A Million Questions

[ANewMe]

Since it has been so long a lot of my memory is fuzzy and I think I’ve lost a lot of knowledge. Aging is the devil...LoL. So if it’s ok with y’all I’d like to post them as they come to me here on this thread.

 

1) I have several, several 1-2lb bags of sugar, lg bag of rice, instant potatoes etc etc....I was considering getting large plastic food storage containers to store them. Would that be safe or would it be better to keep in the original container?

 

My other thought was using a food saver to seal them IF I can find one.

 

2) is there a way to preserve or put up potatoes?

 

I have more questions Than know but these are at the forefront of my mind as I get ready for Church. First time I’ve been back in person...so excited!

[Midnightmom]

If the sugar isn't hard, I would put it into a ziplock baggie - in its original packaging. If it is hard (probably due to moisture), I would dump it out onto a shallow pan of some sort, break up the clumps, spread it out, and put it into your oven on the lowest setting with the door cracked, and allow it to dry out. I had to do that with some salt recently.

 

I don't think it matters too much with the rice if you are going to be using it as a part of your regular meal planning. Otherwise, I would try to package it in a vacuum sealed container. Same thing for the instant potatoes. The thing you have to be careful about when doing that with these products is to make sure none of the grains/flakes get sucked up into the vacuum hose, or get trapped in the tracks of any ziplock type packaging. 

 

An afterthought on the potatoes: If they are in a box I would transfer the product to plastic bag or container even if you plan to use it instead of storing it for long term use. Too many bugs can get into the cardboard box!

 

Do a search of the forums for canning potatoes. We have a resident "expert" that does this all of the time.

 

 

 

 

[Mt_Rider]

2 hours ago, Midnightmom said:

If they are in a box I would transfer the product to plastic bag or container even if you plan to use it instead of storing it for long term use. Too many bugs can get into the cardboard box!

 

This would be my point as well.  I nearly always take the dry foods out of original packaging.  It isn't meant for longer term storage like we all do.  Some plastic packaging break down into brittle or gooey mess.  And yes, the pestilence..    Still got mice at my house!  If you can withhold the smell, the critters won't be as attracted.  There are much better containers ....Ziplocks / seal-a-meal bags / canning or other jars / well-cleaned -food-grade - recycled containers such as juice bottles.  All that will keep out moisture/attracting odor.  Note which products need to be kept from degrading affects of direct sunlight ....especially in strong UV like we have at high altitude.  Inside cabinets usually is enough for that tho.

 

If anyone isn't doing this already, be sure to save the MOISTURE absorbers from any packaged foods.  They can be dried [sunlight or dehydrator/oven on LOW]  and used again.  I save even the tiny ones from some of our nutritional pill bottles.  Please note which are MOISTURE absorbers and which might be OXYGEN absorbers - which are one-time-use. 

 

Remember to keep the directions, other data, from the packaging if you need it.  I tape it to the side of the jars.  Or drop it inside.  Or keep in a notebook like scrapbooking.   

 

MtRider 

[Annarchy]

I put my sugar in 1 gallon, Minute Maid, non opaque, orange juice bottles.  We’ve done that for years, and it has never gone bad or hardened.
 

Recently, I had to changed from plastic containers, (Sterlite), to 1/2 gallon & gallon canning jars.  I found, even ziplock freezer bags wasn’t stoping the food from turning rancid.    Rice, because we buy large amounts, I wasn’t using it quickly enough.  Sadly, I had to discard some.  I noticed it, when I could smell it, when I walked by and had to search to find what plastic container was the culprit.  Unfortunately, several were.  

 

Flour, corn meal, etc. gets frozen a few days, to kill any bugs or bug eggs, then, put in glass canning jars.
 

Potatoes, raw, can be stored in a cool dark area, in wood shavings or crumpled newspaper, as can onions and carrots.  You would need to check on them, to make sure they aren’t getting too much moisture or drying out. WE2 and others, can their potatoes all the time.  Shredded potatoes, tater tots, etc, we vacuum seal, in meal sized portions & freeze.  Most fresh veggies can be blanched & vacuum sealed or canned.

 

That’s my .02 cents worth.  

[Ambergris]

I have been using a lot of sterilite over the past year.  Thanks for the heads-up.

[euphrasyne]

You want to be as air free as possible.  I buy in large quantities and always transfer to other containers.  I keep 1-5gal containers on my counter for sugar & flour and the longer storage items usually go into large canning jars (1/2 to 1 gal) or the large zip lock bags. Sometimes I find a great sale on small bags of rice, instant potatoes, etc and I will buy several, dump them all into a 2.5 gal container to stuff in the pantry.    I find that anything over 5 gal is asking for trouble and I try to stick to 1/2 gal to 2.5 gal containers.  I often use various sizes of canning jars.  Dark and cool will last longer, but mostly just don't buy what you cannot eat during the rotation of the item's lifetime.   I label the jars with the date I put stuff in them and my spreadsheet of how many I have has a column for 'next one to go bad date' so I can look at that in my meal planning.  

 

Potatoes will store in a dark cool place, but mine always sprout because the humidity here is too high.  They can be canned, dehydrated, or frozen for longer storage.  

[ANewMe]

I just made a run to Walmart and it is getting thinner and thinner. I had not been in housewares much. Now that I need stuff there’s not a lot available. I got the last 2 loaf pans...still can’t find a teapot to replace my broken one. No food saver either...just bags.
 

I did grab these plastic containers to store dry goods in bc I couldn’t find any large glass jars. Do you think they will work? I’m thinking anything will be better than bags and boxes. Everything will be in my pantry inside and of course dark. I thought of putting some kind of absorbent packets in there If it would help. 

[Mt_Rider]

I have a lot of these jars.  Wipe the outside edge after filling it ....just to make sure no residue to draw pests.  I love the wide mouth for filling with flour....horrid to use my juice bottles and try to get flour into the small hole!!! 

 

MtRider