# 2 Liter Bottles



## Digger (Jan 17, 2011)

going to try and kick things into overdrive this year. Would like to try and store dry goods in 2 liter pop bottles. I really like the idea of not having all my beans in one basket. If I split a 5 gal bucket of beans into 2 liter bottles, I think it may be easier to use and deal with if we do have to head out to camp. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this method.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

1 or 2 qt ball jars would be much better.


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

I used them when I first started out and still have some stuff in them. Just recently started helping a newb start prepping and used 2L and 20oz bottles. The smaller bottles are good for salt of different kinds. If you do put some salt in there add a tablespoon full of rice to keep the moisture down.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Digger said:


> going to try and kick things into overdrive this year. Would like to try and store dry goods in 2 liter pop bottles. I really like the idea of not having all my beans in one basket. If I split a 5 gal bucket of beans into 2 liter bottles, I think it may be easier to use and deal with if we do have to head out to camp. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this method.


I think the idea of making them easier to use and deal with is a good reason. I have some of my stuff in jars. Whenever I have empty jars from anything (pickles, applesauce, mayonaisse, sauces), I use them to store dry goods in. My own personal concern about having my powder in the glass jars is if they break, my food will have broken glass in it. With the plastic, that is not as likely a problem, although, I'll bet they would break under the right conditions also.

The other thing that I have had a challenge with is how to remove the oxygen from the soda bottles? I can add oxygen absorbers to my jars and buckets and mylar bags, but the soda bottles present a problem due to the small neck and with difficulty increasing the shelf life with the removal of oxygen. Also, how permeable might the plastic bottles become over time? After the screw top has been initially opened, I think it closes tight, but really, does it?

I use the 2 liter soda bottles for water storage for the same reasons you think they will work for dry goods--easier to move and work with.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

I thought those things break down slowly over time, and leach chemicals into anything thats in them?


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

Immolatus said:


> I thought those things break down slowly over time, and leach chemicals into anything thats in them?


They do, but it would mostly be from keeping your bottles in the sun. Tomorrow morning, I will look into food grade plastic and see how long it takes to break down.


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## BobR1 (Jan 13, 2011)

Lots of things should store ok in plastic pop bottles if you keep them out of the sun. If you are using what you store so it is getting rotated, this should work fine.
My thoughts were things like beans, rice, powdered milk, flour, rolled oats, salt, small macaroni, some cereals, and corn starch should be ok in pop bottles. Sugars I would want to store in something with a wide mouth, as it will get hard over time. Items like cinnamon, pepper, etc you can put into smaller plastic bottles.

The advantages I see to bottles is portability, and working with limited storage space.
If you live in say an earthquake danger area. The pop bottles are not going to get broken falling off a shelf. If you need to bug out, they are transportable, and again break resistant. 

If you have some like minded friends you can buy in bulk and divide it up into your small storage containers and save money on your purchase. Working with others is not a bad plan anyway. More heads are normally better than one.

Storage labels are no problem cut up file cards and use a majic marker to write on them with, or print them on card stock on the computer. Then use clear packing tape to completely cover the card and seal it in place on the bottle. On something like oatmeal you might want to print off some basic cooking instructions and seal them to the bottle as well. You may know how to cook it, but someone else may not in an emergency situation. Same deal with other items like powdered milk.

The wife donated some items like rice, beans, and oatmeal to a lady having a hard time a while back. I printed off cooking instructions for the oatmeal to go with it. We packaged it in Gallon Zip Loc bags. Pop bottles would have also worked fine.


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## StarWish624 (Apr 15, 2012)

I wonder if it would be best to put it first into the buckets in Mylar bags and O2 absorbers (or hand/foot warmers - same stuff). This would kill any "critters" before they hatch. Then, after say, 24 hours at least, transfer the item to the bottles. I buy soda at the $ store. I buy generic soda in 3 litre, wide-mouth bottles. They are easier to fill/use.


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## Onebigelf (Sep 17, 2011)

The Mormons use them. They are pretty much the authority on LTS.

John


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

I liked the idea of a beans & rice pail where the beans were put in a 2-liter bottle, the bottle placed in a pail and the outer area filled with rice. The whole thing is done up with mylar and oxy absorbers for long term storage. More workable when you only have to open 1 pail at a time. I use soda bottles for med term storage of many dry goods. Since those things are easier to handle, and the quantity stored is less than 'ein shitload' rotation is also much easier. They are indeed superior to jars (breakage) and transport nicely in a pinch. Ever seen the slings they make that fit around the neck, then are slung over a shoulder. You can carry quite a bit that way. Plus they make good liquid transport later. a 2L bottle is much easier than a 5 gal pail, esp for women, elderly, or children. Just remember to rotate your stock in bottles, and you will be fine. Ive kept things in them up to 3 years in a very humid climate with no problems.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

kappydell said:


> I liked the idea of a beans & rice pail where the beans were put in a 2-liter bottle, the bottle placed in a pail and the outer area filled with rice. The whole thing is done up with mylar and oxy absorbers for long term storage. More workable when you only have to open 1 pail at a time. I use soda bottles for med term storage of many dry goods. Since those things are easier to handle, and the quantity stored is less than 'ein shitload' rotation is also much easier. They are indeed superior to jars (breakage) and transport nicely in a pinch. Ever seen the slings they make that fit around the neck, then are slung over a shoulder. You can carry quite a bit that way. Plus they make good liquid transport later. a 2L bottle is much easier than a 5 gal pail, esp for women, elderly, or children. Just remember to rotate your stock in bottles, and you will be fine. Ive kept things in them up to 3 years in a very humid climate with no problems.


Just a thought, canning jars can be vacuum sealed, where 2L bottles cannot.


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## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

That sounds like a good idea to me.
So many awesome things that would have been considered a treasure 500 years ago we just throw away carelessly.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Immolatus said:


> I thought those things break down slowly over time, and leach chemicals into anything thats in them?


I have wondered the same thing, the "chemical" is BPA, its been blamed for everything from "low sperm count to" to "brain tumors". Dont know if their is any merit to this or not, we dont use the bottles for storage because we dont buy soda. We'd probably use them if we had them though.

I will be watching for post from someone that knows.


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## hayseed (Apr 22, 2012)

OXEGEN REMOVAL.

dry ice will do or you can buy cheap co2 bottle and with homeade nozzle blast some into top of soda bottle after filling with beans etc. get dry ice and put in towel and bang into peices with hammer and set in top of bottle and let thaw. its heavier than air and will expel oxegen. just seal with cap and set upright. use gloves.. co2 evaporates at -109F so you will get burned without gloves and goggles.


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