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Be aware that most LDS canneries only allow members to shop in their store and use the cannery. Some do allow non-members if accompanied by a member. So, if you're not a member, check with the local cannery or ask one of your LDS friends before assuming you have access to this resource.
You can find significant bulk discount on mylar bags, desiccant packets and oxygen absorbers if you buy direct from the manufacturer/distributor (like Sorbent Systems). Some manufacturers/distributors may also offer discount combo kits (bags/pouches, absorbers and desiccants) or additional discount for bulk orders of multiple products.
I'm sure that mylar, O2 absorbers, bag sealers, CO2 (dry ice) and all the rest of it work just fine. I'm not sure they make the food last all that much longer.
We do not store "hard red wheat" or dried lentils or beans. We store what we eat, and we constantly rotate it. DW needs to watch her carbs due to diabetes, and I also watch mine, due to a "belly" that I've been fighting for many years. I'm winning it a lot better now that I've sworn off all bread. Even beer doesn't make me balloon out like bread does!
That said, we store our dry goods (usually rice, pasta, oatmeal, cold cereals, potato flakes, etc) in gallon-size Zip-Lock freezer-type bags. No dry ice, no O2 absorbers. We just label it with the expiration date that was on the box we emptied. This stuff goes into 5-gallon plastic buckets and will last much longer than the boxes indicate (a good 2-3 years). Getting them out of the cheap cardboard boxes is the key. Too much air in there, and light. They are easy to remove when we want another bag. We don't bother with gamma lids or even sealing the bucket lids. A good weight on top does the trick just fine.
Staples like salt, sugar, baking soda, etc are stored in 1/2 gallon Ball canning jars with a screw-on plastic lid. They are not processed, obviously. But we find the glass jars keep out more moisture than the Zip-Lock bags, and nothing gets lumpy.
By far the largest part of our food preps are canned goods, many of them canned ourselves from fresh, locally-grown produce. We also purchase lots of canned tuna, chicken, turkey, and ham. We wait for the sales and stock up.
I will be constructing an underground root cellar at our next place, to store apples, pears, root veggies, cabbages, and whatever else we can keep in there. No need to use buckets, mylar, O2 absorbers, or anything else to keep that stuff fresh and delicious!
1. Is there a site about quantities needed per person somewhere? A good recipe book for stored foods? There are tons sites out there that deal with food storage.
2. If I get the food grade 5 gallon buckets, can I do smaller mylar bags and oxygen absorbers in each one? I would like to store some food very long term..but once I open them there is no way I will be able to consume 5 gallons worth of food. Absolutely! I also do this with some of my food storage supplies. Essentially, you can create a 5 gallon bucket with a few types of foods and seasonings to cook several different meals with. These multi-purpose food buckets are great if you have to suddenly leave and can't take all your food storage preps with you.
3. Do you have to have a "gama"(?) sealed top? You don't have to but it's strongly suggested. Each bucket definately needs a lid to protect the food stored inside (which should be stored in Mylar). The main sellnig point of Gamma Seals is their conveniance in accessing the food inside and then easily resealing the bucket. The main alternitive to Gamma Seal lids are traditional tear tab lids which aren't able to reseal the bucket once they're removed.
4. Where are the best places/prices for these items? The food storage industry is booming and sites are constantly competing by holding sales. I'd just search around the internet to find the best deals and only buy items that are on sale.
5. Does anyone know of a video I can watch for prepping? I retain much more by visual aid. Here's a couple of great videos that explain the long term food storage process step by step: www.foodwaterstorage.com/how-to-store-bulk-foods-pt-2/
MOD: There are several videos online on various food storage and prepping topics. A simple search on YouTube will return many useful discussions and how-tos.
Last edited by MissingAll4Seasons; 01-21-2012 at 06:28 PM..
Reason: remove html tags
I'm sure that mylar, O2 absorbers, bag sealers, CO2 (dry ice) and all the rest of it work just fine. I'm not sure they make the food last all that much longer.
We do not store "hard red wheat" or dried lentils or beans. We store what we eat, and we constantly rotate it. DW needs to watch her carbs due to diabetes, and I also watch mine, due to a "belly" that I've been fighting for many years. I'm winning it a lot better now that I've sworn off all bread. Even beer doesn't make me balloon out like bread does!
That said, we store our dry goods (usually rice, pasta, oatmeal, cold cereals, potato flakes, etc) in gallon-size Zip-Lock freezer-type bags. No dry ice, no O2 absorbers. We just label it with the expiration date that was on the box we emptied. This stuff goes into 5-gallon plastic buckets and will last much longer than the boxes indicate (a good 2-3 years). Getting them out of the cheap cardboard boxes is the key. Too much air in there, and light. They are easy to remove when we want another bag. We don't bother with gamma lids or even sealing the bucket lids. A good weight on top does the trick just fine.
Staples like salt, sugar, baking soda, etc are stored in 1/2 gallon Ball canning jars with a screw-on plastic lid. They are not processed, obviously. But we find the glass jars keep out more moisture than the Zip-Lock bags, and nothing gets lumpy.
By far the largest part of our food preps are canned goods, many of them canned ourselves from fresh, locally-grown produce. We also purchase lots of canned tuna, chicken, turkey, and ham. We wait for the sales and stock up.
I will be constructing an underground root cellar at our next place, to store apples, pears, root veggies, cabbages, and whatever else we can keep in there. No need to use buckets, mylar, O2 absorbers, or anything else to keep that stuff fresh and delicious!
Oxygen absorbers and food grade diamotaceous earth help destroy the tiny bugs once they hatch from the eggs often in the grains, legumes, etc... . O2 absorbers evacuated the air and diamotaceous earth destroys the exoskeleton.
Oxygen absorbers can also be used in ball canning jars when storing dry goods in them to get that vacuum seal without mechanical means.
I agree, you can "dry can" most dry bulk goods without heat using O2 absorbers or the lid sealer attachment for most vacuum sealers. It's important the the food is entirely dry (crack/snap) to avoid spoilage, but evacuating the air prevents oxidation and creates a hermetic seal that keeps all manner of beasties out... and mason jars are infinitely reusable unlike metal cans. If you dry can without heat, you can even reuse the metal lids a few times because the seal hasn't been heated and deformed.
But I do think we can all get a bit obsessive and manic about food storage at times with all the scare tactics and conflicting information out there. I know one gal who freezes her grains, adds bay leaf and DE, adds a desiccant and O2 absorber in her vacuum bags, that she then seals in mylar with dry ice, then she puts that inside a bucket with another O2 absorber. Just a teeny bit OCD
And there are plenty of things that could probably stand to sit out on a cool shelf, or be home-canned, or simply stored in wax or crocks that we've all been warned will absolutely kill us if we do. While I'm sure that some amount of foodbourne illness has occurred with some of these products (hence the warning), it's likely not as serious or common as people make it out to be. We don't need to be walking around in our food storage area in a hazmat suit and disposing of "questionable" goods in bio-haz double bags. I've yet to find an actual confirmed validated medical report of anyone who actually died from eating waxed jam that they just scraped the mold off, you know ::shrug::
I agree, you can "dry can" most dry bulk goods without heat using O2 absorbers or the lid sealer attachment for most vacuum sealers. It's important the the food is entirely dry (crack/snap) to avoid spoilage, but evacuating the air prevents oxidation and creates a hermetic seal that keeps all manner of beasties out... and mason jars are infinitely reusable unlike metal cans. If you dry can without heat, you can even reuse the metal lids a few times because the seal hasn't been heated and deformed.
But I do think we can all get a bit obsessive and manic about food storage at times with all the scare tactics and conflicting information out there. I know one gal who freezes her grains, adds bay leaf and DE, adds a desiccant and O2 absorber in her vacuum bags, that she then seals in mylar with dry ice, then she puts that inside a bucket with another O2 absorber. Just a teeny bit OCD
And there are plenty of things that could probably stand to sit out on a cool shelf, or be home-canned, or simply stored in wax or crocks that we've all been warned will absolutely kill us if we do. While I'm sure that some amount of foodbourne illness has occurred with some of these products (hence the warning), it's likely not as serious or common as people make it out to be. We don't need to be walking around in our food storage area in a hazmat suit and disposing of "questionable" goods in bio-haz double bags. I've yet to find an actual confirmed validated medical report of anyone who actually died from eating waxed jam that they just scraped the mold off, you know ::shrug::
Legumes, grains & flours are at the greatest danger of bug infestations. Once infested your storage is just gone/wasted. The eggs are already present when you purchase so sealing out isn't enough. I think someone too already posted (SCGranny?) either here or in another thread about the dangers of moldy wheat & grains.
Critters in the grains -- mmmm extra protein LOL But, yes, you either need to kill the beasties and their eggs before you store, or make sure that they are stored totally airtight so the little buggers suffocate before they eat too much. Ergot is the worst mold that commonly occurs, usually in grain that was harvested wet and put up damp (esp. wheat), and is one of the many reasons to make sure that your dry storage foods are really DRY before sealing them up.
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