Putting food into buckets

[Izzybean]

I am sure this has been answered before but I am asking anyways. I have some buckets that I am going to put rice & beans into. Is it best to put an oxygen pack into it or do the dry ice method?? Or can I just put them directly into the bucket?? Are there other methods? I just want to make sure that I am doing it right for long term storage. Thanks!!

[mirkwood]

I have been told you are not supposed to do both the dry ice and O2 absorbers. I've done it both ways. I now use the O2 absorber method. One abosrber per gallon then I add one more. So for a 5 gallon bucket I use six absorbers. Some say you should mylar bag them first. I've heard different opinions on that. Personally I have just put them in the bucket.

[Cowboy]

I think the O2 absorbers are OK. That is what is put into cans. If 1 is put in a can, then 5 should be used for a 5 gallon bucket. You also have to insure that the bucket has an air-tight seal or it is worth less to add either one.

[bokbadok]

I agree with Mirk and Cowboy. Esp with whole grains like wheat - there are eggs mixed in that cannot be sifted out. In order to keep these eggs from hatching, they must be kept dry, and either cold or with oxygen excluded. Storing large quantities of wheat below 40 degrees is impractical for most of us, so the oxygen absorbers fit the bill well. You should be able to buy them from your local cannery. Barring that, I'm sure they can be purchased online as well.

Now my curiosity requires that I find a link.

Walton Feed (http://waltonfeed.com/self/upack/oxyintro.html) has a intro page on oxygen absorbers, and they also sell them in packages of 100 for $15-18, depending on absorbing capacity. You would probably want to share them with a neighbor or two unless you have many many buckets to fill and seal in a short period of time.

MRE Depot (http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-4/Vacuum-Sealed-Oxygen-Abdorbers/Detail) also sells them, and there are others.

[sunsinger]

I agree with Mirk and Cowboy. Esp with whole grains like wheat - there are eggs mixed in that cannot be sifted out. In order to keep these eggs from hatching, they must be kept dry, and either cold or with oxygen excluded. Storing large quantities of wheat below 40 degrees is impractical for most of us, so the oxygen absorbers fit the bill well. You should be able to buy them from your local cannery. Barring that, I'm sure they can be purchased online as well.

Now my curiosity requires that I find a link.

Walton Feed (http://waltonfeed.com/self/upack/oxyintro.html) has a intro page on oxygen absorbers, and they also sell them in packages of 100 for $15-18, depending on absorbing capacity. You would probably want to share them with a neighbor or two unless you have many many buckets to fill and seal in a short period of time.

MRE Depot (http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-4/Vacuum-Sealed-Oxygen-Abdorbers/Detail) also sells them, and there are others.

We have always gotten the oxygen absorbers at the cannery. Are they rationing those as well? It seems like they were much less expensive than the prices listed.

[mirkwood]

The absorbers at the cannery are about $0.08 each. I've never been rationed when I have gone and bought them.

[DMGNUT]

I could be wrong, but I've always heard that plastic "breathes", so you need to use a mylar bag too, when storing foods in plastic buckets. I know a lot of the places I've bought "buckets" of product from, do use mylar bags inside of their buckets.

[jettsmom]

For storing my rice and wheat, I put it in gallon zipper bags and then in a 5 gallon bucket. These are reused buckets, so the seals aren't that good.

We go through rice pretty quickly, so I don't worry about it.

The wheat seems to be okay, being stored that way.

We also do this, so that if we need to give food to someone, we just give away a gallon bag, instead of a 5 gallon bucket.