DIY Insulated Grocery Tote Bag
DIY Insulated Grocery Tote Bag
Summer is here and that means road trips and lots of cold and refreshing foods! I'm sharing an easy to make DIY insulated grocery tote bag to keep food fresh in transit.
With more limited grocery runs this spring, I was finding that my grocery visits were larger and that meant more frozen foods.
I wanted to make sure that my frozen foods were protected in addition to having a fully insulated bag for snack foods when we hit the road this summer.
Insulated Lined Bag Is EASY
This insulated bag is a great solution to keep cold foods cool.
And lining a bag is even easier that you think!
To line my grocery tote in heavy duty insulated fabric, I simply made two sets of front and back panels and sewed them together.
I added poly webbing in a 1" width for my straps, but you could use any number of fun strap options.
Creative Bag Strap Options
If you want to dress up your insulated grocery tote bag with some fun straps, try these ideas.
- Thrifted cotton scarves - choose a cotton over a silk fabric for durability
- Rope - knot each end of a 1/2" diameter rope and set the knots in your bag seam to secure
- Old belts - repurpose an old belt by cutting it in half and removing the buckles before securing to your bag.
- Sewn ribbons - use a double layer of wide gros grain ribbon to make durable and fashionable bag straps.
Ways to Preserve and Protect Frozen Foods in Transport
Keeping foods fresh and within the safe temperature zone is important when traveling and transporting food. Here are a few ways to keep foods fresh on the go.
Add a few ice packs to the idea below to keep temperatures low.
Insulated grocery bag - Make this bag that doubles as a tote bag when the food is empty after a day at the beach!
Coolers - Store a cooler or two in your car to keep foods fresh. If you opt for a large scale cooler, have a few tote bags on hand to transport the food from your car to the freezer with ease.
Easy Sew Lined Bag Video
This video is the best I've found on explaining how to insert a zipper into a lined bag. I love the clarity this artist shares and I hope you do too!
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DIY Insulated Grocery Tote Bag
DIY Insulated Grocer Tote Bag Diagram and Specs (PDF)
DIY Insulated Grocery Tote Bag Instructions
Start by printing out the spec sheet and diagram above.
You'll also want to review the video above that shows how to insert a zipper into a lined bag of any kind. This is a great resource for future projects as well.
Lay all of your pieces out per the spec sheet and let's get to it!
I have included a pocket as an optional feature. If you'd like a pocket, sew it to one side of your outer fabric as a very first step,
Next, you'll insert the zipper into your fabric and liner AND insert the shoulder straps between your zipper and the outer layer of fabric.
Once your zipper is inserted, you'll follow the video instructions to sew the seams together.
When all sides are sewn and you've left a few inch wide hole to turn everything right side out, you're ready to finish your bag.
Turn the bag right side out and finish the lining hole with a top stitch.
Now you're ready to keep your foods cool and fresh. Enjoy!
HELLO THERE!
Today is a gift. Let's put a bow on it!
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💕 jennifer
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