How to Make Reusable Snack Bags and Sandwich Wraps

With a little time and less than a yard of fabric, you can make your own washable, reusable snack bags and sandwich wraps for meals on the go. Get our free printable template to create your own personalized version of our reusable bags and food wraps. Use them to package up your favorite lunch recipes. 100% cotton works best for the outer fabric—choose any pattern or color scheme you like. Before making your own reusable food wraps, prewash all fabrics, especially if you are using a dark fabric that might bleed. The reusable snack bags are great for storing food but they can also double as cute travel bags or makeup pouches.

Reusable Bag and Wrap Tips

• Sandwich wraps and snack pouches can be made using fabric quarters or 18- x 22-inch fat quarters for the outer fabric, which means inexpensive fabric and less leftover material. Allow extra fabric for prints such as diagonal stripes.
• Use polyester thread ($2, Joann), as it resists moisture transfer. This helps prevent food from drying out.
• For the liner, ripstop nylon ($8, Joann) can work in place of polyurethane laminate (PUL) ($5, Etsy) and still offer moisture resistance, but it is harder to sew.
• Diaper precuts are the perfect size for the PUL. Again, less waste, but you are not likely to find a precut in white.
• Use bobby pins ($2, Walmart) or quilting clips instead of regular pins. They hold just as well and don't leave holes that compromise the moisture resistance of the pieces.

How to Make a Reusable Sandwich Wrap

Supplies Needed

• Outer fabric, 14 ½ inch square
• Liner fabric, 12 ½ inch square
• Ruler
• Polyester thread
• Fabric pen (optional)
• Ribbon, ⅞-inch wide (optional)
• T-shirt transfer paper (optional)
• A small amount of fabric glue (optional)
• Bobby pins
• Hook-and-loop tape, ¾ x 4 ½ inches (cut the hard, hook side to 1 ½ inches. Leave the soft, loop side at 4 ½ inches.)

Step-by-Step Directions

With a few simple sewing skills and your favorite cotton fabric, you can create your own wraps. We'll show you how to make reusable sandwich wraps in about an hour.

Step 1: Prepare Outer Fabric

With the wrong side of the outer fabric up, fold in a ½-inch seam on one side and press. Fold in a ½-inch seam again and press so you have a finished seam. Repeat on the other three sides. Miter corners either by simply folding or sewing. If you are attaching a label, do so now. Write name on the ribbon, or use T-shirt transfer paper ($12, Walmart), following the manufacturer's directions. Measure the desired length of the label, and add ¼ to ½ inch on each side for folding over. We measured ¾ inch from the edge of the letters. Fold behind on ends and finger-press. Use a small amount of fabric glue to hold in place if desired. Place fabric, right side up, in front of you, like a diamond. Select which corner is going to be your top flap. Put that corner at the bottom. Center the label 2 ½ inches up from the bottom corner. Sew into place using matching or contrasting thread; press.

Step 2: Add Liner

Place outer fabric, right side down, on the table. Place liner fabric, right side up (on PUL, this is the slick, shiny side), on top. Tuck liner under the unsewn seams of the outer fabric. Trim liner if needed so it fits flat. Use bobby pins to hold the liner in place if needed. Using ⅛-inch seam allowance, sew down the inner edge of the folded seam. Choose a corner to be the top flap, or find the corner used for the label.

Step 3: Sew on Hook-and-Loop Tape

Sew the 1 ½-inch hook-and-loop tape ½ inch down from the corner, on the liner fabric, using a ⅛-inch seam allowance. Sew the 4 ½ inch loop tape ½ inch down from the opposite corner, on the outer fabric, using a ⅛-inch seam allowance. Use your finished reusable food wrap to store things like sandwiches, cut fruit, or veggies.

How to Make DIY Reusable Snack Bags

Supplies Needed

(Measurements for the smaller bag are in parentheses.)

• Two pieces of outer fabric, each 8 ¾ x 7 ¼ inch (6 ¾ x 6 ¼ inch) (If using stripes or a directional pattern, the longer measurement is the width of the finished piece. The shorter measurement is the height.)
• Two pieces of liner fabric, each 8 ¾ x 7 ¼ inches (6 ¾ x 6 ¼ inches)
• Polyester thread
• Ruler
• Bobby pins
• Chopstick (optional)
• Hook-and-loop tape, approximately 7 inches long (approximately 5 inches)

Step-by-Step Directions

We'll show you how to make reusable snack bags in about an hour. (All seam allowances are ¼ inch unless otherwise noted.)

Step 1: Form Pouch

With right sides together, sew one outer piece and one-liner piece together along one of the long sides. This is one bag unit. Repeat with the remaining two pieces. Open two bag units and stack, right sides together, matching the fabrics (outer above outer, liner above liner). Use bobby pins to hold if needed. Sew along perimeter of the stacked units, leaving approximately 2 inches open on the outer fabric portion. (Having the opening at the bottom will show the least.) Make sure to lay the first joined seam flat, folding liner over the liner and outer over outer. This will help the finished pouch lay flat.

Step 2: Create Boxed Corners

If you want boxed corners, follow the next steps. If not, clip corners and skip ahead to step three. Picking any corner, match bottom seam line to side seam line, creating a triangle. Measuring in 1 inch from the triangle point, draw a 2-inch long line across the triangle. This won't show so you can mark it with anything. Sew along the drawn line. Trim excess fabric to create a ¼-inch seam. Repeat with the other three corners.

Step 3: Finish Bag

Turn piece right side out through the open seam. Use fingers or a chopstick to complete corner turns. Tuck liner into bag and shape as needed. Finger-press the top edge where the two fabrics are joined. Using bobby pins, center and hold the loop side of hook-and-loop tape to one of the inner sides of the top opening. Sew down with a ⅛-inch seam. Using bobby pins, center and hold the hook side of the tape to one of the inner sides of the top opening. Sew down with a ⅛-inch seam. Sew bottom seam closed using a ladder stitch. To clean the reusable snack bags, gently wipe the inside with warm soapy water and let dry completely.