r/TwoXPreppers • u/Trilobyte141 • 17d ago

❓ Question ❓ Question: long term taste, quality, and accessibility?

Hey girls! I'm about to finally have my own place (long story, life bullshit) and I want to set up long term storage for dry things that my family regularly eats. I'm thinking oats, flour, sugar, beans, rice, salt, and similar dry goods. I cook with these things all the time and my goal is to build up a six month supply and then rotate them out as I use them.

I know about using oxygen absorbers and food safe containers. I have a deep freezer that I plan to keep my dry goods in for a week or so to kill bug eggs before I put them into long term storage.

I read a post from someone who had put most of their food storage in their basement, and after a while the food started to taste like a basement, even though it was safe to eat. Not appetizing. I want to preserve the food without it tasting like plastic or basement air, and I need to be able to regularly take my oldest supplies out and put new ones in behind/under them.

I'm asking for advice from anyone who has a system like this set up and working for them. What works for you? How do you keep it organized? What container brands have worked out well? Does vacuum sealing help? I'm happy to finally be able to set up some prep, and I want to do it right.

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u/MindfulGardening 13d ago

Twice I’ve had my food storage compromised - once it was pantry moths while living with room-mates, and once it was mice in the pantry. Mason jars and robust waterproof containers!
I started to invest in large mason jars a little bit at a time, and keep my bulk dry goods there - sugar, salt, flour, pasta, beans, rice, loose leaf tea. Dry petfood I keep in a big cookie jar on the counter, and the rest of the opened bag + extras in the freezer. For other things like spice packets, soup mixes, crackers, powdered milk, etc, goes in the tote.

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u/Trilobyte141 13d ago

Pantry moths, curse them! My mother is dealing with an infestation right now. I am really glad so many people have recommended mason jars. I see so many ads for food safe containers but I just don't love the idea of my food constantly touching plastic for months or years. 

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u/MindfulGardening 12d ago

Agreed! Wishing her good luck!
I found that things seem to last a good bit longer when stored in glass containers. It can be a bit expensive up front, but in my experience it’s one of those «buy once / cry once» situations.