6packofun Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 If you've got brand names and such, lemme have them! I'm wondering about all of those food-grade plastic containers like people were getting for Y2K...are those bad, too? I'm not going to hoard staples, but I need to do something with the stuff I have! lol We've already caught a few mice in our basement which is where I was going to store my rice, flour and canned goods, so I need something that they can't get into (and will hopefully block the scent of food maybe?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 because it is easy to get open and easy to make sure it is closed (not always easy for the kids with the Rubbermaid push to seal type containers). I got mine from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I think I saw some at Target lately too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virginia Dawn Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 You can store flour in the freezer. I have staples in large coffee cans and large glass jars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Granted, I'm not on the boards much these days, but has avoiding plastic become the new Flavor of the Month around here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Granted, I'm not on the boards much these days, but has avoiding plastic become the new Flavor of the Month around here? Oh yeah! I've just removed my brain and begun living by the whims and fads of online strangers who want to tell me how to take care of my family and without any regard to current research or studies about the leaching of plastics and such. I'm just a 'toopid follower. :thumbdown: OK, now for reality: I just want to know if there's something I can use to store my staples that is NOT plastic, if possible. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorax Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Ball canning jars work beautifully, are inexpensive, and come in all kinds of sizes including quite large. I have the best luck finding the big ones at Agway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayT Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 How about mason jars? Do you have a vacuum sealer that lets you do mason jars? I have some of my wheat stored this way. You could also vacuum seal it and get a metal drum and drop everything in and cap it so the mice can't get in. Or do you have a canner near you that would let you come in and can. I am talking about the Mormon ( LDS) cannery. Also I think you can buy #10 cans and do it at home...but not sure what all you need or how expensive. Lehmans would be a good place to check on that, at least I think that is where I have seen it before. My last thought would be to put your food in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers and store them in food grade plastic buckets. I don't think they would eat though that!! Good luck keeping the critters out!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Readsalot Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I am saving large glass jars that say pickles etc come in. We usually buy large jars at Sams etc. I plan to store beans in these and keep them in the bottom of my pantry closet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 You can see through them, they are cheap, they seal completely, and you can heat or cool them freely. I also use 5 gallon buckets with special lids that I buy separately for things that I buy in 25 lb sacks, like flour, sugar, beans, and cat food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayT Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Well, I'm wrong about Lehmans having #10 cans. I just flipped through my catalog and didn't find them. So I went online and put in #10 cans and nothing came up. Hummml, I remember looking at this somewhere because I was trying to figure out how to store my wheat at the time. I do remember the reason I didn't use the can's was because it was too costly and once I opened the can it was useless. I can reuse my mason jars as many times as I like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 But I have 2 fridges....and a chest freezer....so I have plenty of room! Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I have stuff in readily accessible ceramic jars with gasketed lock-down lids. Got most of them at Goodwill. Some are glass, too. Anything beyond what will fit in the designated jar I keep in the freezer, usually in ziploc bags around whatever original container it was in, unless I got it from the bulk bins and it's already wrapped in plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Were you here for the Desk Apprentice phase? Or any of the other innumerable fads that have come and gone through these boards? If I sat down for long enough, I could come up with a list the length of my arm. We don't call it the Hive Mind for nothing, you know. I didn't mean to single you out, seriously. It just seemed like the few times I've been skating through here this week, I've been seeing lots of "get rid of the plastic" threads. Maybe it's just my eyes. :blink: I just thought I'd ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Flock, I gave you good rep. but I'm going to also say publicly that I think your perspective is a valid one to add to the conversation on plastics. Of course, every one will make up their own minds on this. But I'm glad to have your point of view as one to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Wow, dunno that that was necessary. :001_huh: I took Brenda's comment as a general one; addressed to the board as a whole. An offhand, jokey, referring-to-other-board-obsessions comment--not a personal affront. FWIW, I smiled. Barb Oh yeah! I've just removed my brain and begun living by the whims and fads of online strangers who want to tell me how to take care of my family and without any regard to current research or studies about the leaching of plastics and such. I'm just a 'toopid follower. :thumbdown: OK, now for reality: I just want to know if there's something I can use to store my staples that is NOT plastic, if possible. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sticer Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I store my bags of beans and grains in the bag. We use it up so fast we don't have a problem..LOL:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I use large canning jars. I like that they are cheap, all the same size, can be washed in the dishwasher and are clear. You can buy different sizes of jars to make it easier to separate large/small volume products. I use the large canning funnels to fill the jars quickly and cleanly. I have used glass jars or glass Pyrex (unfortunately with plastic lids) since the 90's but I have always be a bit of a food storage snob :D. I do allow a particular plastic snap-ware in the pantry for short term storage of snacks for the kids. Only because they are unbreakable, light weight and fit exactly into my wire rack attached to the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindyinTexas Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I know this may seem off-base but I store my items in coolers. They stack well and completely seal off to keep everything out including the heat from the garage. I leave all my items in their original packaging and either refold the bag and use clothes pins to keep it closed. I also use my sealing machine to re-seal some items. Just a thought..... Oh, I also use glass bottles(like old cracker jars)I found at Target. They are nice enough that I can display them on a tall metal rack that I have in the kitchen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I use gallon pickle jars (well washed, of course) for flour and sugar. I use other jars for smaller amounts of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I dunno -- if you want to seal the scent you'll likely resort to using some sort of rubber/ plastic to at least act as a gasket. Someone linked a site a while back that listed all the good ["food grade"]/ not good plastics available. I've used translucent plastic conatiners that are...hexagonal?... w/ wide mouth screw on lids for over a decade now. My biggest concern is ROACHES and stuff breaking [we break stuff all the time at my house, lol]. They hold about 10 pounds worth of stuff w/o adding too much more to the weight. These things work great at keeping food fresh and have done a wonderful job against pests and critters. I'd love to find some square ones that fit better on my shelves! We keep our dog food in a cooler on the back porch, lol. That works fine as long as it gets SHUT well. There's nuthin' creepier than opening it up only to be scooping out roaches w/ the dog food :shiver: I think that instance itself would keep me from EVER storing food stuff in a cooler ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 For left-overs (and the like) we love the stackable all-glass (lid and base) containers make by "Anchor Hoking" . They make a large "square" one and smaller rectangular ones (2 nicely "stack" on the square one). These are ribbed and tempered clear glass. I believe you could even "cook" with them (we don't). They look quite "vintage", are really solid, and IMS are pretty "cheap". All glass, no plastic. Space efficient in both the fridge and the pantry shelf. These are "winners"! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfarm Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Wow. I found both the "flavor of the month" comment and the rude response to both be on the snarky side. What ever happened to civility and common politeness around here? I guess the summer heat and tension over the economy are getting to folks. IMO, someone else's being picky about something does not necessitate snotty comments, nor are those comments justification for being rude in return. Those things aside, if you wish to store food staples in relatively air-tight, insect-proof containers, you will have to go with glass or plastic. If you use plastic, you can also use a cellulose or other type of liner, but be sure to check for the longevity of whatever product you use. Although practically anything usually beats the original packaging, which is generally not designed for long term use. Be careful with pickle buckets or others that stored their original product in strong brine. Although you can scrub them well, often the strong odor remains imbedded in the porous surface of the plastic and will eventually permeate anything stored inside. Pickle flavored sugar is not very appealing:tongue_smilie:. If you call around to local bakeries, you can usually get used frosting buckets (3-5gal, with lids) for free to $3.00 or so each. Take them home and scrub them well, disinfect, and then you have good storage available. They can be stacked, but should be kept out of direct contact with walls and floors, so stack on boards. They make a special "wrench" type of thing that you can use to open them more easily. There is also a special Gamma Seal style of lid that snaps onto the bucket and then has a center portion that unscrews easily to permit easier access for frequent use. I have many buckets but only a few gamma seal lids. Heat, light, and moisture will all shorten the shelf life of your staples. Although, given that I don't have a/c and therefore can't control the heat as much as I would like, I just know that it will shorten the shelf life, not make it unuseable. For example, something that might last 3 years in optimal conditions, I will strive to use up and rotate in a new supply in one year's time. If you use glass, the gallon size jars are handy, but it can be hard to find them with wide mouths. Also, if you are recycling used ones, be sure that the rubber or synthetic material in the lid is not harboring odors or bacteria that could affect your stores. If you are in a quake prone area, store those jars low to the ground and you might even want to add a little retaining rail to the front of their shelf that would keep them in place if the place starts to sway! HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We're switching our things over to glass mason jars. I haven't been able to find the big gallon or half gallon ones yet, but I'm keeping my eyes open every time I go out. I also have a foodsaver that I use to seal things like chili, spaghetti sauce etc in before freezing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakitty Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 a supplier for 1 gallon glass jars... http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 a supplier for 1 gallon glass jars... http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=27 wow!! that's a pretty good price!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Mason jars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kacifl Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Galanized garbage cans. I read this on a Morman survival website. The cans run between $12-$30 dollars. You just place bags of rice, beans etc. into the cans and close the lid. kaci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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