Mylar bags are considered one of the best packaging methods for long-term storage. When properly sealed with oxygen absorbers, some foods can last over 25 years in Mylar bags!
If you are new to this method, here is everything you need to know about long-term food storage in Mylar bags, including step-by-step instructions for packing food in Mylar bags.
Table Of Contents
What is Mylar?
As one man aptly said in a survival forum, Mylar is
Every prepper’s favorite kind of plastic. I know I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to get my wife to dress in it for years.
I’m not sure how it would work for a dress, but Mylar certainly is a versatile material. The trade name for Mylar is biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate. It was originally produced in the 1950s and used for insulation, solar filters, blueprints, and even kites.
Why It is Great for Long-Term Food Storage
As far as food storage goes, Mylar is fantastic because it is:
Non-porous- Impermeable to gas
- Reflects light
- Flexible
- Durable and puncture-resistant
- Cheap
- Easy to use
You can also use other packing containers for long-term food storage. However, none of them have all of these benefits of Mylar. For example, #10 cans are expensive and hard to seal. Mason jars are breakable and allow light through.
Mylar Bag Food Storage Instructions
For long-term storage, most foods also need oxygen absorers (OAs) in the Mylar bag. The OA removes oxygen from the Mylar bag so it doesn’t oxidize and so pests can’t survive. Some foods should go in the Mylar bags without oxygen absorbers though. For more, read: Oxygen Absorbers for Long-Term Food Storage
Materials Checklist
- Food that you will be storing
- Mylar bags
- Oxygen absorbers
- Bucket or container (that you will be putting the Mylar bags into)
- Sealer (impulse sealer, iron, hair straightening iron)
- Work gloves
- Piece of wood with a towel wrapped around it (to serve as an ironing board if using an iron for sealing)
- Scoop or funnel
- Permanent marker for labeling
- Mason jar (or another way to store unused oxygen absorbers)
Step 1: Preparation
You must get everything set up in an assembly line. You can take your time filling up the Mylar bags. But, once you open those oxygen absorbers, you need to seal them quickly!
- Open Mylar bags and put each in a bucket/container
- Line up the containers
- Make sure your sealer has a cord long enough to reach the buckets
*If you put lots of smaller Mylar bags into one bucket, you obviously won’t be propping up one bag per storage container. It’s beneficial to have the bags propped up during the process. Consider rigging a shelf system for holding the bags, or bust out all of your Tupperware to use as holding trays for the open Mylar bags.
Step 2: Loading the Food
- Using a scoop or a funnel, fill up the Mylar bags with food. You’ll need to give the bags a good shake to ensure the food particles are settled (which means more food per bag and less air).
- Fill the bags to about 4-5 inches from the top. Make sure you don’t overfill the bag, or it will be tough to seal.
- Label the bags and container with the contents plus the date.
Tips
- If you are using 7.5mil Mylar bags, wear gloves! The bags are sharp and can easily slice your fingers!
- To protect the label from rubbing off, put a strip of clear packing tape over it.
Step 3: Partially Seal Bags
Let your sealer heat up. Irons and hair-straightening irons need to be on the highest setting. Seal all but the last 2 inches of the Mylar bag. Make sure there aren’t any little pieces of food in the seal.
It is also smart to wear gloves during sealing. The sealer can make the Mylar bag get very hot and burn your fingers!
If Using an Iron: The easiest way to seal with an iron is to put your 2×4 over the rim of the 5-gallon bucket. This will make an ironing board so you can seal the bag without having to lift it out or turn it horizontal. Once you’ve sealed one bag, then just move the board to another bucket. You’ll want help – one person moves the board, and the other does the sealing.
Tip: Make sure you seal as close to the top of the bag as possible. That way, you’ll have room to reseal the bag again.
Step 4: Add Oxygen Absorbers
It takes about 2-4 hours for an oxygen absorber to do its job. However, you should try to get your bags sealed as quickly as possible (within 10 minutes, 20 tops). Otherwise, you risk the OA absorbing too much outside air and not being able to absorb all the oxygen in your Mylar bag.
Tip: Before you open your oxygen absorbers, mark each bag with how many OAs the bag needs. This will speed up the process.
Step 5: Fully Seal the Bag
As soon as you’ve added oxygen absorbers, you need to seal the bag quickly. Press the bags to get out as much air as you can. Then seal the remaining 2 inches.
Step 6: Checking the Seal
Wait at least one day. Then go and check on your Mylar bags. Look at the seal and see if you can squeeze any air through them.
When oxygen absorbers have done their job, the bag may look “sucked up” or vacuum-sealed. However, since so much of air is nitrogen, the bag can be properly sealed but not sucked down.
Step 7: Seal Buckets or Containers
Once you are sure that the seal is good, you can close your buckets/containers and put them for long-term storage.
Ideally, you will store them in a cool place accessible during an emergency (for example, you wouldn’t want all your emergency food in the basement during a flood!).
Procedure Graphic (click to enlarge)
How To Seal Mylar Bags
The trickiest part of using Mylar bags for long-term food storage is sealing them. They must be sealed with heat to create an airtight seal. Even the Mylar bags with zip seals still need to be heat-sealed (the zip is just for convenience).
You need a temperature of around 375-425 degrees F to get a good seal. Thicker Mylar bags will require a higher temperature.
There are 3 main ways that you can seal a Mylar bag:
1. Impulse Sealer
This heat sealer from Wallaby is designed specifically for Mylar bags and can seal up to 8mil thick bags.
Ideally, you should seal most of the Mylar bag, push the air out, and seal the last 2 inches. This takes some practice with an impulse sealer.
2. Hair-Straightening Iron
While I don’t have experience using one of these for sealing Mylar bags, it seems like it would be better than a regular iron. You could keep the bag vertical so bits of the product don’t get into the seal area.
Just make sure you get a hair-straightening iron with adjustable heat settings. This one, for example, gets up to 450 degrees F at the highest setting.
3. Home Iron
A home iron will work if you’d rather not buy a special product for sealing your Mylar bags. You’ll need a piece of wood to put the Mylar bag against while sealing.
Also, be warned that since you’ll be sealing the bag as it lies horizontally (as opposed to being able to keep it vertical), you might end up with bits of product shifting into the area you are trying to seal.
It’s not impossible to do. However, it can be frustrating – especially when you try to work fast because of the oxygen absorbers!
This video demonstrates the process:
What Foods Can You Store in Mylar Bags?
Any dry food can be stored in Mylar bags. That means things like:
Dehydrated fruits and veggies- Flour
- Grains
- Pasta
- Sugar
- Dried beans
- Powdered milk
- Cereal
- Spices
Don’t store wet foods in Mylar! Any food which has moisture in it may start to go bad in the Mylar bag. Foods which have more than 10% moisture in them should never be stored in Mylar with oxygen absorbers because of botulism risk. Some foods have a surprising amount of moisture in them. One example is popcorn kernels.
Foods Not Suitable for Long-Term (5+ Years) Storage
Foods that contain a lot of fat or oil will eventually start to go rancid, especially if exposed to high temperatures. You can still store them in Mylar bags (with or without oxygen absorbers), but you’ll have to rotate through them every 2-5 years, depending on the food and temperature conditions.
- Whole-wheat flour
- Pearl barley
- Brown rice
- Brown sugar
- Chips and greasy junk food
- Granola
- Dried meat/jerky
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Dried eggs
- Milled grains (other than oats)
Related Reading:
- How to store flour for the long term
- How to store dry beans for the long term
- How to store rice for the long term
- How to store sugar for the long term
- How to store dried milk for the long term
Which Mylar Bags to Use?
Aside from the brand, there are a few key considerations when choosing Mylar bags: size, thickness, and whether you want zip tops.
Size
Mylar bags come in various sizes, typically 1 pint to 6 gallons. A 1-gallon Mylar bag will hold about 6-7lbs of rice. A 5-gallon Mylar bag will hold about 33 lbs of rice.
I recommend using 1-gallon Mylar bags for beans, flour, and grains. For spices and freeze-dried fruits and veggies, I use even smaller bags. Here’s why:
- Using large bags of food is impractical: Imagine a disaster. Would you want to open up a bag containing 33 lbs of rice? Or 6 lbs of dehydrated onions? It would be easier if the foods were in smaller bags.
- Mylar keeps food safe. Once you open the Mylar bags, the food inside could get destroyed before you have time to eat it (by floodwater, rodents, etc.).
- Rotating food is easier. Some foods only last 2-5 years in Mylar bags. You’ll need to rotate through them. It’s easier to rotate through smaller bags than larger ones.
Of course, the downside is that storing food in smaller Mylar bags takes more work. However, I’d still rather have many smaller bags of food than a few giant bags.
Thickness
Mylar bags come in various thicknesses; the most popular are 3.5mil, 5mil, and 7.5mil. The 7.5mil bags will hold up against damage better. However, they aren’t as flexible.
Because the thick bags are stiffer, you probably won’t get as much food in them as a thinner bag.
Also, note that the 7.5mil bags are sharp! You should wear gloves when working with them so you don’t slice your fingers.
We recommend the 3.5 or 5mil bags as the most useful for the average person.
Read our survival glove guide here.
Zip Tops
Some Mylar bags have zip tops. The zip-top does NOT replace heat sealing. However, it is great for convenience.
During sealing, you can first squeeze the air out and zip-lock it before heat sealing. It prevents little pieces of product from getting into the seal.
Once the bag is open, the zip is also great for closing the bag while using the contents.
The Best Mylar Bags For Food Storage
How Much Food Will Fit
| Food Type | 1 gallon | 5 gallons |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 5-7.3lbs | 25-37lbs |
| Whole Grain White Wheat | 5-7.5lbs | 25-38lbs |
| Flour | 5lbs | 25-33lbs |
| Cornmeal | 5-6lbs | 33lbs |
| Beans (black, pinto, white, etc.) | 5-7lbs | 25-40lbs |
| Lentils | 7lbs | 35-36lbs |
| Macaroni | 4lbs | 20-21lbs |
| Potato Flakes | 2.5lbs | 12-13lbs |
| Diced Dried Carrots | 3.3lbs | 16-17lbs |
| Dry Milk | 5-6lbs | 29-30lbs |
| Powdered Eggs | 4.2lbs | 20-21lbs |
*How much food you can fit in a Mylar bag depends on many factors.
- How big the food you are trying to store is (for example, some beans are smaller than others).
- How well you shake the food to pack it down and how high you fill the bag. It’s easier to seal a bag that isn’t full.
- You’ll be able to fit more food in thinner Mylar bags because they are more flexible.
Shelf-Life of Foods in Mylar Bags
When figuring out how long foods will last in Mylar bags, you will see many different ranges given. Here’s why providing an exact number of years that food will last is so difficult.
1. Nutrients Break Down Long before the Food Goes Bad
Part of the reason for these varying shelf-life dates is that nutrients can break down. For example, the nutrients in rice may start to degrade after 10 years. However, the rice will remain safe for approximately 30 years.
2. Mylar is a New Product
Checking how long a food will last is called shelf-life testing. Big manufacturers are required to do shelf-life testing. However, aside from a few studies on canned foods, there haven’t been any tests on how long food can last.
Also, consider that Mylar is a relatively new product (it was made in the 1950s). We think some foods will last 30+ years in Mylar, but I don’t know anyone who tested the food they packaged in the 1980s!
3. It Depends on Packaging Conditions
Mylar only protects food from degradation due to oxygen and light. Assuming that you used oxygen absorbers correctly and properly sealed the bag, you still have to worry about degradation from heat.
According to the USDA, each 10.08-degree F increase in temperature will half the seeds’ storage life. This applies to other foods too. So, keeping your Mylar bags in a cool area (such as a root cellar) will last longer than if stored in a hot area (such as your garage).
With these factors in mind, here is what you can reasonably expect regarding the shelf-life of foods in Mylar bags.
| Food Type | Shelf-Life (in sealed Mylar bag with oxygen absorbers) |
|---|---|
| Hard Whole Grains (Dry corn, buckwheat, hard red wheat, soft white wheat, kamut, durum wheat, spelt) | 10+ years |
| Soft Whole Grains (Oats, quinoa, rye, barley) | 8+ years |
| Professionally-dehydrated veggies** | 10-20 years |
| Professionally-dehydrated fruits** | 10-15 years |
| Home-dehydrated fruits and veggies** | 2-5 years |
| Freeze-Dried Fruits and Vegetables | 25 years |
| Legumes (Beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas) | 25+ years |
| White Rice | 10-30 years |
| Brown Rice | 2-5 years |
| White Flour | 10-15 years |
| Whole-Wheat Flour | 10 years |
| Corn Meal | 5-10 years |
| Potato Flakes | 30 years |
| Pasta | 20-30 years |
| Dry Non-Fat Milk | 15 years |
| Cheese Powder | 10-15 years |
| Powdered Eggs | 5-10 years |
| Nuts*** | 1-5 years |
| Granola | 1 year |
| Yeast* | 3-5 years |
| TVP | 10-15 years |
| Baking Soda, Baking, Powder* | 30 years |
| Sugar* | Indefinitely |
| Honey* | Indefinitely |
| Salt* | Indefinitely |
*Sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder should be stored in mylar bags without oxygen absorbers. Honey does not need oxygen absorbers.
See:
- How to store honey long term
- How to store baking soda long term
- How to store baking powder long term
- How to store dry yeast long term
- How to store salt long term
- How to store sugar long term
**Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables in Mylar Bags
Most dehydrated fruits and veggies usually aren’t suitable for long-term storage. They simply contain too much moisture and will start to get moldy.
Storing dehydrated foods with oxygen absorbers will prevent mold growth and help them last longer. However, it’s important that they are VERY dry (less than 10% moisture) or botulism could occur. That means the fruit/veggie will snap when bent. When stored with OAs in Mylar bags, dehydrated foods can last 5+ years.
Some people also recommend using a desiccant to remove moisture from the dehydrated fruits/veggies before packaging. More on this later.
***Nuts and Seeds in Mylar Bags
Putting nuts and seeds in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers will extend their shelf life. However, because they contain so much oil, they will start to go rancid. The key is keeping the temperature low.
Since nuts are so expensive, I wouldn’t want to risk having an entire batch destroyed. Only package as much as you actually eat and rotate through them regularly! For more info, read: How to Store Nuts Long-Term
FAQs
Do you need to freeze foods before storing them in Mylar?
Dry foods such as beans and whole grains often have insect eggs on them. These eggs can hatch and eat the food inside the Mylar bag.
Freezing food for 3 days will kill insect eggs and prevent an infestation. Make sure you let the food come to room temperature and ensure there are no moisture pockets in it before packaging it in Mylar.
However, you do NOT need to freeze food before putting it in Mylar bags if using oxygen absorbers. This is because insect eggs cannot survive without oxygen.
Also read: Pantry Moths and Long-Term Food Storage
Mylar vs. Vacuum Sealing
Many people confuse Mylar bag storage with vacuum sealing. They are entirely different processes and get different results.
With vacuum sealing, you are using a machine like a FoodSaver (Amazon Link) to suck the air out of the bag while sealing it. While this does have benefits (like being cheap and reasonably easy to do), it isn’t the best option for long-term food storage.
This doesn’t mean that vacuum sealing isn’t suitable for food storage. Vacuum-sealing can increase the shelf life of foods by 3-5 times. But, when you want long-term storage (5+ years), Mylar is the way to go.
Read more about Mylar vs. vacuum sealing.
Hi, what about dry Black tea? Will it Last long?
Racks used in Sous Vide cookers are adjustable and stable. Cheaper option would be to tape metal bookends in a row spaced as needed. The tongues that go under the books slip thru the adjacent book ends.
Does pancake mix need oxygen absorbers ? And how long does it last for
There is info on that here: https://www.primalsurvivor.net/store-pancake-mix/
Very grateful for all the info. I am fairly new to this. I find the more I read online the more confused I get. 🙁 In March of this year I put coconut flour into mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. Now I’m becoming worried… all this talk of botulism and going rancid. Words used are ‘high in oils’ and ‘moisture content of no more than 10%’. It all seems vague to me. There is no indication on packaging as to moisture content and what exactly would indicate a product’s oil content, grams per weight wise? I don’t know if I should go toss it all now. Very disheartened.
Coconut flour moisture is usually 3-5%, so no worries. And botulism really needs a much higher moisture content than 10% to grow (the lower number is use to play it safe). If you are really scared, just don’t eat the coconut flour raw. Botulism TOXIN is destroyed at 176F. *The botulism SPORES aren’t killed at this temperature, but only the toxin makes you sick/kills you.
I stored my buckwheat for a few years ( i honestly do not remember how long) in my deep chest freezer and they still sprouted! (I sprout all my beans etc to reduce the antinutrients/ I digest them better/ its the only way I can eat them without joint pain). I just boil buckwheat but will pressure cook beans. My beans, once sprouted, are pressure cooked and dehydrated and then stored in mylar/ or jars with oxygen absorber. They are now “instant “cooked beans ( just add hot water) which is very convenient for day to day cooking. This also reduce significantly the chance of spoilage from insects. Furthermore, in an emergency, who has the time to soak and cook beans …. if you are lucky enough to have power. Cheers Josee
Hello,
Please kindly tell me my mistake. I have purchased store bought dried egg noodles, and bagged them on mylars with oxygen absorbers.
But now, I’ve come to learn that beacuse of the egg content, i may have to reopen them all, then add desiccant.
Also, are greasy junk food in your article, are they stored in mylars with or without oxygen absorbers, or should be stored with desiccant, or they should be store neither, just place them on mylars and seal?
I would really be grateful for your response
You don’t need to use a desiccant just because there is egg in the noodles. The eggs are oily though, so the fats will start to go rancid if exposed to heat (regardless of whether you use OAs or not). That’s why it’s better to store egg-free noodles and pastas.
I would advise against trying to store greasy junk foods long term. If you eat them regularly, then just keep a stash of them in your home and rotate through them. Most have a long shelf life even without special storage.
Thanks for this info. It’s the best I have found on this topic so far.
GREAT ARTICLE! I have a question on whether I should be using desiccant in my Mylar bag with OA’s. I stored my OA’s in a mason jar and and after a couple of hours, I noticed that there was some condensation inside the jar. Is this happening inside the Mylar bags as well?
Good question. Yes, condensation sometimes occurs if you package the food in a cold or humid environment. It’s a result of the chemical reaction. The iron in the 02 absorber actually heats up a bit as it absorbs oxygen, which can create some condensation. I’ve heard of this happening in low humidity and warm environments too though (see: https://www.reddit.com/r/preppers/comments/gl8v6r/do_oxygen_absorbers_cause_condensation_in_mason/)
It shouldn’t be enough to cause any issues, but you can go ahead and use a desiccant anyway (at the bottom of the bag).
Here’s the scientific answer as to why it happens(from here: https://www.sorbentsystems.com/Oxygen_Absorber_Facts.pdf):
When an oxygen absorber is removed from its protective packaging, the moisture in the surrounding atmosphere begins to mingle with the iron particles inside of the Oxygen Absorber sachet. As the
oxygen molecules from the moisture interact with the iron (Fe) particles, rust begins to develop.
Typically, there must be at least 65% relative humidity in the surrounding atmosphere before the rusting
process can begin. To remedy this dilemma, sodium is added to the mixture. The sodium acts as a
catalyst, or activator, causing the iron powder to rust even with low relative humidity. With the
conversion of iron and oxygen into a single iron oxide substance, the presence of oxygen in the
surrounding atmosphere is dramatically reduced.
Thank you for all your info.
I have a few questions. Can coffee only be preserved as whole beans?
Also, cereals, does this include things like Corn Flakes, Rice Crispie’s, Cheerios? Is it better to store the non sugary ones over the sugary ones?
Oats, can that be rolled and quick/instant oats (and flavoured ones or preferably plain)?
Oh, Oats- large flake oats and quick or instant oats is what I meant.
Exact same question as the one I put earlier today but this time re CHICKPEAS, so looking for answers to both please, can I store WHOLE dried peas, and can I store chickpeas, in Mylar Bags with O2 absorbers? I live in a humid environment. Could I store them with desiccant in the bottom of Mylar Bag then O2 absorbers at top of Bag? Thanks look forward to your reply
Yes, you definitely can store dried peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans, etc. Just try to package them on a low-humidity night (or have your AC or dehumidifier running when you do the packaging). You can put a desiccant in the bottom of the bag as a precaution to play it safe.
Can I store WHOLE dried peas in Mylar Bags with O2 absorbers? I live in a humid environment. Could I store them with desiccant in the bottom of Mylar Bag then O2 absorbers at top of Bag? Thanks look forward to your reply
I am just beginning my food storage journey and am very confused about storing brown rice and whole wheat pasta. Is it best to store the brown rice and pasta in mason jars or mylar bags? Do I use an oxygen absorber or do I store them (jars) in the freezer? Thank you for your help!
Mylar bags with oxygne absorbers is considered the “best” method for storing most staples. Mason jars with two-part lids and oxygen absorbers would also work (keep them somewhere dark). I personally hate storing food in jars because they’d be destroyed in an earthquake, tornado, etc.
Foods will last pretty much forever in the freezer. But do you really have that much space in your freezer? I personally only think freezer storage makes sense for foods which are less-stable foods and also expensive, such as coffee beans and spices.
We have a sub shop here that sells their 5 gallon food grade pickle buckets very cheap and all proceeds go to support the fallen fire fighters fund. Would these buckets be ok for storing flour or rice in mylar bags with OAs? Im assuming they would still have a slight pickle smell. Would the mylar prevent the flour from absorbing the smell?
That’s awesome – getting buckets and supporting fire fighters at the same time 🙂 Mylar should prevent the flour from absorbing the smell.
I only put a 500 oxygen absorber in my 1 gallon bag of pasta, will that be enough or will I need to reopen and put another in? Or would it just mean it wouldn’t last as many years?
Ideally you should put 625cc in a 1 gallon bag of pasta. But these numbers aren’t always exact. Does your pasta have holes in the middle (like rigatoni)? Then it will need more OAs than a closed pasta like penne. To play it safe, I’d add another OAs. Or just rotate through it within a few years. pasta lasts an insanely long time even without OAs.
I was told that any food stored in a sealed Mylar bag still has to be then stored in a container. If this is correct, does it have to be expensive food grade buckets? Can you store the bagged food in plastic lidded containers? Is this absolutely necessary to do double duty on the storage? Thank you for any words of wisdom!!
You don’t have to put it in a bucket. But it is a smart thing to do. Rodents, dogs, hurricane debris, earthquakes…. all of those can damage the bags. I get free buckets from a local bakery. See this for ideas where to get free buckets: https://www.primalsurvivor.net/free-prepping/
Once the food has been placed in the mylar bag and everything has been completed, can these bags be placed in a 18 gal. plastic tote and then placed in a cool area. I plan on storing flour and sugar for right now
Most people recommend 5 gallon buckets but an 18 gallon tote should be fine too.
I am very new to this, so I apologize if this has been asked already. I have read in some places that once I put my food in a mylar bag and seal it with an OA, I need to stick it in the freezer for a couple of weeks. Is this true?
Definitely don’t put it in the freezer! The only reason to freeze foods is to kill insect eggs which may be in them. But…
-Insect eggs can’t hatch without oxygen, so you don’t have to do this if you are storing food with OAs.
-If you aren’t using OAs, the you should freeze the food BEFORE putting in Mylar. It then needs to come to room temperature. Otherwise moisture pockets can form in the food.
We are hoping to store oats and rice in Mylar bags and then put in 55 gallon barrels. We don’t have anywhere to store the barrels except in our unheated garage. We are in Minnesota. Will the temperature fluctuation (warm to freezing) be an issue? Will moisture be an issue on the food if they are sealed properly and in the barrels? Thanks for your advice!
Moisture won’t be an issue in Mylar but the temperature fluctations might be. I recommend clearing some stuff out of your home and putting it in the garage to make room for the food. This post has some good advice: https://www.primalsurvivor.net/apartment-preppping/
If you do have to store food in the garage, at least make sure you keep it off the floor and away from walls. Put it on pallets or shelves.
Hi there,
Once you open a mylar bag, approx how long will the food stay good to use? Was thinking that even in a 1 gallon bag, that’s a lot of rice for example, or dried beans…if it only lasts a week, a family of 3 or 4 will have to have a lot of rice/bean meals in that week. I know they can be resealed but what if there was no electricity?
Since the foods are dry, they should last a long time once opened (a year or even more). But you are correct: only store as much food as you will be able to use at once. 5 gallons of dry beans is wayyy to much for most families IMO. The bigger issue is what you will do with all of those beans after cooking them if you don’t have electricity for running a refrigerator. And would you really want to waste tons of fuel to cook just one portion of beans? That’s why I only recommend beans, rice and other long-cooking-time foods for LONG-TERM emergencies. For short-term emergencies like a 3-day power outage, you are better off with canned beans. More on that here: https://www.primalsurvivor.net/survival-foods-list/
Hi, and thanks!
I had a question that was about the same, that another asked (in regards to… having read somewhere to freeze first, then wait sometime b4 the mylar and oa/packaging). Lol, it was 1 of maybe only 2 that you didnt respond to.
I haven’t done my packaging yet, but am very worried now that I have your info ref. botchalism. How do I measure the moisture content now? Is there a set amount of time to wait after freezing for it to dry out? Any thoughts or suggestions, I dont want to kill everyone
You do NOT need to freeze food first to kill insect eggs if you are using OAs. Insect eggs won’t hatch without oxygen. You only need to freeze (or microwave) the food first if storing without OAs. Botulism isn’t a concern if you aren’t using OAs because it only grows in oxygen-free environments.
The moisture content needs to be around 35% for botulism to grow. To play it safe, most sources say not to package food with moisture higher than 10% with OAs.
There isn’t really any smart way to measure moisture content. For dehydrated foods, use this method: They should snap when bent. Or, for round foods like peas, they should shatter when crushed with a spoon. For example, Raisins from the supermarket are too wet and NOT safe for storing with OAs.
Cornmeal is also surprisingly wet. More on that here: https://www.primalsurvivor.net/cornmeal-long-term-storage/
Otherwise, flour, beans, rice, whole grains, etc. should be just fine with OAs.
Do you recommend storing flavored instant oatmeal long term? Would I follow the guidelines for powdered milk in this case?
Yes, you would follow the guidelines for powdered milk in that case. The shelf life is a lot shorter, so it’s up to you whether you want to bother rotating through the flavored oatmeal or not. I personally don’t buy flavored instant oatmeal. Yes, it’s convenient but most are loaded with sugar and insanely overpriced compared to what I could throw together myself. Plus, I use oats for other things like making bean burgers, strudle, etc.
Thank you very much for putting all this information together. With the challenges that the pandemic has presented with the ability to find products combined with the crazy amount of inflation and just the “unknown factor” of it all, I have wanted to start preparing for the potential SHTF & this article has been so very helpful for me. I did have 2 questions related to your thoughts on mylar bags and chamber vacuum sealers.
I have purchased my first chamber vacuum sealer machine and have 7 mil zipper mylar bags on the way. Would the combination of using mylar and chamber vacuuming plus heat sealing (with an iron or impulse sealer after using the heat bar on the chamber vacuum machine) make it so that I would not need to use an OA inside the mylar bag for longer term (3-5 years) food storage or should I still use one?
Also, I saw a video where someone kept the food (grain) in the original bag it was purchased in and punched a hole through the original bag at the top with a hole punch. Then they put that bag in a mylar bag with an OA inside the mylar bag and used a chamber vacuum sealer machine to vacuum & seal the mylar bag. I was wondering if you believe there is any significant benefit to food longevity in doing that extra step (using the original bag with hole punched in it inside the mylar bag)?
Thank you again for all of the valuable and well thought/laid out information 🙂
1. Vaccuum sealing really isn’t an alternative to oxygen absorbers. It simply doesn’t remove all of the oxygen. Insect eggs (if any in the product) would be able to hatch because of the presence of oxygen. However, vacuum sealers have gotten better so they are great for storing some dry foods for shorter periods of 1-2 years. If you want to “pack it and forget about it”, then Mylar + OAs are the way to go. There’s really no reason to use vacuum sealing and OAs together. Just OAs will be fine.
2. There’s no reason to keep the food in its original bag, other than convenience of not having to dump it out. If you do want to keep it in the original bag, you do need to punch a hole. Otherwise the OA might not be able to do its job.
Should you use a food safe silica packet in some of the dehydrated foods? If yes, would you still use the oxygen absorber too?
Yes – you can use them together. The moisture absorber should go on the bottom and the OA packet on the top. It’s debatable whether you actually need to use both with dehydrated foods though. Ideally the foods are VERY dry before going into the packages with OAs AND you let the dried foods “condition” a bit (lots of info on how to do that online) AND you package the foods on a low-humidity day if you live somewhere like Florida.
Your articles are very informative and helpful, thank you.
BUT, I live in an area where heat is a big issue for long-term storage, and no way to make a root cellar. When power goes out it can raise the temperature inside to over 90° within 24 hours.
Do you have an article on how to deal with the heat issue?
Your best bet is to stockpile foods which are VERY dry and low fat. Think white flour, white rice, freeze dried veggies and fruits, TVP… These can handle high heat better. I wouldn’t worry about all the food going bad during a power outage. So long as they aren’t kept at 90+ degrees for weeks or months, they should be fine.
Do you have an article about canning food?
Yep 🙂
https://www.primalsurvivor.net/water-bath-canning/
Loved the article! Thank you so much for all the great info. Requested to join the FB page. Look forward to following you for more.
I do canning , but am new to storing food long term in Mylar bags and I didn’t realize you should use 5-7mil. I have my rice, pasta, coffee and spices already sealed in 4 mil bags. Can I double up the Mylar bags for added protection or should I open them and re-package them in 7 mil? Some of the items I vacuum sealed before putting them in the Mylar (I’m sure that’s overkill, but…) I also used oxygen absorbers in the non vacuum sealed foods.
So long as the bags seem fine and don’t have any visible damage, 4mil should be fine — no need to repackage. I am not a fan of vacuum sealing. It doesn’t remove all of the oxygen (especially oxygen inside the food, like floating around inside a dry bean), so insect eggs can still hatch. Your best bet for most dry foods is mylar + O2 absorbers.
Thank you for this great article! The best information I have found so far while researching this subject.
I am making dehydrated meals for backpacking trips this summer and plan on eating the food within the season – so at the longest the food will be packed for up to 6-7 months.
I’m mostly dehydrating pasta, rice, vegetables and other premade meals such as chilli and curries. All low-fat and plant-based, without meat.
Do you think I still need oxygen absorbers? From what I understand, I only really need them if I plan on keeping the for years, not just months. But I’d love to hear another opinion. Thanks!
I also dehydrate food for backpacking. You can find tons of tips/advice here at the other website I write for: https://momgoescamping.com/diy-dehydrated-backpacking-meals/.
You don’t need to bother with Mylar or oxygen absorbers. The exception is if you are doing mail drops months ahead of time. The food might be sitting in 100F+ weather in a post office somewhere. See if you can have someone send the food a month ahead of time instead. Also, make sure your meals are low-fat. Oxygen absorbers won’t help keep fat from going bad in high heat. My dehydrated coconut-milk corn chowder, for example, only lasts 6 weeks before getting a rancid sour taste at 85F. My solution is to make the meals without the fat, dehydrate them, and add the fat when rehydrating (like bringing a bottle of olive oil or powdered coconut milk with me). Btw, I wrote a recipe book for trail meals. They are all insanely calorie-dense and plant-based.
I like to freese dry fruit. Can you tel lme why the fruit starts out dried then gets moist over time. Is it because the mylar bags are clear on the front? i dont think its the obsorbers I use Thanks
The fruit probably isn’t dry enough to be stored in Mylar with oxygen absorbers. It should be dry enough to snap when bent. Over time, the moisture left in the dry fruit will start oozing out.
Would it be worth it to re-dry to a breakable moisture content commercially dried fruit, say in the oven, and then Mylar package?
Do you think I can repackage cream gravy mix? Or is that too much fat? Would it need a moisture absorber?
It probably would go bad fairly quickly because of the high-fat content. You can look for gravy mix which comes in foil packages. Then you wouldn’t have to repackage it at all.
I also like to dry mushrooms and grind them into a powder. They can be reconstituted in water with some milk or coconut milk with a dash of soy sauce to make a nice gravy.
I found rolls of SteelPak 4 mil. Mylar bags that you cut and seal on both ends. I am new to this, is there any reason these wouldn’t work? I like the idea of being able to select my size of bag. Thanks!
This is fantastic. I thought only freeze dried foods could be stored long term in any situation. Freeze dried foods are super expensive so it is amazing to know that any low fat dried food can can be stored. Thank you for giving this information out.
If I am having my house fumigated, does the mylar bag protect from the fumigant? Or do I need to bag all my mylar bags and the bags that the fumigation company gives me?
Mylar is completely impervious to air. So, it *should* be safe against fumigants. I would still play it safe and put the bags in the bags though — especially since residue from the fumes could linger on the bags for years and then get transfered to the food when you go to open the bags.
The only place I have for storage of our food stuffs is an unheated shed. Temp will drop below freezing this winter and of course be warm in the spring. Can I store dehydrated foods in mylar in tubs in that shed?
Hmmmm… that’s a tough one. Freeze-dried foods would be okay because all of the moisture is out of them. The problem with dehydrated foods is that they still have a small amount of moisture in them. Normally the moisture is spread out evenly in the food, so not an issue. If frozen, the moisture will crystalize. Then, when it defrosts, the ice crystals will melt and could pool together in spots. That moisture could cause issues.
I’d recommend moving other items inside your home to the shed to make room for your food supply indoors (or at least the dehydrated items).
I’ve been looking for information on using Mylar bags in a chamber sealer. Would you suggest using an oxygen absorber in conjunction with the chamber sealer? If the double seal wasn’t enough I could take a second pass with an iron to increase the seal area. If you have any thoughts on this I would love to hear them. Thank you.
Diane,
I have a question that I am not clear on. I purchased a lot of individually bagged dried (not freeze dried) fruit from one of the big box stores. About 12 bags each of apricots, cherries, mangoes, plums, and crasins. You mentioned not to use oxygen absorbers with these due to the moisture content. (With my home dehydrated fruits I never have to worry because they are very dry.) My confusion is looking at options for storage of these commercially dried fruit that I would like to use to get us through about 2 – 3 years. The best by date on the packages range from 6 months to 1 year. The fruit is packaged in commercial grade plastic bags with zip locks. Would it be feasible to just put the unopenend bags into buckets with lids and let them be or should I open the original bags and pour the fruit into mylar bags and place the sealed mylar bags of fruit into the buckets minus the oxygen absorbers? Yours is the only site I have seen to even address commercially dehydrated moist fruit.
One other question if I may, I tried storing popcorn once using mylar bags, oxygen absorber, and the bucket method. Several months later when I opened it, the popcorn had molded. Any suggestions on avoiding that disaster again would be appreciated. Thanks very much.
I personally have stored commercially-dried fruits for wayyyy past their listed shelf life. They usually have preservatives added and are fine for years. I definitely have some candied dried mangoes which have been sitting around for 4 years now. HOWEVER, if you live somewhere with high humidity, the dried fruits will last much shorter and maybe even get moldy. Also please be cautious about pantry pests. They will attack your dried fruit like crazy. Really make sure it is in an air-tight container! Anything you can do to limit moisture, light, heat and oxygen exposure will prolong shelf life. I know this isn’t an exact answer to your question but, sadly, there’s no way I can say that “raisins will last X years” since there are too many variables. (I am not recommending that you eat food which has expired. You know, legal reasons and all…!!!).
I am just beginning to read about Mylar bags for food storage. I do glass jar canning and vacuum sealing for meats, breads and veggies. I am unhappy with the way the bags allow oxygen into casseroles and then ice crystals form. I am wondering if I wrapped a casserole made in an aluminum pan with the Press & Seal wrap and placed it in a Mylar bag, could it be placed in the freezer? Maybe let it cool, wrap it, put it in bag with the oxygen removers, and the freeze? I’m looking for no longer than 6-10 months storage time. Thank you for any advise or suggestions on this!
The ice crystals are actually forming because the food is slowly freeze drying (I’ve written about that here:https://www.primalsurvivor.net/home-freeze-drying-food/). The issue isn’t oxygen. Rather, it’s water moving out of the food which is the problem. In a nutshell, no — Mylar bags won’t help much or at all. And you don’t want to use oxygen absorbers with things like a casserole as botulism poisoning could occur (botulism grows on moist foods in an oxygen-less environment). I don’t have experience with Press and Seal. Maybe you could try getting a good vacuum sealer and use bags instead. They still allow some moisture to escape, but hug the food very tight.
Thank you so much for the great info. It is very helpful and I really appreciate it. I have 3 questions:
(1) Before putting food (rice, beans, oat meal, flour, etc) in Mylar bag, I freeze it for about a week. After take it out from the freezer, how many days should I wait to avoid moisture gets in mylar bag? I am a little worried because I just took my 25lb bag of rice out from my freezer and the outside of the bag is always very wet. What’s the best way to ensure that the rice itself will not hold moisture before putting in Mylar bag so it will not form mold (I use 600cc Oxy absorber in 1 gallon Mylar bag)? Maybe using desiccant?
(2) Should I freeze potato flakes, pasta, cheese powder and dry milk before putting in Mylar bag, too?
(3) What is your favorite brands for powdered eggs and cheese powder brand for a long term storage?
Excellent coverage on storage and thank you!
Being new to prepping, I have one question that you may have covered?
I have prepacked nuts / fruit and trail mix that I’d like to store in mylar bags with absorbers. Can I place the prepackaged bags either opened or can I keep them them closed and then place them into the mylar with absorber and then seal? Or should i dump the food out of the prepackaged bags directly into the mylar bags?
I know oxygen is a concern and wonder about that being present in the prepackaged bags. Thanks!
You’d want to open the bags and dump the contents into the Mylar bag. Otherwise the oxygen already inside the packaging might not be absorbed – you’d end up with a poofy bag of nuts inside a sealed Mylar bag. Be warned that nuts don’t have a very long shelf life in Mylar because of their high fat content and dry fruit needs to be VERY dry!
I did three 5 gal bags with flour and squeezed as much air out of the bag as I could before sealing in the flour with 2600cc of AO but the bag isn’t sucked up tight like other things I’ve done. Should I redo it with new AO at about 3000cc? All three bags feel the same.
There’s a lot of nitrogen in air, and oxygen absorbers only remove oxygen and not the nitrogen — so it’s completely normal for the bags to not always be “sucked in” looking. Plus, for whatever reason, granular and soft things like flour, cornmeal, powdered milk, etc. don’t get as sucked down as harder things like beans or pasta. Unless you are really worried that you left the oxygen absorbers outside too long, I wouldn’t worry about it. 2600cc should be more than adequate for 5 gallons bags of flour.
First article I could gather a lot of information, sequentially put out.
Only question remains – is there any other option to Mylar bags, when used with Vacuum sealing for grains & baby foods?
Is ti advisable to put a small paper within 4 sides of bag as grains edges do not a reason for making a tiny hole while vacuum is applied
Also the spreadsheet tip is much useful.
I will try and share this article with friends & other family members.
Vacuum sealing is different than Mylar bags: vacuum sealing won’t extend shelf life by much. Mylar bags are generally pretty durable so you don’t need to worry about grains poking a hole through the bags like you would with vacuum sealing.
I use regular brown paper lunch bags for sharp edged foods. Inside the mylar bags to prevent poke throughs. I use a hole punch to put 2-3 holes along upper half of both sides of paper bag, punching all 4 folded layers of bag at once.
I have read that you should freeze the dried rice, beans, etc to kill any bug eggs in the food. Is this done prior to OA and sealing the bag or after?I
If you are storing dry foods (beans, rice, etc.) in Mylar bags with Oxygen Absorbers, then you don’t need to kill the bug eggs first; the eggs die/can’t hatch without oxygen. However, if you are just putting the dry staples into jars or buckets, you absolutely should kill the eggs first since oxygen is present in the containers.
I keep reading that white flour only lasts 5 years in mylar bags, but you have much longer. Where do you get your info? Have you tried it for longer than 5 years? Thanks!
Yes this was confusing me also!
Hi! My first time using the mylar bags… i tried to post a pic but it would not let me. I have put different foods oats, cereal, hasbrowns. Rice, beans, flour into 2 gallon 7 mil bags…. i used 900cc of oxygen absorbers in each one. Some bags are brick like and others not. The ithers have seemed to go down and are not pillow like anymore but i am concerned they might not be working properly. Must the bags all be like a brick? Should i redo them? More absorbers? If so can i just reopen them and try and reseal them without using different bag?
You should join our Facebook group for female preppers and survivalists! Then you could post photos there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/191771778387171/
As for the “brick” effect: Oxygen absorbers only absorb oxygen. They won’t absorb nitrogen in the air. So, it’s common for the bags to not be completely “sucked down.” HOWEVER, I’m guessing that the bean bags are the ones which aren’t sucked down? And maybe the cereal ones too? Beans actually contain a lot of air inside of them. I generally recommend using 1000-1200cc for a 2 gallon bag of beans. So, 900c might not have been enough to absorb all the oxygen. To redo them: Cut the bag open right below the seal, add new oxygen absorbers, and seal again.
I just started using the mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. I was gifted 200 pounds of beans. I used 1 gallon bags with 5lbs of beans in each and with 300cc absorbers, should I have used more oxygen absorbers in each bag?
500-600cc would have been better. They should still be fine for a very long time though (I’m guessing at least 5-10 years, so long as you don’t live somewhere very hot). If you don’t want to open them to add more O2 absorbers (which would be a pain), then just start rotating through the beans.
Sorry if this has already been answered. What about the bags with the viewing windows? are those any viable? I understand exposure to light would make a difference, but as far as the seal provided, what do you think/know?
Good question! Those Mylar bags with windows are ok for short- to medium-term storage. However, the window is not made of Mylar. That means the window will eventually leak air and moisture from the air into the bag. For long-term storage, the bags which are 100% Mylar are the best choice.
Can you reuse a mylar bag?
Yes. After you open the bag, you’ll have to re-seal it below the original seal spot. That means the Mylar bag will get a bit smaller each time you seal it.
Thanks for the article, just what I needed to know! I am interested in storing meat in the qt. size bags. How many oxygen absorbers do you think I will need? (The meat will be dehydrated.) What thickness of mylar should I use? Any guess on how long (if done properly) the meat will last? Any suggestions on this? Thanks!
Thank you very much. This post has been most helpful as I’ve finally made the jump from just having canned and dried food that’s rotated out every 2-3 years or so (depending on shelf life) to longer term food preps. As others have mentioned, this is a very detailed and well crafted post on how/what/when/why mylar bags and I am thankful you created this website. Thank you again.
I’m glad you found the post useful. Here’s another tip: Make a spreadsheet with everything you have and list the expiration dates. It makes rotating a lot easier. 🙂 Good luck on your preps!
I have rice and rolled oats in Mylar bags inside 5 gallon buckets. I noticed about 18 months after storing these items, there is some air in the bags. What should I do? Do I need to open these bags and add more oxygen absorbers?
Thank you for you time.
I can’t say for sure. It’s normal for some air to remain after closing your mylar bags + oxygen absorbers.
That’s because OAs will only absorb oxygen and not other gases in the air. However, the air shouldn’t mysteriously appear later down the road. Worst case scenario is that your rice/oats had a lot of moisture in them and botulism started growing.
Or it might just be that the Mylar bags weren’t completely sealed. Try pushing on the bags and seeing if the air comes out (gently so you don’t pop them!). You might want to open and reseal just to play it safe. *If you take this step, wait until your new batch of OAs arrive before opening the bags. Things are chaotic now and I’ve heard it can take weeks for deliveries to arrive.
And good job on actually checking on your preps. That’s something we should all be doing more frequently!
This is by far the most comprehensive article about food storage in mylar bags. Your detailed instructions, and possible pitfalls, are quite helpful! It took me months to find this article and I’m so pleased! Thank you.
Is dry dog food a good candidate for long term storage?
Can you Mylar bag and oa chicken bullion if it’s in a loose powder form but it says it contains dehydrated chicken fat… I got A tub of korrs loose powder but didn’t know if it’s a no no. Thanks
Great info. Can you store powdered peanut butter in mylar? How long it last also.
Thank. You.
Yes would be ideal for storing peanut butter powder. Not sure on shelf life – the powdered version may be different, but nuts contain lots of oil in their natural state which means they do not store well.
You stated in the above length of storage in mylar bags, that sugar and salt are stored with OA. Do not do this as it will become a rock.
Thanks for the comment. There’s a section in the article about “Foods which Should NOT Be Stored with Oxygen Absorbers” where we talk about that. I’m going to put a * next to those to clarify that those items in the list shouldn’t have OA when stored. Thanks again!
I’ve spent many days and hours researching mylar bags, and I finally chose the ones from Pleasant Grove. They are 7 mil, and odor proof. I decided for 2 people, the 1 quart and 2 quart zip seal bags will be the best, and most feasible option.
I also spent a mini fortune on the food grade buckets, with both gamma lids and screw on tops.
My question, before I spend more money, is it necessary to buy the 5 gallon mylar bags for the buckets, and then store the smaller bags in them? If I’m going to put 2000cc O2 absorbers in the bucket, should this be enough protection? I only found one company that makes those bags with a rounded bottom and you have to buy them by the 10 pack which will cost over $70. All of the other companies use a straight bottom bag, and about 30″ long, and it seems to me that it will be a big pain in the butt to work with.
Valerie—Good question. You do NOT need to place already filled/sealed Mylar bags in a 5 gallon Mylar bag AND in a bucket. 1 qt to 1 gal bags go right into the bucket—no 5 gal Mylar needed. The bucket is to protect the 1 qt to 1 gal bags from water, vermin, insects, sharp objects that might pierce your bag(s). Personally, I never use 5 gal Mylar bags. I also mix the contents in my bucket: popcorn, rice, beans, sugar instead of having all rice or all sugar. If an earthquake crushes a bucket, I don’t have all my “eggs in one basket.
Found food grade 5 gallon buckets and screw tops at Home Depot for a reasonable amount.
I thought the main reason to have a bucket was to put the food in it to keep the rodents and ants out of the food. I’ve heard people putting them in clothing containers that slide under their bed or put into their closet; any hard plastic container that mice won’t chew through will be fine.
Buckets are ideal because the lids are more likely to stay on. Imagine a hurricane coming through (or tornado, earthquake, etc.) and sending your buckets flying or debris falling on top of them. Most hard plastic containers kind of suck in terms of lids, not to mention creating an air-tight seal to keep some flood water out. But, yes, one of the main reasons is to prevent rodents from getting to the Mylar bags.
I was wondering if using zipped mylar bags that have a CLEAR front or window is a good idea for food in a Bug Out Bag or for backpacking. I was leary about trust them to keep the food safe for very long, not to mention keep animals from smelling the food. If you do think they’re good to use, are there any brands you’d recommend? The ones I’ve found on Amazon seem to be only 2mil or less. I haven’t found any that have a large number of reviews.
As you suspected, the zip on Mylar bags doesn’t actually completely seal them. The zip is more to make re-sealing after opening easier. I also find that it’s a heck of a lot easier to seal zip bags: you can push the air out and then zip them before doing a proper seal. As for the ones with clear windows, I would also be weary of them. Just like vacuum bags, they probably leak over time. There are some links within the post to reputable companies. In any case, it’s a good idea to rotate the food in your BOB every 6-12 months. Not only does it ensure the food is fresh, but it gives you a reason to “check in” on your BOB and see if you need to make any changes or replace gear.
As for animals smelling food, have some rope and hang your food in a bear bag in a tree. Do this even if you aren’t in bear country! While backpacking, I once had friggin’ COWS attack my food bag while it was down from the tree!!! Not to mention all the critters that could get into your food bag. There are also odor-proof bags you can get if you are worried about bears or other dangerous animals sniffing you out while you hike, but you’ll still want to store the food up high.
How suitable could be to place different kinds of dry food, individually packed in zip lock bags or paper bags inside a 5- gallon mylar bag? How many oxygen absorbers should be required for a 5- gallon mylar bag full this way?
That’s a good question. You can definitely package foods in plastic or paper baggies before putting them in the Mylar bag with oxygen absorbers. This will help keep things organized. Just don’t zip plastic bags all the way. While plastic baggies are permeable, it might be harder for the oxygen absorbers to do their work if they need to absorb the oxygen stuck in the plastic bag (this is my educated guess; I haven’t actually tried it).
I can’t answer how many oxygen absorbers you need. You’d likely end up needing a bunch more because there would be lots of air gaps between the plastic baggies of food. Obviously certain foods would leave less space between them (like bags of flour versus bags of crackers). Oxygen absorbers are cheap so I’d recommend overshooting it. After a few days, see if the bag is sucked-in looking. That’s a good sign that the air has been removed.
Would love to know if you tried this as I was thinking to do the same?
Great information and very easy to understand. Many thanks for your research and sharing. I have shared a link to your website with my adult son on the other side of Australia.
Great, thanks for spreading the word.
Thank you for the helpful information. I was able to confidently start my prepping in 1 gl mylar using your article. I can fit 4ct 1gl mylar bags in a 5gl plastic bucket. I then add a gamma lid. I’m very happy with this approach except for one thing. There’s about a whole gallon of air space in my 5gl bucket. I’d like to find make the most of the air space for food storage. Using a 5gl mylar is just too much of any one kind of food for our small family. Do you have any tips on how to make the most of the space in the 5gl bucket?
Thank you!
If your Mylar bags are properly sealed, then air space in the bucket doesn’t really matter. The buckets more about protecting the Mylar bags from damage. However, you could consider putting another small bag of food into the bucket to maximize use of the space. Maybe something that you don’t need lots of at once, like freeze-dried cheese powder, spice mixes, or some sweets? *I actually mixed spices into rice/beans/etc right into the Mylar bag. But, considering how damn picky my children are, I should probably have left the spices separate, haha!
I know it’s annoying to deal with small Mylar bags but, as you know, the 5 gallon bags are really impractical for most families. Who the heck is going to use up 5 gallons worth of cheese? 😀
Maybe, considering the bags are sealed, the air gaps could be filled with sand.
Would make the container heavier but if the container was going to remain in situ, it shouldn’t be a problem.
The reason for the sand …. it’s a good insulator and would effectively keep the temperature within the container .. lower.
This could be of assistance if the only storage area you have is not a cool as you would like.
Can anyone see a problem with this .. other than the extra weight?
Thank you for the great information.
The only part I didn’t see was under the heading “How many OE to Use?”. The explanation about figuring out how much oxygen is present is good, but, once I know the ratio, how do I figure out the number of OEs to use by food type, weight & size of bags?
In your example of “Only about 21% of air is actually comprised of oxygen (the rest is mostly nitrogen). So, calculate 21% of your air space. For example: 0.21x1893cc= 398cc.” how many OEs are needed – 1,2,3?
It depends on the size of the OA that you have. they come in ranges of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 1,000, and 2,000.
What about using Garmin lids and food sealers like the ones for the mason jars cuz that’s what I’m doing and granted I don’t have a big budget but at least I have something that I’m doing in mind when I get the money I am going to buy food containersoners that have the flip top lid and I’m going to put some rice sugar and like you mentioned about rotating that’s how I’m going to do
I’m not sure what Garmin lids are. However, it is possible to store food in airtight mason jars. If you want to remove the oxygen from them (and make the food last longer) you’ll have to add oxygen absorbers to the jar.
I generally don’t think storing food for emergencies/long-term storage is a good idea though. If an earthquake, hurricane, etc. happens, the jars will break. Also, you can’t tell if the seal has broken with jars unless you get ones with special metal lids (the lid will cave downward to show that oxygen has been removed). Jars also take up a lot of space. The Mylar bags and oxgyen absorbers aren’t so expensive, though admittedly it is a slight pain to seal the food in them.
Great info! To the person who asked about glass jars- check out ‘dry canning’. Ive seen a few YouTube videos and you can store grains, etc for just as long. The benefit of glass jars is rodents can’t eat through (they can eat through buckets) but the jars can break and of course they are heavier and less portable and cost more.. You can put thick rubber bands around each one so they don’t touch each other. It’s still seems like a good method, imo.. I’m looking into all these methods and am just starting my emergency food supply pantry. Question, can you use Mylar bags to store OvaEasy egg powder? How long do you think it would last? Also, I’m also curious about dry dog food storage?
Egg powder can usually be stored in Mylar with oxygen absorbers. The shelf life is usually at least 5 years (I’m not familiar with that brand though). As for dog food, it can also be stored this way. Some dog foods are pretty oily though. Check the fat content of the food to get an idea. Or, put the dog food on a napkin for a few hours and see whether it leaves a big oil stain on the napkin. The more fat/oil in the food, the shorter the shelf life will be. I’m guessing it should be fine for around 5 years though.
Best article I have seen in many years on how to store food in mylar bags. I have only been able to find scattered info and have thrown out many bags because I really didn’t have the info I needed. Your charts are a BIG help. Also threw out bags that weren’t sucked down because I thought the absorbers didn’t work. Never heard anywhere about the nitrogen in the bags. Thanks for a great teaching tool!!
Thanks Michelle takes a lot of time and resources to put these big guides together, comments like this keep us going!
Can you address the clear front mylar bags cannot be used for long term food storage? As I came across a lady telling customers ALL her clear front thin mylar bags of prepared meals were ling term storage as in 25-30 years and they were in sun. She has oxygen absorber in them and they are not free from air. These clear front bags are only good for short term freeze dried snacks with silica. Like freeze dried candy. It is disturbing that people are selling clear front bags with freeze dried meals in them calling them ling term.
Great article! Thank you. This has kick started my education. I feel I can confidently store food long-term after reading.
I believe one of the tables has incorrect headings. The table “How Much Food Will Fit in a Mylar Bag?” makes more sense to me if the first column is labeled “1 Gallon” and the second column is labelled “5 Gallon”.
Good catch! That has been updated to show the correct headings.
Can you use the heat device on a vacuum sealer for the Mylar? Is that hot enough? Does it give a wide enough seal to last years?
Yes, you can use a vacuum sealer to heat-seal mylar bags BUT it does a very terrible job! Most heat sealers don’t get to hot enough of a temperature to seal Mylar bags (Mylar is a lot thicker than food-saver bags). It can work okay on thinner mylar, but not on thicker bags.
On top of that, vacuuming the air out of a Mylar bag while also using O2 absorbers means that the bag can get punctured (especially by sharp things like pasta). Without enough air, the O2 absorber might fail too.
I know some people do it successfully (usually by making some modifications — there are videos on YouTube). But it’s a LOT MORE EFFECTIVE to just use a hair iron or clothes iron.
Regardless of how you seal the Mylar bags, you should always CHECK THE SEAL the next day. If it is sealed, then you put the bags into a bucket for long-term storage.
Good luck and have fun!
Uh, better check your components of air and correct! You have % N and % O2 switched.
Yep! Thanks for catching that typo, it has been corrected.
how long can cooking cocoa powder be stored and does it need absorbers ive recently started saving bacon grease also any sugguetions anyone??? does coffee need absorbers i am having sio much trouble finding info please and thjank you one and all
And here is that info for you:
https://www.primalsurvivor.net/long-term-coffee-storage/
https://www.primalsurvivor.net/store-cocoa-powder/