Off the shelf food storage

TV, always depicts Preppers with cases of MREs, and the big sponsors of any prepping show are the freeze dried food companies.   All thats nice, and has a place, but the majority of what i have in inventory is off the shelf food.  I apply the "store what you eat,eat what you store" philosophy, and rotate food by First in First out (FIFO), but i don't just sit stuff on the shelf.


Here are some off the shelf side dish packages i was packing away recently.  I use this method for pasta, rice, and a number of dry food types.  some of this is to extend the shelf life, but some is just to protect the food from dampness, bugs, mice, or any unforeseen pest or hazard.


After sealing small groups in foodsaver bags, i keep the packs in food grade buckets outfitted with the Gamma lid system.  Gamma lids are air tight, but resealable with a twist off lid that has a rubber seal.  Perfect for storing something for a long time, but you can open and repack them on a inventory rotation schedule  I typically toss a few bay leaves in the bucket before i seal it just for good measure.

A quick label that says what and the date packed, and these buckets are all set for my deep storage space.  This is different from a well stocked pantry, in that I don't plan to use this for months if not years.  A pantry, i may access on a weekly or daily basis while making meals, or just to fill the kitchen cabinets. While deep storage can be a closet, buckets stack under a guest bed, or anywhere that can hold my inventory.  It doesn't need to easily accessible, and this would be how i would store food at a cabin or remote evacuation location.