# Bulk good from the mart stores?



## Backwoodsman1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

Ive been buying the bulk containers of peanut butter etc from the łocal mary stores. Does anyone else do this also for "prepping"? Friends my the freeze dried etc etc uber foods and i do some things that way but i store 3 lbs cans of tine, chicken etc for a "rainy day". I can buy a lot more if i skip the prepping businesses. Grants a 5 lb jar of peanut butter isnt very portable but neither is a 5 gallon bucket of grain. I plan to stay right whee ein at so weight isnt a big issues. If we would have to bug out we have a big suv with a hitch and a sizable trailer. Just curious if anyone else is a frugal prepper i guess? A lot of friends and acquaintances do this also but just as many have the uber nitro packed stuff. I do rotate all of it also.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

I split most of my prepping between Big Lots and the Salivation Army. You'll find a lot of frugal preppers here. Welcome aboard!


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## hashbrown (Sep 2, 2013)

We make semi annual trips to stock up on staples.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Most of our preps are bought locally, with cash. We store what we eat & eat what we store largely. I combine sales with coupons for sweet deals & then buy a lot of it. I have only a week's worth of FD meals, my family doesn't like them that much, but we do buy FD fruit. YUM! I have some commercially packed grain & beans but most of our stores we packed ourselves. I'm not interested in spending a fortune on food we don't eat.


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## Backwoodsman1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

Good morning. Its nice to know my kids and I arent the only ones that dislike the factory uber storage foods. That is a cart full Hashbrown. Our local thrift stores sell the empty popcorn tins as decorations for around .50 each. I buy all of the taller ones that had the 3 flavored popcorn. They stack pretty decent and protect whatever's inside from vermin.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

We've been using up our store-bought canned foods and going more to home canned things. We've grown, hunted, and foraged for most of our food for years then noticed that our store bought canned foods were all getting old so we've concentrated on eating them up and giving it away the last couple of years. We had a huge amount of it and it's taken us awhile to get near the bottom. We buy most things in case lots on sale. We've switched more to the "mart" freeze dried things for "storage" food because it stores so much easier (don't have to worry about it freezing) and is a good deal financially. We also eat the stuff we have stored. When we go south in the winter we use more of the FD stuff simply because it's more compact to store in small places like the motor home. (We have enough stored in it to last at least six months.) We've never been a fan of the specialty "survival" foods. They simply cost too much and a lot of it doesn't taste that good.

We home dehydrate a lot of things too. Takes up less storage space and doesn't freeze in winter.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

Since there is only 2 of us I do buy in bulk but then break it down into smaller sizes we can/will use and then vacuum seal it either in bags or jars. But stuff like p.butter I only buy in smaller amounts because I'm the only one that eats it. Jerky we go thru a lot of because I'd rather munch on a piece of that than go to a fastfood place. I wait till I get home to eat and the jerky helps me do that lol
When there is a good buy on canned foods I will buy it by the case. If we don't get to it soon enough I'll go ahead and dehydrate the stuff to make it last longer than it's "good by" limit. But I find a number of things are good past that specific date they stick on stuff.

I do the same with in season fruits and veggies that I don't grow myself. I dehydrate a LOT of stuff. My dehydrators are going almost every day unless I know I won't be home all day. I don't like to let things run without me being there or not gone long.

we do have some food storage from places like EE,honeyville,etc but I look on that stuff as last chance or to supplement what I can grow or barter for in a shtf case.


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## Rain23 (Jul 18, 2011)

We have a few big things like oatmeal, flour, beans that we buy in bulk. We try to home can the meat cause we have enough power outages it could really hurt if it was in the freezer. Then we fill in with cans from the store. The home canned pintos will probably be around as long as I will  if people will stop using them for refried beans and dip. I'd love to try some of the freeze dried things and stuff like long term bacon, but it's incredibly expensive.


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## Backwoodsman1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

Few years back at a gun show i broke down n bought a case of dehydrated canned(no.10) pork chops. There was 10 in a can i found out later. Had to be rehydrated and we cooked one can as a test, id rather graze behind a herd of cattle. I think they were $12/can. I bartered the rest off to a buddy after warning him they could turn him into a vegetarian. They were packed for the government/military/FEMA. That really soured me on "survival uber foods". Ive heard rumors of a home canning system using actual cans but havent been able to find out much.. Yet.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

We only have 2 months of FD food. One month is in the form of Wise food or Mountain House meal pouches. This is in our grab bag kept with our BOBs. The other month is in pantry sized cans and is meal components or ingredients.

For the most part we store what we eat like every one else has said and buy in case lots or bulk. Monthly trips to Costco for the basics and I noticed I only go to the grocery store when they have a good sale and I can get coupons.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Backwoodsman1968 said:


> Few years back at a gun show i broke down n bought a case of dehydrated canned(no.10) pork chops. There was 10 in a can i found out later. Had to be rehydrated and we cooked one can as a test, id rather graze behind a herd of cattle. I think they were $12/can. I bartered the rest off to a buddy after warning him they could turn him into a vegetarian. They were packed for the government/military/FEMA. That really soured me on "survival uber foods". *Ive heard rumors of a home canning system using actual cans but havent been able to find out much*.. Yet.


Check your local LDS cannery.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

We store several types a food. We got some a the commercial dried foods, stuff what they can package up that store a might longer then what we can do here at home mostly (thins like bread mixes an such). Otherwise, we dry our own stuff. All a that be vac sealed in mason jars.

So there be the commercial stuff an ours in the dried category.

Then there be commercial canned goods. I'll buy bout anythin when it be on sale. We got veggies, meats, fruits an milk. We stock a fair amount a canned goods. Yup, it be heavy, but don't really plan on goin nowhere lessin I really gotta. If that be the case, the motorhome will tote it an so will the suburban.

Then there be the home canned goods. We can up as much stuff as we be able. Meats, veggies, cake, bacon, sausage those type a thins. Home canned bacon be about $2.50 a quart, the commercial stuff is lots more (I ferget the price, taint cheap though!). Also pickle carrots, radish's an course pickles.

We freeze very little cause ya don't know when the power gonna go caput.

Then ya got the boxed goods. All that gets repacked inta vacuum packages an stored inta totes. Some thins like malt o meal er such get packed inta jars an then vac sealed. We break it down inta smaller portions so we ain't got a huge container sittin our spoilin when we go ta use it. This category includes pasta's, mac an cheese, instant an regular oatmeal, potato mixes, drink mixes an such. Also vac bag our flour an sugar. Don't ferget the seasonins either.

Dairy, we vac pac powdered milk an recently come across a good deal on shelf stable milk. 

We don't have a sams er Costco anywhere close. Be a hour an a half drive just one way fer the closest one. That ain't real practical fer us. We shop the sales heavy. Ifin they got a good sale, we take advantage of it. Another thin we do, we got a Aldies store here. Most there stuff is good an be lots cheaper then even the big box stores. We have a Mennonite store bout 40 minutes from us that we shop durin the summer. We ride over there on the motorcycle. Good prices cause they buy bulk an repack. I get my molasses from em, 2.99 a quart an it be good stuff! If we are travelin somewhere, we take the opportunity ta shop fer thins we need to. Make good use a the gas that way.

Our goodwill perty much sucks anymore, but the Salvation Army just got a new bigger store. Always pop in there. Good stuff cheap most the time.

One the thins I'm gettin inta be seed storage. Ifin ya got seeds, ya got a garden an they sure help.

Like ever body says, "store what ya eat, eat what ya store". Rotation be the key on many thins. Were reorganizin our food storage now. Gonna make the rotation thin an keepin track a what we got lots easier when it be all done.

Sumtin I didn't mention, we do store grains an beans. They get vac sealed an put inta totes er buckets. The wheat be nice cause ya can make flour but ya can also sprout em in the winter fer some nice greens. Radish seed sprouts nice to. Also, we store corn in buckets. This can be replanted er ground inta meal fer cookin. 

Don't ferret water. We got water stored from 2 liter bottles, ta 5 gallon buckets upta 55 gallon drums. Also a good filter an we can boil an also distill.


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## Backwoodsman1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

Thank you, picked up a few nuggets of info.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

There's also Freecycle and Craigslist.


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## Backwoodsman1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

Ive never heard if free cycle? I do wheel n deal and barter on Craigslist for some stuff. Not food of course but "prepping" stuff, outdoor gear etc.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Freecycle is completely brilliant- I think it started when one person had a good mattress they didn't want to go to waste, so they posted an offer on a listserv to a group of friends. Others on the listserv thought it was a great idea. It eventually snowballed into a citywide dedicated listserv, and now it's an international phenomenon of people giving things away. Waste not want not. Just Google "Freecycle_ ___" with the name of your town and you're pretty much guaranteed to find something. If you don't, Craigslist has a free section too.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Oh, yeah ... and yard sales.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Backwoodsman1968 said:


> Few years back at a gun show i broke down n bought a case of dehydrated canned(no.10) pork chops. There was 10 in a can i found out later. Had to be rehydrated and we cooked one can as a test, id rather graze behind a herd of cattle. I think they were $12/can. I bartered the rest off to a buddy after warning him they could turn him into a vegetarian. They were packed for the government/military/FEMA. That really soured me on "survival uber foods". Ive heard rumors of a home canning system using actual cans but havent been able to find out much.. Yet.


I've done a bit of canning in the one pound cans but I had better luck with the jars. Not only did I lose too many but the cost was prohibitive. The jars cost more but you can use them over and over. Make sure you have spare lids. I like the Tattler lids as they are reusable. If a can does not seal you throw the can away and empty the contents into another can. If a jar does not seal just wipe down the top of the jar and replace the lid before you put it in for another cook.

As Grimm mentioned the LDS cannery can help you if you want #10 cans. Commercial food canneries might sell you some smaller cans but our local salmon canneries quit doing that for legal reasons. Make sure the cans are suitable for the product you are putting in them. Cans have a lining material that differs depending on the product it is designed for. I think Mom has Grandpa's old can sealer but if you have to purchase one that is a major expense.


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## Backwoodsman1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

Awesome ideas and info. Learn somethin new everyday..


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## Tucker (Jul 15, 2010)

I rarely buy commercially canned food anymore. I used to buy some locally but the owner died following surgery and her family dissolved the business. I did buy a lot when they had the going out of business sale - mostly things like dehydrated diced potatoes.

I buy my bulk foods at Bob's Red Mill (local to me) and Cash & Carry which is a restaurant supply store (related to Smart & Final stores). C&C are a west coast chain and you don't have to be a business to shop there. I didn't get enough tomatoes from my garden to can (dried some though) so I bought cases of #10 cans of sauce, paste, and diced. I'm going to re-can those in jars for extended use.

Back in the 80's & 90's, I bought a lot of 5-6 gallon containers so I reuse those, adding oxygen absorbers. I got a lot of 4 gallon buckets from a local bakery. I also pressure can all my own meat including tuna and salmon after buying them from the dock at the coast or when Winco has them at dirt cheap prices.


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## Backwoodsman1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

An ex of mines family glass jar cans meat and fish. They also pickle carp and white oerch( freshwater drum). The quality of theirs isnt where id like it. I do home can some deer stews/soups and also super concentrated burgoo(did 25 gallons up in quart jars this past weekend). We have a GFS bulk/restaurant supply store about 29 miles away but the sales tax is so high in our Capitol.


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