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Long Term Food Storage Buckets & Supplies on the cheap for the beginner

Captain Kaboom

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I spent some time researching long term food storage and was amazed that the cost and price differences everywhere I looked. The prepared/freeze dried/dehydrated stuff is really expensive- so I started looking into DIY 5 gallon food buckets and understanding what the beginner really just needs to get started without spending a fortune. Here is what I found and thought I would share...

Here's the short list of what you need:
5 Gallon Food Buckets x10
5 Gallon Mylar Bags x10
Oxygen Absorbers 2000cc x10
Lid opener
Mylar bag sealer (eg. Old Iron, pickup at local thrift store or steal the one from your linen closet...I won't tell)
Rubber mallet or hammer & block of wood (I bet everyone has a hammer)

For oxygen absorbers, you need 1 x 2000cc per 5 gallon bucket for high density food (like rice). 2 x 2000cc per 5 gallon with low density food (like large beans)

Here is what I found:

Lowe's has the least expensive 5 GAL Food Grade Buckets & Lids that I have found, and FREE SHIPPING from your local Lowe's store.
Bucket = $3.97 Lids = $1.97
For a quantity of 10, you're in under $60.

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=356492-1152-50640
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=356493-1152-50000

5 Gallon Mylar Bags
On Amazon, quantity of 10 for $12.49, and these come with 10x 2000cc oxygen absorbers!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0077CSRXQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Additional Oxygen Absorbers
30x 2000cc for $14.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FRZ45K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lid Opener $2.97
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KKPBFE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So for under $100, probably much less then you blow in ammo on a trip to the range- you can have everything you need to start storing away up your favorite rice, beans, pasta, etc from your local grocery store.

Put bag into bucket, add food, throw in 1-2 oxygen absorbers, seal with hot iron, close lid with rubber mallet. Label and stick in the closet for 25 years.
 
A packaging company I started back in the mid 90's distributed all types of rigid containers... including 45-50 T.Trailer loads of 5 gal. buckets per mon.

When people would call looking for small quantities when we didn't have a broken pallet I would suggest that they go to either sandwich restaurants (i.e. small local restaurants, Firehouse Subs., Subway, Pizza franchises, etc.) for their old pickle, mayonnaise, icing, etc. buckets & then just buy the lids unless you could get both from them. Many of those places will let you have them for nothing or just charge a small amount.
While no longer "food grade" they still can be airtight & be used for foods with the mylar bags.... something to try or consider.
 
I know Firehouse subs sells their pickle buckets for $5. The money goes towards the fireman burn foundation or something like that. I don't use them for food because of the pickle smell, but I do use them to grow tomato plants. Ring it with chicken wire, drill holes in the bottom for drainage, and fill it 2/3 of the way up with good soil and you're good to go. Leave the handles pointed up, so you can move them around easily for best sun...

thanks for the info, good to know.
 
I spent some time researching long term food storage and was amazed that the cost and price differences everywhere I looked. The prepared/freeze dried/dehydrated stuff is really expensive- so I started looking into DIY 5 gallon food buckets and understanding what the beginner really just needs to get started without spending a fortune. Here is what I found and thought I would share...

Here's the short list of what you need:
5 Gallon Food Buckets x10
5 Gallon Mylar Bags x10
Oxygen Absorbers 2000cc x10
Lid opener
Mylar bag sealer (eg. Old Iron, pickup at local thrift store or steal the one from your linen closet...I won't tell)
Rubber mallet or hammer & block of wood (I bet everyone has a hammer)

For oxygen absorbers, you need 1 x 2000cc per 5 gallon bucket for high density food (like rice). 2 x 2000cc per 5 gallon with low density food (like large beans)

Here is what I found:

Lowe's has the least expensive 5 GAL Food Grade Buckets & Lids that I have found, and FREE SHIPPING from your local Lowe's store.
Bucket = $3.97 Lids = $1.97
For a quantity of 10, you're in under $60.

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=356492-1152-50640
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=356493-1152-50000

5 Gallon Mylar Bags
On Amazon, quantity of 10 for $12.49, and these come with 10x 2000cc oxygen absorbers!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0077CSRXQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Additional Oxygen Absorbers
30x 2000cc for $14.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FRZ45K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lid Opener $2.97
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KKPBFE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So for under $100, probably much less then you blow in ammo on a trip to the range- you can have everything you need to start storing away up your favorite rice, beans, pasta, etc from your local grocery store.

Put bag into bucket, add food, throw in 1-2 oxygen absorbers, seal with hot iron, close lid with rubber mallet. Label and stick in the closet for 25 years.
I buy rice, beans in plastic bags they come in from the store.
If I store them in plastic containers to protect from rodents that seems all I need. Why open the rice,beans just to put them up???
 
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I spent some time researching long term food storage and was amazed that the cost and price differences everywhere I looked. The prepared/freeze dried/dehydrated stuff is really expensive- so I started looking into DIY 5 gallon food buckets and understanding what the beginner really just needs to get started without spending a fortune. Here is what I found and thought I would share...

Here's the short list of what you need:
5 Gallon Food Buckets x10
5 Gallon Mylar Bags x10
Oxygen Absorbers 2000cc x10
Lid opener
Mylar bag sealer (eg. Old Iron, pickup at local thrift store or steal the one from your linen closet...I won't tell)
Rubber mallet or hammer & block of wood (I bet everyone has a hammer)

For oxygen absorbers, you need 1 x 2000cc per 5 gallon bucket for high density food (like rice). 2 x 2000cc per 5 gallon with low density food (like large beans)

Here is what I found:

Lowe's has the least expensive 5 GAL Food Grade Buckets & Lids that I have found, and FREE SHIPPING from your local Lowe's store.
Bucket = $3.97 Lids = $1.97
For a quantity of 10, you're in under $60.

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=356492-1152-50640
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=356493-1152-50000

5 Gallon Mylar Bags
On Amazon, quantity of 10 for $12.49, and these come with 10x 2000cc oxygen absorbers!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0077CSRXQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Additional Oxygen Absorbers
30x 2000cc for $14.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FRZ45K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lid Opener $2.97
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KKPBFE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So for under $100, probably much less then you blow in ammo on a trip to the range- you can have everything you need to start storing away up your favorite rice, beans, pasta, etc from your local grocery store.

Put bag into bucket, add food, throw in 1-2 oxygen absorbers, seal with hot iron, close lid with rubber mallet. Label and stick in the closet for 25 years.
on a side note, once you open the package of 02 absorbers, make sure you are using them all as the begin absorbing as soon as the pack is open and it is not likely you can seal the pack well enough to stop them...
 
I buy rice, beans in plastic bags they come in from the store.
If I store them in plastic containers to protect from rodents that seems all I need. Why open the rice,beans just to put them up???
because over time the bags degrade and get sticky...like within 5 years or so
 
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