# Rice a Roni



## GrannyAnn (Aug 16, 2021)

Hi all I'm new because I have a question for you experts. Just brought home some rice a roni to dry pack in canning jars. First two boxes went okay but the next ones, those little packets of flavoring, like dry soup mix, are not powdery at all and sticking together as if they were exposed to humidity.

We don't eat rice a roni so I'm not sure if this is normal and if it's safe to vacuum seal with oxygen absorbers in that state.

I bought it for my kids and grandkids who eat that kind of stuff but I guess in a pinch we'd eat it too.

What do you think?


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

I would love to help you, but I have never had rice a roni. We would love to get to know you so please take a moment and introduce yourself. New Member Introduction


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## BennyMG1 (Jun 7, 2021)

The little powder pack is nothing more than boullion (sp?) with some extra spices. I’ve have ramen that did the same thing and was fine after reconstituted. Please note that the Pasta-roni is different


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## GrannyAnn (Aug 16, 2021)

BennyMG1 said:


> The little powder pack is nothing more than boullion (sp?) with some extra spices. I’ve have ramen that did the same thing and was fine after reconstituted. Please note that the Pasta-roni is different


Thanks. Now I have two more questions. A bit confused. 

1. why is pasta roni different (I dry packed some of that too but the packets were powdery and seemed dry)
2. Are you saying you had ramen do that and you dry packed it with an oxygen absorber and it was fine for years?

Sorry. I am very new at this and don't want to mess it up.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

For what it's worth, my wife, says she had R.A.R. packets that were not powdery, either. But I haven't died yet. Probably to much humidity.


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## GrannyAnn (Aug 16, 2021)

paraquack said:


> For what it's worth, my wife, says she had R.A.R. packets that were not powdery, either. But I haven't died yet. Probably to much humidity.


Thanks. Did she use an oxygen absorber? Do you know how old they were when you ate them.

Apologies for all the noob questions.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

These R.A.R. were not set up for long term storage. Anytime I find a great price on stuff, I have a tendancy to go hog wild and stock up. She thinks the R.A.R. were in the neighborhood of 3+ years old. We live in AZ so it's not humid for very long, but it gets humid often enough. The little paclets we get in R.A.R. are just paper with a waxy or very thin plastic film on the inside. Not the best to keep the stuff inside dry. I prefer to store plain rice for long term in Mylar aluminized bags with oxygen absorbers, with or without a Nitrogen purge. I store spices in quart Mylar bags, the same way. But don't store table salt with Potassium Iodine. While plain salt (Pickling salt) does not expire, iodized salt has a shelf life of about five years because *the stability of the iodized salt decreases over time with exposure*, especially in the presence of moisture or metal ions. Morton says the Iodine can disipate.


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## BennyMG1 (Jun 7, 2021)

GrannyAnn said:


> Thanks. Now I have two more questions. A bit confused.
> 
> 1. why is pasta roni different (I dry packed some of that too but the packets were powdery and seemed dry)
> 2. Are you saying you had ramen do that and you dry packed it with an oxygen absorber and it was fine for years?
> ...


The contents of the packets is supposed to be powdery and dry. If exposed to some heat and moisture, occasionally the powder will clump. I’ve used these “clumps” and never had a problem.

I don’t pack my ramen with O2 absorbers. I keep them in an airtight container with a dessicant pack.


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## CapitalKane49p (Apr 7, 2020)

Welcome from Canada's Wet Coast 

Think you'll be fine. Those packets have a lot of preservatives and salt in them. You may want to try vacuum sealing that kind of thing if you have a Foodsaver. Be a lot less time cansuming (that's an attempt at humor) and easier to pack away. 

Godspeed


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## GrannyAnn (Aug 16, 2021)

Thanks everybody for the info. I figured they were supposed to be powdery and not a clump. Guess I'll give them away instead of putting them up for later since they're cheap anyway and try again for a better (and dryer) batch.


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## GrannyAnn (Aug 16, 2021)

paraquack said:


> These R.A.R. were not set up for long term storage. Anytime I find a great price on stuff, I have a tendancy to go hog wild and stock up. She thinks the R.A.R. were in the neighborhood of 3+ years old. We live in AZ so it's not humid for very long, but it gets humid often enough. The little paclets we get in R.A.R. are just paper with a waxy or very thin plastic film on the inside. Not the best to keep the stuff inside dry. I prefer to store plain rice for long term in Mylar aluminized bags with oxygen absorbers, with or without a Nitrogen purge. I store spices in quart Mylar bags, the same way. But don't store table salt with Potassium Iodine. While plain salt (Pickling salt) does not expire, iodized salt has a shelf life of about five years because *the stability of the iodized salt decreases over time with exposure*, especially in the presence of moisture or metal ions. Morton says the Iodine can disipate.


Thanks I had heard that about salt. I wonder how long it's safe to store iodine. Will have to look that up.


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

The problem with rice a roni is that the oils in it will go rancid even if you put it into a jar with O2A. It's just not long term storage material. You're better off to have rice and seasonings and bone broth. I do understand though that if you don't can stuff yourself this would be much more expensive and of course it will take up more space.

For pasta roni we buy noodles when there is a good sale and store cheese powder. By watching sales this actually comes out cheaper although I can't tell you how long the powder will last in storage if you are doing it yourself because we haven't been doing it for very long.


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## GrannyAnn (Aug 16, 2021)

Thanks everybody. I think that's the end of the rice a roni for me. Just trying to think of some different things to store long term. Mostly over the years I had bought already freeze dried #10 cans of stuff and some buckets of things but now want to do my own to get some variety. How much Mountain House lasagna can a person eat, lol... I guess I won't let them go past a couple years before giving them away.


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