Your Car Needs Those Hospital Vomit Bags

We all have a few less pleasant memories of the worst containers we’ve ever had to vomit in. As a child, my parents sometimes remembered to take a bucket for sick days on trips. But sometimes there was no bucket handy, and I remember being hurriedly handed a bag of groceries every time I said I was sick. The first thing I did was see if there was a hole in the bottom of the bag. Usually was.

Now that I am a parent, I admit that I was often underprepared. My kids aren’t usually barbers, which means I never have a bucket when I need one. But I just discovered a life-changing fact: You can buy hospital-style vomit bags (like these ) from Amazon or a variety of other sources, including but not limited to medical supply vendors .

“Vomiting” is, of course, the technical term for blowing out chunks. A good vomit bag has a few features that make it excellent at what it does, the main one being the tough, round part at the top. This makes the bag easy to hold even at high speeds and easy to aim at. You won’t get vomit on your hands (some are even funnel-shaped) and the attached pouches tend to be sturdy and roomy. Best of all, they can often be sealed for hassle-free disposal – you just need to roll up the bag and tuck the roll under that plastic rim.

Is that too much enthusiasm for a simple vomit bag? I don’t think so. One time I used one of these, I was in labor and had already vomited into various containers and bags on my way to the hospital. When I checked in, the staff put me in a wheelchair and handed me a proper vomit bag. Even through the veil of pain, I remember how delighted I was with how well he did his job. It’s the Cadillac of the vomit bags.

Now that I know that anyone can buy a pack of 50, I’m seriously considering getting a spare for my car. I have three children and we are planning several summer trips. You know how they go sometimes.