I've heard from several people on various forums that new-to-stocking up folks may need a quick tip sheet on how to preserve what they are stocking up. It never hurts for us "oldies" to have a refresher course either. I also figure that as people chime in on this thread we may get some tips that are new to us all.
When packaging your food preps for longer term storage, you need to know that the enemies of your preps are : AIR, MOISTURE, and PESTS (insect and rodent). A bagged item may be fine, but moving it around can poke small holes in them letting in air, leaving them exposed to insects and wafting the aroma of YOUR food to the local rodent population. You may think they are safe on that shelf, but stacking bags on top of bags leaves a slippery slope and accidents happen. My preference is to package all my foods myself and then place them in buckets or in Rubbermaid style tubs. I try not to let these sit directly on the floor/cement because rumor has it that the chemicals in the cement can leach into the bucket/bag/tub.
In the interest of fairness; what I do is probably over kill. Many people keep wheat in buckets with no fancy packaging, (in fact in real old times, granaries kept the bulk of grains and many Kings kept 10 years worth in the granary for emergencies,) and it is fine...I prefer not to take that chance with my hard earned money (food).
Why keep food for that long? Personally I don't want to, but I know that I may not be able to get certain products if the worst happens and we have an event that cuts power for a long time (EMP/CME). I also know that I may not get around to using some products sometimes or they get shuffled out of the way and I don't find them for a long time (how's that box of stuffing you found in the back of the cupboard from years ago?) The PREFERABLE food storage method is to store what you eat and eat what you store so that items are constantly rotated in and out, however stuff happens and there are some items that you will need in an emergency that you may not use during regular times.

Equipment Needed:
Buckets w/ lids: These will be heavy plastic with a #2 on the bottom, indicating they are food safe. They can be found at Lowe's, Home Depot, Tractor Supply. The lids for these should have a rubber gasket in them. You can (sometimes/some places) find these FREE in bakeries and deli departments at local stores and other outlets like Dunkin Doughnuts, Sam's Club, grocers. They may need to be cleaned out, but since food product came in them, you can be sure they are food safe. If you purchase your bucket, they may cost about $5 for the bucket and the lid (sold separately).
Bucket Liner: You can find food grade plastic liners for buckets, but most people use a product called Mylar. Mylar is a great product, tough and able to handle sharper foods like pasta, water proof and the seals last for the life of the package as long as it isn't punctured. It keeps out air, insects and rodents (due to it's odor proof metal outer covering). It can be sealed with a regular household iron or an "impulse sealer". They are not commonly available in most locations so they should be ordered over the internet. They come in a variety of sizes (and can be cut). Do not bother with the "zip lock" type for long term food storage, though these can be heat sealed around the zip lock part.
They are fairly expensive, but they also can be reused. A bucket sized Mylar bag is about $2. I keep some of my mylar bagged stuff in a big Rubbermaid tub instead of a bucket, especially stuff I want to get to often.
Oxygen Absorbers: It's important to get the air out of what ever you pack, however you pack it. Oxygen absorbers take the air out (without vacuum sealing) of even Mylar. You can find these with the Mylar for sale on line. I believe a 100cc o2 costs about 4-8 cents. It takes about 1500cc-2000cc to take the air out of a 5 gallon bucket with the Mylar bag. I use 100cc in a pint jar, just so you have an idea of how much you will need. Once the package is opened, the absorbers start working, so you'll need a jar with a lid or a bag clip to put them in while you are working. The jar is where mine all go and they seal the jar for you and keep nice and ready to use next time you need them.

For reference, a 5 gallon bucket will hold somewhere around 25 pounds of wheat or sugar. Unfortunetely, it's not an exact science when done at home!


Other Equipment that will come in handy:
Various measuring cups, wide mouth funnel, household iron, small board to provide a hard surface to seal mylar.

Vacuum Sealer & Bags: I have always used vacuum sealers, and still find them to be a good all around item for both regular storage and freezer storage. With a vacuum sealer, you keep out most of the air and moisture, and protect items for storage in tubs and buckets. A vacuum sealer can also be used on jars to lengthen the storage of smaller items and even fridge items like salsa and pickles. The draw back of vacuum bags is that sharp stuff like pasta and dried potatoes can poke through the bag, and over time, many seals weaken and air gets in. Again, stacking these bags is a "slippery slope" so I generally toss them into a bucket or tub.
A vacuum sealer and the bags can be found all over the web but also locally at Wally World for well under $100. dg
Glass jars: This is more for canning, but I have a wide variety of jars I've picked up at various places that I store odds and ends in like spices, or small amounts left over from packing bulk foods. I'll do a segment on canning at a later date. Glass jars with a lid are an excellent place to keep your left over oxygen absorbers!

Okay... Ready to go and make sure your food stays fresh!

Many folks choose to pack food in one of two ways...in meal sized portions or in bulk in buckets. For items that I am afraid might not get used up quick enough, I pack in meal sized portions. This includes pasta, rice, beans, and dehydrated veggies. For wheat, cornmeal and sugar, I pack in bulk in 5 gallon buckets.
Ex: I know that I'll use 2 cups of rice for a meal, so I take a food saver (vacuum bag) and pour the rice in, vacuum it and write the amount and date on it and toss it in a tub. Same thing for pasta and beans. When it comes to repackaging mixes, dehydrated stuff and mac & cheese, I cut off the directions and toss it in the bag with what I'm packaging. IF an item might crush if I vacuum seal it, I only partially vacuum it and then seal it.

Note: repackaging mixes and other boxed items... certain insects love the glue used in boxes. It's sweet food for them but when done, they will quickly turn to the food in the package. If you plan to keep a packaged item for more than 3 months, or store it in a damp area or where a rodent might find it, I would repackage it. (just my opinion)

To pack in Mylar; fill bag with food item, add oxygen absorbers, press out as much air as you can and apply a hot iron to the edge of the myler bag on a firm surface...I leave a gap at one end and squish out the remaining air and then finish sealing. Label the bag and toss in a bucket or tub.

Dry goods packaged in this manner will have at least triple the shelf life, but most often be good for 10 years or more.

Shelf life: there is lots on this all over the internet, so I'll just touch on it here with a general rule of thumb.
-Most items without any oils or egg, such as wheat, sugar, oats, corn meal, rice and beans will last for 20 years. They really do not have an "expiration" date.
-Well dried veggies and pasta can last for 10 years if packed right.
-Items that have oils, like processed flour and seasoning packets can last 5 years if packed properly (maybe more).

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thanks for the info help

Thanks for the post it helped get me started faster

hey Herb, can I freeze loafbread in it's original wrap without special re-pacakaging?

you can, but it will dry out real fast. just freeze it, then take it out and put some extra wrap around it and then pop it back in the freezer. It will last much longer.

Watch out for pantry moths and their worm larvae. They got into my storage area, into packaging, dog food, oatmeal, etc. I didnt recognize the problem for months. Then when I was rotating some food, I found the worms inside packaging.

http://www.livingwithbugs.com/mealmoth.html

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf648776.tip.html

THANKS FOR THIS INFO


its helping me a lot