Possible Move....and a Whole New Way

[TurtleMama]

Hi there!

 

So....we are looking at a possible move, most likely to Houston, Texas, but Dallas is also a possibility. We'll be moving there from a very, very dry climate -- Arizona. I inventoried my entire food stock this past weekend so that I won't be surprised if we do move, and it made me start thinking. I know that Houston is REALLY humid, and I am concerned about how our food will store there....specifically, things like sugar, flour, and especially home dehydrated foods. Also, if we're rotating through #10 cans of things like dehydrated or freeze dried fruits and veggies, or dried eggs, or tomato powder...things the humidity can affect.

 

Does anyone have any tips/tricks for storing food where it's humid like that? I would be incredibly grateful. IF we move there (I have learned never to presume to know what God will do in my life) I don't want to be taken by surprise or have my valuable food ruined. That would be awful!!

[CrabGrassAcres]

You are expected to come see me if you move to Texas!

 

Put your dry foods in canning jars. I use 1/2 gallons and qts mostly, depending on how much there is. You can get packets of drying gel to go in them. Houston is really, really humid. Dallas not so bad.

 

Periodically put the jars into the freezer for several days. The insects are bad here and will sometimes lay eggs under the rim of lids and if someone didn't get the lid on tightly enough, they will get into the food. I also freeze everything at least once when I first put it into the jars in case there are eggs in it.

[Annarchy]

We'll be moving there from a very, very dry climate -- Arizona.

But, but, but..... "It's a dry heat."

 

 

I would not know what to tell you about humidity, been here 30+ years this time round.

 

You are so lucky to be heading out of here.

[mommato3boys]

gel packs and glass jars that is how I stored our food when we lived in Houston. Kept bugs out. Oh don't put gel packs in your sugar makes it HARD learned that the hard way. Just put in glass jars.

[TurtleMama]

Oh, thank you all so much for your advice!!! I am grateful for it! CGA, I'd love the chance to meet you in person! That would be so fun! Annarchy, the last three years here have been rather under duress....with what's going on in my DH's career path, it's time to get out and go somewhere we can have a future. I'll miss my folks and sister terribly, but sometimes you have to make that choice. I feel lucky to be leaving....it just seems like it's getting hotter and hotter and dustier out here! Momma, forgive my ignorance....but what are gel packs? At first I thought you meant oxygen absorbers, but something tells me you mean something different. Could you elaborate for me, please? Thank you so very much!!

[CrabGrassAcres]

http://www.deltaadsorbents.com/?gclid=COu-_cedmbACFQF7hwodL3tD1Q

 

Just one source. First one up on google to give you an idea of what we are talking about.

[mommato3boys]

Momma, forgive my ignorance....but what are gel packs? At first I thought you meant oxygen absorbers, but something tells me you mean something different. Could you elaborate for me, please? Thank you so very much!!

 

They are oxygen absorbers. I don't suggest you doing this but I have sons and well they have to take everything apart...but if you ever break one open you will find a bunch of little beads in there made of gel that absorb liquid. Order from one company and they were called gel packs ordered from a different company got the same thing and they were call 02 absorbents. Same exact brand only got more for my money from company 2 than company 1.

[CrabGrassAcres]

O2 absorbers have iron fillings that rust and remove oxygen. Only good for one use. Moisture absorbers are silica gel and can be heated to drive off the moisture and reused.

[TurtleMama]

Spiffy!!! Those will come in handy, I imagine. I remember, when we lived in North Carolina, that my mom would put rice in the salt shaker to keep the salt from getting all clumped up in the humidity.