Food Storage

[JenniferErix]

Sigh.../
We have mice....

I buy food like a restaurant to stock up for about a 6month period...
I hate going to the store, can you tell???
And, of course, I do not want to loose the food....

I have my canned goods and class contained foods (Like maraschino cherries), in the garage. But, I would like to be able to store more....

Does anyone know where to get metal food storage bins? Or anything that is mice proof, the way glass is? I prefer NOT glass as of course glass is so prone to breakage....

I buy rice and flour in 25 and 50 pound bags, and right now, they are in the freezer taking up valuable real estate. (They go in the freezer for the first week I have them anyway, to kill any weevil larvae)

How would you store restaurant sized storage of food???

Ok, so options? Ideas...

We live along the gulf coast and fear of freezing is not a worry, but we ARE in high humidity.

I have seen the canning jars at the store, but the biggest we have seen is one quart... not big enough...

[Jackie]

GUESS WHAT I DID TODAY!!! I bought one of those plastic cupboard-type storage units for the basement, so I could put boxes of food without the mice getting into them! So I know what you're talking about.

Jen, we empty 50 lb. bags of dog food into a plastic tub with a tight-fitting lid. You could do the same with rice/flour/sugar. These come in such a variety of sizes!

[JenniferErix]

But can't they eat through plastic???

[ABall]

I would check a pet store for metal bins (like for dog food) you could store the flour in tight fitting plastic containers like Jackie said and keep the continers off the ground in the bins.


for the mice you should get sticky traps.... they are the easiest to use.

[Jackie]

I've never had them eat through the plastic. I use to keep the dog food in a plastic trash container in the garage, and the only time mice got in was when I forgot to put the lid on.

[JenniferErix]

Sticky traps...UGH!
Sorry but We would hear them squealing and I couldn't take it.
We use the old fashioned snap, instant kill kind.

Luckily, we have only found mice and not rats. Being that they are so small....

The pet store suggestion is genius!
Thanks!

[scottiegazelle]

The LDS (Mormon) church stores food long-term in #16 cans. You can purchase these from the cannery - you don't have to be a member of the church. Texas locations and phone numbers are on this page:

http://www.providentliving.org/location/display/1,12568,2026-1-4-39315,00.html

Call the number and tell them you are interested in canning your own rice, etc. You can generally go to the cannery and do that, although you may need to bring a group. Generally what they do is ask you to can items for the assistance program, as well; they have the machinery but lack on volunteers. The cost of the cans and lids is basically at cost; there is no charge for profit.

What you will want to do is buy the metal cans and lids, and also a plastic lid for each can. (They will explain this better than I will.) You can buy the can, put your food in, and seal it, and it will actually last (depending on what the food is) 20-30 years. Once you use your can opener to take the metal lid off, you can use the plastic lids (it won't last 20-30 years that way, obviously). BUT, once you have the cans and lids, you can just keep re-filling them.

You can also keep some on your shelf for "emergencies" if you want. The pricing list (below) has a general guideline for how long it is good for while canned.

You can also buy wheat, rice, oatmeal etc in bulk from the cannery. Here is a price list with the cans, etc:

http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,8133-1-4352-1,00.html

Rather than sending you directly there, I am giving you the link to the link, since they update the pricing as the costs (think: gasoline) go up.

If you don't have a group of friends interested in going, you can call your local LDS church and ask them when they are making their next trip to the cannery. Then you can simply join their group. Churches that are closer tend to go more often.

SG

[CrystalCA]

Sometimes go to the bakery dept at the grocery store ( like Albertsons/ Vons, etc) and ask for empty frosting buckets with lids. They are food grade and sometimes they will give them to you for free!!!
They are great for food storage.

[eyeofthestorm]

I buy flour in 50 lb bags - I store it in these (http://www.amazon.com/Anchor-Hocking-2-5-Gallon-Brushed-Aluminum/dp/B000M9NMJA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1228001585&sr=8-1) 2.5 gallon jars I got on Amazon - they have a handle and a screw on lid. I got them on some kind of sale and we have Amazon Prime, so shipping wasn't an issue. They work great.

[Lee]

I had put bird seed in a rubbermaid trashcan to store it until I found a new home for it and the squirrels chewed a hole right through the lid. I don't know if mice will do it but I would hate to chance it.

[KrisRV]

what about any of the plastic tubs at walmart..

[Birbitt]

Jen Try a restaurant supply store look for containers like these

http://www.restaurantsource.com/kitchen-supplies/food-storage/Landing.aspx

Just about anything you find here will work great since it's designed for a restaurant storage.

[JenniferErix]

Oh My!
You gals have given me some really good links! And lots to think about! Thank you sooo much!

I do have some plastic tubs from walmart, but I would fear putting them in the garage, as mice could chew threw them, if they really wanted to.

Off to read all those links!

[Jo Anna]

How about air tight containers from an Army surplus store. We have a few boxes that are awesome. They are metal, and come in many sizes.

Here is a link to what I am talking about. We have the top one. http://store.colemans.com/cart/medical-transport-chest-us-gi-aluminum-p-1279.html

We use it to store food when camping. To keep the critters out and not to attract bears and such and it works awesome. You can find them a lot cheaper if you look around, but either way they are so worth the price. They last forever.

[kbabe1968]

Yeah, I would suggest a restaurant supply store too. We have one just down the street from us and they have lots of neat stuff! :D

[TeacherMom]

okay, what about those bins that are part wood and lined inside with something? I am looking for one of them, the glass idea sounded great but I think I would kill myself trying to get rice out!
I am wanting a potatoe bin, and rice bin.
Good thread here!
I don't have mice, or rats, but don't want to either! I want something I can store in my pantry in the house ( its the size of a broom closet so it has to be small) or my kitchen beside the fridge.
at present we store the rice either on the cereal shelf or the floor ( it irritates me but dh says its fine there)
So I am searching for my own peace of mind, we have no problem with insects or larvae here thank the Lord!

[TeacherMom]

http://containersconfidence.com/result.php?Keywords=food%20storage%20containers&r=c%3EZ3%3AveHGqcnWzd3Owcn%5Bq%5BHWvZ3VvZ3%3Au%27t fbsdi%60uzqf%3Etfbsdi%27f%3Evt%3CVT%3C2%3A%3C2%3C2 %3C894851%3A%3Ctuzmf2%602%3A%2Fdtt%3C3%3Cjoufsdptn pt%60bggjmjbuf%602%60e3s%60efsq%3Cksfct6%3Cksfct6% 3C376%3A85%3C57388%3Cdmfbo%3C%3C0e0tfbsdi0q0joufsd ptnpt0ynm0epnbjomboefs0joum0e3s0gfg0qpqdbu0w30%3Ce nynm%2Fjoufsdptnpt%2Fpwfsuvsf%2Fdpn%27jqvb%60je%3E 3215186%27enybsht%3E17pFOzb5%5BHKcMVYmzOWS9Z25wzDY H3%5BYxUxMINf3WoC%3A.%3ARFtMZFiQI8jlw.XvIWNzof4rcu LUdD%5BL%3AbHeRljs7cBhUIXIs5rbIb3LuRrCoFcCz2cUC7QB X%3Akx2Eu%7BFL%7BsHugg2ZPNBuHvVsSDgU9C1zN6U7g8YltU .GjGiswIBKjVGXZx.F7jf.tno1pUuPvxxET%60VXOGTN7SRmZl T7z7Jj2g-ZU1%7B
if this link works its a whole list of types of storage you can use!

[TeacherMom]

http://containersconfidence.com/result.php?Keywords=food%20storage%20containers&r=c%3EZ3%3AveHGqcnWzd3Owcn%5Bq%5BHWvZ3VvZ3%3Au%27t fbsdi%60uzqf%3Etfbsdi%27f%3Evt%3CVT%3C2%3A%3C2%3C2 %3C894851%3A%3Ctuzmf2%602%3A%2Fdtt%3C3%3Cjoufsdptn pt%60bggjmjbuf%602%60e3s%60efsq%3Cksfct6%3Cksfct6% 3C376%3A85%3C57388%3Cdmfbo%3C%3C0e0tfbsdi0q0joufsd ptnpt0ynm0epnbjomboefs0joum0e3s0gfg0qpqdbu0w30%3Ce nynm%2Fjoufsdptnpt%2Fpwfsuvsf%2Fdpn%27jqvb%60je%3E 3215186%27enybsht%3E17pFOzb5%5BHKcMVYmzOWS9Z25wzDY H3%5BYxUxMINf3WoC%3A.%3ARFtMZFiQI8jlw.XvIWNzof4rcu LUdD%5BL%3AbHeRljs7cBhUIXIs5rbIb3LuRrCoFcCz2cUC7QB X%3Akx2Eu%7BFL%7BsHugg2ZPNBuHvVsSDgU9C1zN6U7g8YltU .GjGiswIBKjVGXZx.F7jf.tno1pUuPvxxET%60VXOGTN7SRmZl T7z7Jj2g-ZU1%7B
if this link works its a whole list of types of storage you can use!
it is containerconfidence.com

[TeacherMom]

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&Category_Name=29333&Page=1&clickid=leftnav
try this page, it has some bins and barrels that look liek they would work!
they have a dollie too!

[TeacherMom]

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&Category_Name=111&Page=1&clickid=leftnav

one more, ifyou want something not circular...

[TeacherMom]

well, the ones I thought would work for me were ah.. er,, a Bit bigger than they loooked uh... and more coslty at 353!