Here on the blog, we’ve been doing a lot of talk about five-gallon buckets recently. We’ve discussed how to get 5-gallon buckets for free or at least cheap. There was also a recent post on using a five-gallon bucket for a container garden. Today, we’re going to talk about how you properly fill your five-gallon bucket to ensure that your food storage remains good for up to 30 years!
I remember the first time I sealed oats, wheat, beans, and rice in Mylar bags. I was afraid that I was going to do it all wrong and lose all my food. However, I have some good news! I didn’t lose any of the food that I sealed up, and I’m going to walk you through the very same, simple process I used.
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Step 1:
Grab your five to six-gallon bucket with a lid, a five-gallon Mylar bag, a 2000cc oxygen absorber, a 2 foot or longer length of 2×4 (or 1×4), and an iron. Start by plugging the iron in and letting it heat up.
Step 2:
Stand the Mylar bag up in the bucket and pour whatever it is that you want to preserve into the bag.
Step 3:
When the bucket looks just about full, you’ll want to bounce it up and down and then twist it back and forth quickly. This will help the contents to settle. Do this several times and add more. Once it’s all settled and it’s filled within two inches to the top, lay the 2×4 across the bucket.
Step 4:
Pull the Mylar bag up, straighten it as much as is possible and pull it across the 2×4. You’re going to iron the bag, all but two inches across. Keep it as flat as possible while doing this.
Step 5:
Pull the bag back up, and then push it down into the bucket to squeeze as much air out as possible. If you are using single sealed oxygen absorbers, this is when you will open the single oxygen absorber. Stuff it through the 2 inches that you left open.
Step 6:
Pull the bag back up and straighten it over the 2×4 and iron the rest of the way across.
Step 7:
Fold the bag back down. Stuff it into the bucket and place the lid on.
Step 8:
Write the date and the contents on the lid.
And you’re done!
If you do NOT purchase single sealed oxygen absorbers, then do steps 1-4 for every bucket that you are going to do. If you have ten buckets that you’re doing then do all ten buckets up through step five BEFORE you do step six. Then you’ll need to do step six as quickly as possible so that the oxygen absorbers don’t lose their potency.
Follow the rest of steps 7 and 8, and you’ll be done.
What About You?
Have you ever packaged your own foods? Do you have any tips and tricks to share with us? If you do, please leave a comment below so that we can all be better prepared.
Together, Let’s Love, Learn, Practice, and Overcome!
I do everything you do Karen, but instead of using a iron to seal mylar bags (of all sizes) I use a cheap hair straightener set at 350 degrees. Just go along the very top of the bag and hold for 3 seconds as you go along the top of the bag. You can cut the sealed top with a scissors, take food out and reseal the mylar bag again & again.
You can buy smaller Mylar bags and just put a few pounds in each bag. That way when you want to use something you don’t have 30 lbs left over. Don’t forget to label and date what you store. Thanks Mike
100% CORRECT >>> use the “last corner method” and you can’t go wrong !!!!
only a couple of suggestions >> instead of putting the board across the bucket you are working to close – use a second bucket next to it – there’s enough mylar bagging for the reach ….
office paperwork binder clips are handy in getting the mylar bag “lips” lined up and holding in place while you begin the heat seam in the middle – don’t use the hottest setting on your iron – mid range (wool) allows for a true ironing smooth of that heat seam …
when storing powdery foods – don’t forget to wipe clean the inside of the bag – the two poly bag sides need to “heat fuze” together ….
lastly – use the good old fashion gasketed locking lid – the Gamma lids aren’t for long term food storage >>> get yourself a solid plastic “soft hammer” for getting the lids started and hammered home – save your lids with a “lid lifter” tool for the removal ….
in regard to those Gamma lids >>> buy a colored selection for creating a “bucket pantry” – protect your food after you start opening your stored bucket food during a SHTF – pests and contamination will be your enemy …
Thanks for the quick read! Very to the point without excess fluff. I’m not very familiar with packing in mylar, and didn’t know you could simply seal it with an iron! Now it’s something I will look into doing in the future!
This is super helpful, Karen. Thanks for the pics and the descriptive details. I am now convinced that I need to move my rice, pasta, bean, grain storage to mylar. I’ve been chicken to do so, but I’m ready to give it a try now.
I’m so glad to be an encouragement, Cindy.