# Storing Dry Mixes



## Topmom (Feb 16, 2012)

I have a question that hopefully the more experienced food preppers can assist. I came across a great deal on boxed cake, brownie, pancake, muffin and cornbread mixes. I am running out of freezer space so that is not an option. I do have a food saver but hate the cost of the bags. What I do have and plenty is canning jars.....co workers found out I like to garden and can and now they bring me all their unwanted jars . I have stored pasta in large mouth jars using the food saver attachment and they seem to be holding up pretty well. I have considered storing the dry mixes in jars but I don't have the food saver attachment for the small mouth jars and have read several negative reviews on it's performance. My question is, if I put dry mixes into jars and pack oxygen absorbers in the jars then put on lid with this keep somewhat fresh and critters out? Thanks in advance for your help.


----------



## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

If the dry mixes are in original packaging inside a sealed plastic baggie, you should be just fine storing them in a cool dry place (where the humidity-level is lower than 40%) as it is the humidity that kills dry-stuff faster than anything else. If you have found a good deal on something like "Betty Crocker" cake-mixes, the package is normally filled with nitrogen which is a great inert gas. If you open it up, oxygen is mixed into it and that is the second best killer of anything that should be kept dry.

Packages of pancake mix (like Aunt Jemima) where it is in a plain cardboard box with out the protective liner or nitrogen gas, would be a candidate for storing in a freezer for a little while and then repackaging with a vac-sealer or in a sealed plastic container (bucket) with oxygen absorbers ... there have been reports of packages of pancake mix having mold-spores growing inside due to being on the top shelf in a kitchen where the relative humidity is greater than 60%.


----------



## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

I oven canned some flour, meal, pancake mix in quart jars.
I still have many buckets of this, but oven canned is for long term storage.
Heat at 250 degrees for 2 hours with no lids.
Clean rim, add lid and ring..will seal just like other methods.
I even put D.E. in for parasites.
The great thing is when I'm ready for either, I can open a jar and not a 5 gallon bucket.


----------



## brightstar (Apr 24, 2012)

I oven can all my dry goods. I have mixes, crackers, rice, pasta, etc all stored like this. I like the idea of smaller portions than a 5 gallon bucket, it's easier for us to rotate thru. I even did hamburger helper the other day just for fun tehehe


----------

