Which Bulk Foods for Storage?

[Edgemont]

I am gearing up to do some 5 gal buckets of food. I have 75 500cc oxygen absorbers and twenty myler bags ready to go. I don't have any buckets yet... I was thinking about buying the home depot logo buckets. I've heard that they are food grade. I'm thinking about doing 18 or 19 buckets all at once (since all 75 absorbers are in one sealed package), and putting 4 o2 absorbers in each bucket( 75 o2 absorbers divided by 4 = 18.75). So 18 buckets. Should I go with less absorbers? More? And any thoughts on buckets?

But my main thought is about which foods should I put in them? I love rice, so I will do quite a few with rice. A few for wheat... And a few for beans... I'm not sure yet what kinds I'm going to do (I love black beans so probably a few for that). But other than that...? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[610Alpha]

4 absorbers per bucket...IMO.

Thats a good start...maybe a bucket of corn.

[protus]

pasta
slat
sugar
i'd go black beans, that is what we do.
grits
oats

[ComputerGuy]

Here is one of my inventories:
Bucket # 1
Rice 10 lbs
Flour 10 lbs

Bucket #2
Pinto Beans ???
Navy Beans ???
Barley ???
Lentils ????

Bucket #3
Dehy Milk 40 lbs

Bucket #4
Rice 20 Lbs

Bucket #5
Gran Sugar 20 Lbs
Salt 20lbs

Bucket #6
Mac and Cheese 9 Pkgs
Dehy Hashbrowns

Bucket #7
Coffee 20lbs

Bucket #8
Oats and Oatmeal 15 lbs

Bucket #9
Starches ????

Bucket #10
Confectioners Sugar 10 lbs
Splenda 10 Lbs

Bucket #11
Blackeyed Peas 14 Lbs
Kidney Beans 2 lbs

Bucket #12
Coffee 5 lbs
Teabags 200 ea
Swiss Miss Cocoa 50 ea

Bucket #13
Mac and Cheese 12 Pkgs
Ham Beans 6.5 lbs

Bucket #14
Mac and Cheese 15 Pkgs
Mashed Potatoes 2 bx

Bucket #15
Rice 20 Lbs
Ham Beans 6 lbs

Bucket #16
Rice 30 Lbs

Bucket #17
Dehy Potatoes 2 bx
Bisquick 1 bx
Lentils 1lb
Rice 2lbs

Bucket #18
Dehy Potatoes 2 bx
Bisquick 1 bx
Lentils 1lb
Rice 2lbs

Bucket #19
Northern Beans 8 Bags
Popcorn 6

Bucket #20
Rice 20lbs

Bucket #21
Corn Meal 16 lbs
Popcorn 4 lbs

Bucket #22
Sugar 20lbs
Splenda Packets 1000

Bucket #23
Sugar 10 lbs
Popcorn 4lbs
Tea Bags 200

Bucket #24
Velveeta Shells and Cheese 3.5lbs
Elbow Macaroni 8 lbs

Bucket #25
Hamburger Helper Asst 5
Misc Seasoning Packets 15
Dehy Mash Potatoes 2 bgs
Pancake Mix 1 bg

[Matt In Oklahoma]

HD Buckets work great anf their lids are GTG. If you stack them more than 2 use plywood between them.
on the Wheat n Corn, do have a grinder?
If not I'd start with the other stuff that doesnt need pretreatment like Ps list and i like pinto beans but it's preference and add some spices n honey cause plain stuff is gonna get real old real quick IMO.

[goatlady]

You do not really need to mylar and O2 salt and sugar. They are just fine plain on the shelf free from moisture though. They WILL get hard as rocks, but can be hammered back to granules. Use the buckets for foods that really need that protection.

[miked2345]

You do not really need to mylar and O2 salt and sugar. They are just fine plain on the shelf free from moisture though. They WILL get hard as rocks, but can be hammered back to granules. Use the buckets for foods that really need that protection.

I also read somewhere that you didn't have to O2 the salt and sugar. I did mylar bag my sugar though, only because we once had ants get into a bag of sugar that was stored in a kitchen cabinet. Since my long term storage food is down in the basement, I figured I'd mylar bag it for pest protection. I did leave my salt in the regular packages, thinking that insects or mice wouldn't be attracted to salt.... However, I found that the salt DOES absorb the slight amount of moisture in my basement... I now have a few boxes of salt bricks!

[claymore]

How about putting your salt in Mason jars; not processed or anything just lids, bands ?

[barfife]

Quick question...does coffee that is valcuumed packed (18 containers and counting) need to be unpacked and placed in mylar and O2? My wife is a sweet southern prepared belle that is much sweeter with coffee!

[goatlady]

I tried storing salt in glass jars with canning/metal lids - the salt erodes the metal! Sugar would probably be okay that way. I have never repacked any coffee and have subsequently used coffee 8-10 years old that tasted just fine.

[1Admin]

Over time, salt and sugar are going to become hard, it just happens. We mylar and o2 salt and sugar.

Metal cans with real lids- not this new foil crappola of coffee that was 13-15 years old did just fine without any special packaging.

I don't trust these little foil lids on anything. Someone gave us a couple cans of cocoa from "Honeyville" that everyone raves about. It has FOIL LIDS!!! Sorry but that's not really what I would consider LONG term storage materials.

[Metal]

How about the vacuum packed bricks of coffee or coffee beans?
Would they store ok in original packaging or not?

[TyrannyUnleashed]

How about the vacuum packed bricks of coffee or coffee beans?
Would they store ok in original packaging or not?

If someone says they should still be stored in mylar bags, I think my head will explode ("ala" **** Chenney and his new book).
I'm so confused at this point!

[Grinnan Barrett]

Computer Guy I have to tell you that is a nice break down. i may mix mine differently but you did a great job on keeping track of what you did. Nice work. GB

[kappydell]

negagtive on repacking coffee as long as can is sealed and un-compromised. I have coffee over 5 yrs old, it stored fine, but it was in all metal cans. I don't trust those flimsy plastic packages to withstand rough handling. I put those in strong boxes to protect seals, if I absolutely cannot find all-metal cans. Yes, salt erodes metal lids. If your storage is cold and damp like mine (root cellar) suggest you wipe down metal parts with food-grade mineral oil. Just a film will prohibit rust and double storage life. Wipe off when you open though, that film attracts dust!