How to Close a Bag of Chips by Folding It

Co-authored by Eric McClure

If you don’t have a bag clip, you have a few options when it comes to keeping your chips fresh. The easiest way to do this is to fold the top of the bag over itself multiple times after forcing the excess air out. If you do this, store your chips with the folds facing down and place a heavy object over the folds to keep the bag sealed. Another option is to fold the corners towards the middle of the bag before folding a few layers on top of the corners. Then, stick your thumbs in the corner folds and turn them over the top of the bag to create an airtight seal.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Creating a Simple Fold

1
Lay the bag down and smooth the bag out to remove air. Shake the bag a little to let the chips settle at the bottom of your bag. Set your bag of chips on its back so that the label is facing up. Smooth down the top portion of the bag 3-4 times until it's flat. Work from the bottom of the bag to the top to remove the excess air from the bag.^{[1]
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- This method is easy, but it won’t keep the air out unless you store the opening under a heavy item.
- The more air there is the bag, the faster your chips will become stale.
2
Fold the opening of the bag on top of itself. Rotate the bag so that the opening of the bag is facing you. Grip the corners of the open end with your index finger on top of the bag and your thumbs underneath. Fold the top 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) of the bag over on top of itself to close the bag.^{[2]
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3
Continue folding the bag in 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) layers. With your first fold completed, press down along the seam where you folded it. Then, slide your thumb underneath the fold and grab the top of the bag. Create an additional fold that is the same size as your first fold. Repeat the process until you’ve created 5-6 folds.^{[3]
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- Press down along the top of the bag after each fold to keep it closed.
Tip: You can also continue to fold the bag until you reach the chips at the bottom if you prefer. The more folds you make, the more likely the bag is to unravel though.
4
Store the bag upside down on top of itself. Take your bag and flip it upside down so that the folds are on the bottom of the bag. Your bag of chips should stay folded automatically. To keep the folds from unraveling over time, place a vase, bowl, or something heavy on top of the folds to keep them weighed down.^{[4]
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- Your folds may slowly come undone if you don’t weigh them down at all.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making a Stronger Fold

1
Lay the bag on a table and flatten the top to remove excess air. Shake your bag a little to collect the chips at the bottom of the bag. Place your bag on a flat surface and lay it on its back so that the label is facing up. Then, use the palm of your hand to flatten the upper half of the bag. Do this 4-5 times to crease the sides of the bag.^{[5]
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- This method creates the best seal but it requires a little more work. You’ll also need more of the bag to be empty, so you may not be able to do this if your bag is mostly full.
- This method is really hard to pull off if you have a smaller bag of chips. You’re better off simply folding smaller bags over.
2
Fold the top corners of the bag towards the middle so they meet. Keeping the bag flat, fold each corner of the opened end towards the middle of the bag. Angle each corner downwards so that both corners meet 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) below the bag’s opening.^{[6]
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Alternative: If you’re having trouble keeping the bag flat as you do this, place a finger over the corner of the bag where you want to place your crease. Then, use your free hand to fold the corner over your index finger before sliding it out and press the crease down. Repeat this process on the other side to fold your corners.
3
Fold the top 1 in (2.5 cm) over the corners. Keep your corners pressed flat as you pinch the top of the bag at the joints where the corners start to angle down towards the middle of the bag. Carefully fold the top 1 in (2.5 cm) of the bag down over the top of the corners.^{[7]
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- Keeping the bag held down shouldn’t be difficult. The easiest way to do it is to use your middle, ring, and pinky fingers to press them into the table while you’re folding.
4
Continue folding the top of the bag until you have 2-3 layers. Take your fold and repeat the process. Grab the top of your first fold and create a second fold that’s the same size as your first layer. Repeat this process until you’ve created 2-3 layers. You must have at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of the corners available below your folds for this to work.^{[8]
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- Press your palm flat into the folded sections of the bag to flatten them.
5
Stick your thumbs into the corner flaps and invert the top of the bag. To seal the bag, hold the folds at the top of the bag down with your index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers. Insert your thumbs between the corners and the bag. Lift the bag up and push your folds down while pulling the corners up to invert the top of the bag and close it on itself.^{[9]
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- Essentially, the tension between the corners and the folds at the top will keep the bag sealed.

Warnings

Once a bag of chips has been opened, they will start to go bad. Consume your chips with the next 1-2 weeks to enjoy them while they’re fresh.

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