Food Storage-Buckets

Detailed lists from various sources with notes, ideas and hints on all aspects of starting, organizing and using your food storage. Including Buckets, mylar bags, oxy absorbers, shelf life, packaging codes, storage solutions & MORE!
Post Reply
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Food Storage-Buckets

Post by Readymom »

BUCKETS

Originally posted by Raccoon, Avian Flu Talk
http://www.avianflutalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=964

[snip] I had big 5 gal buckets full of sugar, flour and pasta. I used the oxygen packets. Put bay leaves in the flour...I used the flour and sugar until about 9 months ago and it was fine.
Last edited by Readymom on Tue Mar 18, 2008 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Storage: Buckets

Post by Readymom »

Also try your local grocery store bakery departments .... they will often give you the buckets for free. And don't forget your local Sam's club, BJ's, Costco ... they also will most often give them to you for free. Another source is Dunkin Donuts. DD usually will ask for $1 for the buckets.

These buckets can then be used for water storage OR for the storage of your dried goods. Bucket lids are a devil to open once they are sealed shut. You can find bucket lid openers on line for a hefty price, (I have found) but then I looked in Lowes and found them in the Painting isle for $1!! -k
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Post by Readymom »

BUCKETS

Original post at Simply Living Smart :

Image
:arrow: http://simplylivingsmart.com/community-forum/2570.html

(tareesa):
Hi, tonight we got some glaze buckets from Dunkin Donuts. These are labeled 5 PP for Polypropylene. Unfortunately the lids do not have rubber gaskets, but still fit very tightly. Would these buckets be suitable for rice or dry bean storage? Since it doesn't have the rubber gasket could I use a clear silicone to seal it against moisture etc...?

(Anitra):
Yes, you could safely use these buckets, as long as you throughly clean them first with a grease buster like "Dawn".
Use hot water and scrub to get all the grease out or else, it will go ransid, and could ruin your beans. I would suggest adding a couple of oxygen packets to your buckets as well.
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Post by Readymom »

BUCKETS

Original post: SimplyLivingSmart
Image
http://simplylivingsmart.com/community-forum/416.html

(anitapreciouspearl):
My first grocery store pails have arrived. [snip] Should I vacuum seal the beans, grains etc. in food saver bags and then put them in the pails? I am assuming the bay leaves get sprinkled on top - how many is enough?

What about flour? I just bought 10kg bags. Right now they are in the freezer to kill the bugs but they can't stay there for long. Do I need to repackage the flour or can I just dump the whole thing - bag and all in the pail? Should I add bay leaves? Will that make the flour taste funny? [snip]


:arrow: (anitra21 ):
If I were you, I would just go ahead and empty your beans, grains, whatever food you want to fill those containers with, and put 3 oxygen packets in each bucket. One at the bottom, one in the middle, and one at the top, then seal it quickly and tightly. There is no need for food saver bags inside the buckets, if they've been properly cleaned. Bay leaves work alright with grains, but only deter new bugs. They do not work to suck out the extra oxygen in your bucket, which is really what you want in order to keep larvae from hatching into weevil. So my advice is scratch the bayleaves, and pick up some oxy-packs. Just be sure you use them within 20 minutes, or else, they turn hard. If you have a food saver to seal up the unused portion, great!
Now about the flour, I would try to package the flour in heavy duty food grade plastic bags before I put them in the buckets. This way the flour stays fresher longer, and you won't have the bug problem you're complaining about. If it's white flour, and you plan on using it within a year, you don't need any bay leaves or oxy packs. If you plan to store it longer, I would suggest oxygen packs, for sure.
[snip]
User avatar
Roknrandy
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:45 pm

Re: Food Storage Solutions

Post by Roknrandy »

I just wanted to add a little info to this about buckets and what I do.

The numbers on the bottom of buckets dont mean grade, It's to tell you what type of material it's made from.

The numeric codes that you see on many plastic items are used to help sort post-consumer plastics for recycling purposes. Different types of plastics are sometimes referred to as “resins” and the numeric symbols are known as “Resin ID Codes.” Each number (1 through 6) signifies a specific type of plastic and usually appears inside a small triangle (often formed by three adjoining arrows) imprinted on the bottom of a plastic item. The number “7” is used to represent a group of other plastics or combinations of plastics. Resin ID codes are not intended to provide guidance on the safe or appropriate use of any plastic item and should not be used for this purpose.

<1> PETE, aka PET (polyethylene terephthalate) Used for most transparent bottles, such as water, soda, cooking oil, and medicine bottles. Generally safe to use (not reuse); generally recycled.

<2> HDPE (high density polythylene) Sturdy, rigid plastic found in reusable food storage containers, milk and detergent bottles. Generally safe; generally recycled.

<3> PVC (polyvinyl chloride) Used for plastic wrap, and detergent and cooking oil bottles. Additives in PVC can increase the risk of birth defects and hormone-related cancers. Its production can be hazardous to workers and the environment. Generally not safe; not recycled.

<4> LDPE (low density polyethylene) Flexible plastic used for bags or wraps, such as produce bags and baby-bottle liners. Most number 4 plastics are not designed for reuse. Generally safe; generally not recycled.

<5> PPE, aka PP (polypropylene) Pliable plastic found in squeeze bottles, reusable food containers, and yogurt and margarine tubs. Generally safe; generally recycled.

<6> PS (polystyrene) Used in rigid take-out containers and foam meat trays. Can leach styrene when heated, a possible endocrine disruptor and human carcinogen. Not safe when heated; generally not recycled.

<7> Other; most often refers to PC (polycarbonate) This plastic is most commonly used for baby bottles, five-gallon water jugs, and reusable sports water bottles. It can leach out the hormone-disruptor bisphenol A, especially when heated. Because this group can include various other plastics, it has limited recycling potential.

I use cat litter containers as they are a #5. I caulk the lid shut when I drop my mylar bags inside and label them.

You don't need an impulse sealer. An iron works well, I use a hair straightener (gift from my wife :D ) because it acts like an impulse sealer (heat from both sides). look around for mylar bag dealers and look at the different sizes. I use two sizes and it works great for the buckets that I use (cat litter).

Image

Image

Image

One more thing I do with my buckets is I number them instead of writing on them. It's up to you how you do it but I find numbering them is a little easier because I just change my spread sheet to what ever the new contents are instead of re-writing or relabel them.

So in this picture bucket 01 contains 25 pounds of bread flour and 05 contains 30 pounds of rice
Image
Failure to prepare on your part does not constitute and emergency on my part
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage Solutions

Post by Readymom »

BUCKETS

Survival Prep Dot Net
http://survivalprepdotnet.blogspot.com/2010/03/nine-meals-from-anarchy-part-3-you.html

Excerpt:

Before I started stocking up on months worth of food and other necessities, just like a lot of you I greatly overestimated how much space all of my food, water and other things would take up. And overestimating how much space you need for important stuff like food and water (is there anything more important to your physical survival?) will probably make some people not start stocking up in the first place because they think it can’t be done, so why try? So to help shoot down misconceptions that stocking up on food takes up too much space, let’s take a look at some photos. --- continued at link, above --- PHOTOS!
Last edited by Readymom on Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Updated link
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

VIDEO: Buckets-Long Term Food Storage-How To

Post by Readymom »

:!: :!: RECOMMENDED VIEWING!

ImageHat Tip to Image For these video resources!

Long Term Food Storage Part 1 - Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW7_cTn6YpE&feature=related

Long Term Food Storage Part 2 - Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PylQCiFBtH4&feature=related

Long Term Food Storage Part 3 - Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfcWNOWUit8&feature=related
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Storage: Buckets

Post by Readymom »

Buckets-Removing Pickle Odor

Image

HOW DO I GET THE ODOR OUT OF PICKLE BUCKETS?
https://thesurvivalmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/LDS-Preparedness-Manual.pdf

Page 83

I've had fairly good luck doing it in the following way. As vinegar is the primary smell in pickles and it's acidic in nature,we use a base to counteract it. First we scrubbed the bucket well, inside and out, with dish detergent, most any sort will do. Then we filled the buckets with hot water and dissolved a cup of baking soda in each. Stir well, get the bucket as full as you can and put the top on. Put the bucket in the sun to keep it warm so the plastic pores stay open as much as possible. In a couple of days come back and empty the buckets. Rinse them out, fill with warm water again and add about a cup of bleach and reseal. Put back in the sun for another couple of days. Empty out and let dry with the tops off. We completely eliminated the vinegar smell this way. It might be possible to cut the time down a lot, but we haven't experimented that much.
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Storage: Buckets

Post by Readymom »

:!: NOTE: This is an archived post from the American Preppers Network. The original post is no longer available

Image Hat Tip to philandjudi @ American Preppers Network:

The following is the response to a letter that some one received, when they inquired about the use of Home Depot buckets for food storage:

Image

Home Depot Orange Buckets NOT Food Grade

:arrow:Philip,
Thank you for your email. Unfortunately the Orange Home Depot buckets are not designed for food storage. The bucket is manufactured for the paint and hardware industry and Leaktite does not recommend their use in contact with food.
Thank You,
Jay Brooks
Vice President National Accounts | Leaktite Corporation
(O) 978-870-1080 | (C) 978-855-4490 | (F) 978-534-3539
Email: jbrooks@leaktite.com
-------------------------------------------------------
I use these buckets anyway because my rice, beans etc. goes in mylar bags with absorbers and desiccant.
As I have learned; HDPE 2 buckets are not all the same. If it does not say for food use on the bucket use mylar.
Buckets from bakeries, eateries, etc all say food use on them.
Phil
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Storage: Buckets

Post by Readymom »

:!: NOTE: This is an archived post from the American Preppers Network. The original post is no longer available

Image Hat Tip to "TheLight" over at American Preppers Network:

Image

Buckets
Original post: by TheLight » Wed Dec 08, 2010 3:02 pm

From survivalblog yesterday:

:arrow: Mr. Rawles:
I'm befuddled. My husband says that the new orange 5-gallon buckets they sell at Home Depot are the same as "food grade" buckets, because they are made of the same plastic. But my sister says they aren't food grade. Who is right? Thanking You in Advance, - Lena in Indiana

:!: JWR Replies: This has been discussed before in SurvivalBlog, but it comes up so often that it bears repeating: As I explain in the Rawles Gets Your Ready Family Preparedness Course, determining whether or not a plastic bucket is truly food grade can be a challenge. I've had several readers and consulting clients who have mistakenly been told that the the number 2 (with the number 2 inside the "chasing arrows" recyclable plastic symbol) refers to Food Grade HDPE, but that is not true. Not all "2" marked plastics are food grade!

Here is the distinction: The "food grade" designation is determined by plastic purity by and what mold release compound is used in the injection molding process--not by the plastic itself, since all virgin HDPE raw material is safe for food. For paint and other utility buckets, manufacturers sometimes use a less expensive (and toxic) mold release compound. For food grade they must use a more expensive formulation that is non-toxic. Unless the buckets that you bought are are actually marked "food grade", (or, marked "NSF", "FDA", or "USDA" approved), then you will have to check with the manufacturer's web site to see if they make all food grade buckets.

From survivalblog today:

:arrow: James,
First, thanks for all that you do. God bless you and your family. Second, to reiterate what you've already posted, the five gallon buckets sold at Home Depot and Lowe's are not food grade buckets. They are stamped with the number 5. Yesterday I discovered that the buckets in the paint department at my local Wal-Mart are marked Food Grade. They are selling for $2.50 each, which is half the price of those at Home Depot and Lowe's. Also, the lids, which have rubber gasket seals are selling for .98 cents each. Be sure to check your local bakery. Many of them have the 2 gallon and 3-1/2 gallon buckets for free. Hope this helps. - H.W.

:!: JWR Replies: This expands on what I wrote in the Rawles Gets Your Ready Family Preparedness Course. I concur that bakeries are a great place to find used food grade buckets for little or no cash outlay. Also ask at delicatessens, catering companies, or other vendors that utilize foods bought in bulk.
Emphasis mine.
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Storage: Buckets

Post by Readymom »

Buckets: Other Uses

Here's is a great blog on OTHER uses for your buckets. You may want to consider these ideas, if you empty your buckets of your food storage items or you have more buckets than you need for your food storage!

OUR LITTLE FARM

The Bucket List
http://naturequestfarm.blogspot.com/2010/10/bucket-list.html

Before you go thinking that this article is about a list of things to do before you die, let me set the record straight. This list is about all of those creative uses for those plastic 5-gallon buckets we see all over the place.

Each year, millions of plastic buckets end up in landfills. Again, I go back to the concept that America is the most wasteful country in the world. This list serves as a thought stimulator so you can go out and save some of these buckets from landfills and reuse them for practical, everyday tasks.

Before we look at some of these practical uses, let’s take a look at where you can get these buckets for FREE. If you go to your local home improvement center, you can buy them for nearly 5-dollars apiece. Why would anyone spend good money on something you could get for free? Some things I will never understand. You will also find some of the sources listed below will charge a dollar or two for buckets. I expect most of them will soon begin charging for their buckets as well.

When I refer to 5-gallon buckets, I use this term as a generality. You can find buckets in a variety of sizes to include 5-gallon, 3 gallon and two gallon. You can also find metal buckets which are suitable for a variety of other tasks and projects. --- continued at link, above ---
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Storage: Buckets

Post by Readymom »

Image

BUCKETS- How Much Will They Hold?
https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information-center/packing-your-own-food-storage/how-much-food-fits-in-a-container

This is a GREAT resource for the "how much ____ will fit in a ____ gallon bucket?" question:

Example: -- SEE FULL LIST AT LINK

Estimated Lbs. Per Gallon
This table includes estimates only, your application may vary

WHOLE GRAINS:

Cracked Red Wheat
1 Gallon Bucket-5.83
1.25 Gallons-7.29
1.5 Gallons-8.75
5-Gallon Bucket-29.17
6-Gallon Bucket-35.00

Hard Red Wheat
1 Gallon Bucket-7.50
1.25 Gallons-9.38
1.5 Gallons-11.25
5-Gallon Bucket-37.50
6-Gallon Bucket-45.00

Hard White Wheat
1 Gallon Bucket-7.50
1.25 Gallons-9.38
1.5 Gallons-11.25
5-Gallon Bucket-37.50
6-Gallon Bucket-45.00
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-Buckets

Post by Readymom »

Image

Here's a 2-part series on buckets:

Part 1:

Free 5 Gallon Buckets
http://fivegallonideas.com/sourcing-buckets/

The most interesting fact I’ve ever learned about five gallon plastic buckets is that In the third world, they are so valuable that it would be unthinkable to drill holes in one! Lucky for us, five gallon buckets are so cheap and ubiquitous in the western world that they can usually be picked up for free. ---CONTINUED---


Part 2:

Stores that hand out five gallon buckets for free
http://fivegallonideas.com/stores-hand-five-gallon-buckets-free/

We wrote an article back in 2012 with some suggestions for the type of places where you can pick up five gallon buckets for free. The general advice given there still applies, but it’s useful perhaps if we give you a list of stores where people have had success picking up five gallon buckets for free. ---CONTINUED---
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-Buckets

Post by Readymom »

Image

Food grade Versus Non-food Grade Buckets
https://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/food-grade-versus-non-food-grade-buckets/

I see a lot of discussion about storing food in plastic five-gallon buckets that are not food grade. Many people feel that if they store them in Mylar Bags inside the buckets the food will be unaffected. To the best of my knowledge, this is correct, but I still feel there is an advantage to using food grade buckets.

The difference between food grade and non-food grade is ... ---CONTINUED---
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-Buckets

Post by Readymom »

reddit

Can I recycle non-food grade buckets if I use mylar liners?
https://www.reddit.com/r/preppers/comments/5ul84u/can_i_recycle_nonfood_grade_buckets_if_i_use/

My partner has been buying kitty litter in buckets. We finally found the bulk pet litter at Petco.

I have some ideas for the buckets like bike panniers and an areoponic cloners. That leaves me with 8 buckets, I could line to store food.

Does anyone do this? ---CONTINUED---
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-Buckets

Post by Readymom »

Image

Food Grade Buckets & Why You Need Them
https://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/food-grade-buckets-need/

Includes:
What is a food-grade bucket?
Where to find food grade buckets
How to seal food in 5-gallon food-grade buckets
How do you store your food-grade buckets?
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-Buckets

Post by Readymom »

Image

Food grade Versus Non-food Grade Buckets
https://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/food-grade-versus-non-food-grade-buckets/

I see a lot of discussion about storing food in plastic five-gallon buckets that are not food-grade. Many people feel that if they store them in Mylar Bags inside the buckets the food will be unaffected. To the best of my knowledge, this is correct, but I still feel there is an advantage to using food-grade buckets.

The difference between food-grade and non-food grade is ... ---CONTINUED---
Post Reply

Return to “Food: Family Food Storage-Assorted Topic”