long term storage food

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  • fmjinsight

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Mar 7, 2010
    22
    1
    What is everyones opinion on what is the best food for LTS? Freeze dried in cans or sealed pouches or ??? Just looking for ideas. Thanks.
     

    11-B

    Marksman
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    Sep 7, 2012
    171
    18
    I use mylar bags with oxygen absorbers in them....I use it for all kinds of beans and rice and dehydrated fruit ....I do have a 2 month supply of can goods but if stored properly the last indef.
     

    HavokCycle

    Master
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    2   0   0
    Nov 10, 2012
    2,087
    38
    Zionsville
    are you asking on how to store, or on the pre-purchased kind?

    for the former theres all kinds of ways, pickling, canning, freezedrying, dehydrating, salting, etc. all are pretty simple really.

    if youre talking prepacked, I like the Wise Food Storage.
     

    maverick18

    Sharpshooter
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    2   0   0
    Feb 1, 2013
    331
    18
    Clinton County
    Buy wheat, beans, rice, etc. in bulk and package it yourself in food grade bucketw with mylar liners and oxygen absorbers. By far the cheapest way to get the food and you know exactly what you are storing. The wheat and beans stored this way will last at least 30 years and the white rice 15. Sam's carries white rice in 50 lbs bags for like $19. Can't beat that.
     

    HavokCycle

    Master
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    2   0   0
    Nov 10, 2012
    2,087
    38
    Zionsville
    Buy wheat, beans, rice, etc. in bulk and package it yourself in food grade bucketw with mylar liners and oxygen absorbers. By far the cheapest way to get the food and you know exactly what you are storing. The wheat and beans stored this way will last at least 30 years and the white rice 15. Sam's carries white rice in 50 lbs bags for like $19. Can't beat that.

    subbed. good info.
     

    maverick18

    Sharpshooter
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    2   0   0
    Feb 1, 2013
    331
    18
    Clinton County
    I don't know what part of the state you are in, but in Shipshewanna up by South Bend there is a store called E&S Sales that is like an Amish grocery store. If you buy more than 200 lbs you can get in their wholesale program and its like way cheap. I made a trip up there last march and came back with an enclosed trailer full of assorted goodies and it ended up being less than 50 cents a pound.
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 24, 2012
    1,508
    38
    Avon
    If you are looking at long term food storage you first need to decide how many weeks you want of food storage and there is many different stages....I like at least 1 year maybe 2. Right now I am still working on one year it takes time and money. Your food storage also should be in stages. And you need to work on these all at one time.

    Stage 1-Food in your freezer and cabinets I try to keep at least 6 week to 2 months worth of food in my freezer)

    Stage 2-canned goods, spam, cereals, beans , rice, flour and sugar, salt, oil. peanut butter, jelly, coffee( most of these things are inexpensive and you use them a lot so I try to keep a years worth.

    All these are thing that you rotate constantly.

    Stage 3 is freeze dried meat, veggies and fruit, these are the thing that you experiment with and try to get your family use to eating them...but the bulk is saved until you have no other food.

    Stage 4- is planting a big garden and canning and dehydrating everything you can...you must you non-GMO seeds and save them to replant and learn how to have a crop in the ground from April to November.

    Stage 5-is a renewable meat source such as rabbits and chicken, knowing how to hunt and can your meat, and if you got the land a few cows or goats.

    You just have to start and do a little of it all, I get 50-60 bucks worth of freeze dried food every month, it come automatically, is charged to my credit card every month on the 9th, I set it up 6 months at a time what I want and I don't have to stress it...I mostly get eggs, meats, milk,I get my dry goods at Sams and we have a big garden...we are getting chickens this spring...
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 24, 2012
    1,508
    38
    Avon
    I don't know what part of the state you are in, but in Shipshewanna up by South Bend there is a store called E&S Sales that is like an Amish grocery store. If you buy more than 200 lbs you can get in their wholesale program and its like way cheap. I made a trip up there last march and came back with an enclosed trailer full of assorted goodies and it ended up being less than 50 cents a pound.

    Did you get fresh fruit or was it just dry goods?
     

    Indiana Camper

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 16, 2012
    123
    18
    Westfield
    I like the 1 gallon mylar bags. I do one with rice, one with some kind of beans, and one with quaker oatmeal. Put them in the bucket before all of the air is absorbed and drop in a container of salt and a container of honey in the middle. Both salt and honey store forever.
    I like having a variety in the buckets. You don't quite get as much this way though. I like the fact that I can hand one out to family or friends and they have a little of everything.
    I get buckets for free from my local Marsh and Super Walmart.
     

    ClydeB

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Sep 17, 2012
    158
    18
    Southern Hoosier
    The best food for LTS is what you know you and your family will eat.

    If you are new to prepping. I would start with the canned goods you already purchase for consumption. Stock up on those and do a shelf life rotation. New in the back, and oldest on the plate.

    The freeze dried "meal in a " can or pouch are very convenient, just add hot water. But, they are expensive per serving. Lots of brands you can get samples of or find in single serving pouches. Buy some and try them for yourselves.

    I personally think bulk staples is the best way to go.
    Like buckets of

    • Rice
    • Wheat
    • Beans
    Home canned or dehydrated

    • Meats
    • Vegetables
    • Cheese / Dairy
    • Spices and seasonings
    Plus lots of salt and bulk multivitamins.

    Just be sure whatever route you go. That it is something you and your family will eat. Short term its stocking things they will eat. And for the longer term work on getting them to eat things that you can store. LTS is as much lifestyle as it is storage.
     

    maverick18

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Feb 1, 2013
    331
    18
    Clinton County
    That was all dry goods from E&S. I came back with chief montana hard red and hard white wheat, steel cut oats, black, kidney and navy beans, and some odds and ends. Everytime I head up that way I always come back with some kind of smoked sausage and smoked cheeses!!
     

    Cozy439

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Oct 3, 2009
    983
    93
    Milan Center
    I know many of you store with mylar and buckets. I have found a supply of buckets. Can anyone point me to place to buy mylar and O2 asorbers at a fair price for good quality? What size bags? What thickness? How many O2 absorbers in each unit?

    Thanks
     

    cook5oh

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    9   0   0
    Jan 28, 2013
    660
    18
    Southern Indiana
    Gotta do the canning thing too. I have canned food my Mother made over ten years ago. I've opened it up and it still tastes great.

    Just an FYI, dont try and can polish sausage. I made some about a year ago. It's has a bizzarre texture and flavor. If you can eat it, you should be on Fear Factor. Lol!!!
     

    Curls & Swirls

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 30, 2013
    156
    18
    Morgan County
    you can starve to death eating just rabbit lol dont waste your time

    Why would it be a waste of time if it is just an addition to your other supplies and you get plenty of other fats, since they multiply quickly? Is there something I haven't read about rabits?

    The best food for LTS is what you know you and your family will eat.

    If you are new to prepping. I would start with the canned goods you already purchase for consumption. Stock up on those and do a shelf life rotation. New in the back, and oldest on the plate.

    The freeze dried "meal in a " can or pouch are very convenient, just add hot water. But, they are expensive per serving. Lots of brands you can get samples of or find in single serving pouches. Buy some and try them for yourselves.

    I personally think bulk staples is the best way to go.
    Like buckets of

    • Rice
    • Wheat
    • Beans
    Home canned or dehydrated

    • Meats
    • Vegetables
    • Cheese / Dairy
    • Spices and seasonings
    Plus lots of salt and bulk multivitamins.

    Just be sure whatever route you go. That it is something you and your family will eat. Short term its stocking things they will eat. And for the longer term work on getting them to eat things that you can store. LTS is as much lifestyle as it is storage.

    So do you can or dehydrate your cheese? I really enjoy cheese but do not want to pay for all the freeze dried cheese if I can help it.
     

    11-B

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 7, 2012
    171
    18
    Why would it be a waste of time if it is just an addition to your other supplies and you get plenty of other fats, since they multiply quickly? Is there something I haven't read about rabits?


    Rabbits take more calories to digest then they have in their meat so you would be taking 2 steps forward one step back in a way:twocents:
     

    ClydeB

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Sep 17, 2012
    158
    18
    Southern Hoosier
    So do you can or dehydrate your cheese? I really enjoy cheese but do not want to pay for all the freeze dried cheese if I can help it.

    I probably could have put that better. Should have been
    "Home canned, commercially canned, home dehydrated, or commercially dehydrated."

    In the case of the cheese powder for me - commercially dehydrated.
    Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese | #10 can | honeyvillegrain.com

    I wish I had the setup to do that myself. I've looked into home vacuum dehydrators and they are expensive!

    I did look into doing home canned cheese either by water bath or pressure canning. Everything I have read says there is no safe way to home can dairy products. Cheese isn’t high enough acidity for just a water bath treatment. And will not hold up well to pressure canning's prolonged heat. I did not feel like playing with potential botulism. So for my long term preps I went with commercially prepared.
     

    Curls & Swirls

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 30, 2013
    156
    18
    Morgan County
    Thanks for the info guys, that is why I love this place.

    11-B
    I'm thinking if rabbits take more calories to burn than it gives you I might need to check into getting them for my weight loss efforts now!! ;)

    ClydeB
    I guess if I really want cheese, I'll just have to spend the $$ on the canned stuff. I am sure that if things get bad I can manage without it.:crying:
     

    Car Ramrod

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Oct 15, 2009
    1,852
    38
    Westfield
    I know many of you store with mylar and buckets. I have found a supply of buckets. Can anyone point me to place to buy mylar and O2 asorbers at a fair price for good quality? What size bags? What thickness? How many O2 absorbers in each unit?

    Thanks
    I ordered my bags and absorbers from Amazon. I think it was $23 for 60 3.5mil bags and 60 300cc absorbers. You will obviously want a thicker bag when storing sharper items. I put 5 pounds of rice in each 1 gallon bag, and used 1 absorber for each bag. After pushing most of the air out, and then sealing it, the absorber basically vacuum sealed the bag (which I was told isn't supposed to happen, but oh well).

    I didn't weigh the 5 pounds to fit, it just happened to be 5 pounds. I found that 5 18oz Solo cups was just the right amount to get the bags filled to where I could manage them. So, 5 Solo cups of beans, wheat, etc should fit about the same.
     
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