[hungry hunter]

I'm sure it's been discussed before, but the search function is hard to use on my smartphone.

I think I'm going to be furloughed from my job soon, so I'm going to start making up 5 gallon buckets. I think I'm going to use 1 gallon mylar bags and put different stuff in one bucket.
My question is:
How much flour can I put in a 1 gallon bag? What about a 5 gallon bag?

Thanks.
HH

 

[kev]

I stored pancake mix in mylar bags 2 weeks ago, and I got about 5 pounds of mix in a single 1 gallon mylar bag.

The pancake mix came in a single 10 pound bag, I had to split the mix between 2 - 1 gallon mylar bags.

When storing fine material like flour in mylar bags, put some into the bag, put an oxygen absorber in, put some more flour in, put another 02 absorber in, put some more flour in, and then seal the bag.

With finely ground material like flour or pancake mix, the powder compacts and prevents a single 02 absorber from fully doing its job. So put 2 - 02 absorbers in the bag, and space them out.

 

[BUSHER]

i thought things like flour and sugar dont need an OA but rather a moisture absorber?

 

[kev]

i thought things like flour and sugar dont need an OA but rather a moisture absorber?

Flour - yes

Sugar - no

If you leave an 02 absorber out of flour, the weevils will hatch and you will have bugs crawling around inside your flour.

Set a bag of flour on a shelf in your kitchen, go back to it in 4, 5 or 6 months later. If you have ever grabbed a bag of flour with weevils in it, its one of the grossest things you will ever feel. Its like grabbing a bag full of worms.

 

[WTXD]

Flour - yes

Sugar - no

If you leave an 02 absorber out of flour, the weevils will hatch and you will have bugs crawling around inside your flour.

Set a bag of flour on a shelf in your kitchen, go back to it in 4, 5 or 6 months later. If you have ever grabbed a bag of flour with weevils in it, its one of the grossest things you will ever feel. Its like grabbing a bag full of worms.

I do the same thing with the 1 gallon mylar bags and it works great. I know there are a lot of sources for these bags but I get mine from the LDS online catalog. I get 250 7mil gallon size mylar bags for $94 plus tax with free shipping. Tough to beat that deal. They also have 100 oxygen absorbers in a pack for $12 also with free shipping.

http://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category3_10705_10551_21003_-1_N_image_0

wtxd

 

[Sky1950]

I just researched this!... from what I have found most serious preppers store the actual wheat kernels and when they want flour, they grind the kernels... that's the way I am going to go... that way there is no worry about moisture, oxygen, weevils and other bugs.. if anyone sees a flaw in this, sing out, please!

 

[WTXD]

I just researched this!... from what I have found most serious preppers store the actual wheat kernels and when they want flour, they grind the kernels... that's the way I am going to go... that way there is no worry about moisture, oxygen, weevils and other bugs.. if anyone sees a flaw in this, sing out, please!

I think you are right when it comes to whole grains and such. If you want to store ready to use pancake mixes, etc, this is a way to do it. Best of luck. And I second what Kev said on weevils....nothing worse than going to the cupboard and finding them in your flour or in a box of whatever. Wondering if anyone knows of a good way to prevent them (other than sealing food up so they can't get in....seems they can get in still in a lot of cases). I have had flour in a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma lid with weevils in it.

wtxd

 

[SideSwipe]

I just researched this!... from what I have found most serious preppers store the actual wheat kernels and when they want flour, they grind the kernels... that's the way I am going to go... that way there is no worry about moisture, oxygen, weevils and other bugs.. if anyone sees a flaw in this, sing out, please!

Great idea, after you purchase a good grinder, wheat that you store should be available for use for years. What I like about bagging flour, is that it gives me a lead in supply that will be good for several years.

 

[Allamakee County]

I just researched this!... from what I have found most serious preppers store the actual wheat kernels and when they want flour, they grind the kernels... that's the way I am going to go... that way there is no worry about moisture, oxygen, weevils and other bugs.. if anyone sees a flaw in this, sing out, please!

Not a flaw exactly, but... whole grains are not immune to moisture, oxygen or weevils either. The plus side to the whole grains is that they still have the protection of being in kernel form, which is how they grew in the field, which offers them some protection.

 

[Allamakee County]

I think you are right when it comes to whole grains and such. If you want to store ready to use pancake mixes, etc, this is a way to do it. Best of luck. And I second what Kev said on weevils....nothing worse than going to the cupboard and finding them in your flour or in a box of whatever. Wondering if anyone knows of a good way to prevent them (other than sealing food up so they can't get in....seems they can get in still in a lot of cases). I have had flour in a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma lid with weevils in it.

wtxd

The eggs were probably in the flour when you put it in the bucket. You put the lid on and there they were, tucked in all nice and cozy, with all that delicious flour. The advantage of the O2 absorbers is that the eggs may still hatch, but without O2, the larvae will die. Yummy-delicious larvae.

 

[WTXD]

The eggs were probably in the flour when you put it in the bucket. You put the lid on and there they were, tucked in all nice and cozy, with all that delicious flour. The advantage of the O2 absorbers is that the eggs may still hatch, but without O2, the larvae will die. Yummy-delicious larvae.

Thanks, that makes sense. What about boxed foods like rice-a-roni and the like? Is there any kind of food safe repellent that could be put in your kitchen cabinets to keep them away?

 

[Allamakee County]

Thanks, that makes sense. What about boxed foods like rice-a-roni and the like? Is there any kind of food safe repellent that could be put in your kitchen cabinets to keep them away?

I don't know about that, but you could always throw all new grain type stuff in the deep freeze for a week (max) to kill the eggs off before you store.

It's really important not to get those little miller moth eggs in your house. Much easier to prevent than to eradicate.

 

[Sky1950]

Not a flaw exactly, but... whole grains are not immune to moisture, oxygen or weevils either. The plus side to the whole grains is that they still have the protection of being in kernel form, which is how they grew in the field, which offers them some protection.

How about DE and 02 packets in the bottom of the sealed mylar bag containing the grain?... you think that would secure it long term?

PS.. I agree with the freezing

 

[Allamakee County]

How about DE and 02 packets in the bottom of the sealed mylar bag containing the grain?... you think that would secure it long term?

I don't use DE myself, but yes, O2 absorbers - I usually stick mine right in the middle of the grain.

 

[MikeK]

i thought things like flour and sugar dont need an OA but rather a moisture absorber?

Sugar doesn't need an O2 absorber because it's a natural preservative. Same with salt. But flour isn't and it will oxidize. Also, if there's any critter eggs in the flour, they can hatch and have a feast unless there is no O2 for them to breath.

 

[MikeK]

I just researched this!... from what I have found most serious preppers store the actual wheat kernels and when they want flour, they grind the kernels... that's the way I am going to go... that way there is no worry about moisture, oxygen, weevils and other bugs.. if anyone sees a flaw in this, sing out, please!

That's really the best way to do it, in my opinion. Whole wheat lasts a lot longer than flour and it's far more nutritious. Grinders don't have to be terribly expensive and serve multiple purposes anyway. But even those of us who store whole wheat, often store some white flour also.

 

[MikeK]

Wondering if anyone knows of a good way to prevent them (other than sealing food up so they can't get in....seems they can get in still in a lot of cases). I have had flour in a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma lid with weevils in it.

wtxd

Food grade diatomaceous earth. They add it at the grain silos to keep infestations out and the packaged food industry uses it in baking mixes (like Bisquick) of all sorts for the same purpose.

 

[MikeK]

I don't know about that, but you could always throw all new grain type stuff in the deep freeze for a week (max) to kill the eggs off before you store.

It's really important not to get those little miller moth eggs in your house. Much easier to prevent than to eradicate.

I'm not sure I trust that method really. Afterall, those same eggs overwinter in the field just fine in some of the coldest states in the country. Besides, it's almost impossible to do in bulk.

But that's where diatomaceous earth comes in handy anyway.

 

[Allamakee County]

I'm not sure I trust that method really. Afterall, those same eggs overwinter in the field just fine in some of the coldest states in the country. Besides, it's almost impossible to do in bulk.

But that's where diatomaceous earth comes in handy anyway.

True - thanks for that.

 

[hungry hunter]

Thanks for the help, everybody.

I know that whole wheat is a better long term solution than flour, but as we're just starting out with our serious prepping - I thought it would be prudent to stock up on some "mid-range" preps too. I read one thread here last night where a study was done and flour lasted around 10 years if stored correctly. I think this would work out well for our needs.

Now I just need to find some suitable buckets....

Thanks again.
HH