food storage

**scrap_candles** · 08-08-2011, 05:27 PM

This is probably here somewhere and i have spent some time looking but not finding what I am wanting.

I picked up some 5 gallon buckets with lids at the bakery today. I want to use them for sugar, flour, and things I like to buy in big bulk bags.

If I am wanting to put my OPENED 25# bag of flour in one to keep out bugs etc can I just use it with the lid or do I NEED a mylar bag and oxygen absorber or would that just be for extra bags I want to keep longer not necessarily the one I am using at the moment. I also bought some of the gamma lids.

~next question. To store more flour for longer storage can I open the bags and dump into a bucket lined with the mylar and o2 absorber or should I leave them in the original bags?

~ I have some dried beans but not enough of one kind to fill a 5 gallon tub, can they all be in their original bags, then in like a ziploc (encase of punctures, holes, etc) and mixed together in one bucket?

**mh3rdwheel** · 08-08-2011, 06:11 PM

I do know that before you put them in the containers you should first freeze them, I wish I knew the rest.

**scrap_candles** · 09-22-2011, 05:58 PM

still not sure about this,

and would I put bay leaves in with the flour? what about sugar? will it clump if I pour the #10lb bags into the 5gallon buckets?

**sinopa27** · 09-22-2011, 11:46 PM

I read on someone else's thread that they freeze flour first. I am not sure how many days though.
good luck!

**eclectictexan** · 09-23-2011, 01:02 AM

Personally I don't like to store flour it gets old tasting after a while. Or becomes dead. Yes, do freeze the flour; that kills any larva that is in there, 24 hrs should do the trick. It's best to store any type of grain whole, once it is broken it starts to deteriorate.
Bay leaves are good for flour storage.
Whole grains we store in 5 gal. plst. buckets with a about 3 T. of food grade DE (diotomaceous earth).
Don't put oxygen absorbers in SALT or SUGAR. They will turn into solid blocks. They just don't need it anyway.
We haven't used mylar on any of our storage. I have used foodsaver vacuum sealer alot.
Good luck and keep on keeping on.
Temp. and sun are enemies of storage.

**zakity** · 09-23-2011, 03:45 AM

I washed the buckets out well and put on the gamma lids. I just dump the flour into the buckets, no mylar, no oxygen absorbers. And, I agree that you need to make sure that you will go through that much flour. We go through about 150 lbs of flour a year, but I also have three teen boys (who have six hollow legs).

I have a "misc" bucket with a gamma lid. I buy the beans or whatever in bulk and put them in the bucket in the baggie from the store. I have corn meal, chocolate milk mix, powdered milk, and lentils in my "misc" bucket right now. The only thing that you can't put in the "misc" bucket is strong smelling spices. Everything winds up having a funny taste to it if you do.

**scrap_candles** · 09-24-2011, 03:20 PM

Thank you all.

Zakity that was exactly what I was wondering. Yes, we go through TONS of flour and sugar, between my kids (mostly teens and pre teens) and my nephew who anymore I swear lives here, lol. I just wanted to make sure it would be ok in the bucket between canister refills. I mean it was just in the big bags before so I assumed so but wanted to double check. And I am glad to know someone else has a misc bucket. Wasn't sure I was right in just sticking it altogether but not enough to justify only putting a little bit in a bucket.