food grade storage containers

[gutpile]

ok so if the have the triangle with a 2 in the triangle these are food grade. I use the 2.5 gallon kitty litter jugs(the ones fresh step comes in) they have a great seal screw on lid so why not clean and dry then put cornmeal,oatmeal, flour and dry pasta in then with a chunk of dry ice(chase out the o2) and diatomicous earth. and they are stackable write right on the container with a perm marker you could even seal mylar bags inside if you can get the right size? they have built in handles too

thoughts?
gutpile

 

[Mcolson181]

I would definitely use Mylar bags with Os absorbers. If you haven't done so already google mylar bags and you'll find some decent sites. Also, if you can't find a good fit for an odd size bucket maybe do several 1 gal. bags so you can have a variety so then you don't have 1 bucket with a bunch of one item.

 

[Cozy439]

New to SEALING, but got started prepping this summer. WHERE do you recommend the MYLAR bags from. I know, GOOGLE THEM. I did. Just wondering if anyone out there has had good bad luck / prices with any particular dealer.

 

[Car Ramrod]

The 2 doesn't mean it's food grade. That has to do with the type of plastic it is made from.

Especially when using a container that did not originally contain food, I would use a mylar bag.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Sam's Club once carried food-grade bins for dog food, FDA-certified, for what little that's worth. They hold about 125 lbs. of rice/flour/sugar. Seals air-tight, but eventually will need some silica in mesh bags tossed in. $20 bucks a piece. Held up for about eight months now with no noticeable changes in the flour or sugar.

 

[jjohnisme]

If you really need some quality food-grade buckets, i can acquire about 10 per week from my job at a large industrial-sized bakery. I only ask a miniscule $1 per bucket for my efforts in carting them across our 1/2 mile long plant and into my vehicle .

They will have a cherry smell that may need some dawn detergent to fully disappear. It's not the screw-top like you mentioned, they're used, press-top, round 5-gal containers. PM me if you need a few and we can set something up if you're close to Indy/Brownsburg.

 

[Car Ramrod]

If you really need some quality food-grade buckets, i can acquire about 10 per week from my job at a large industrial-sized bakery. I only ask a miniscule $1 per bucket for my efforts in carting them across our 1/2 mile long plant and into my vehicle .

They will have a cherry smell that may need some dawn detergent to fully disappear. It's not the screw-top like you mentioned, they're used, press-top, round 5-gal containers. PM me if you need a few and we can set something up if you're close to Indy/Brownsburg.

Screw the buckets, how about some bakery items.

 

[FWShooter]

New to SEALING, but got started prepping this summer. WHERE do you recommend the MYLAR bags from. I know, GOOGLE THEM. I did. Just wondering if anyone out there has had good bad luck / prices with any particular dealer.

I buy all mine from USA emergency supply (https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/)

Great luck and good shipping.

Also, steal a hair straightener for the quickest and easiest way to seal them.

 

[FWShooter]

Personally I hate putting my food directly into buckets for long term storage.

Would rather spend the buck or so and mylar/o2 and be sure it is sealed. Plus stockpiling for a couple people I will buy smaller mylar bags and just open what is needed when it is needed.

 

[Car Ramrod]

Personally I hate putting my food directly into buckets for long term storage.

Would rather spend the buck or so and mylar/o2 and be sure it is sealed. Plus stockpiling for a couple people I will buy smaller mylar bags and just open what is needed when it is needed.

That is my thinking.

 

[Justin Case]

Personally I hate putting my food directly into buckets for long term storage.

Would rather spend the buck or so and mylar/o2 and be sure it is sealed. Plus stockpiling for a couple people I will buy smaller mylar bags and just open what is needed when it is needed.

Ditto. Mylar bags and Oxygen absorbers are good insurance for long-term storage in 5 (or 6) gallon plastic buckets. I also like the gamma lids that seal really tight but the center screws on and off easily for food that is accessed more often. They're a little pricey but a lot easier to open and close than regular lids. I have found the gamma lids at Menards in the section when they have mops and buckets. You can use regular lids but switch to the gamma lids when you start using out of a bucket. This helps to keep the cost down as you only need 2 or 3.

​

 

[Cozy439]

More Info?!?!?

I buy all mine from USA emergency supply (https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/)

Great luck and good shipping.

Also, steal a hair straightener for the quickest and easiest way to seal them.

I do appreciate the link, but my question was what do you (or any other prepper) buy? I went to the website but I have no idea WHICH style and size of bags to use. What size is best? I have access to 5 gal and some 3 gal. buckets. What style/thickness model number do you reccomend and why is 1 choice better than another? This is all helpful but I have no idea what STANDARD anything is compared to. Thanks

 

[Cozy439]

More INFO?!?!?!?! This is great stuff

Ditto. Mylar bags and Oxygen absorbers are good insurance for long-term storage in 5 (or 6) gallon plastic buckets. I also like the gamma lids that seal really tight but the center screws on and off easily for food that is accessed more often. They're a little pricey but a lot easier to open and close than regular lids. I have found the gamma lids at Menards in the section when they have mops and buckets. You can use regular lids but switch to the gamma lids when you start using out of a bucket. This helps to keep the cost down as you only need 2 or 3.

​

I have 1 GAMMA lid from Menards. They are a little pricey. I like your idea of using GAMMA lids on OPENED buckets. My question is, How easy is it to take those GAMMA lids off? They got ON very SECURE, do they come off w/o damage? Also where do you get O2 absorbers and what is a good price for them?

 

[FWShooter]

I have 1 GAMMA lid from Menards. They are a little pricey. I like your idea of using GAMMA lids on OPENED buckets. My question is, How easy is it to take those GAMMA lids off? They got ON very SECURE, do they come off w/o damage? Also where do you get O2 absorbers and what is a good price for them?

The gamma lids in my experience are a PITA to get off once they are on and you will probably end up ****ing up the lid.

Flip the bucket and beat the lid with a mallet works pretty well but takes a lot of time.

Also warm the plastic if you have to remove them does help out drastically.

Oxygen absorbers usually about a buck a piece.

https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emergency_supplies/oxygen_absorbers.htm

oxygen absorbers - order - SorbentSystems.com

Realize oxygen absorbers start going bad the second they touch oxygen so work quickly.

Sorbent is nice because they pack theirs in 10 packs so less time screwing around.

 

[pudly]

I do appreciate the link, but my question was what do you (or any other prepper) buy? I went to the website but I have no idea WHICH style and size of bags to use. What size is best? I have access to 5 gal and some 3 gal. buckets. What style/thickness model number do you reccomend and why is 1 choice better than another? This is all helpful but I have no idea what STANDARD anything is compared to. Thanks

Don't be too concerned about many of those details. Size of bags is largely a matter of preference. Many use a single bag that will fill the entire bucket. I prefer to use 1-gallon bags and put several in a bucket. That will allow me to open one, but still have others remain sealed and remain fresh longer. It is a matter of preference and how you think you might using them. If you have a large family, there really isn't much need for the multiple smaller bags.

Strictly my opinion as I don't recall reading anything official on this- but thicker mylar bags buy you two things: better able to handle abuse and more resistant to air infiltration. I have purchased from USA Emergency Supply and was happy with the product. I consider the extra protection of my food well worth a little more.

You also don't have to spend money on a sealer at all if you don't want. Here is a very good video that I use for reference on how to seal food in buckets using a basic clothes iron.
http://youtu.be/fk9b0dAtJ80

Also, here is a very good video showing food that has been kept in storage a long time and the benefit of using a proper packing system:
http://youtu.be/BBoKCSFA1lQ
http://youtu.be/HVMDBVJCodI