How can I pack my enormous variety of tea bags for trips?!?

[FusionChefGeoff]

At home I have 5-6 different teas - mostly herbal and not in individual packets just boxes. I travel with work and nothing I’ve tried is right to keep the different flavours separate without using loads of massive ziplock bags for 3/4 tea bags in each one which feels like a waste. They all look the same so it’s hard to tell the difference once they’re out of their boxes.

I’ve tried old school cash bags but they’re too small. I’ve tried dinner money envelopes but they’re too small.

There must be something out there - that’s likely designed for a completely different purpose - but that’s sectioned or segmented in some way to fit 3-4 different teas in….

Any inspired ideas??!

Could you buy individually packaged ones just for when you are away?

I take herbl tea away with me too.
TBH for me, although they all smell very different for the most part, they all taste pretty similar so I just throw them in a zip lock and enjoy the surprise smell!

Apart from peppermint or anything with ginger in but they have very distinctive smells so are easy to tell apart.

I was coming on to suggest drug dealer bags 😂 you can get them on Temu with Pablo Escobars face on them if you want to look dangerous.

I use those little sealable bags we got with covid testing kits for this very purpose. They're getting a bit ancient now and I won't buy more covid kits specially, but they're the perfect size for a few teabags. (I know this doesn't really help. I just wanted to join in.)

Twinnings do a selection of 4 teas bags in a small tin. I use them on camping trips and dc used them during DofE trips. I’ve previously used travel sweet tin and once in desperation on a longer work trip a travel soap box. I have four tins, so I can have up to 16 teas. Also handy as they really are pocket size, so when I’m on away days, I can take my own tea! I find I have to shake my non-twinnings teabags a bit so tea leaves are equally spread in order to fit four bags in, and occasionally I can get 5 non twinnings teabags in!

You’re okay Hangry it’s not white powder!

I use the Ziploc bags, label them with permanent marker and just bring the bags home and reuse.

Edit: I use the small IKEA ones: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/istad-resealable-bag-patterned-black-yellow-50525642/

The 0.4L ones are 15cm square so not too giant.

@KnickerlessParsons I agree. Talk about a first world problem! How have we come to this?

The smallest one of these is tiny, I use it for travelling tea bags 😀 (in case they don’t show the photo, it’s Ikea own brand bags. Called Istad. In a pack with 1 litre and 0.4 litre sizes)

I have one of these and a similar round tin that originally had Chinese tea in it. However, my bags are mainly in paper packs and I just have a couple of loose ones in with them. I don't mind if the loose bags get guilt by association flavour. I don't esp notice it. DS would though as he's got a very good sense of taste/smell.

https://amzn.eu/d/0jbAy6zp

Well, for me the issue basically just arises when camping! We've been on lots of family camping holidays, and if you're camping for a while then it's nice to be able to have lots of cups of tea.
It's a first world problem - not denying that - but what's the harm in bringing your teas with you if you enjoy them?

@FusionChefGeoff did you see this one posted earlier? It has the separate ziplock bags in small size, all in a contained small Filofax style format, neat and compact. Keeps them all together, keeps them fresh and separate, organised, inexpensive.

https://amzn.eu/d/06W6axj7
It does look like it’d take a couple of weeks to arrive, but it looks like a good solution or avenue for search?

Travel tea bag organizer - Etsy UK

I love how invested everyone is in solving my tea dilemma!!

I have a very specific tea regimen which means I can’t rely on my destination providing those exact flavours - I’m a recovering alcoholic and I think I’ve just transferred my issues into herbal tea 😂

I have run out of time to consider this now as mental busy day but Ill come back and review all the options as soon as I’ve got time and brain space!!

The smallest Ikea bags would be great for teabags. If you write on them, you could reuse them each time you go away.

I bought 50 small ziplock bags and didn’t realise how drug dealer-esque they were until they arrived.

I use them for teabags, keeping tablet strips together in my holiday first aid kit, putting screws in when I take something apart for storage, segregating random holiday money, and loads more. I don’t like single use plastic really, but the teabag ones have lasted for ages and are still going strong.

Buy them in mixed selection boxes? Twinnings do a green tea selection too.

Adjustable compartments storage box?

A jewellery wrap with different pockets

What about a cute little tea tin, with separate compartments? If all your tea bags look the same, you can always print out labels to stick on the side of each compartment.

https://moomin.co.uk/products/moomin-garden-tea-tin-box-in-the-17-5x13cm?_pos=1&_psq=tea+tin&_ss=e&_v=1.0

This is what I do.Saves on space too.

Ikea have a million sizes of ziploc bag and they are really cheap.

Get smaller ziplock bags. IKEA do nice sturdy ones that you could reuse for years.

Envelope?

I use clip and lock type boxes for tea when we travel. I use one for sugar for DH too. They each fit maybe 8-10 teabags in, or you could use loose leaf too.
You could label the boxes or tear the box label off and include that. I realise it’s not one big divided box but this does give flexibility and stops the teas from ‘contaminating’ each other.