Help! My daughters go through a box of little plastic bags weekly.

It’s not their fault—they have to pack their pretzels (and Goldfish) (and dried cranberries) somehow. On the hunt for an eco-friendly alternative, I tried a few. Small brown paper bags seemed promising but were too weak for a backpack beating. (Plus, they too can only be used once.) Zippered cloth bags were spill-proof, but at about $4 each they were cost- prohibitive given how many we’d need for a week.

The best option I found is cheap and machine-washable: small muslin drawstring bags. The perfect size for a snack’s worth of almonds, they can be filled en masse after a trip to the bulk bin. And thanks to Etsy crafters who use them to make, I don’t know, lavender sachets or something, they’re easy to find online and in craft stores. —Anya Hoffman, Epicurious deputy editor

Buy it: Small Muslin Drawstring Bags, $18 for a set of 50 on Amazon

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