# Long term storage help



## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

Need some long term storage help? What are some items that can be store long term. I’m talking 20-30 years. In 5 gallon bucket with Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. I’ve been told beans and rice can. I assume salt but what else?


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Hard winter wheat but you will need a grain mill to turn it into flour.


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## A J (Oct 16, 2014)

Sugar


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

You can also sprout the wheat, or grow wheat grass.


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## sparkyprep (Jul 5, 2013)

Raw honey has an indefinite shelf life.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

I’m talking 20-30 years. In 5 gallon bucket with Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers.

I've never heard of doing that to honey & don't understand why as it stores so well in mason jars.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

I would (and DID) just buy LDS Wheat, Rice, Oats.. a case is 6 #10 cans at a good price

I also did a few things in 2 cups size mylar

but to answer your question..

rice, wheat, oats, beans, sugar and salt do not really need 02 absorbers

baking soda, baking powder, flour (although wheat is better - as mentioned before you need a grain mill)


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> I would (and DID) just buy LDS Wheat, Rice, Oats.. a case is 6 #10 cans at a good price
> 
> I also did a few things in 2 cups size mylar
> 
> ...


I also just ordered a couple cases of the 10# canned goods from LDS.

A word of warning though, if you don't want your mailman or anybody else knowing what you're ordering; LDS makes sure that all 4 sides and the top of the box clearly state all over in huge bold lettering (complete with pictures) that it's long term food for your families preparations etc so if it's ever by accident delivered to your in-laws house they're going to know that you're some kind of crazy nut for stocking up! Just sayin....


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

I've never met an in-law I liked. It's a long story, but it left me feeling like in-laws are God's way of making sure you really love your wife. If you didn't, you sure wouldn't put up with in-laws!

Come to think of it, I would have been willing to store them in 5 gal buckets either with or without oxy absorbers...


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Maine-Marine said:


> I would (and DID) just buy LDS Wheat, Rice, Oats.. a case is 6 #10 cans at a good price
> 
> I also did a few things in 2 cups size mylar
> 
> ...


Ditto everything Maine-Marine said, especially the LDS cannery part. The only thing I would add is green coffee beans store indefinitely and do not require any special storage. We keep them in the burlap sack they come in.


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## Sharkbait (Feb 9, 2014)

Pasta and non-fat powdered milk stores well for long term.

The milk does have to be non-fat.Regular,2%,etc. will go rancid after a few years.


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

Sharkbait said:


> Pasta and non-fat powdered milk stores well for long term.
> 
> The milk does have to be non-fat.Regular,2%,etc. will go rancid after a few years.


I have quite a few boxes of the non-fat powdered milk but they're still in their original boxes. Would you suggest the mylar/oxygen absorber or vacuum sealing it?


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## Sharkbait (Feb 9, 2014)

Kahlan said:


> I have quite a few boxes of the non-fat powdered milk but they're still in their original boxes. Would you suggest the mylar/oxygen absorber or vacuum sealing it?


I went with mylar/o2 absorbers to protect from UV too.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

There are a lot of dehydrated pudding-type desserts, soups, sauces, and things like that available in bulk. I have not seen anything like an expiration date on any of it. I've included a bunch in my stores and when it gets to ten years I'll break some of it out and report on it.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Kahlan said:


> I also just ordered a couple cases of the 10# canned goods from LDS.
> 
> A word of warning though, if you don't want your mailman or anybody else knowing what you're ordering; LDS makes sure that all 4 sides and the top of the box clearly state all over in huge bold lettering (complete with pictures) that it's long term food for your families preparations etc so if it's ever by accident delivered to your in-laws house they're going to know that you're some kind of crazy nut for stocking up! Just sayin....


Its called advertising...they do it well... Make sure you tell the deliver guy he needs to get ready also...


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Kahlan said:


> I have quite a few boxes of the non-fat powdered milk but they're still in their original boxes. Would you suggest the mylar/oxygen absorber or vacuum sealing it?


YES YES YES...

I think milk in the original box has a pretty short shelf life...I think in mylar it is maybe 8 years... in #10 cans packed by the pros....20 years...

the above maybe wrong, so do some research


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Considering all the empty space in the packaging 'due to settling', it's got to be repacked into mylar.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

Considering the amount of wheat one person needs, #10 cans seems like an expensive way to buy it.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

Ideally, a 1 year food storage should never be older than 2-3 years old, if you are serious about storing what you eat, and eating what you store. It means 1/3 of your food comes from you storage, another 2/3 from fresh sources, and 1/3 of your food purchases going back into your storage. I just made up this ratio, so if you dont like them you could always make up some ratios that work well for you. Best of wishes to your prepping'


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

Kahlan said:


> I also just ordered a couple cases of the 10# canned goods from LDS.


Do you know the self life of the LDS #10 cans


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

Tennessee said:


> Do you know the self life of the LDS #10 cans


The rice, beans, oats, red wheat and white wheat all say 30+ years on the cans. The flour says 10+ years. Those are the only items I've bought so far.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

Does that come with a warranty?


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## Strider (Oct 26, 2014)

Add some vegetables and fruit and some smaller airtight containers to store open items in,quart canning jars with lids work well. You also some basic spices to add some flavor.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

tinkerhell said:


> Considering the amount of wheat one person needs, #10 cans seems like an expensive way to buy it.


Hard Red Wheat - store.lds.org

Hard red wheat $27 for 6 #10 cans...already prepped for LONG TERM Storage..shipping is $3









For the cost and time savings..I think it is a fantastic deal


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## Dinah (Sep 22, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> Hard Red Wheat - store.lds.org
> 
> Hard red wheat $27 for 6 #10 cans...already prepped for LONG TERM Storage..shipping is $3
> 
> ...


The $3 shipping is amazing. I think this sounds like a good deal. Does this mean I need to leard to back bread? Sigh...


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> Hard Red Wheat - store.lds.org
> 
> Hard red wheat $27 for 6 #10 cans...already prepped for LONG TERM Storage..shipping is $3
> 
> ...


That does seem like a very good deal.

I wonder if I can get $3 shipping to Canada.


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

Kahlan said:


> The rice, beans, oats, red wheat and white wheat all say 30+ years on the cans. The flour says 10+ years. Those are the only items I've bought so far.


Thanks for the info. I think the LDS can save me the hassle of doing it myself. I like the ideal of having it in #10 cans vs 5 gallon tubs.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

Food Item	#10 Can	5 Gallon Bucket

Wheat	5 pounds	37 pounds
White Flour	4.5 pounds	33 pounds
Cornmeal	4.3 pounds	33 pounds
Popcorn	5 pounds	37 pounds
Rolled Oats	2.5 pounds	20 pounds
White Rice	5.3 pounds	36 pounds
Spaghetti	N/A	30 pounds
Macaroni	3.1 pounds	21 pounds

Dried Beans	5.6 pounds	35 pounds
Lima Beans	5.4 pounds	35 pounds
Soy Beans	5 pounds	33 pounds
Split Peas	5 pounds	33 pounds
Lentils	5.5 pounds	35 pounds

White Sugar	5.7 pounds	35 pounds
Brown Sugar	4.42 pounds	33 pounds
Powdered Milk	3 pounds	29 pounds
Powdered Eggs	2.6 pounds	20 pounds

#10 can data comes from ShelfReliance.com and is what THEIR #10 cans contain. Numbers could be slightly more or less elsewhere.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

this link: Food Storage Calculator
tells me that a family of 3 requires a minimum of 450lbs of wheat.

If you buy wheat in #10 cans that will be 450lbs divided by 5lbs per can equals 90 cans. At $4 per can that would be $360.

This site Bushel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia says that a bushel of wheat at 13.5% is about 60lbs,.
This site How Much Does Wheat Cost? | HowMuchIsIt.org says that most grain suppliers will sell a bushel of wheat at $6 ot $8
If I buy 480lbs ( 8 bushels ) it will cost 8 times $8 equals $64.

So the big question is, can I buy containers, mylar bags, and asorbers for 8 bushels cheaper than $300?
Heck, if I asign an arbitrary value of $150 for my time, can I buy all this for less than $300-$time= $150?

Yep, I could do a lot more horrible than just order the 90 cans from online.

Edit: are the #10 cans processed in a way that kills weebils?


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Of course the LDS folks are not making a ton of money...they are doing this to help people and make enough to keep repeating the process...


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

tinkerhell said:


> Edit: are the #10 cans processed in a way that kills weebils?


That is one of my fears in doing it myself is to invest all the time and money and end up doing it wrong. I would think the LDS folks should know how to do it right if anyone.


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## 7515 (Aug 31, 2014)

thepeartree said:


> I've never met an in-law I liked. It's a long story, but it left me feeling like in-laws are God's way of making sure you really love your wife. If you didn't, you sure wouldn't put up with in-laws!


Damn it peartree, have you been watching me at my wife's family gatherings.


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## 7515 (Aug 31, 2014)

I have been rethinking my food strategy and will be going to #10 can and freeze dried meats as opposed to small grocery cans with short expiration dates.
I am prepping for the event that I will have 5-8 to feed and its a hassle to try and keep that many can rotated when its just me and wife eating it right now.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

One of the benefits to canning or Mylar and Oxygen absorber. No oxygen, no bugs.


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## NZKiwi (Nov 11, 2014)

A little story about honey, when Egyptian archaeologists enter a tomb there where tonnes of honey and they were given permission to taste it(since there were so many pots of honey) they said it taste like it was just made yesterday.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

HuntingHawk said:


> I'm talking 20-30 years. In 5 gallon bucket with Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers.
> 
> I've never heard of doing that to honey & don't understand why as it stores so well in mason jars.


Honey will last forever just in a jar on the shelf. No bags, no absorbers. It may crystalize after a few years, but if you put it in a pan of hot water, it will remelt.


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