food-grade plastic 5-gal buckets

[k15n1]

I scored 20 food-grade plastic buckets with the not-screw-on type lids. 30 $. It was a good deal but I am left with questions.

Any tips for dealing with the lids? Are these going to seal well? Will they wear out?

The survivalist types use BoPET/mylar bags for storage of food. Does that make sense for shorter term storage? What about already-dry stuff like beans and wheat?

 

[Hinotori]

I don't use the mylar bags for short term. I only have a few for the longer term stuff.

I love the Gamma lids. Much easier than using a lid wrench and then having to pound the lid back on. There is a store here that sells the Gamma lids for $6 something if I remember the price right. I'm converting all my bucket lids to them.

Beans will get dryer as time goes by. Take longer to soak and cook. I'm not sure if the mylar bags will stop that.

 

[k15n1]

I don't use the mylar bags for short term. I only have a few for the longer term stuff.

I love the Gamma lids. Much easier than using a lid wrench and then having to pound the lid back on. There is a store here that sells the Gamma lids for $6 something if I remember the price right. I'm converting all my bucket lids to them.

Do they lock onto the bucket like a normal snap-on lid? 6$ is probably a fair price but I'm not buying 20 of them! Maybe get a few for the most frequently accessed items.

I have been using 5-gal metal drums that have a drop-on top with a metal ring with built-in clamp that seals it on. It's inconvenient but could be a lot worse. A 1-piece twist off lid definitely appeals after several years with my current system.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Hinotori]

It's taken me well over a year to get about 24 of them. I buy one or two every now and then. I had to get my Mom some. She doesn't have much strength left in her hands and once you get the ring part of the lid on for her, she's good with spinning on the lid. It does add up really quick on the cost.

Anything you get into a lot, I'd definitely invest in the Gamma lids. The other, the regular lids would be fine for storage I'd think. I need to remember where I saw the lid tool at that had the hammer part on wrench. It was a much nicer lid wrench than the plastic one I have right now.

 

[baymule]

I got some square buckets at the doughnut shop for $2. I stored wheat, quinoa, and sugar. I packed them in food saver bags. This was last October, so far everything is still good. Just how long can you keep grains packed like this, versus mylar and screw on lids? I am not storing these for long into the future, but use the wheat for bread and the quinoa for cooking. When the supplies get to a certain point, I will reorder, but plan to always keep plenty on hand.

k15n1, you got a great deal on the buckets!!

 

[k15n1]

I got some square buckets at the doughnut shop for $2. I stored wheat, quinoa, and sugar. I packed them in food saver bags. This was last October, so far everything is still good. Just how long can you keep grains packed like this, versus mylar and screw on lids? I am not storing these for long into the future, but use the wheat for bread and the quinoa for cooking. When the supplies get to a certain point, I will reorder, but plan to always keep plenty on hand.

k15n1, you got a great deal on the buckets!!

Right. That's why I bought 20! Almost couldn't fit them in the car with all the kids and their various car seats. Had the trunk and passenger seat crammed full.

Grain will keep for quite a while. I am skeptical of putting up grain for a decade, though there are people who have done it and companies that claim results like these. In my experience, wheat will last for several years without any special treatment. Obviously you have to control moisture and bugs. I had an infestation of small triangle-shaped gray moths. I had gotten more wheat than I could properly store and some of the containers were not air-tight. I had to go through all of it anyway so I sifted the grass seeds out and got it stored in air-tight containers. Haven't had any problems since then. Anyway, in food-saver bags, it should last at least a few years.

 

[the funny farm6]

i get lots of those buckets. (my daughter works fast food and gets us the pickle buckets) we store rice/beans/ bags of flower/sugar and such in them. and i put a peice of tape on the top to wright the date on so i can use them in order. we also store animal feed in them. they have the snap on lids, and i got the tool for opening them. they can be hard to open. but they are waterproof when closed.

 

[Emerald]

I get frosting buckets and filling buckets from our local bakery for .99cents each and they have gasketed lids and they even run them thru the hobart so that they are clean clean! but they are not 5 gallon most times. about 3 1/2 and 4 gallon but with my back problems they are a bit easier for me to deal with by myself. So far I have not had any problems with pantry moths getting into them.
But the best thing of all-while at Menards one day I saw this "thing" for opening 5 gallon buckets and it was only $1.50 and it is the best! I think they just call them bucket wrenches and I have since seen them at gorden foods for $5! so look for them at your local hardware store..
I'd like a few gamma lids but not sure if they would fit the smaller sizes of these buckets.

 

[~gd]

A lot of buckets are made in smaller sizes depending on what ther will contain. Many buyers must keep the total weight below 50 lbs [I don't know if this is a OHSA edict or just for female employees] I think industrrial insurers also push this standard [feed bags used to be 80-100 pounds todays standard is 40-50 pounds.
Gamma lids are great for short term storage or for in and out storage but not for long term storage. screwing down the lid eventually will damage the seal and they are no longer tight. That is for buckets that were made to use Gamma lids, the adapter kits are even worse because there are too seals that can fail.~gd

 

[Mickey328]

We score ours for free at WalMart. Check at the bakery...they get their frosting in them and usually are happy to get rid of 'em.