First Foray Into Stocking Food... Tips?

[HoldingAg]

Hey everyone,

I just was out at Wally World and I decided to pick up a few extra food items to start my prepping adventure. This is what I got:
1 20lb Bag of Jasmine Rice
2 1lb bags Red Beans
2 1lb bags Black Beans
2 2lb bags Pinto Beans
1 12pk Ramen Noodles Chicken Flavor
I walked around the store looking for various containers to store this stuff in for now so the bugs/weevils or whatever don't get my rice and beans. I first looked at those plastic 20-25gallon storage bins, but the lids where too loose, then I looked at the smaller 2.5 gallon tupperware style stuff but it was way too expensive and too small. So I ended up buying a Igloo cooler, the top fits pretty darn tight, and its just big enough to store the stuff I just bought. I am mainly concerned with bugs getting to the rice, I don't know if they go for the beans too. I am going to be moving into a new house in a couple of months, and have hardly any storage space right now as everything is in boxes in the basement. My plan is to start small and then build a storage room or cellar in the basement of our new place eventually. I thought this was a good small start.

I basically need some tips in storing this food, and some starter tips for the beginner prepper. I am doing this for my family's preservation in the coming dollar collapse/scatterpoop scenario. I know there are tons of like minded people on this forum, so please, help a brother out.

Can someone please post some links to websites with tips or even some good places where I could buy food storage containers/water/food grade buckets? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
HoldingAg

[Book]

http://providentliving.org/channel/0...1706-1,00.html

Mormons wrote the book on this. As good a place as any to start researching.

[TnAndy]

Most grains, the bugs don't "get in it", they come as part of the package. There are eggs already there, and they hatch out no matter how tight your container.

The way you beat 'em is to either stick the grain/beans/etc in a deep freeze for a few days and hopefully kill the eggs so they don't hatch into larve that eat your stuff....

OR

You deprive them of oxygen required to live.

That process is either replace the O2 in your storage container with something else, like CO2, using dry ice, and letting it melt in your container,....CO2 is heavier than air and will settle in the container, you let it force the air out, melt completely, then seal your container lid....

or

You seal the grain in an airtight bag, usually a mylar bag, though it can be "seal-a-meal" type bags or even glass jars using a vacuum sealer, and include oxygen absorber packets in the bag that suck up the remaining O2 in the bag after sealed, and don't leave any for the bugs.

I personally like this method the best, since removing the excess oxygen not only eliminates the bug problem, but as a bonus, your food stays fresher longer since the O2 is gone, and the food doesn't break down as readily.

Check out Alan Hagan's website on food storage:

http://athagan.members.atlantic.net/.../PFSFAQ-1.html

And here is a buddy of mine that has a good series on YouTube ( and his name ain't "dave", and he doesn't live in Idaho....ahahahaaaa....but he DOES know his stuff.... )

[Hystckndle]

Hello HA,
The link Book posted is most excellent.
Check this out:
www.grandpappy.info/hfood1yr.htm
Maybe search Ebay for " food grade buckets "
Also, check out " www.SorbentSytems.com for some mylar bags and O2 absorbers if you wish.
You could get a starter kit on Ebay as well.
Youtube even has videos on how to seal buckets etc.
There are many nuances of storing.
Some do not use the food grade buckets at all or together with mylar bags.
The right way is just to feel comfortable with what you are doing and learn as you go.
You have a good start going, keep it up !
Regards,
Haystackneedle

[90%RealMoney]

Hey everyone,

I just was out at Wally World and I decided to pick up a few extra food items to start my prepping adventure. This is what I got:
1 20lb Bag of Jasmine Rice
2 1lb bags Red Beans
2 1lb bags Black Beans
2 2lb bags Pinto Beans
1 12pk Ramen Noodles Chicken Flavor
I walked around the store looking for various containers to store this stuff in for now so the bugs/weevils or whatever don't get my rice and beans. I first looked at those plastic 20-25gallon storage bins, but the lids where too loose, then I looked at the smaller 2.5 gallon tupperware style stuff but it was way too expensive and too small. So I ended up buying a Igloo cooler, the top fits pretty darn tight, and its just big enough to store the stuff I just bought. I am mainly concerned with bugs getting to the rice, I don't know if they go for the beans too. I am going to be moving into a new house in a couple of months, and have hardly any storage space right now as everything is in boxes in the basement. My plan is to start small and then build a storage room or cellar in the basement of our new place eventually. I thought this was a good small start.

I basically need some tips in storing this food, and some starter tips for the beginner prepper. I am doing this for my family's preservation in the coming dollar collapse/scatterpoop scenario. I know there are tons of like minded people on this forum, so please, help a brother out.

Can someone please post some links to websites with tips or even some good places where I could buy food storage containers/water/food grade buckets? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
HoldingAg

Costco has 48 packs of Top Ramen for like 8 bucks. You get 24 each of chicken and beef. While not something most would recommend eating very often, in an emergency situation, you've got alot of carbs and calories for cheap. An awful lot of sodium, but a decent amount of protein (5g) and not too much fat (7g) per package. Your ahead of the game a bit by having a basement for nice cool storage. That's one thing I wish I had at my place.

[techguy2]

A couple of quick links....


Good buckets and mylar bags:

www.beprepared.com
www.waltonfeed.com

Prepackaged CHEAP basic items:
http://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stor...3_-1_N_image_0


Storage guidelines:
http://www.providentliving.org/conte...7448-1,00.html

[Goldhedge]

I put in a 1/4 tsp of diatomaceous earth.

I used 1/2 gal jars, but the seal success rate is not good.

I think I should have warmed up the lids in a pot
of hot water to soften them and assure a good seal.

Buy in bulk as much as possible. 20lbs of rice is good.
1lb of beans not so good. Too costly.

I bought 25lb bag of beans. 50lb bag of rice.

Costco or Sams, or your local health food store are good choices.

[gasilat]

Mentally, break your food storage plan into 3 segments. Short term, intermediate term and longterm.

Think of your short term food supply as things you would normally stock on your kitchen shelves and fridge/freezer and has a quicker depletion rate/lifespan.

Your intermediate term food supply will have a longer life than that. Say from a year to 2 or 3 years. In this category would be canned goods, pastas, etc. Though canned goods stored in a cool place will last longer.

Your longterm food supply will have the longest life. several years to decades. Rice, beans, freeze-dried, etc. We have rice that is 12 years old and still good.

You'll need shelves in your basement, so start thinking about that. Make sure they are sturdy. Always buy on sale. Each fall you'll see canned vegetables go on sale at the end of the growing season in the stores for a very good price. Buying in bulk is much cheaper per unit of product. Think 50 lb. sacks of rice, beans, etc.

Foodgrade plastic buckets with lids are whats commonly used to store your rice and beans in a 4 or 5 gallon sized container. Personally I prefer the square buckets when you can find them. Pretty hard to find, while the round ones are common. There is less wasted space on a shelf with a square bucket than a round one. Your local bakeries at Safeway or similar get products in these square buckets to bake with. I bought all mine from them but they are a hot item and competition for them.

Get buy-in from your spouse on the food storage plan. Explain to them the security of it and how you can save money by buying in bulk and stocking up at sales.

[ShirleyUGeste]

Check out restaurant supply stores also. We have a place here in Spokane called Cash & Carry, and it's open to the public. A lot like Costco, but no membership fees. If I shop their sales, I can get 6-lb cans of fruit for $3.50, as opposed to $1.20 for 1 lb in a standard grocery store, $4.50 for a 40-oz can of coffee, and all kinds of staples (rice, sugar, flour, cornmeal, 9-grain cereal, pancake mix, salt, etc) in 25 or 50 lb bags for dirt cheap. They also sell everything a restaurant would need in the way of spices in 1-lb containers, napkins, tp, cleaners, paper plates, condiments in 1-gal jugs, and whatnot. I am prepping for ten people, so it doesn't hurt me to buy the larger sizes. Plus, I can always re-can anything that would be likely to go bad before we could use it. My goal is to have 3 years of groceries for 10 people in my stash.

I rotate everything through my freezer for 4-6 days, then package it up in mylar bags and plastic buckets (with oxygen absorbers). I used to get my plastic buckets from local bakeries for free, but competition for them is stiff, so I finally broke down and bought several dozen of them ($5 each.)

Also, don't forget the non-food items you are likely to need in an emergency: soaps, deoderant, toothpaste, aspirin, first aid items, shampoo, prescription drugs, bleach, foil, garbage bags, and on and on. For these I watch the Sunday newspaper ads, buy the specials, and buy in bulk when possible. One word of caution here: A couple of years ago I started purchasing $20 per week of non-food stockpile items, and soon discovered that you can't beat the Dollar Store for prices. Fifty sticks of deoderant later I realized that the sticks I was buying at Dollar Store were worthless, as they were apparently missing an active ingredient... I may as well have been rubbing vasaline on my under-arms for all the good it was doing. So if you're going to do your purchasing at a clearance (dollar) store, buy ONE, TRY it out, and then buy more if it's worth it. Also, I won't purchase anything that comes from China, I don't care how cheap it is; I would literally rather be safe than sorry (or dead).

[stAGgering]

Great info above.

Temperature is first and foremost factor in Medium and Long Term storage. The lower the average temp is, the longer one can store and enjoy product condition when opened.

The O2 absorption packets work phenomenally. I tested(consumption excuse) chocolate for several years. Texture, flavor, and smell; brand new freshness. Brown rice 2+ years in glass gal + O2 absorbers still fresh.

I have stored in glass, mylar, plastic, canned, in cans, dehydrated(in glass) and short term(manufacturers cont.) shelved in cold room, all of it. Diversify content and storage containers. Estimate 1/3 failure rate for long term, to secure supply.

Time consuming runs to the store will be eliminated. As well as the inflationary penalties being applied to all. Buy during sales for long term and enough to ONLY purchase during sales.

Most of all, enjoy performing what all of our grandparents and those before did. Having your own store, with all you need is sincere contentment.

[HoldingAg]

First off, I wanted to thank everyone who was kind enough to share information/tips/sources. I think in the above posts there is more than enough info to get me started on my way! If anyone else wants to add links or tried and true own experiences here, please do.

I have one quick question for TNAndy or anyone who can answer... In the small stash of rice and beans that I bought is there bug/weevil eggs in rice or beans already or what pests like rice and beans? And, can I freeze the rice and the beans to kill them like TNAndy mentioned or is that just for grains?

Thanks guys and girls,
HoldingAg

[Nickelless]

First off, I wanted to thank everyone who was kind enough to share information/tips/sources. I think in the above posts there is more than enough info to get me started on my way! If anyone else wants to add links or tried and true own experiences here, please do.

I have one quick question for TNAndy or anyone who can answer... In the small stash of rice and beans that I bought is there bug/weevil eggs in rice or beans already or what pests like rice and beans? And, can I freeze the rice and the beans to kill them like TNAndy mentioned or is that just for grains?

Thanks guys and girls,
HoldingAg

Welcome to GIM, HoldingAg! There are a lot of very passionate, smart people here who have a bunch of great ideas and tips on food storage. Here are a few threads to get you started:

http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...rilla-Hoarding
http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...-job-yesterday
http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...mer-card-trail
http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...storage-report
http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...Y-WANT-to-prep
http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...r-less-than-50
http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...ast-a-Lifetime
http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...-my-food-preps
http://goldismoney2.com/showthread.p...rice-inflation

Costco has 48 packs of Top Ramen for like 8 bucks. You get 24 each of chicken and beef. While not something most would recommend eating very often, in an emergency situation, you've got alot of carbs and calories for cheap. An awful lot of sodium, but a decent amount of protein (5g) and not too much fat (7g) per package. Your ahead of the game a bit by having a basement for nice cool storage. That's one thing I wish I had at my place.

Nobody says you have to use the seasoning packets. I rarely buy ramen noodles, but when I do I typically set aside the spice packets for later use (if I ever use them at all).

[stAGgering]

[QUOTE=
I used 1/2 gal jars, but the seal success rate is not good.

I think I should have warmed up the lids in a pot
of hot water to soften them and assure a good seal.
[/QUOTE]

Great idea. I was able to turn lids an additional 10th. I did not hot water warm the lids. I set the hot tea kettle on top of the jar for ten seconds. Tested by holding lid by hand until I could feel the warmth come through the rubber seal. Was using 1 gal glass jars with permanent rubber seal, metal lids.
Rice is nice.

May need to warm the lid to remove them.

[slackercruster]

Survival food should not be that hard. Just stock what you eat and eat what you stock...just more of it!

If nothing else, gets lots of dry cereal and powdered milk, rice, dry beans some water and beer. You could live on that for a while if nothing else.

Here is my basic bulk food list. Have lots of other food stored. But this is the very hi vol stuff.

Pasta Sauce
Pasta
Tom Paste
Dry beans: Garbanzo, Lentils, G.Northern, Pinto, Split Peas

Grains: Rice, Millet, Quinua, Wheat, Rye, Barley, Buckwheat, Oats (I use about 3 1/2 cups of wheat berries to grind for 1 loaf of bread)

Dry Cereal
Powdered Milk

Dry mushrooms
Dry Apples
Raisins
Dates
Pnuts / Almonds
Cornmeal
Sugar
White Unbleached Flour (impossible to make at home and good to mix in pancake batter to lighten it up.)
Honey
Maple Syrup
Choc chips (Milk choc for eating and Semi sweet for baking)
Yeast
Bake Soda
Spices
Salt (Iodized, Canning, Sea)
Powdered Eggs (Possibly? Have an old can I'm aging to see how long it stores. Never tried them)
Vitamins

Some meat and salmon canned. (I am mostly vegetarian)

Drinking Water
Beer
Wine
Welchs Grape Juice

[Merlin]

Don't forget vegetable oils. When you begin to cook all your meals from scratch, you will find it is difficult to do much of anything without cooking oil. My personal storage oils are extra virgin olive oil in one liter cans and quarts of expeller-pressed coconut oil (not hydrogenated) in glass jars. Both of these will keep for years in the cool (60 F) dark dry conditions in my basement. I currently have 4 liters of olive oil and 3 quarts of coconut oil stored. Not to mention the 6 pound metal can of Crisco. Yes, I know it's not healthy. But, in the metal can, it has an indefinite/forever shelf life. As a last resort, Crisco in a can is hard to beat. Whatever you do, store your oils either in metal or glass containers. Plastic breathes and will let the oxygen in and encourage your oil to go rancid.

[Merlin]

Powdered Eggs (Possibly? Have an old can I'm aging to see how long it stores. Never tried them)

Try them, SC. If you can raise your own chickens, you'd never, ever eat powdered eggs again. I have a few cans because, in the total absence of fresh eggs, they'd be better than nothing and because, like oil, it's difficult to cook without them. When I make scrambled powdered eggs, I absolutely have to jazz them up with sausage crumbles, sauteed onions, green pepper and cheese -- can't eat them otherwise.

P.S. I have a friend who says that when he was in the army 55 years ago, he actually liked the powdered eggs. Go figure!

[Nickelless]

HoldingAg, don't forget to stock up on food for your pets, if you have any. Today I bought what should be about a year's worth of cat food for my feline family members. A 17-pound bag of Science Diet dry food usually lasts right at three months for my two cats, and I bought four bags today. You should probably seal pet food in mylar bags just as you would rice or beans.