A piping bag isn’t something I would categorize as a “normal” kitchen tool. Former chefs and pastry chefs keep them in their own kitchens because the cheap, flexible, conical bag has proven its worth time and time again, but the average home cook doesn’t need one—that is, until they do. I’m not here to convince you to buy something new that you won’t enjoy using (at least not today). Plus, that won’t help if you need a piping bag right now. Instead, just grab the next best thing: a zip-top storage bag.

As I said, a piping bag is a conical bag. They can be made from a piece of baking paper, single-use plastic, or reusable coated cloth. They come in a variety of sizes, from the size of your hand for making precise designs and writing with chocolate, to the length of your arm for piping out large amounts of dough. You can use a piping bag on its own or in conjunction with a piping tip to create interesting designs and patterns.

The important thing about a piping bag is that the shape ensures that the filling is collected at one point, otherwise it is just a plastic bag. So you can use any plastic bag that has a corner to mimic the shape. The most accessible are probably the plastic zip lock sandwich bags and storage bags that you have lying around in your kitchen drawer.

Fold back the first inch or two of the opening of the zip-top bag. This will help keep the bag open and keep any icing or jam (or deviled eggs in my case) from getting on the outside of the bag. That can cause your grip to slip, and of course it’s just neater this way.