Now that you have decided to invest in your family's long term well being and you've bought all this food, how do you make sure that it lasts a long time? When you purchase foods to keep in extended storage, great care should be taken to package foods in appropriate containers using proven methods to prevent insect/rodent infestation. Getting food from the Home Storage Centers is a great way to have your food stored in #10 cans, but what if you buy in bulk bags?
If you buy in bulk bags the longest they will last if left in the bag is one year before insects or rodents start to get to them. To ensure you get a longer self life transfer them to a better storage container. The most common ones are mylar bags, 6-5-gallon buckets, PETE/PET containers and mason jars.
Some things to know before you start: Oxygen absorbers usually come in large packs, so if you have left overs just store them in a mason jar. The longer they are exposed to the air the less effective they become so only take out what you need and keep the rest stored.
Mylar bags are not all the same. If you want to get the most shelf life out of your stored food go for the 8- 7-mil thick bags. In a pinch you can use the 5-mil but nothing below unless you plan on using it sooner. The bags themselves are not rodent proof so make sure you store them in another container such as a 5-gallon bucket or other storage container.
Make sure that when you buy plastic containers they have PETE or PET stamped on them (usually by the recycle symbol.)
The church has some excellent information on all of this so make sure to read through the entire article (first one listed below)
HOW TO:
LONGER-TERM FOOD STORAGE (churchofjesuschrist.org)
LTFS: BEST CONTAINERS AND TREATMENT METHODS (providentprepper.org)
OXYGEN ABSORBERS CHART (usaemergencysupply.com)
WHAT TO BUY:
OXYGEN ABSORBER PACKETS (store.churchofjesuschrist.org)
MYLAR BAGS (store.churchofjesuschrist.org)
MYLAR BAGS (harvestright.com)
IMPULSE SEALER (harvestright.com)
IMPULSE SEALER (store.churchofjesuschrist.org)
BUCKETS AND PAILS (industrialcontainer.com)
PETE/PET CONTAINERS (industrialcontainer.com)
If you buy in bulk bags the longest they will last if left in the bag is one year before insects or rodents start to get to them. To ensure you get a longer self life transfer them to a better storage container. The most common ones are mylar bags, 6-5-gallon buckets, PETE/PET containers and mason jars.
Some things to know before you start: Oxygen absorbers usually come in large packs, so if you have left overs just store them in a mason jar. The longer they are exposed to the air the less effective they become so only take out what you need and keep the rest stored.
Mylar bags are not all the same. If you want to get the most shelf life out of your stored food go for the 8- 7-mil thick bags. In a pinch you can use the 5-mil but nothing below unless you plan on using it sooner. The bags themselves are not rodent proof so make sure you store them in another container such as a 5-gallon bucket or other storage container.
Make sure that when you buy plastic containers they have PETE or PET stamped on them (usually by the recycle symbol.)
The church has some excellent information on all of this so make sure to read through the entire article (first one listed below)
HOW TO:
LONGER-TERM FOOD STORAGE (churchofjesuschrist.org)
LTFS: BEST CONTAINERS AND TREATMENT METHODS (providentprepper.org)
OXYGEN ABSORBERS CHART (usaemergencysupply.com)
WHAT TO BUY:
OXYGEN ABSORBER PACKETS (store.churchofjesuschrist.org)
MYLAR BAGS (store.churchofjesuschrist.org)
MYLAR BAGS (harvestright.com)
IMPULSE SEALER (harvestright.com)
IMPULSE SEALER (store.churchofjesuschrist.org)
BUCKETS AND PAILS (industrialcontainer.com)
PETE/PET CONTAINERS (industrialcontainer.com)
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