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Editor’s note: I am very excited to introduce Deb Stanley as a new contributor to Great Family Gadgets.

I was very pleased to have a chance to review Glad SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags.

The product description states that it may be used to “stream fresh or frozen vegetables in minutes without adding water, eliminating the need to wait for water to boil and clean pots and pans.”

Included with the bags is a card with instructions for cooking some other foods, including eggs and hot dogs, as well as some recipes for the consumer.

The bags may also be used as storage before or after use.

In testing the Glad microwave steaming bags I found myself limited to two trials, and therefore tried my best to use two very different applications. What I found is this:

First of all these bags are very easy to use. Just fill, seal, and microwave according to the directions on the package. Couldn’t be simpler. The bags stand very well, with a flat and wide bottom that makes for easy filling and serving.

They also work very well to store your leftovers after you have cooked them- just re-seal and toss in the fridge. I had no problems with re-sealing or re-heating my leftovers using the same bag.

For microwave cooking of vegetables these bags are great! I used my first bag to try heating frozen broccoli. I liked the way these turned out. The vegetables retained their color and flavor, and they also came out with a nice texture- not too mushy, not too hard.

Most importantly, they passed the kid test; my kids ate them with no complaints.

I got bold for my second trial and decided to try out an omelet, which was one of the recipes included on the instruction card in the package.

This was less than successful. The eggs turned out very wet and runny from the steam in the bag, and I had to cook the omelet for a lot longer than instructed in the recipe to achieve a texture I was happy with.

In the end, it did not achieve a good result. To get the whole thing cooked, some of it became overdone, the rest was fine, but not really the same nice flavor you get in the pan.

Even though the eggs did not come out to my liking, it is not a deterrent to use these bags. They really are a great way to cook veggies quickly and with little to no mess. We have veggies with almost every meal, especially with our dinners.

While I may not be so inclined to use them a lot because of the price (you get 10 for $3.00 - not cost effective if you are using them every day), these bags are quick and easy, and definitely lighten the load when it comes to doing dishes.

A great time saver for sure!

For more on the Glad SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags, check out their FAQ.

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