Your Food Storage Equation...

[Brent S]

One thing about freeze dried food. It keeps very well and it tastes very good. However it is frequently very low on calories. This is because lipids (fats and oils) do not freeze dry well. It's great if you want to loose weight. I don't think too many of us are going to need to do that, in a disaster situation, on rationed food.

I have read a lot about the freeze dried being the best for everything from taste to longevity, but I honestly haven’t even tried any. I have all #10 cans and don’t want to waste any by opening them. Those are my insurance policy for tough times. One that I hope to never have to test out. Maybe my kids will benefit from them, or some asshole that has bigger guns than I do….
As far as calories I think most of the companies are prone to exaggerate their estimates on how good their brands are. One of them actually got lawsuits for overstating their caloric counts. I always figure I will be supplementing the stuff with the gardens and some hunting as well hopefully.

 

[Proud Prepper]

I hate to ask this, but some lurkers may have the same question.... In the name of helping others..

So, I got a food grade bucket, I put my two cans of tuna in it, and put on a Gamma lid. I recently bought a couple more cans of tuna and thought about mylar bags since so many people talk about them. Got a mylar bag, and the oxygen absorber; even bought an iron to finish the deal. Today, as I look at the job, I wonder if the gamma lids are enough, come here, re-read, and see that they are damn good at the job. So, my question now, is should I throw in the oxygen absorber with the gamma lid, or just save it in case I ever buy some crackers and put them in with the crackers in the mylar bag?

I didn't really realize the oxygen absorbers were to kill bugs. If the gamma lids are air tight, they are as good as having 5,000cc oxygen absorbers, right?

I think I see where you may have messed up. You didn't put a can opener in the sealed bag with the CANS of tuna, unless they are pull tabs, then your ok. Whew that would have been a disaster.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

A vacuum sealed bag had the oxygen removed already so no oxy absorber is needed. If storing in a food grade bucket add the Mylar bags and throw the oxy absorber inside them before sealing. Most buckets can loose the air seal too easily for me to trust in them. Also remember that storing your containers in a dark, cool and dry place is really important too. And foods that have been freeze dried tend to have the best shelf life of anything.

I have a big bag of bread flour, I need to get processed. I want to do it in pack sizes we can use in the bread maker or for dough on the smoker. 2-4 cups Size.
I need to feed my wifes need for carbs. Me, I can be a carnivore.

 

[Amish Heart]

I just got a 25 lb of bread flour and the same with white cornmeal today. I'll put them in half gallon mason jars and do the lid sealer attachment on the foodsaver to suck the air out.
As far as food storage equation goes, I store everything I can when I find it at a good price. I repackage all my dry goods. I run the dehydrator with something almost every single day, and have a ton of dehydrated foods. I have bought some freeze dried, and individual stuff, like dehydrated cheese, butter powder, sour cream powder, peanut butter powder. I cook, so I store alot of single ingredient items.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I have used the food saver for 25lbs of rice, 20lbs of pasta, brown sugar, a second 25 of rice, some steaks which still look great in the freezer And more.
Want to get more put away
Honestly, our rice consumption went from 2lbs a year to 25 In 2020. Wish I could remember that brand, type, or even find it again. I think it was jasmine and my wife is a basmati purist..

 

[Brent S]

I don’t believe processed flour has a very long term shelf life. If bread is really important to you consider getting whole grains and a grinder.

 

[Amish Heart]

Flour will last a couple of years if foodsavered. I've done it. So, have both. Have wheat berries and have flour.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Let me second the success of saving flour for longer periods if air is removed and kept cool. Got the bug to try it and see how long it would save safely a couple of years ago. I wouldn’t save it longer than that though.

 

[Amish Heart]

A few years back, I foodsavered 200 lbs of flour. First, I filled a gallon ziplock, and left a little open, then foodsavered over that. Kept in a cool dry place in a rubbermaid tote. It was still good two years later, didn't notice any difference at all. If you don't have wheat berries and a grinder, I would figure out how much flour you use in two years, and do that amount. Then each year, keep it going.

 

[Proud Prepper]

A few years back, I foodsavered 200 lbs of flour. First, I filled a gallon ziplock, and left a little open, then foodsavered over that. Kept in a cool dry place in a rubbermaid tote. It was still good two years later, didn't notice any difference at all. If you don't have wheat berries and a grinder, I would figure out how much flour you use in two years, and do that amount. Then each year, keep it going.

It will store and be good to use 8-10 years. After that use it to make animal treats.

 

[GaRp58]

I like to take the rice, beans, noodles and other dry foodstuffs, put them into mason jars, put them in the oven for an hour at around 100°C/200°F, get them really dried and kill any bacterial growth, put lids on them while still hot and let cool just like canning fresh veggies. Never had anything go bad...

 

[DrHenley]

Vacuum packed and frozen, flour will last indefinitely. Coffee will too, even ground coffee, but whole bean does keep its flavor better. If not vacuum packed then take will take on freezer odors after a while.

 

[Illini Warrior]

I like to take the rice, beans, noodles and other dry foodstuffs, put them into mason jars, put them in the oven for an hour at around 100°C/200°F, get them really dried and kill any bacterial growth, put lids on them while still hot and let cool just like canning fresh veggies. Never had anything go bad...

heating up your food to dry pack doesn't help it any - any excess like that cuts down on it's overall nutritional value and storage longevity >>>

you need to heat the jars themselves to sterilize - oven does the job nicely - your dishwasher using the drying cycle will get the job done also - if you put the jars thru the washing cycles they'll need a double dose of drying heat ....

heat your canning lids separately in a simmer pot - sterilize them and get them up to temp >> the new lids have a different elastomer material that supposedly allows a cold seal - not sure I'd be trusting that ....

load your dry food - it doesn't need anything special except standard food handling procedures - keep everything clean - if you got any powdery residue on the jar lips make sure to clean for a good seal ....

a 100CC 02 absorber makes for fast canning - throw a warm/hot lid on and adjust the ring as normal - almost a guaranteed seal if everything is done correct ....

a slower but good procedure - use your jar attachment and vacuum machine - great way to do the smaller batch and random packing jobs ....

 

[Oddcaliber]

I loaded up on Mountain House in the individual meal pouch along with canned goods and other food items. You can get a sample from the distributor, try it before you buy it thing.

 

[GaRp58]

a slower but good procedure - use your jar attachment and vacuum machine - great way to do the smaller batch and random packing jobs ....

Do not have a "jar attachment or vacuum machine"....gotta do it my way, thanx tho for the info.

 

[Brent S]

Do not have a "jar attachment or vacuum machine"....gotta do it my way, thanx tho for the info.

The vacuum sealer kits are really nice for packaging things in the freezer. I buy large portions of meats and cut them up to more meal friendly sizes, and bag and seal before freezing. I have stuff that’s three years now with no freezer burn. I also bag and seal portions of finished meals for the days I don’t feel like cooking. I noticed the vacuum pump started sounding weak on my unit so I bought a new one recently. Figured I’d use it until it died before opening the new one. Since then my old one is working great. (Of course)… At least I have a spare now. I think the new one was 115$. Then there is the price of the bags to consider too. One thing to keep in mind is they do have a seal failure rate. I just pulled out some boneless chicken breasts that lost the seal. I look not only at the date of things when rummaging in the freezers but also at the seals. The rate is low, maybe one out of 25 things, but it does happen.

 

[Helen Back]

Alright!! I am angry now. I bought mylar bags. They ALL had holes in them (4.5 mil). I bought some 11 gallon metal barrels with lids and rings that were supposed to be air and water tight. I bought the gamma lids and food grade buckets. NONE OF THEM ARE AIR OR WATER TIGHT! I put water in the buckets with the gamma lids, turned them over and they leaked. Same with the metal barrels. Clearly the mylar bags are worthless.

What thickness do you folks use for your mylar bags? 8 mill, 9 mil? more?


I need to keep my tuna and sardine cans fresh.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Alright!! I am angry now. I bought mylar bags. They ALL had holes in them (4.5 mil). I bought some 11 gallon metal barrels with lids and rings that were supposed to be air and water tight. I bought the gamma lids and food grade buckets. NONE OF THEM ARE AIR OR WATER TIGHT! I put water in the buckets with the gamma lids, turned them over and they leaked. Same with the metal barrels. Clearly the mylar bags are worthless.

What thickness do you folks use for your mylar bags? 8 mill, 9 mil? more?


I need to keep my tuna and sardine cans fresh.

How terribly frustrating!! I’ve bought the 4.5 mil a ton of times. Some of them did have tiny holes, but I complained and they replaced the entire lot every time. I finally just started expecting to find one or two in the batch. Most times that wasn’t the case. Order more. Complain and make them replace the ones you have. The gamma lids are more for using a bucket AFTER you’ve opened it and intend to use it. Otherwise, seal them tight with regular lids.

 

[Dave2001]

Alright!! I am angry now. I bought mylar bags. They ALL had holes in them (4.5 mil). I bought some 11 gallon metal barrels with lids and rings that were supposed to be air and water tight. I bought the gamma lids and food grade buckets. NONE OF THEM ARE AIR OR WATER TIGHT! I put water in the buckets with the gamma lids, turned them over and they leaked. Same with the metal barrels. Clearly the mylar bags are worthless.

What thickness do you folks use for your mylar bags? 8 mill, 9 mil? more?


I need to keep my tuna and sardine cans fresh.

HOLLOW core doors are worthless!!!

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Don't know what you have against vacuum sealers...
A guy i know sealed his rifle in an vacuum bag before he dig it in his garden. Yearly check, after two years no rust, the bag still keep the vacuum.
And the vacuum sealer is the cheapest on market over here, 40$ including an roll of endless vacuum bag...