[kev]

Ok guys and gals, let's talk about the serious of long term food storage with mylar bags. Why is it serious? Because storing food in mylar bags is something just about anyone can do. It allows families to stockpile dried food products in bulk.

I like to use ziplock bags with a flat bottom. They cost more than the typical el-cheapo mylar bag, but to me they are worth it. The flat bottom lets the bag stand upright on its own when being filled.

Read the labels on stuff like potato flakes. Some have added butter or other animal products.

Oatmeal is great

Do not store rice and beans in the same bag, they have different cook times.

I use O2 absorbers larger than what is needed.

When doing different size bags, I use a large absorber in all of them. I see no need in buying different sizes O2 absorbers and then not using them all.

Some of the food items in my mylar stockpile:

• Rice
• Beans
• Pasta
• Potato flakes

 

[bunkerbuster]

Do not store rice and beans in the same bag, they have different cook times.

I precook rice & beans, add appropriate diced cooked veggies, small diced cooked very lean meat & seasonings, then dehydrate the mixture until rock hard. Then pack 2 or 4 person portions in heat sealed Mylar bags, with 02A's.

Makes an easy add water to hydrate, heat & serve hearty meal.

 

[Offrink]

So you’re not using Mylar an instead using ziplock bags? Are you putting the ziplock in Mylar? You want to talk about Mylar but use ziplock? So confused!

 

[kev]

So you’re not using Mylar an instead using ziplock bags? Are you putting the ziplock in Mylar? You want to talk about Mylar but use ziplock? So confused!

Some mylar bags come with a ziplock built in.

Let me get a picture of the two side by side. Picture is from my personal stockpile my mylar bags. The ziplock bags cost more, but add a little extra to keep the bag sealed.

In the video there is a bag that came open. Ziploclk helps prevent stuff like that.

 

[Grunt1776]

I like the idea of the extra seal a ziplock gives, What's a good source for the style bags you use? How are you sealing them?

 

[survive]

I precook rice & beans, add appropriate diced cooked veggies, small diced cooked very lean meat & seasonings, then dehydrate the mixture until rock hard. Then pack 2 or 4 person portions in heat sealed Mylar bags, with 02A's.

Makes an easy add water to hydrate, heat & serve hearty meal.

Would you be willing share the recipe?
I really like this idea.

 

[HeavyHauler]

I like the idea of the extra seal a ziplock gives, What's a good source for the style bags you use? How are you sealing them?

I too would like to know a good source for them, as well as o2 absorbers.

 

[bunkerbuster]

Would you be willing share the recipe?
I really like this idea.

No specific recipe.

Just "Spanish rice", however you like it cooked (generally including salsa, sautéed diced onion, bell or other peppers). Cooked beans, whichever kind you prefer & however like them spiced (I prefer ranch style), lean pork crock pot cooked until it will shed into fine pieces.

Just cook those ingredients up, mix to gather & taste test (to insure it tastes the way you prefer).

Dehydrate the mixture rock hard, package & seal in Mylar, with an 02A.
You are good to go.

 

[Nerf]

I too would like to know a good source for them, as well as o2 absorbers.

I made several purchases from these folks a few years ago. Everything was fine then, but I have no recent experience to give you.
http://www.discountmylarbags.com/50-8-25x8-25-odor-proof-1-quart-shieldpro-ziplock-aluminum-foil-mylar-bag-5-0-mils/

I used their zip seal bags for spices, powdered cheese and similar.

 

[HeavyHauler]

I made several purchases from these folks a few years ago. Everything was fine then, but I have no recent experience to give you.
http://www.discountmylarbags.com/50-8-25x8-25-odor-proof-1-quart-shieldpro-ziplock-aluminum-foil-mylar-bag-5-0-mils/

I used their zip seal bags for spices, powdered cheese and similar.

I'll look into it, thanks.

 

[Offrink]

Some mylar bags come with a ziplock built in.

Let me get a picture of the two side by side. Picture is from my personal stockpile my mylar bags. The ziplock bags cost more, but add a little extra to keep the bag sealed.

In the video there is a bag that came open. Ziploclk helps prevent stuff like that.

Thanks. I was confused because ziplock is a brand name of plastic bag. Recloseable bag. I used them to repack rice and dried goods like dried fruits and jerky. That way once opened they can be closed and extend its life. Been using these for about 2-3 years.

 

[kev]

I like the idea of the extra seal a ziplock gives, What's a good source for the style bags you use? How are you sealing them?

I have not ordered any in awhile,

Look at

sorbentsystems.com

discountmylarbags.com

If you and your buddies wanted to do a group ybu can get them in bulk here - https://www.impakcorporation.com/flexible_packaging/mylar-bag/zipseal_pouches/open_zipseal_end

I think I ordered some from beprepared.com years ago, but I think they stopped selling mylar bags?

How are you sealing them?

Two foot aluminum level and a clothes iron. Some people say to use a air straightener.

Two foot level is for a metal backup. Place the mylar on the level, the use the iron to seal.

 

[survive]

Recycling Mylar

It recently dawned on me that there are so many things that we buy that are in various grades of mylar bags. I started saving and washing these.

Was thinking that for travel size snacks etc, these recycled bags can be cut smaller and resealed to keep travel foods fresh.

Cut some and filled them with crackers, cookies, nuts, cereals, dried bean snacks etc.

Then ironed them shut again.

These sealed so well that will not be throwing these sorts of bags out any more.

 

[Levant]

I get mine from Sorbent because I can get the thicker Mylar and the specs on the Mylar. There's a huge, as in a factor of hundreds, difference in O2 absorption in some 3.5 mil bags compared to some 4.5 mil bags.

I pack something almost every week, either beans, rice, pasta, pancake mix, etc. Or salt, baking soda, sugar, etc. This week, I bought a couple pound bag of cream of tarter very cheap by itself that I'll split into a couple Mylar bags for use as is or making baking powder. I'll probably get a couple more of them.

In other words, it's an easy, reliable, way to pack dry foods. Let me just throw out that you don't put an O2 absorber in sugar; just pack it as is; maybe a desiccant if you want.

 

[Potawami II]

I haven't done anything in mylar because I have never been able to find any kind of chart on how much 02 absorber to use. Obviously different things are going to take different amounts, but I haven't even seen a rough guide anywhere.

 

[survive]

I haven't done anything in mylar because I have never been able to find any kind of chart on how much 02 absorber to use. Obviously different things are going to take different amounts, but I haven't even seen a rough guide anywhere.

Did a quick Google search and found this great chart that goes over each volume.
https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/...-storage/oxygen-absorbers-recommended-amounts

Will be copying it and saving it myself

 

[Levant]

I haven't done anything in mylar because I have never been able to find any kind of chart on how much 02 absorber to use. Obviously different things are going to take different amounts, but I haven't even seen a rough guide anywhere.

You don't need a chart and charts discount the type of food going in the bag. There's roughly 3800 cc in a gallon. Waste a bag to make sure how much it really holds. Your 5-gallon bag doesn't hold exactly 5 gallons, I'll bet money.

*edit to add: think about the shape of rice, which packs the bag at a good rate, little wasted space. Then think about packing elbow macaroni. You'll get a lot more residual air in the hollow macaroni than in rice. Also remember it's shape and not size that controls the leftover air. Assume that many bean shapes are the same but the sizes are different. Per cent of air remains the same, regardless of size; it's the shape and how that shape allows the product to pack that controls the left over air. *end edit*

Next you have to calculate how much air is left when the bag is filled. I test this by putting a quart of product in a quart mason jar and then fill the jar with water. Pour off the water to an appropriately sized measuring cup. That's how much air per quart of bag capacity. Now you know enough to calculate how much air is in the bag you're going to seal. Next, figure that oxygen is about 21% of air. Now you have enough to know the capacity required for the O2 absorbers you need. Generally, O2 absorbers perform at 1.5 to 2.0 times rated capacity. This allows you to use rated capacity without unnecessary over-using the absorbers. The excess capacity will accommodate the time it takes you to go from opening the package to sealing the absorber in your Mylar bag with your product. It will also give some extra margin for continuing to absorb oxygen as it infiltrates the bag but if you're using .0006 cc/m2 at 100% oxygen, you have little infiltration to worry about in your life time. If you're using cheaper, .001 cc/m2 at 100% oxygen bags, which you should never use, then you will need the excess rated capacity but likely not extra capacity beond that.

.001 cc/m2 at 100% oxygen bags are anything 3.5 mil or less in thickness and many 4.0 or 4.5 mil thickness bags. Demand specs on the Mylar you buy. You can find the actual specs for the Mylar sold by Sorbent on their website.

I was going to order some Mylar bags from a popular site on Amazon without verifying specs but decided against it. I reached out to the seller before ordering and found that he's selling 3.5 mil bags even though he doesn't specify thickness in his Amazon pages. Glad I checked first. Never use anything less than 4.0 or greater to get the best infiltration specs. I almost always use 7.0 or 7.5 but there are a few Mylar products that I like and accept that they are 4.5 mil thick since they have .0006 infiltration rating.

 

[MikeK]

I haven't done anything in mylar because I have never been able to find any kind of chart on how much 02 absorber to use. Obviously different things are going to take different amounts, but I haven't even seen a rough guide anywhere.

That information is all over the food storage section of this very site. This place is a great source for all sorts of information.

 

[survive]

Just a quick question of definitions...

Mylar (Definition: a form of polyester resin used to make heat-resistant plastic films and sheets)

So mylar is not necessarily the aluminized shiny silver stuff. I there a reason that we use the aluminized stuff, or is the plain mylar just as effective?

Just wondering...

 

[cantankerous]

Tag for info.