I buy bulk dry goods in a big way, and have for 20 years. It has kept me and my roomies from starving, and helped friends too.
For the biggest stuff, I use 5 gallon buckets that I get new from the hardware store *lined with food grade liners* and Gamma Seal™ lids. You can find the lids, which are screw on lids for the buckets, at the emergency supply/survival shops online. The liners are a bit harder to find, and when I found them I bought like 20.
For the medium size, I use the rubbermaid square translucent containers, because they stack.
I bulk buy in 10, 25 or 50 lb bags: rice, sugar, 3 kinds of pasta (egg noodles, elbow mac, and orzo), split peas, lentils, flour, pasta flour, and oatmeal.
I get some of my hot cereal at the ethnic indian stores: sooji and ravi (IIRC cream of wheat/farina and cream of rice) - it's much cheaper than buying a dinky box of "Cream of Wheat&trade". I also get my beans and lentils there, or at the public restaurant supply house.
One thing I learned a looong time ago is never store anything in cardboard boxes for a long time. Grain moths, mice, and moisture take your investment and make it disgusting. Ziploc bags, unless they are in the freezer, can get chewed through too. Hard plastic that is food grade and tightly sealed is your friend.
Those cheap bags of ramen you get? Have a shelf life, and can get very nasty when they're old. Same with that nice cheap box mac'n'cheese. Pay attention to expiration dates, even on canned goods. The cheap canned fruit cocktail often blows up when it's been pushed to the back of the shelf too long. A gooey mess.
Buy what you use, not just what you get cheap but can't stand much of, unless you have friends to share with.
If you have to store in an outdoor area, you want hard plastic, or specially canned goods, and careful rotation. I don't advise it except for earthquake/hurricane/etc supplies (I live in CA, so shaking is always on my mind.)
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branchandroot
20 years of bulk buying
Date: 2012-02-03 03:11 am (UTC)For the biggest stuff, I use 5 gallon buckets that I get new from the hardware store *lined with food grade liners* and Gamma Seal™ lids. You can find the lids, which are screw on lids for the buckets, at the emergency supply/survival shops online. The liners are a bit harder to find, and when I found them I bought like 20.
For the medium size, I use the rubbermaid square translucent containers, because they stack.
I bulk buy in 10, 25 or 50 lb bags: rice, sugar, 3 kinds of pasta (egg noodles, elbow mac, and orzo), split peas, lentils, flour, pasta flour, and oatmeal.
I get some of my hot cereal at the ethnic indian stores: sooji and ravi (IIRC cream of wheat/farina and cream of rice) - it's much cheaper than buying a dinky box of "Cream of Wheat&trade". I also get my beans and lentils there, or at the public restaurant supply house.
One thing I learned a looong time ago is never store anything in cardboard boxes for a long time. Grain moths, mice, and moisture take your investment and make it disgusting. Ziploc bags, unless they are in the freezer, can get chewed through too. Hard plastic that is food grade and tightly sealed is your friend.
Those cheap bags of ramen you get? Have a shelf life, and can get very nasty when they're old. Same with that nice cheap box mac'n'cheese. Pay attention to expiration dates, even on canned goods. The cheap canned fruit cocktail often blows up when it's been pushed to the back of the shelf too long. A gooey mess.
Buy what you use, not just what you get cheap but can't stand much of, unless you have friends to share with.
If you have to store in an outdoor area, you want hard plastic, or specially canned goods, and careful rotation. I don't advise it except for earthquake/hurricane/etc supplies (I live in CA, so shaking is always on my mind.)