Food storage
26 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Budgeting
To make it well living on less, it pays to buy in bulk. Now, this does not mean buying all your food in 50 lbs sacks, 5 gallon buckets and such. The purpose of buying in bulk is finding that lowest possible price and taking advantage. Sometimes it does come in large sizes. Sometimes, it’s a small size ridiculously clearance priced that prompts you to buy 10-20 to stock up. Here are some tips on keeping your food safe, secure and usable.
1) Keep your pantry organized – I have my spices and baking needs above the stove. My other dry storage is in four cabinets. My husband and boys help with this. We keep things lined up and organized so that we know what we have and things don’t get lost. You don’t want to buy all these great deals only to have them expire so severely that you’re afraid to use them. Keep boxes of pasta, dessert or dinner mixes facing sideways so that you can see if that is mac & cheese at a glance. This will help with quick meals and with planning your menu. It might also be advantageous to write the expiration date on the side that you have it facing.
2) Deep freezer tips – A deep freezer is a wise investment in a rural area. We don’t live near a Sam’s. We have gardens. Some gardeners and hunters will share their excess. Make sure you wrap your food well. Freezer burn is not the final destination for this food. If you have a lot of one item, store them in an office or fruit box so that it is easy to find.
3) Protect from bugs – Keep a close eye on your food for moths and other critters. They are not invited dinner guests. And once inside, they don’t leave easily. Keep all that you can in the freezer. Mason jars are great for storing small amounts of flour, grains and beans. Keep an eye out for great deals on 5 gallon food-safe buckets. The best buckets have the screw-in gamma lids but those can cost $10 a piece. My husband was able to find three buckets for less than $2 a piece. They didn’t have the gamma lid but they did store sunflower seeds. They still have a great strong-sealed lid. I kept the cornmeal, oats and brown rice flour in their original bags and sealed them inside these buckets. I can open them and refill my mason jars and succeed in keeping my food supply safe. Another great option is ice cream buckets. I’ve accumulated a few but I would like some more. So for a treat, we’re buying one 5 qt ice cream bucket each month. We eat up the ice cream and wash up the bucket for use with smaller amounts like sugars, pastas, granola bars and other snacks.
4) Plan your meals – Shop your stash when making a menu plan. Make sure if there are leftovers in the fridge or other things in your pantry or freezer that may expire soon, that you use them somehow in a meal soon. I had gotten some Special K cereal for free. Great deal but my family hates it. I used it up by making corn flake candy and my crew all agree that I can get that deal again if I use it for candy. You’ll also be able to see things you are running low on and need to keep an eye out for a great deal on.
5) Be creative – You may not have a large kitchen complete with deep freezer like I do. You may have to look for extra space in closets, under beds, or in basements or utility rooms. Look for good-sealing storage totes and containers. Wherever your food is, you want it safe from water, bugs and such.
