HELP! help me figure out how to store.

[the funny farm6]

ok, i need real help. i have an almost unlimited supply of food grade 5 gal buckets with lids. they have seals and are water proof. i have been laying in supplys of canned foods when they are on sale. but what and how can i store other things? i need to store: flower, salt, sugar, spices, coco powder,and many other things.

can i store these in the buckets?
if so, can i/should i keep them in the paper bags they come in?
should i put anything in with them to keep it fresh/moisture free? if so, where do i get these things?
how long will things be good in the buckets?

what else (food) can i store in the buckets?
thanks for any and all info!

 

[Wannabefree]

I'd store that stuff in the buckets with some moisture absorbers. You can get the moisture absorbers on Ebay and Amazon.

ETA: I'd store beans, rice, dried fruit, and pasta in those too, the uses are limitless! I would bother keeping the stuff in the paper bags as long as the buckets are clean.

 

[Hinotori]

I second Wannabefree. I keep my sugar in one and only fill the small container on the counter as needed. I have some 5 liter plastic snap containers I use for stuff like brown sugar that I don't keep as much of. All my grains, legumes, and pasta are stored in buckets.

Took some buckets with the Gamma lids down to mom and she now keeps all her dry goods in them to keep out the bugs. Mom has a issue with her hands and can't handle the regular bucket lids anymore, but she can handle the gamma lids. My brother was expressing interest in them when he saw them as well. Soon we shall have the whole family keeping food in buckets.

 

[moolie]

You should check out the "10 Baby Steps" on foodstoragemadeeasy--everything you've ever wanted to know about storing different kinds of food

But in simple terms, yes--you can store any and all of those things in buckets, either in their original paper wrappers or just poured into the buckets. If you are going for long term storage you can double up the packaging with mylar bags and read up on which items do and don't need oxygen or moisture absorbers.

 

[the funny farm6]

thanks all. i figure it will be the easyest and neatest way to store food stuffs, as long as it will work.

i use 2 of these buckets to make laundry soap in and one of them got knocked over and didnt spill a drop.