Labelling your bags — what pen to use

People ask us this more than you'd think, and it's a fair question — a reusable bag you've written on permanently isn't very reusable.

Use a whiteboard marker

A standard dry-erase whiteboard marker is the right answer. It writes cleanly on the smooth plastic, survives the freezer, and wipes off with a dry cloth or a bit of methylated spirits when you want to reuse the bag for something else. Keep one in the drawer with the bags.

What else works

• Chinagraph / grease pencil — excellent on cold and damp surfaces, rubs off easily. What fishmongers use.
• Removable labels or masking tape — write on the tape, not the bag. Best option if several people in the house are using the freezer.
• A rubber band and a paper tag — low-tech, works fine.

What to avoid

• Permanent marker. It's called that for a reason. It will ghost on the plastic and you'll be reading “LAMB 14/3” on a bag of cheese two years from now.
• Ballpoint pens. They won't mark the surface and you risk scoring the plastic, which is where punctures start.
• Writing over the valve. Keep ink away from the valve and the zip line — residue in the seal stops it closing.

What to actually write

Contents and the date you sealed it. That's it. The date is the one people skip and then regret — a vacuum-sealed bag can look perfectly fresh a very long time after it stopped being a good idea.

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