I started out this post wanting to recommend buckets as another option for long-term food storage, but now I'm not so sure if it is a good way to store food for the long term. Let me tell you what I found out, and by the end maybe well see if it's still a good way to store food for longer than a year or so.
First of all, if you are planning on using buckets for food, you need to make sure the buckets and lids you're using are food grade and made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). To make sure the bucket is HDPE, you'll either see HDPE on the bottom of the bucket or a small triangle with a #2 inside. To make sure the bucket's food grade you'll have to ask the seller, especially if you're buying it used. Even though a bucket is technically food grade, it might have been used for paint, oil, or other things that shouldn't be digested. If you can't find out for sure how the bucket was used previously, you shouldn't store food in it or put the food in something else before putting it in the bucket (i.e. mylar bag/pouch).
How do you get buckets?
When you google "plastic buckets" or "plastic drums," quite a few websites of sellers pop up. One good seller that I've found is Baytec. They're about 40-50 miles southeast from here. Comparing their prizes to others, they seem to be relatively inexpensive.
The website is http://www.bayteccontainers.com/
There's also a list of sellers in the phone book under Barrels, Drums & Kegs-New.
You can also ask local bakeries, ice cream manufacturers and parlors, large restaurants or kitchens, or food processing plants for their used ones. I've personally talked to the Three Brothers Bakery (on S Braeswood and Stella Link, 713-666-2551) and the bakery at Target on Main St. When I called the people at Three Brother's, they were hesitant at first, but ultimately gave me five buckets that they were going to through away. The main baker at Target didn't have any empty ones on hand when I ask her on a Friday or Saturday. She knew, however, that she'd have some empty ones by Monday, so she said that she'd hold some for me to pick up that day. I've also randomly asked for buckets at Kroger and Sam's. They've never had any on hand, but both have seemed happy to give me some if they had them and told me to ask again.
Not all Lids are created equal
No matter how you get a bucket is seems you must purchase a lid separately. Even if you pick up used buckets, the lids are usually useless, and when you purchase buckets online or from a company in the phone book, you usually need to buy the bucket and the lids separately.
From looking online, I've seen that the cheapest lids should definitely only be used for the long term. Once you take it off, there's no guarantee that the lid will seal tightly again when you put it back on.
There's another lid with a spout on the top, but I hear it's not always easy to use (some foods being easier to pour out than others).
The most expensive, yet more practical option (in my opinion) is the Gamma Seal lid, which is basically a screw on lid for the bucket. Here's a video that the baytec people made explaining the Gamma Seal lid... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqIa21b4VLc
How to best use a bucket for food storage?
The main thing is to make sure the lid is on air tight. To do this, they need to be hammered on with a rubber mallet or a regular hammer with the assistance of a 2x4 acting as a buffer.
Here's the point where using buckets for long term buckets gets hazy. For food to get their longest self life, they need to be in an oxygen free environment. To make the food stored oxygen free, you use oxygen absorbers or vacuum out the air. I personally don't know how to vacuum out air, so one would assume that using oxygen absorbers is the best option. However, on the church catalog website for oxygen absorbers, it says "absorber packets do not work well in containers such as plastic buckets or zip-seal plastic bags." Why do they say absorber packets do not work in plastic buckets? I don't know. The website doesn't say, but then, again, it doesn't say not to use them, either. So...then what does that mean "absorber packets do not work well in containers?" Does it mean that you shouldn't use buckets to store food for the long term? Are plastic buckets fine without oxygen absorbers? Unfortunately, I don't know. The questions need more research.
Here's what I do know, though.
From what I've heard, read and watched on youtube, I think the best way to use buckets for long-term storage is to use them in conjunction with Mylar bags (aka pouches). You seal the food and oxygen absorbers in pouches first (filling the a single pouch while it's in the bucket), and then seal the pouches in buckets. Pouches on their own are not rodent proof, and buckets on their own aren't exactly bug proof, only bug resistant. Together, they would be protected from both and stored oxygen free.
Also, buckets would not be a bad way to store food that you use regularly. For example, your family eats a ton of oats, but you have problems with bugs getting in the huge bag you buy once it's open. Try using a bucket with a Gamma Seal lid.
I'll look into more information about buckets, but if you know anything about storing food in buckets, please comment or email. I'd love to know.
First of all, if you are planning on using buckets for food, you need to make sure the buckets and lids you're using are food grade and made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). To make sure the bucket is HDPE, you'll either see HDPE on the bottom of the bucket or a small triangle with a #2 inside. To make sure the bucket's food grade you'll have to ask the seller, especially if you're buying it used. Even though a bucket is technically food grade, it might have been used for paint, oil, or other things that shouldn't be digested. If you can't find out for sure how the bucket was used previously, you shouldn't store food in it or put the food in something else before putting it in the bucket (i.e. mylar bag/pouch).
How do you get buckets?
When you google "plastic buckets" or "plastic drums," quite a few websites of sellers pop up. One good seller that I've found is Baytec. They're about 40-50 miles southeast from here. Comparing their prizes to others, they seem to be relatively inexpensive.
The website is http://www.bayteccontainers.com/
There's also a list of sellers in the phone book under Barrels, Drums & Kegs-New.
You can also ask local bakeries, ice cream manufacturers and parlors, large restaurants or kitchens, or food processing plants for their used ones. I've personally talked to the Three Brothers Bakery (on S Braeswood and Stella Link, 713-666-2551) and the bakery at Target on Main St. When I called the people at Three Brother's, they were hesitant at first, but ultimately gave me five buckets that they were going to through away. The main baker at Target didn't have any empty ones on hand when I ask her on a Friday or Saturday. She knew, however, that she'd have some empty ones by Monday, so she said that she'd hold some for me to pick up that day. I've also randomly asked for buckets at Kroger and Sam's. They've never had any on hand, but both have seemed happy to give me some if they had them and told me to ask again.
Not all Lids are created equal
No matter how you get a bucket is seems you must purchase a lid separately. Even if you pick up used buckets, the lids are usually useless, and when you purchase buckets online or from a company in the phone book, you usually need to buy the bucket and the lids separately.
From looking online, I've seen that the cheapest lids should definitely only be used for the long term. Once you take it off, there's no guarantee that the lid will seal tightly again when you put it back on.
There's another lid with a spout on the top, but I hear it's not always easy to use (some foods being easier to pour out than others).
The most expensive, yet more practical option (in my opinion) is the Gamma Seal lid, which is basically a screw on lid for the bucket. Here's a video that the baytec people made explaining the Gamma Seal lid... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqIa21b4VLc
How to best use a bucket for food storage?
The main thing is to make sure the lid is on air tight. To do this, they need to be hammered on with a rubber mallet or a regular hammer with the assistance of a 2x4 acting as a buffer.
Here's the point where using buckets for long term buckets gets hazy. For food to get their longest self life, they need to be in an oxygen free environment. To make the food stored oxygen free, you use oxygen absorbers or vacuum out the air. I personally don't know how to vacuum out air, so one would assume that using oxygen absorbers is the best option. However, on the church catalog website for oxygen absorbers, it says "absorber packets do not work well in containers such as plastic buckets or zip-seal plastic bags." Why do they say absorber packets do not work in plastic buckets? I don't know. The website doesn't say, but then, again, it doesn't say not to use them, either. So...then what does that mean "absorber packets do not work well in containers?" Does it mean that you shouldn't use buckets to store food for the long term? Are plastic buckets fine without oxygen absorbers? Unfortunately, I don't know. The questions need more research.
Here's what I do know, though.
From what I've heard, read and watched on youtube, I think the best way to use buckets for long-term storage is to use them in conjunction with Mylar bags (aka pouches). You seal the food and oxygen absorbers in pouches first (filling the a single pouch while it's in the bucket), and then seal the pouches in buckets. Pouches on their own are not rodent proof, and buckets on their own aren't exactly bug proof, only bug resistant. Together, they would be protected from both and stored oxygen free.
Also, buckets would not be a bad way to store food that you use regularly. For example, your family eats a ton of oats, but you have problems with bugs getting in the huge bag you buy once it's open. Try using a bucket with a Gamma Seal lid.
I'll look into more information about buckets, but if you know anything about storing food in buckets, please comment or email. I'd love to know.
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