VOTE for The Vak Shack!!

Here is the video of my business pitch! If you like the video, please "like" it on Youtube. When you hit the "like" button it will require you to sign-in to a Youtube account. It only takes 20 seconds to make an account. I appreciate all of your support!! Thanks!

I NEED YOUR VOTE!!

Just pitched The Vak Shack at the Miami Herald Business Pitch Competition! I am moving on to the final round which is on November 15th in Miami, FL. We are filming a "Viewer's Choice" video of our pitches tomorrow and I will post a link. I need everyone to vote for my pitch of THE VAK SHACK!!

Tell your friends :)

1,000 8"x10" SALE!!

Special Price on 1,000 8x10 Vacuum Sealer Bags : $155.00 + $12.95 Shipping.

(Regular price is $185.00 + $20.00 Shipping) SAVE OVER $40.00 and stock up on bags!!!

Email info@thevakshack.com if you are interested. Hurry up, we only have 3 cases left!!

Commercial vs. Domestic

Do I need to buy a commercial machine or is a domestic one going to be OK? 

This is a question that we are asked every day of the week. The answer depends on three things.

1. Do you need to pack items which are bigger than will fit in a 12 wide bag? If the answer is yes, you should look at commercial machines. Domestic machines can typically fit up to a 12" wide bag and sometimes up to 16" but this is much more expensive.

2. How many packing operation do you expect to do? If you are expecting to do more than 250 packing operation per week then you really need a commercial vacuum packing machine like the Cyclone 30 40 or 50. This has an all steel construction and is designed for heavy prolonged use day-in and day-out.

3. Who is going to be using the vacuum packing machine and where? If the machine is going to be used in a busy commercial kitchen or factory type environment then you really need an all-steel machine. It is not reasonable to expect a machine designed for a domestic kitchen to survive for long in a hostile environment like a commercial kitchen where staff are often under intense time pressure and care of the equipment may not be the top-priority.

In short: if you are doing less than 250 packing operations a week, the machine is going to be looked after and everything you pack will fit into a 12” wide bag then you don’t need a commercial machine. You can choose between the Cylone 30, 40, or 50.

Whether you are using a domestic machine or a commercial one, there is not a great deal of difference between machines in the time that it takes to pack something. Assuming that the item to be packed is reasonably well matched to the vacuum bag size, the operation usually takes about 30 seconds. That is 10-20 seconds to remove the air from the bag and about 10 seconds to make the heat seal.

The commercial machines do work slightly faster but the real difference is in the build quality of the machine chassis – commercial machines have an all steel case whilst the domestic machines have a high-impact plastic case. Also, the commercial machines have an 800 watt motor as opposed to the 400 watt motor found in the domestic machines. This speeds up the packing process a little, but the real difference is in the ability of the commercial machine to work continuously all day every day.

Entrepreneur Magazine

The Vak Shack at Entrepreneur Magazine's Winning Strategies Convention at the Miami Beach Convention Center. This was an awesome event, and we were able to network with other entrepreneurs from all over the country. We will soon be featured in Entrepreneur Magazine...look for us!!

Freezer Cook Off

If you've been following me on Facebook, you've seen me talking about the Freezer Cook Off.  I am SO over throwing away perfectly good food. I have decided to dedicate one Saturday/Sunday a month to baking four large meals. I will then portion them into individual servings, seal them, and freeze them. The Goal: to have healthy meals throughout the month.

We hate eating leftovers 2 or 3 days in a row, so this gives us the opportunity to pick and choose what we want, when we want. I will document the results! Another idea is to have friends over so you can all share each other's food items!

Chicken & Waffles

Just got Nan's Chicken and Waffles and Aunt Deb's baked mac and cheese recipe. Still looking for one more??? Going to start filming the Freezer Cook Off for my blog. You won't want to miss this because I'll have a special guest helping me in the kitchen :)

LIKE Us

If you haven't "Liked" us on Facebook, what are you waiting for? No, really, what are you waiting for?! Our Facebook page is the simplest way to get real-time feedback from other customers. Also, we update the page daily with new videos and information.

June Newsletter

Want discount promo code for foodsaver bags? Click to get the latest Discount/ Promo Code. Enjoy!!

May Newsletter

Click here to check out the May Newsletter....Special PROMO CODES inside :)

How Does it Work?

You put the food to be vacuum-sealed in one of the special FoodSaver bags, and the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer removes all the air from the bag and seals it with an airtight heat seal. It doesn’t sound that incredible until you realize that most food spoils because it comes into contact with air. 

Consider these uses:

Vacuum seal whole bean or ground coffee for long term storage without fear of oxidation


Store nuts and seeds for longer at room temperature without them turning rancid

Seal leftovers and freeze for later use


Make large amounts of soups or stew, portion and freeze in FoodSaver storage bags

Vacuum sealers perform three major tasks. No surprise, one task is to remove oxygen. In removing oxygen, mold and bacterial growth is slowed down, and foods can be safely stored for longer periods of time. The second job of a vacuum sealer is to create a moisture barrier. This does two things.

Not only does it keep moisture in your foods, it also keeps excess moisture out. No more slimy meat. Lastly, the vacuum sealer creates a flavor barrier, keeping the entire flavor in and keeping unwanted flavors out. Vacuum sealed foods taste just as fresh and vibrant after a month in the freezer as they did when they were made.

To Seal or Not to Seal?

Do you want to marinate foods in minutes instead of hours? Are you looking for a low-fat, healthy way to cook and seal in nutrients? You might be interested in the Vacuum Sealer."

I know I sound like a commercial; I can’t help it. What might seem like an infomercial kitchen gadget fad is actually a method of long-term storage and low-heat cooking that is used by many of the top chefs around the country.

Some people are skeptical about buying one of these small appliances, but after years of frustration due to freezer burn many customers have given it a try and have not looked back. I love this device. It has saved me a ton of money especially with the cheese I buy.

Extreme Couponing!!

No, no I'm not referring to the crazy TV show :) But, if you are into saving money at the grocery store...a vacuum sealer machine will be the best coupon you've ever found. 


One of the savings that I am particularly excited about is being able to buy meat in bulk at Costco and then vacuum sealing and freezing it for later. Before vacuum packaging, I would throw away food due to freezerburn or excess. Freezer burn happens when the surface of the food comes in contact with air and dries out over time. Vacuum sealing eliminates the air, so now my meats don’t get freezer burn. I save money because I’m not wasting food!

Marinating Under Pressure

I like to marinate in a vacuum sealed bag because it speeds the absorption of the marinade and also dramatically reduces the amount of marinade you need. Refer to this post for tips on sealing liquids. Refrigerate the vacuum bag pieces to marinate.

As the vacuum sealer removes the air from the bag, it also opens the pores of the food, allowing marinades to penetrate deeply in as little at 20 minutes. No more marinating for hours. I just put pre-portioned meat and/or vegetables in a vacuum seal bag along with my marinade, vacuum seal, and I’m ready to grill in under half an hour.

Sous Vide

Perhaps one of the most intriguing uses for vacuum sealers is in “sous vide” cooking. Sous vide is French for “under vacuum.” Many world-class chefs, including Thomas Keller and Charlie Trotter, use the sous vide cooking method to yield moist and flavorful dishes with no loss of nutrients or flavors - remember, vacuum sealing seals in moisture and flavor.

The procedure is relatively straightforward: place the food to be cooked into a vacuum bag and seal. Submerge in water that is the temperature you want your finished dish to be. For example, if you are cooking a chicken breast, have the water at 165 degrees, F. For fish, keep the water at 140 degrees, F.

It is critical to control the temperature of the water, because heating food without oxygen can contribute to the growth of some pretty nasty bacteria, including the bacteria that cause botulism. Professional chefs can precisely control their cooking temperature with a very expensive piece of equipment, called a circulator that is not available to the average home cook.

So, for safety’s sake, I don’t recommend trying this at home. If you can find a restaurant in your area that offers sous vide cooked food, do try it—you will be amazed at the moist and flavorful results.

Here are some other great uses for the FoodSaver vacuum sealer that have nothing to do with food.

• Keep matches dry when fishing or camping

• Vacuum seal important papers to prevent possible water damage or mildew should your pipes burst

• Keep first aid items, such as bandages and gauze, fresh, clean and ready to use

• Vacuum pack clothing for storing in small spaces

• Vacuum seal and freeze water for instant ice packs. When the ice melts, you can re-freeze or drink the water

• Vacuum pack a change of clothes in case you take an “accidental” spill in the lake.

At the end of the day, The FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer will pay for itself by drastically cutting down on your kitchen waste. Get in the habit of portioning and vacuum sealing meals or snacks for your family, and never have to throw away a gray, leathery, freezer-burned steak again.

Tips for Sealing Liquids

I have received many questions about sealing liquid items in a vacuum sealer machine. I will make a video soon and post it to supplement my advice.

As far as liquids go...there is a removable tray in the Minipack Cyclone machines that captures excess liquids and then can easily be removed and cleaned out. The best way to seal completely liquid items is to freeze it in the bag first and then vacuum seal that way there is no chance for liquids to clog the machine. 

Or, you can try to seal the liquid-filled bag by hanging the bag down as far as possible (see photo above). This allows most of the air to be removed before the machine starts trying to suck up the liquid, at which point you manually turn the machine off.

I usually put juicy things in a ziploc/saran wrap and close all but a tiny bit of the zipper. Then I put the item in the sealing bag with the zipper opposite the end to be sealed. The machine pulls the air out of the inner bag and seals before the juices escape and get to the machine. This works best with juicy meats or berries that would release juice under pressure.

Down-Time

I received several phone calls that there is some trouble with my website showing up. The correct web address is: www.thevakshack.com . Please e-mail me at thevakshack@gmail.com to let me know if you have experienced any difficulties when placing an order.