# Rice in canning jars...



## jazygirl (May 2, 2012)

Hi everyone!

I'm a new prepper and I tried my hand at some dry canning. It was super easy and I had fun with it. But I'm wondering how long these food items will last now that their in jars?

I dry canned rice, beans, pasta, jerky, nuts, and dry dog and cat food.

Thanks for the advise!


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## iBrokeBad (Apr 27, 2012)

It's just my opinion, but you're better off using Mylar and oxygen absorbers. When I use mason jars, it's usually for stuff I dehydrate and use on a regular basis (carrots, peas, corn and potatoes).

When all of the oxygen is removed and stored properly, it can last 20-30 years.


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## jazygirl (May 2, 2012)

Thank you. I did use some mylar but for some reason some still had a lot of air. So those I canned.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

I vacuum seal rice in canning jars. Suspect it will last as long as I need it to


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## iBrokeBad (Apr 27, 2012)

When I was using the smaller Mylar bags, I had a few that did the same thing. 
You can also use bottles that have been cleaned and dried that have 'PET or PETE' on the bottom of them... like 2 liters, Gatorate bottles and things like that (milk jugs do not work, look for those letters on the bottom), throw one oxygen absorber in there (100CC should do it) and then tape around the lid for extra assurance. 
Also if you're storing a lot, then 5 gallon HDPE buckets work best if you have a place to store them. I believe you need 1000CC in those bags and then a gamma lid, or one with a seal.


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## jazygirl (May 2, 2012)

iBrokeBad said:


> When I was using the smaller Mylar bags, I had a few that did the same thing.
> You can also use bottles that have been cleaned and dried that have 'PET or PETE' on the bottom of them... like 2 liters, Gatorate bottles and things like that (milk jugs do not work, look for those letters on the bottom), throw one oxygen absorber in there (100CC should do it) and then tape around the lid for extra assurance.
> Also if you're storing a lot, then 5 gallon HDPE buckets work best if you have a place to store them. I believe you need 1000CC in those bags and then a gamma lid, or one with a seal.


My next step is to look into buckets.


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## MaryV (Jan 31, 2009)

if you want to store rice for a long time, like 20 yrs or so, then use mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. but white rice will store just fine for 5 yrs or so just in any sealed container. just keep dry and out of the light it will keep a long time. I am not storing much for 25 yrs, I am looking at the next 5 yrs or so. because I dont think it will be long before we will likely all be living off whatever we have stored.


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

Everything should be fine except the jerky and nuts. Oil content will cause them to go rancid usually within 6 months.


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## jazygirl (May 2, 2012)

cybergranny said:


> Everything should be fine except the jerky and nuts. Oil content will cause them to go rancid usually within 6 months.


If I were to put the nuts in mylar bags can I extend their shelf life? I bought some nuts and put them in jars with oa's and then down to the dark basement.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Only bad thin bought jars be it takes alot of em. I keep my dehydrated stuff in them an vac seal em with my foodsaver.

Rice, beans stuff like that I vac seal in bags then inta buckets with mylar liners. If ya wanna add a few O2 absorbers won't hurt nothin, but ya can vacuum the air outa them bucket mylar bags perty easy to. Gonna last a long spell thata way.


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

jazygirl said:


> I dry canned rice, beans, pasta, jerky, nuts, and dry dog and cat food.


As been said vacuum sealed bags work better for dry goods, than jars. No matter what method you use add some Diatomaceous Earth to help absorb any moisture and stop insect growth. Even dry dog / cat food has animal fats and will go rancid in time regardless of storage method.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*The rice in jars will be fine*

I agree with Cybergranny, everything should be fine except the nuts and jerkey. An option for you with these items would be to store these jars in the freezer while we still have electricity.

I keep some odd stuff in glass jars. I literally got all I could fit in my car a few years ago free on craigslist.

I too keep things like rice in 5 gallon buckets, but I have been at this a few years. In the beginning, 5 gallon buckets are a big investment. You can get them sometimes for free from bakeries. Home Depot now carries the gamma seal lids or other varieties of lids because bakeries usually damage the seal on the lid when opening the bucket.

I think that using the canning jars until you can get buckets is a great option. Yes it takes a lot of them, but if that is what you have, use them. Also, keep them in a dark, cool place, as with all of your preps (as in a basement if you have one.). If at some time you come into a quantity of buckets, you could switch them over.

Many people have used cleaned 2 liter soda bottles for storing rice, etc.

I have tried storing some things in mylar bags and some of them didn't seal well. I tried some several times. I prefer a container like a bucket or jar.

I took a food storage class many years ago, and you do not have to put food in mylar bags before you put it in your clean bucket. It is an extra layer of security, but people have only had access to mylar for a couple decades and have been storing food for centuries.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

weedygarden said:


> I think that using the canning jars until you can get buckets is a great option. Yes it takes a lot of them, but if that is what you have, use them. Also, keep them in a dark, cool place, as with all of your preps (as in a basement if you have one.). If at some time you come into a quantity of buckets, you could switch them over.
> 
> I took a food storage class many years ago, and you do not have to put food in mylar bags before you put it in your clean bucket. It is an extra layer of security, but people have only had access to mylar for a couple decades and have been storing food for centuries.[/QUOTE
> 
> ...


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