How to utilize 5 gallon buckets for long term food storage......

[mldollins]

I have some walmarts and other bakeries in my area that have 5 gallon buckets with lids for free. I have a bunch. My question is how to best utilize such for food storage. I know some would have sugar or rice filled to the top. But we are keeping things like instant rice and such in its respective boxes.

THoughts????

[Alice In TX/MO]

Info:
http://www.captaindaves.com/foodfaq/ff17-oxy.htm

[Common Tator]

Thoughts? We have numerous threads with huge amounts of information on the buckets. The Survival and Emergency Preparedness forum, has discussions, and I am glad you found a free source for wonderful food grade buckets.

You can store any of the grains, legumes, and numerous other dried foods in the buckets. If you want really long term storage, you can get mylar bags that fit in the buckets, add your food, add oxygen absorbers or seal with a vacuum sealer, seal the bag, close the lid and it will be airtite for years and years.

Be sure to get a bucket lid lifter and keep it as part of your preps.

If you don't use the mylar, be sure to rotate your stored foods, always using the oldest frst and replacing with fresh.

[VERN in IL]

I always prefer those heavy duty 6 gallon buckets, the last food I packed(oatmeal) was in 5 gallon ACE hardware buckets, I MUCH prefer the 6 gallon buckets.

[Paul Wheaton]

Along these lines, I seem to remember something about how you can get longer life out of storing certain foods by putting a piece of dry ice in the bucket before putting the lid on (loosely). The CO2 is heavier than air - thus replacing the air spaces with CO2 - so icky things will all die.

[||Downhome||]

I would use those replacement lids that screw on myself.

http://www.bayteccontainers.com/gamm...FQ_yDAodfG_oMw

if you wanted to get fancy with the long term storage, you could get some tire valves
and mod them(hole the right size and pull your valve in), get a vacuum pump and be good to go. (vac pumps are expensive but you can modify a regular compressor pretty easy to do the same)

http://www.automotivetoolsonline.com...10_p_9182.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/conv...ressor-into-a/

[VERN in IL]

I just have once complaint with those gamma seal lids, the white o-ring on the lid gets easily stretched during removal for cleaning and stays stretched!

[texican]

Originally Posted by VERN in IL

I always prefer those heavy duty 6 gallon buckets, the last food I packed(oatmeal) was in 5 gallon ACE hardware buckets, I MUCH prefer the 6 gallon buckets.

I prefer the larger buckets too... however, I haven't found any that are food grade and have that magic word associated with them......free....

We have several sources in our little town, one is iffy... half the time they're full of used grease... the other has em outside all the time (great for me, as I don't have to go in and chitchat, and finally getting around to asking if they have any buckets available). These are all 4 gallon buckets. The only negative to the 'frosting' buckets is they hate the sunlight. Leave em in the sun for a month or so, and they get brittle... If I had direct sunlight in my storage room, I'd make sure these didn't get any sun (which is never a wise idea for any kind of stored food.... sunlight isn't good for stored food).

[Forerunner]

We store grains and all manner of dehydrated produce in sealable buckets and barrels. The bug egg and oxidization issues are the main obstacles.
We use small candles to burn the oxygen out of the container and produce CO2 for the long haul. Simply place the candle in a depression in the center of the material to be stored, light it and seal the container. The candle will use up all the oxygen and burn out shortly.
With the plastic buckets, we tape several layers of aluminum foil under the lid, over the candle, to prevent melting the otherwise resultant pin hole in the lid and gaining nothing.
This has worked for us with no exceptions thus far, and we have many barrels and buckets of our own grain and produce so stored.
This technique is employed in the humid jungles of the Congo.
Any time you need to open the container, reseal it in the same fashion, over and over, until it's empty.

[braidsandboots]

Okay I don't know why I haven't heard this candle trick but it blows my mind in it's simplicity and perfection. No need to buy all these absorbers and whatnot. Love it.

[Ken Scharabok]

The problem with storing boxes within buckets is the boxes take up a lot of the available room. Perhaps transfer the contents to zip lock baggies.

[sgl42]

from the sig line of user A.T. Hagan:

Alan's Stuff: The Prudent Food Storage FAQ and more.
http://athagan.members.atlantic.net/Index.html

come down to survival and emergency prep (s&ep) subforum, as we talk about this sort of info frequently.

personally, i buy in bulk (25# bags beans, rice, wheat) and store in 5 gal buckets. but various people store boxes of things in buckets too.

--sgl

[turtlehead]

Originally Posted by ||Downhome||

I would use those replacement lids that screw on myself.

http://www.bayteccontainers.com/gamm...FQ_yDAodfG_oMw

That is a GREAT price! I usually get mine from US Plastic, and they charge $7.64 each for gamma lids. I've bookmarked that site, thanks for sharing it.

[lmrose]

I have some five gallon plastic buckets and line them with large brown paper bags and store flour, wheat, oats, rice in them. Boxed goods can also be left in the boxes and stored in the buckets or just about anything can be kept in them. I personally don't like any food to touch plastic when stored which is why I line them with paper bags.