# Long term storage



## Yolanda (Oct 10, 2008)

I have a few bags of rice, and just had the food grade 5 gallon buckets delivered. Do I need to use Mylar bags in addition to the buckets? How about oxygen absorbers?


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## Smithy (Oct 15, 2008)

I would think yes, to both items. Keeping moisture away from your rice, as well as oxygen, will preserve it better over time than just dumping it in the bucket and walking away for 5 years. If you plan on using the rice from that bucket, the absorbers might be overkill but I'd still go for whatever vapor barrier I could.


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## greaseman (Jun 13, 2009)

I bought a large bag of rice, and used quart glass jars that I vaccum seal , to put the rice in. The last vacumm sealer I bought, I also got the standard jar lid, and wide mouth jar sealer attachment that works with the vacuum sealer. There are hookup ports on most bag sealers to hookup jar sealer lid attachments. These work great for long term storage of dry goods such as rice, beans, grits, powdered milk, etc. 

Although the quart jars are a smaller quantity, the jars allow for a smaller quantity at a time to be opened for use. I have opened up corn meal over 7 years old as fresh as the day it was put up. No air equals long term freshness, and no spoilage. The jar sealers attachments can probably be found on ebay, or by doing a google search. Hope this helps.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Yolanda said:


> I have a few bags of rice, and just had the food grade 5 gallon buckets delivered. Do I need to use Mylar bags in addition to the buckets? How about oxygen absorbers?


Some people like to use mylar bags inside their buckets. It is not at all necessary, except maybe for peace of mine. I use food grade buckets, keep them in a dark room, sitting off the floor on boards. You can put all your bags of rice in the bucket.

Have you seen the screw on lids for buckets? I have a bucket with these lids for each different type of grain--red wheat, white wheat, popcorn, rice, pintos, black beans, corn, sugar, flour... That way I can get into the bucket, refill my smaller kitchen container, and seal my 5 gallon bucket again. I use oxygen absorbers to help with preserving the contents with everything except sugar.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Yolanda said:


> I have a few bags of rice, and just had the food grade 5 gallon buckets delivered. Do I need to use Mylar bags in addition to the buckets? How about oxygen absorbers?


IMHO it depends how many people are eating it & how often (more food variety means each thing gets used at a slower pace), but I like to pack things by the gallon & _then_ store them in the buckets.

but that's just a personal preference


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

weedygarden said:


> Some people like to use mylar bags inside their buckets. It is not at all necessary, except maybe for peace of mine. I use food grade buckets, keep them in a dark room, sitting off the floor on boards. You can put all your bags of rice in the bucket.
> 
> Have you seen the screw on lids for buckets? I have a bucket with these lids for each different type of grain--red wheat, white wheat, popcorn, rice, pintos, black beans, corn, sugar, flour... That way I can get into the bucket, refill my smaller kitchen container, and seal my 5 gallon bucket again. I use oxygen absorbers to help with preserving the contents with everything except sugar.


I have rice (50 lb. bags) in the packages and just place the package in a tote...stored in the closet..dark and cool.
I didn't buy the totes for this...had them in the attic from moving in 2007.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

Put the mylar bag in the bucket, put the rice in the mylar bag,about 38 pounds per pail, put in at least 1500cc O2absorbers, squeeze out all the air you can and seal with hot flat iron.


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## Wallrat (Oct 28, 2011)

The following is a sheet from a serious prepper friend. I haven't tried it yet, but he swears it leaves food that's fine to eat after five plus years. This friend is *seriously* prepared.

SECURE LONG TERM FOOD STORAGE
Place 3 light colored trash bags in a plastic bucket. Pour in 2 or 3 inches of the item being stored.
Place a 1"x1" cube of dry-ice on top of the food and so the ice won't touch the bags (some people place the ice on a piece of tile to avoid "burning" the food).
Fill the bags as full as you can get them and still get the lid on.Loosly tie the inner bag, wait 24 hours before putting on the lid or the bucket will explode from the trapped gasses.
Push the trapped gasses out of the inner bag, twist the bags tops into a rope and tie a knot therein. Tuck the knot out of the way, and do the same to the other two bags. Clamp on the lid of the bucket. Seal the lid with silicome if in a wet area. 
You now have five gallons of inert-gas packed food, secure from water, insects, and rodents. But, the bad guys can still take it from you, or your house can still burn down, so.....
Dig a hole in the ground, fill it with buckets (80 is a pickup load), cover with plastic, and backfill. Replace the topsoil or it will show up on infrared.

HINT: if they can't find it, they can't take it!

If you don't want to explain to your kids and grandkids why they're starving to death, STORE PLENTY.
Bury by something you can find in the middle of the night, in Winter, during war, etc. You never know when you will need it. 
Mostly store whole grains, and things ot make them taste differently. They are better for you, cost less. Your money won't go far buying freeze dried beer and lobster. 
If the Egyptians could store wheat that grew after 4500 years, you've got it made. END.

A few thoughts on what he wrote: Avoid areas that could erode in times of floods. No creekbottoms. A place with fish and/or game for protein makes a lot of sense. I like the plastic 50 gallon drums with screw on lids. Date and write contents on each bucket (Duh!) A gun (heavily oiled/greased)can be buried in a peice of 4" PVC with glued on caps. Put ammo in a bucket. Nobody is going to move a pile of construction debris, rocks, bricks, etc. to look for anything, so that makes a good cover. I forgot to mention bears. They will climb cliffs, (learned this the hard way) trees, and dig deep to get to a stash.

Cheers, and keep your powder dry.


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

Yolanda said:


> I have a few bags of rice, and just had the food grade 5 gallon buckets delivered. Do I need to use Mylar bags in addition to the buckets? How about oxygen absorbers?


For rice, I use the buckets and O2 absorbers. I don't use mylar bags for any of it. I've opened rice and flour that was 10 years old and used it fine.


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## Beeorganic (Oct 11, 2011)

In regards to Mylar bags, I just simply reverse used potato chip bags (the ones with a silver sheen inside) I receive from friends and neighbors and use those. It's my understanding that it's a form of Mylar (PET- Polyethylene terephthalate). If it's good enough to keep chips fresh and crisp I figure it's good enough for a secondary line of food storage protection too.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

And if you have canning jars just sitting in a pantry like I do because I wasn't paying the prices at farmer's markets--you can can/seal flour, pancake mix, flour, and dry good---I sealed 60 quarts.

Fill jars to a half inch; heat at 200 degrees in oven for one hour without lids on a cookie sheet; seal with lids as any canning after cleaning rims.
Finished. They are good for 15/20 years.


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## Onebigelf (Sep 17, 2011)

eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

On the other hand, you can store 10 buckets worth in mylar and it's going to cost you less than $16 for the mylar bags. Is it worth the savings not to take the extra step?

John


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

Yolanda said:


> I have a few bags of rice, and just had the food grade 5 gallon buckets delivered. Do I need to use Mylar bags in addition to the buckets? How about oxygen absorbers?


I try to vacuum seal everything if at all feasible. Add DE to any and all grains it will help with the moisture but more importantly it will eliminate with any insect infestation


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## Stegar1 (Oct 1, 2012)

I have a FoodSaver and just regular plastic bags. Will just vacuum sealing not work? I know it might not be good for 5+yrs but it should hold up for several years right?? I have different types of beans packed in 1-5 lbs bags. White rice done the same way. I stored them in a tote in the closet. Everything I see is talking about Mylar and buckets. I don't have the extra $ for that right now. Won't this work for awhile ? This is my first post on here so a little latitude please. Thanks!


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Stegar1 said:


> I have a FoodSaver and just regular plastic bags. Will just vacuum sealing not work? I know it might not be good for 5+yrs but it should hold up for several years right?? I have different types of beans packed in 1-5 lbs bags. White rice done the same way. I stored them in a tote in the closet. Everything I see is talking about Mylar and buckets. I don't have the extra $ for that right now. Won't this work for awhile ? This is my first post on here so a little latitude please. Thanks!


It will work for a while, probably a couple of years, but check very often. All of mine unsealed over time, some folks have problems, some don't. I live in humidity and have to keep a dehumidifier in my basement, so that might be the culprit, but I'm just not liking food saver sealing and dry goods. I enjoy it for things I put in the freezer, or temp seal. I've sealed noodles, pancake mixes, etc and they all loose their seal. I've read where air does penetrate those bags over time, mylars are air proof. 

So, yes, it will work for now. Keep prepping and maybe look into getting gallon size and absorbers. I love my gallon ones!!!


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## Stegar1 (Oct 1, 2012)

As long as its airtight it should be ok right ?


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Stegar1 said:


> As long as its airtight it should be ok right ?


Yep! You are good to go. Don't forget to check often and rotate.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Stegar1 said:


> I have a FoodSaver and just regular plastic bags. Will just vacuum sealing not work? I know it might not be good for 5+yrs but it should hold up for several years right?? I have different types of beans packed in 1-5 lbs bags. White rice done the same way. I stored them in a tote in the closet. Everything I see is talking about Mylar and buckets. I don't have the extra $ for that right now. Won't this work for awhile ? This is my first post on here so a little latitude please. Thanks!


I took my rice out of the totes and stored in 5 gallon buckets...BEFORE walmart, lowe's, and home depot raised their bucket price; thank you Jesus, seriously.
I have DE in the bucket spread on bottom, in middle, and on top..That and a bay leaf is all.
I think we will be okay:congrat:--20 years ago, preppers, those storing in buckets didn't even hesitate to do what we did.

Tractor Supply has a 20 lb. bag of DE for $11. Best price I've found.


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