Mylar Bag Size Calculator
Freeze-dried candy weighs almost nothing but takes up lots of room — order bags by ounces alone and they arrive too small. Pick your candy and bag weight; get the bag size that actually fits, how many to order, and the oxygen absorber cc if you need them.
The sizing table this uses
Capacities are for freeze-dried candy — light, puffed, and irregular — not the dense pre-dry weight. Puffy candy (gummies, marshmallows) fills bags at roughly 25–30% less weight; dense hard candy fits about 30% more.
3″ × 4″ ~0.5 oz (~14 g) 50 cc
4″ × 6″ ~1–1.5 oz (~28–42 g) 100 cc
5″ × 8″ ~2–3 oz (~57–85 g) 100 cc
6″ × 9″ quart ~3–4 oz (~85–113 g) 100–200 cc
8″ × 12″ ~7–9 oz (~200–255 g) 300 cc
absorber rule of thumb: ~100 cc per quart of bag volume
bags needed = batch weight after drying ÷ candy per bag
Weight after drying comes from your candy's water content — candy loses far less weight than fruit does. The yield calculator breaks that down per candy type.
Mylar bag & absorber FAQ
What size mylar bag do I need for freeze-dried candy?
Size by candy type, not just ounces — freeze-dried candy is bulky for its weight. Rule of thumb: 3×4″ holds about half an ounce, 4×6″ about 1–1.5 oz, 5×8″ about 2–3 oz, and a 6×9″ (quart) bag about 3–4 oz. For puffy candy like gummies and marshmallows, drop one capacity step.
What size oxygen absorber goes in a quart bag?
Roughly 100cc per quart of bag volume is the standard rule: 50–100cc for small 3×4″ and 4×6″ bags, 100–200cc for a 6×9″ quart bag, 300–500cc for a gallon. Oversizing is harmless; undersizing defeats the point.
Does candy that sells quickly need absorbers at all?
Usually not. Sugar doesn't oxidize the way fats do, so candy eaten within weeks or months keeps fine in a well heat-sealed bag alone. The real enemy is moisture — freeze-dried candy turns chewy if the seal leaks. Save the ~$0.05–0.10 per bag unless you're selling a long-term storage product.
How thick should the bags be?
3.5–5 mil is the retail norm — survives market tables and shipping, seals easily with an impulse sealer. 7 mil+ "25-year storage" bags are overkill for candy and cost noticeably more per unit.
🛠 Stock up
- Mylar bags (5″ × 8″) — the size this calculator currently recommends updates this link.
- Oxygen absorbers (100cc food grade) — only for long-term storage products.
- Impulse heat sealer — an airtight seal matters more than any absorber.
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