A storage bag for storing items such as food includes a flexible plastic sidewall configured to provide an interior volume, a sealable opening for accessing the interior volume, and a one-way valve element attached to the sidewall and communicating with the interior volume. The opening may be closed and latent air within the storage bag may be evacuated through the valve element. The valve element may also be flexible and its flexibility may be similar to that of the bag itself. In an aspect, the valve element can be a low profile valve element which has a height dimension that is relatively small with respect to the other dimensions of the storage bag and/or valve element. In other aspects, the valve element can have a compact size such that its width, surface area and other similar dimensions are relatively small compared to the other dimensions of the storage bag and/or valve element.