone to hurricanes. Having the spaghetti vacuum sealed protects it from water damage. Yeah, I hear ya - I don't think wet spaghetti would worry us as much as the roof blowing off the house! But still...

Don’t Let This Common Mistake Ruin Your Vacuum Sealer

NOTE: I have noticed the FoodSaver brand white printed section (that's there for you to write the bag's contents on it) tends to 'come off' and stick to the lower heating element strip and the upper roller of the machine.

It's not a huge problem as this white residue wipes off easily with a clean, damp cloth.

I wipe down the Foodsaver heating element strip immediately if I see the white powdery stuff on it—so it doesn't hamper future bag sealings.

It's good practice, anyway, to keep your roller and strip clean. You'll create a tight seal, and that's definitely what we're aiming for.

You can easily get these at the same place you purchased your food vacuum sealer machine from, or over the internet and shipped right to your door! Check out our picks from Amazon, near the bottom of the page.

Best Budget Vacuum Sealer Rolls That Actually Last

Here's where to get this great deal on Amazon:

Wevac Sealer Bags, 8
Wevac Sealer Bags, 8"x50', 11"x50' Rolls, 2-pk

Wevac Vacuum Sealer Rolls

Wevac Vacuum Sealer Rolls - make your own size bag using these 8" x 50' and 11" x 50' roll 2-pack for Food Saver, Seal a Meal, or Weston. Commercial Grade, BPA Free, Heavy Duty,

Great for food vacuum storage, meal prep or sous vide applications!

This two-pack purchase is a "no-brainer." Watch the video to see why!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases. The price you pay does not increase.  Read disclosure here.


Nancy in NC wants us to know this: I get mine that are 11-inch by 16 feet and cut the material to make the size bag I want. I order directly from foodsaver.com and get the GAMESAVER brand, individually or the 6-pack.

I asked about the thickness and was told 4-mil, then I said they ought to include that bit of information in the item description. Right now, the bags are listed under "heavy duty".

(Thanks Nancy!)

ALSO: See food vacuum-sealer bags

Perry in NC wrote in to ask, "Where do I get vacuum sealer bags that are only 4" wide?"

I suggested Perry look on Amazon and if they don't have bags that narrow, then he could easily make his own by following the instructions on this page.

(Thanks Perry, for writing in!)

ALSO: See food vacuum-sealer bags

How to Make Custom Vacuum Sealer Bags in 3 Simple Steps

It's easy to create your own vacuum-sealer bags—just follow the three steps below. Take the time to cut across the width at a 90-degree angle!

  1. Cut off the desired length of the bag at right angles, i.e. cut it STRAIGHT across at 90 degrees. If you keep the cut straight, you'll have an easier time vacuuming it. Not only that, you'll have rectangular bags and not odd parallelogram-shaped bags!
  2. Seal one end. Add your food to be vacuumed, along with an oxygen absorber.
  3. Vacuum and seal the custom-length bag! Write the contents on it too, and the date.

NOTE: For long-term storage... after vacuuming the bags, I pull out a 2ft length (approx.) of plastic wrap. I then wrap the package in it!

This extra wrap takes care of sharp pointy corners, as is the case when vacuuming the whole spaghetti box. I do this to protect other packages inside Mylar bags so they don't puncture each other.

Top Vacuum Sealer Rolls We Personally Recommend

FoodSaver 11
FoodSaver 11"x16' Vacuum Seal Roll, 3-pk

FoodSaver Vacuum-Sealer 11" Wide Roll

  • 11" x 16' Vacuum Seal Roll
  • BPA-Free Multilayer Construction
  • Rolls - 3 Pack
FoodSaver 8
FoodSaver 8"x20' Custom Fit Vacuum Sealer Rolls, 2-pk

FoodSaver Vacuum-Sealer 8" Wide Roll

  • 8" x 20' Vacuum Seal Roll
  • Custom Fit Airtight Storage and Sous Vide
  • Rolls - 2 Pack
FoodSaver 8
FoodSaver 8"x20' Vacuum Sealer Rolls, 3-pk

FoodSaver Vacuum-Sealer 8" Wide Roll

  • 8" x 20' Vacuum Seal Roll
  • Custom Fit Airtight Storage and Sous Vide
  • Rolls - 3 Pack

As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases. The price you pay does not increase.  Read disclosure here.

The Double-Wrap Trick: Prevent Leaks and Punctures

Another good reason to use plastic wrap is if a vacuumed-bag seal gives way during storage, then the plastic wrap acts as an extra air- and water-tight layer!

My real reason for using plastic wrap as mentioned earlier is to keep the bags from accidentally puncturing each other in the first place when you are putting them in the Mylar bags for long-term storage.

A homemade food vacuum sealer bag with dehydrated potatoes in it.A homemade food vacuum sealer bag with dehydrated potatoes in it.

I created a page on how to quickly wrap a filled and fully sealed vacuum-sealer bag as a quick pictorial here.

You may wonder how foods can puncture bags. Well, if you bought a cheaper brand (read: less than 4-mil. thick) you are likely to encounter punctures, sorry.

But the main reason for punctures is this: as our foods dry, they become hard, and brittle in some cases. And sharp! It's those darned sharp edges that cause trouble.

Cocooning our vacuum-sealed packages in plastic wrap helps take care of other bags getting punctured from one rogue bag while they're nestled inside a Mylar bag.

Frequently Asked Questions About Vacuum Sealer Rolls

Are vacuum sealer rolls reusable?

Yes—if the roll material is still clean and intact, you can cut away the sealed edge and reuse the bag. Just be sure to wash and dry it thoroughly before re-sealing.

What width vacuum sealer roll should I buy?

Most machines use 8" or 11" rolls. Check your model’s max width to avoid wasting money on rolls that won’t fit.

Why are my vacuum sealer bags losing their seal?

This usually happens if food has sharp edges or if the sealing strip isn’t clean. Try double-wrapping sharp foods in plastic wrap and wipe the sealing bar after each use as an extra layer of protection.

Can I use vacuum sealer rolls for sous vide cooking?

Absolutely—just make sure the rolls are BPA-free and rated for cooking temperatures. Many popular brands like FoodSaver and Wevac work well for sous vide.

Thanks for sticking with me on this vacuum sealer journey! Once you’ve got your rolls ready, you’ll be sealing everything from pasta to jerky with confidence.

And if you’d like to see how these rolls fit perfectly into dehydrating and meal prep, grab my free 5 Dried Food Recipes You’ll Actually Love PDF below—it’s packed with favorites like carrot soup, minestrone, split pea, spicy beef jerky, and banana cinnamon rolls. You’ll love having these on hand for quick, tasty meals!

Grab 5 Dried Food Recipes You'll Actually Love

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They're my all-time favorite easy dried food meals!

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