Best Food storage solution

[GeneFrenkle]

You can eat groundhogs, too. I don't, but some do.

If you'd like, I can get you a groundhog a little later in the year. They are a pain and hazardous for my animals (broken leg from falling into a hole or tunnel collapses).

[dorminWS]

GeneFrenkle, just because I said I'd eat rotten groundhog chittlins before I'd eat possum doesn't mean I like eating groundhog, you know........

But thanks for the offer; I'll keep it in mind. I usually prit'nyear liquify all the groundhogs whose "retirement" from screwin' up pasture land I process.

[GeneFrenkle]

Just being neighborly.

[dorminWS]

Yessir; and I truly do 'preciate that.

[dorminWS]

So back to food storage………..

I actually kinda like the idea of having some supply of long-shelf-life food in storage. I like the idea of sending some to my kids that live in Raleigh, NC and Charleston, SC even more; because they're big enough places to really fall apart fast if some significant disruption of out economy and/or society occurrs. I'd like to know they'll be able to eat and feed their young'uns until I can fetch them home.

What bothers me about those big 5-gallon buckets and #10 cans full of dehydrated veggies and such is that is a LOT of food to open up at one time. The smaller packs are way more expensive.

Anybody thought about buying it in bulk and than vacuum-packing it in mylar bags with 2-4 portions in each, then putting a bundle of THEM in those bigass buckets?

Any experts out there?

[SpanishInquisition]

People do that. Get some oxygen scavenger packs to go in the bags too.

[Palladin]

Catch the possum, put him in a 55 g drum and feed him for a couple of weeks, then he'll be good to go.

When I was a kid, my dad asked the neighbors in Wildcat, WVa were they ready for the winter... they said heck yeah, they had 100 qts of groundhog canned up.

Oh - and biscuits? Toss the Bisquick and getcha some Southern Biscuit Formula L You'll never go back.

I'm like like Snoopy - heck with saving food, let's eat it all now!

[bryanrheem]

So what's the difference with mylar bags and oxygen absorbers and vacuum sealing?

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[dorminWS]

So what's the difference with mylar bags and oxygen absorbers and vacuum sealing?

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For one thing, you're not dropping a foreign object into your food. A vacuum-bagged item will also take a little bit less space because atmospheric pressure mashes it flat. As to which one is more effective in terms of preservation and shelf life, that's exactly what I'm hoping someone can tell me.

[ShotgunBlast]

We all know that the general rule for storage is to keep it in a cool, dry, and dark place. However if your storage location isn't all that dark, mylar bags can help shield your product for the light.

Like you dormin, opening a 5 gallon bucket or #10 can opens A LOT of food. A lot of people do as you suggested in divvying up the contents into smaller packages and putting those in the bigger buckets. You do have the additional cost of your smaller packages and labor to do all that, but I'm sure you'd still come in under the cost of the smaller packages.

For those not inclined to do the extra work of vacuum sealing, dumping the contents into smaller jars with oxygen absorbers and putting those containers into a bucket would work just as well. Line your bucket with mylar (don't worry about sealing it) and you should be good to go. If you have a dark root cellar or closet that doesn't get any light you can skip the mylar.

[popswon]

Reverddel had a very good point. Mix it up.

Mylar bags with the oxygen absorbers is what i use along with a handheld vacuum sealer as well. I have learned, like someone stated earlier, is that purchasing/using larger bags though less time consuming and a little cheaper do not make sense in some cases because you have to open a larger portion. I have just recently started packing things smaller but still using five gallon buckets for storage. I use this for my long term items.

The foodsaver is great but I mostly use it for frozen/chilled applications. So things that I can or plan on eating in the short term.

I have also seen these done in combination where they vacuum seal items and then pacakage in mylar. I try and follow how the manufacturers package things, especially for long term. If you want to know how long some of these items last I am not sure as my eldest is only 4years. But have heard and read some things online, which has to be true.

There are a ton of things I consider and do when storing items though.

[Reverenddel]

Not telling my whole plan?

I have a vaccuum sealer, MRE's, Freeze-Dried from "The Ready Store"/"Emergency Essentials", Canned foods, jerked venison, and just regular old dry goods. I haven't done Mylar bags as of yet, I just use the regular ones because nothing stays around THAT long!

Between camping, and 3 growing boys, food rotation is NOT a problem!

[TacticalMom]

Ok so I am coming into this conversation a little late... However, I started like MamaBearCali. Little at a time.

Then I sat down and thought about it. Where I am at, what will I be doing, what is my plan. Should the SHTF, I will be bugging in for a little while to see what is going on (read at most a week), then we will be bugging out. To a pre determined location.

On that note. I would suggest figuring out what your plan is. If bugging in, canned food is great lasts a long time, however its really really heavy so keep that in mind if you are going to carry it.

Food in 10 cans or buckets are great and all but unless you are feeding a family like I am you may not go through it all before you have to toss it.

Also 10 cans are bulky and weigh more than pouches.

Now pouches are great for bugging out IMO. They are light, can be prepared in the pouch, and all you need to do is add water.

With all of that in mind, and with my plan in mind, I have the following, Canned goods I rotate out, pasta, grains, and beans I use and rotate out, and lots and lots of water, Enough to get us through hard times. I also have bough buckets of food that will be loaded into the car along with our BOB (bug out bags) in our BOB's are medical/first aid, drinking water purifiers/filters, vitamins, hygiene, etc etc. You decide what needs to be in it (e.g. if you are diabetic and need hard candies in there put them in, I and my family are thank the good Lord healthy). And last but not least food in pouches, light easy to store and if I have to run out of the house with my kids I have it right there.

I have a list of things I wanna take if we have the time. My baking books, my survival binder, my first aid book, etc.

Hope this helps.

I also like the ready store.

[meadmkr]

I prefer storing in mylar+O2 absorbers over vaccumn sealed for long term storage. Its what I learned and in looking around at pre-packaged long term storage and you will see they (almost) all use O2 absorbers.
LDS also recommends them when canning food for long term storage.

Just don't use O2 absorbers in things like sugar/salt as you'll end up with a solid lump as they give off a little h2o when working. Like others mentioned above the vac-seal are great for items that will be frozen on stored near-term (ie, a few years) One of the things I like to do is to use mason jars for some items, drop a smaller O2 absorber in it and then use the vac attachment for jars as it give the absorber a 'head start'. I also like ot use the vac-pac bags to limit moisture more than from exposure to oxygen. I'll throw a food-safe desicant pack in with home dehydrated fruits and such.

I tend to use the white HomeDepot buckets and the local HD's have Gamma lids as well. If I have 3 buckets of rice I'll use at a Gamma on at least one bucket to make it easier to seal back up. Make sure you have spices and herbs (or herb seeds) as beans/rice without much flavor will lead to appetite fatique.

Prep what 'ya eat, eat what 'ya prep.

[Purdune]

I think it was Patriot Nurse on Youtube that posted about putting comfort stuff in your food stock. Hard candies, hand wipes, hot chocolate mix, ear plugs, and other such items. Everybody is going to be on edge. Give them something comforting could help out some people. Especially kids.

[HighExpert]

10-4 on the groundhog. I popped one that had infiltrated my crawl space when he came out to graze and had heard tales of eating groundhog from my father. I could not get past the smell on the outside to get to the inside. Deer and turkeys are one thing. Squirrels and rabbits are very edible. If I had to eat groundhog I might have to go hungry. We have done the Ready Store bit and have enough for 6months/3meals a day. We also have stuffed an extra bedroom with canned and dried goods. Yoder bacon and several cases of corned beef plus some canned chicken and beef. Deer jerky and probably too much frozen food. We had to buy another freezer due to the deer and other frozen meats. We have our own well and generator so water is not a problem in the short run. I think we are as ready as our wallet will allow. I would guess that about where most folks find the limit.

[WRW]

I realize that a garden can't be stowed for transport, but if a situation should occur that does not require leaving home there are some advantages to having one. A few fruit trees and bushes would be nice as well. I haven't seen mention of dehydraters, either.

It's getting on to time to put out peas and greens.

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[meadmkr]

I realize that a garden can't be stowed for transport, but if a situation should occur that does not require leaving home there are some advantages to having one. A few fruit trees and bushes would be nice as well. I haven't seen mention of dehydraters, either.

Interesting that you mentioned planing fruit/nut trees as I've been browsing the see catalogs/websites.

I'm planning on expanding one of the fields up at our cabin and planing a small orchard suited for WV. Once I get the larger septic system in I plan on putting in a feed plot initially for attracting wildlife but also to start improving the soil. Started a compost pile last year and need to rent a chipper to dispose of a lot of downed wood that I'd rather use as mulch rather than burn. To minimize how much mowing I need to do I'll be planting a few cover crops including gourds and sourghum.

I figure that even if we never have to bug out to the place our (future) grandkids will have the opportunity to enjoy the trees as it will be a few years for them to be productive.

[WRW]

@meadmkr, Sounds like a plan. Perennials, like asparagus, are fairly carefree and can last into the next generation as well.

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[SHMIV]

Hmm... anyone here ever attempt a trailer mounted greenhouse?

That way a garden COULD be transported.

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