09-08-2012, 11:29 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-08-2012, 11:41 AM by streaker69.)
If you're going to start off preparing you should probably have at least some basic staples on hand and stored in such a way that they'll keep for a long time.
Currently, we are storing three kinds of Flour, sugar, salt, brown sugar, bisquick, several different kinds of pasta, rice, corn starch and corn meal. We've just started getting in other dry goods like powdered milk and eggs.
Anything that we're not getting in #10 cans is currently being stored in either 2 quart glass jars vacuum sealed with the Food saver, or in 5 or 7 gallon buckets sealed with the Gamma Seal Lids. Each container that's sealed has an O2 absorber and a desiccant pack inside.
Storing pasta for long term storage needs just a little bit of prep work before you put it away. We will stock up on pasta when we see it on sale, as soon as we get it home, we'll take it out of the boxes and put it in a big plastic bag, squeeze out all the air we can, seal it and put it in the freezer for 3 days. That kills the little larvae of the worms that are just inside the boxes and that will eat your pasta while it's on the shelf. After three days, we take it out and put it in the 5 gallon buckets with the O2 absorbers and desiccant. I store elbow, rotini and penne in the big buckets. Things like Angel Hair, Spaghetti and Fettuccine are store in 11" vacuum bags like pictured below.
![[Image: p1010215fd.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=img36.imageshack.us%2Fimg36%2F5721%2Fp1010215fd.jpg)
One entire box fits in the bags like that, they can then be stored in plastic containers on the shelf or even in a filing cabinet drawer.
In case you're not aware what a Gamma Seal lid is.
![[Image: gamma_seal_lid.jpeg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=www.wisementrading.com%2Ffoodstorage%2Fgamma_seal_lid.jpeg)
It's a ring with a screw lid and rubber gasket. They can be put on the 3, 5 and 7 Gallon HDPE buckets, and come in a variety of colors.
The best deal I've seen for them online though is through Costco.
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.asp...opnav=&s=1
As that deal comes with the O2 absorbers as well.
Currently, we are storing three kinds of Flour, sugar, salt, brown sugar, bisquick, several different kinds of pasta, rice, corn starch and corn meal. We've just started getting in other dry goods like powdered milk and eggs.
Anything that we're not getting in #10 cans is currently being stored in either 2 quart glass jars vacuum sealed with the Food saver, or in 5 or 7 gallon buckets sealed with the Gamma Seal Lids. Each container that's sealed has an O2 absorber and a desiccant pack inside.
Storing pasta for long term storage needs just a little bit of prep work before you put it away. We will stock up on pasta when we see it on sale, as soon as we get it home, we'll take it out of the boxes and put it in a big plastic bag, squeeze out all the air we can, seal it and put it in the freezer for 3 days. That kills the little larvae of the worms that are just inside the boxes and that will eat your pasta while it's on the shelf. After three days, we take it out and put it in the 5 gallon buckets with the O2 absorbers and desiccant. I store elbow, rotini and penne in the big buckets. Things like Angel Hair, Spaghetti and Fettuccine are store in 11" vacuum bags like pictured below.
![[Image: p1010215fd.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=img36.imageshack.us%2Fimg36%2F5721%2Fp1010215fd.jpg)
One entire box fits in the bags like that, they can then be stored in plastic containers on the shelf or even in a filing cabinet drawer.
In case you're not aware what a Gamma Seal lid is.
![[Image: gamma_seal_lid.jpeg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=www.wisementrading.com%2Ffoodstorage%2Fgamma_seal_lid.jpeg)
It's a ring with a screw lid and rubber gasket. They can be put on the 3, 5 and 7 Gallon HDPE buckets, and come in a variety of colors.
The best deal I've seen for them online though is through Costco.
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.asp...opnav=&s=1
As that deal comes with the O2 absorbers as well.