Emergency Food Storage

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  • adit

    ReMember
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 20, 2013
    19,495
    DE

    Hansum

    Member
    Feb 14, 2019
    62
    Thanks for all the replies folks. Also, I feel like I need to maybe take it easier on stuff since I managed to crack that lowes bucket. I like the sound of throwing gamma lids on a few buckets. As cool as the gbu drums sound, gotta build up from a 2 week supply of emergency food first.

    Sent from my LM-G710VM using Tapatalk
     
    If your food is pre packaged you don't need food grade containers since your food is already in food grade containers. If these are going to be stored in your home under climate control the buckets at Home Depot will work. I bought bury tubes for some of my food stores but with the idea that if I need to bug out I may have to cache some of my stuff. I also bought several 30 gallon barrels for the same reason.
     

    dontpanic

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 7, 2013
    6,631
    Timonium
    I use kitty litter buckets. They're free, have lids and stack really well because of thier square shape.
    Everyrhing inside is individually packaged
     

    marko

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 28, 2009
    7,048
    You can buy brand new buckets - 1,2, and 5 gallons with lids- at Benjamin Moore Paint stores and they are really 10X better than a Lowe's or HD bucket.
     

    Bullfrog

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 8, 2009
    15,152
    Carroll County
    Pickle bucket from Firehouse subs. $2!
    Food grade/water tight/hard to open.
    The down side is it smells like pickles!
    The up side, it smells like pickles!

    And the $2 goes directly to a local fire station.

    Repeat use of a citrus based cleaner has worked best for me in eliminating the smell.
     

    BDWMS

    Active Member
    Feb 21, 2013
    403
    Howard County
    I use kitty litter buckets. They're free, have lids and stack really well because of thier square shape.
    Everyrhing inside is individually packaged
    I think that's what I'm going to do. We stocked up with enough stuff to last is a while but I'm a little concerned with things unprotected from pests (rice, snacks for kids, crackers, etc). Square cat litter buckets would work perfectly.
     

    JoeRinMD

    Rifleman
    Jul 18, 2008
    2,014
    AA County
    I make my own wine from juice that's brought in from California in 6 gallon food safe buckets with VERY tight fitting lids. I have about 10 of them right now that I could use for storing food.

    JoeR
     

    Scrounger

    Active Member
    Jul 16, 2018
    357
    Southern Maryland
    As has already been posted, plastic out gases, then becomes brittle over time. Sunlight speeds things up. If it’s not something that is going to be moved, the aluminum medical boxes work well. Larger ammo cans work for things that are moved by one person. The empty containers are heavier than plastic, but one doesn’t have to worry about them breaking or vermin getting into them. And don’t forget, they are meant to be stackable.
     

    Boondock Saint

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 11, 2008
    24,366
    White Marsh
    Properly sealed/scrubbed (meaning O2) mylar bags inside of Lowe's/HD buckets will last essentially forever. I'm talking rice and beans, not your favorite pasta sauce recipe. If you're smart, you can get a lot of calories in a single bucket. Rotate at will, obviously, but these will have a longer shelf life than anything you add to the larder.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,407
    Glen Burnie
    Properly sealed/scrubbed (meaning O2) mylar bags inside of Lowe's/HD buckets will last essentially forever. I'm talking rice and beans, not your favorite pasta sauce recipe. If you're smart, you can get a lot of calories in a single bucket. Rotate at will, obviously, but these will have a longer shelf life than anything you add to the larder.

    I always put a cheap pair of scissors in each bucket to cut the bag.
    I also put cooking instructions specific to each food for each way I would cook it. Like pressure cooker, boiling, or however else. Not recipes.
     

    willtill

    The Dude Abides
    MDS Supporter
    May 15, 2007
    24,312
    I have a fifty pound bag of rice I think I'm going to transfer to a 5 gallon plastic bucket.
     

    E.Shell

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 5, 2007
    10,242
    Mid-Merlind
    ....If it’s not something that is going to be moved, the aluminum medical boxes work well...
    Yup. I have several of these and use them for extended dry storage like rice/beans/noodles/sugar/flour/salt/etc.. Rodent/insect proof and food is double sealed, at least. They are very heavy when packed, but almost never have to be moved and even then, I'm just sliding them around..."storage", not "transport".

    I have kept the food in the original containers, and placed these inside 2 gallon ziplocks, then put the ziplocked foods into the gasketed metal container. I rotate as I use it. If I need sugar, I buy a new 10lb bag, put that into the container and pull the oldest one out to use now. Been doing this for a few years now and it works OK.

    I keep canned goods in smaller (10 gallon Sterlite) plastic totes, just to keep them clean, dry and organized. The 10G size is good for canned goods, because you can fill it up and still move it around, and the weight doesn't distort/damage the tote. A bigger tote filled with canned goods won't take the stress.

    If I thought I'd ever have to mobilize with my supplies, everything would go into 5G buckets, but I don't see that happening. Food storage like this is intended to allow me to stay where I am.
     

    namrelio

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 14, 2013
    4,372
    Frederick Co. Virginia
    I don't know if its been said on this forum but you can freeze eggs. Crack whatever amount you eat at one time into a small container and freeze. Take em out, thaw, good to go. I just heard it today from daughter.

    If you don't know where the chicken has been, be careful.
     

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