Not only plastic. Paper bags are not better. I have not seen the Target bags yet but will look for them. I have several different brands of bags and like the Kroger insulated bags quite a bit.

DL

We use canvas tote bags collected from yard sales for usually around 50 cents apiece. Each one can hold a lot!

I keep a sturdy cardboard box (with carrying handles) in the back of my car, hopefully with a few cloth shopping bags in it, ready for action. When I know I'm buying wine or heavy canned goods, I bring in the box and then use it to carry things that clank or are prone to breaking. A good box will last a month or so before it gets weak. Then it becomes compost or mulch.

Here is a link that might be useful: my website

One concern with reusable bags for groceries is the "juices" from meat and poultry that may leak out of their packing. You don't want to be putting your vegies in that bag next time around unless it's been cleaned. That's tough with the canvas bags we have. Tom

It's an old thread, but had to add my 2 cents. I have one of the Target bags that fold up and zip to a nice size that I keep in my purse. I use it often instead of using one from a store.

When I grocery shop, I use the Meijer bags. They are far better than Walmart and Kmart. The Meijer bag has a plastic bottom and the handles are reinforced with a metal brad. I have put 12+ cans of vegies and have never had a problem. Meijer stores are only in Michigan and Ohio, unfortunately.

me too me too!!

Why is it that the baggers always look at me like I'm crazy? I was buying an inflatable mattress the other day at WalMart and declined a bag. She got kind of snippy with me. Then proceeded to put my items in bags, almost individually. Ping pong balls... in one bag. Bag of socks... in another bag. Insect repellent... still another bag. I ended up not leaving with one of my bags, I think somehow I missed it. Total count for ten items? 8 bags.

I forgot my Home Depot bags that day. Shame on me. :(

My experience is that cashiers are getting more accepting of not using bags - but I don't shop at WalMart. More and more I have cashiers ask if I want a bag when I have only one item. I think there is some progress.

My best bags are the giveaways from drug companies at scientific meetings - often have outside pockets to tuck things in, which helps avoid the cross-contamination that Tom talked about.

Not really sure the concern with cross-contamination of meat in canvas bags--just wash them and the issue is nonexistent. Isn't that why we use bags that are resuable?

Over on the sewing forum, there's a discussion & instructions for sewing shopping bags using a plastic bag as the pattern. I've made several & love them. At Walmart, I put them on their hooks for them. We've all left bags there, I'm sure. You can't miss these. I take plastic bags to put the meat, etc., in.

I have a Home Depot bag, but have never used it. Will have to give it a try. Thanks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Shopping Bag Instructions

Those nylon home depot bags rock for light items, like cereal-- I have actually put 10 boxes of cereal in them at Aldi! Before you complain about the cereal-box bags, I reuse the bags to bring home coffee grounds from work to compost.