What you'll need
- Mylar bags (5 mil or thicker) with oxygen absorbersSee it on Amazon
- Extra oxygen absorbersSee it on Amazon
- Impulse sealer (or a clothes iron / flat iron)See it on Amazon
- Food-grade 5-gallon buckets with lidsSee it on Amazon
- A small mason jar for leftover absorbers
- Permanent marker
- 1
Pick the right foods
Only dry foods with very little moisture: white rice, dried beans, wheat berries, rolled oats, pasta, dried corn, powdered milk. Skip brown rice, nuts, whole-wheat flour and anything oily. The oils go rancid.
- 2
Freeze it first
Freeze grains and beans for 3 days, then let them come back to room temperature in the closed bag. This kills any bug eggs from the store.
- 3
Fill the bags
Fill each bag, leaving 3 to 4 inches at the top. Tap it on the counter to settle the food. Wipe the inside of the top edge clean so the seal is strong.
- 4
Line everything up first
Fill all your bags before you open the absorbers. Absorbers start working the second the package is open.
- 5
Add the absorbers and seal
Drop an absorber on top of each bag (a 1-gallon bag of rice needs about 300cc; 5-gallon bag about 2,000cc). Press out the air and seal straight across about an inch below the top. With an iron, use the highest setting on a flat board and press firmly. Make two seal lines to be safe. Put leftover absorbers in a sealed mason jar right away.
- 6
Label it
Write what it is, the date, and the absorber size on every bag.
- 7
Check after 2 days
Most bags pull tight and look vacuum-packed. Beans and pasta may only tighten a little. If a bag stays loose and puffy, cut it open, add a fresh absorber and reseal.
- 8
Store it right
Put the bags in buckets, keep them cool, dark and off the floor. Every 10 degrees cooler roughly doubles shelf life.
- Don't add absorbers to sugar or salt. They'll turn into a brick. They store forever without one.
- A hair straightener works great for sealing small bags.
- Make some 1-gallon bags instead of all 5-gallon. Once you open a bag, you have to use it within months.
- Put a small bag of bay leaves on top inside the bucket for extra pest protection.
- Storing anything moist. Moist food in a sealed, oxygen-free bag can grow botulism. If it isn't dry enough to snap or rattle, don't Mylar it.
- Leaving the absorber package open while you work.
- Storing buckets in a hot garage or attic.
Long-term food storage: the full guide
Open →Keep goingHow much to store for your family
Open →Keep goingItems that never expire
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