Food Storage on the cheap

[CrimsonRose]

Ok I've read tons of info and all suggest gamma lids maylar bags oxygen absorbers and such... but those are WAY expensive!

So it got me to thinking what if you don't need the food to last 30 years... maybe just 5 or so... because surely I could use it here in a year or so and just replace it with new...

So If I'm not saving it for 30 years and only need it to be good for say 5 years at most 10 years... can you get by with out all the fancy stuff?

Anyone have info or experiences of packing food without using all the fancy stuff?

I just packed up a bucket full of food and here is what I did...

I had 2 one gallon bags of whole corn, one bag of whole wheat berries, one bag of flax seed, half a bag of cream of wheat and one bag of sugar, ... All of these bags I froze in the freezer for 3 days before packing in hopes to remove any bug eggs...

In this 5 gallon bucket I also packed one bag of beans and one bag of rice... I also packed a small package of baking soda and baking power (so I could make cornbread and pancake bread in case I have no yeast)

I figured this container would last us with about 2 weeks of food If I planned it out and rationed it all in the case of an emergency... its all wrapped in thick ziplock bags and put in a 5 gallon bucket...

I see no reason why this food will not still be good in 5 years and then I can rotate it out with new... I may even try to rotate it every 2-3 years just to keep it fresher...

in a few months hubby is going to get me a vacuum packer so I can pack things up then to last hopefully even longer...

Packing food this way cost me about 5 bucks... I bought my bucket new that was the greatest expense and I used about $.50 worth of ziplock baggies...

What's your advice or experiences... Yes I know Mylar is the way to go... but right now I just don't have the extra to spend... I know many say it's worth it...but really is it needed if you are not planning to store food for 30 years... won't the vacuum bags work for medium term storage and you can do it much cheaper this way...

Another idea is to skip the mylar and just buy the gamma lids with oxygen absorbers... Anyone try this method?

 

[Wifezilla]

For bags of dry beans or other dried foods, I just left them in their original bags, put that inside of a ziplock freezer bag and then seal it. I have a vacuum sealer but it is acting up.

That's all I can afford now so it will have to do.

 

[TanksHill]

I am sure your bucket will work great.

The reason I use the Gama lids is very simple. I buy in bulk. I also follow the "eat what you store store what you eat" plan. So for me I have say , sugar, flour, rice, wheat etc... All in their own buckets and I use them on a regular basis. I actually had to just refill the flour, and sugar because while things are tight I am baking more form scratch. The lids just make it easier to access these items on a regular basis. I did not buy all my lids at once. I get my buckets for free from a doughnut shop. Very little expense if you do it slow and steady.

If your filling a bucket for a just in case scenario and don't intend to open it frequently I am sure a regular snap on lid would be just fine.

g

 

[Emerald]

For bags of dry beans or other dried foods, I just left them in their original bags, put that inside of a ziplock freezer bag and then seal it. I have a vacuum sealer but it is acting up.

That's all I can afford now so it will have to do.

Which vac-packer do you have? I have found that when my starts acting up it is usually the black foam looking gaskets(foodsaver) I take them out and soak them in warm water and then lightly squeeze out the water with a kitchen towel and replace them back into the machine and it usually vacs better. I want to buy a couple more to have on hand as they usually last about 4 to 5 years depending on how much you use it.
They were $3 each at the food saver site.

 

[Wifezilla]

I have a seal-a-meal

 

[Emerald]

I have a seal-a-meal

Sorry, I am not sure what they look like so can't even recommend anything!

 

[dragonlaurel]

I have a guilty secret. I'm a jar hoarder. I buy the really big jars of pickles. Those glass one gallon or 1/2 gallon jars are great for storing bulk beans, rice, or other grains. I freeze them first so there's no crawlies later, then when I need the freezer space- transfer it to my jars.
Quart jars are good for storing stuff I need less of, like my dried garden herbs, raisins, sunflower seeds, etc. This stuff will go in a ziploc first, to protect it from getting stale.
I keep my jars out of the sunlight, so they don't lose quality, but being able to see right away which ones are running low is how I do rotation. If I use it regularly- I buy more when the jar is 1/2 full. Sooner, if there's a great deal. I pile any bags of stuff that wont fit yet, in a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[CrimsonRose]

I am a massive jar hoarder as well... most places I have to keep my jars though are exposed to light so I put pasta and beans in most... but have to use them up fairly quick... They all line the tops of my cabinets... I have a few cabinets back the hall that holds most of my canned goods... I have another extra closet in our spare bedroom that is where I plan to put the buckets... I love the gallon jar idea... wonder if we could eat that many pickles ROFL

One thing I would love to get is the foodsaver jar attachment... but no where says if it seals the jars with the metal lids or if the jar attachment IS the lid... If it seals the jar that would be awesome! but if it IS the lid that would just stink because they are 10bucks apiece! Anyone here have one?

 

[Emerald]

I am a massive jar hoarder as well... most places I have to keep my jars though are exposed to light so I put pasta and beans in most... but have to use them up fairly quick... They all line the tops of my cabinets... I have a few cabinets back the hall that holds most of my canned goods... I have another extra closet in our spare bedroom that is where I plan to put the buckets... I love the gallon jar idea... wonder if we could eat that many pickles ROFL

One thing I would love to get is the foodsaver jar attachment... but no where says if it seals the jars with the metal lids or if the jar attachment IS the lid... If it seals the jar that would be awesome! but if it IS the lid that would just stink because they are 10bucks apiece! Anyone here have one?

Okay- I have the wide mouth jar sealer from foodsaver and it uses the regular flat canning lids. I am thinking of getting the small mouth one also as I like my wide mouth jars for canning and quite a few are now storing stuff!
You just put the lid on put the jar sealer over it and then hit the canister button on the machine. There are some times when I have to put two lids on the jar and then use the jar sealer and then the jar seals properly and the spare lid you just take off-I think some of the older jars have different thickness's of the glass and it makes the jar sealer attach funny so the extra lid helps make a better fit. I just used up the last of my powdered sugar from 2 years ago and by keeping it vac-packed in the large 1/2 gallon mason jars it was as fresh as when I packed it.

 

[VickiLynn]

One thing I would love to get is the foodsaver jar attachment... but no where says if it seals the jars with the metal lids or if the jar attachment IS the lid... If it seals the jar that would be awesome! but if it IS the lid that would just stink because they are 10bucks apiece! Anyone here have one?

I have the jar attachment. It seals your metal lids to the jars by sucking out all the air. It even works with used canning lids. I use it for foods I have dehydrated. It's nice to be able to take what I need out of the jars, then reseal them.