Food Storage Methods

‍If you have never experimented with food storage, the number of ways to do so can be overwhelming. We aim to explain each method thoroughly in this guide.

The most effective long-term food storage methods include vacuum sealing and mylar bags. If you intend to store food on a short-term basis, consider canning, freeze-drying, and dehydrating your food. These methods all work well to change the way you approach food storage in your home.

We have compiled a list of seven different food storage methods. Each method can be done at home and at a relatively affordable cost. We will explain the best foods to use for each method, and the benefits each can provide for you. To ensure you always have food in an emergency, we highly recommend incorporating these into your home life today.

If you have ever lived through an emergency without food storage, you understand the struggle and the dangers it can present to you and your family. This is why we have developed this guide to explain the most effective food storage methods. Keep reading to learn about why you should become an expert on each one.

‍Food Storage Methods

Food storage is essential for the survival of a family or a group of people. There are many different methods that people can use to store their food. From the simplest method of storing food in your fridge to vacuum sealing, there are many ways to change the way you store your food at home.

Food storage is one of the most important things that we need to do when it comes to preparing for an emergency. This includes having long-term food storage, short-term food storage, and even water storage. The best way to store food depends entirely on the type of food, your available tools, and the length you intend to store the food.

Freezing

Freezing food helps to preserve its nutrients, flavor, and texture over a long period of time. It also offers other benefits like reducing the risk of food spoilage from bacteria and extending shelf life without affecting the quality or taste of the product.

Freezing food is when water molecules inside the food turn into ice crystals, preventing the growth of bacteria. It can be done by freezing in large blocks, freezing in smaller portions, using containers with airtight seals, or freezing in bags or wrap.

Freezing food is the most reliable and cheapest way to store food for long periods of time. It requires the least amount of prep time too. However, there are a few essential steps that must be taken before freezing.

First, you should make sure that the food is still fresh and not spoiled. Next, you should prepare a suitable wrapping for the food to not get damaged in the freezer. Finally, you need to make sure that there's no contamination in your freezer or refrigerator so that your frozen foods are safe for consumption once they're defrosted.

Freezing can be a tricky process, so it’s important to follow these steps carefully and ensure that you are using high-quality ingredients.

Best Foods To Freeze

• Soup
• Meat
• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Fish
• Dairy
• Precooked meals

Freeze Drying

Freeze drying is the process of lowering the temperature of food and dehydrating it. The process works in contrast to the traditional dehydration process.

Freeze drying involves submerging foods in a series of steps to remove the pressure from them. This can be done manually or mechanically, using such methods as vacuum freeze drying, pressure freeze drying, fluid-bed freeze drying, and flash freeze drying.

While most common food items can be freeze dried, some things can only be preserved through other preservation methods. For example, large fruits and vegetables are not a good choice. It is best to cut foods into smaller pieces so the pressure can be appropriately altered.

After the process has been completed, the preparation process to make the food is relatively simple. You can start by adding water to the food to restore the moisture level to be cooked and eaten safely.

There are many ways to freeze dry foods, including using a vacuum packer to properly remove the air and pressure from the food for optimal storage. The idea behind freezing drying foods is to remove all the water, turn the water into ice, and then remove the ice from the package.  

By eliminating the moisture, you ensure the food can last longer.  

Best Foods To Freeze Dry

• Coffee
• Dairy
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meat
• Juice
• Seafood

Canning

Canning is the process of preserving food in jars or cans by boiling it in a solution of water, salt, and either sugar, vinegar, or both.

Canning is a way to preserve food. It has been used for centuries to preserve all sorts of foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and even dairy products like milk and cheese. This process can be done at home using a pressure canner or an electric water bath canner. Canning also helps prevent the growth of bacteria that could cause food poisoning and other health problems.

There are many different ways to can food at home; some are more traditional, and others have just come about recently with modern advancements in technology. The benefits of canning include having access to a large variety of nutritious foods in an easily accessible format and preventing food waste.

Canning is the process of cooking and processing food using heat to seal it by creating an airtight seal in a jar.

In order to can, you will need jars, lids, a water bath canner, tongs, jars, ladles, and utensils such as knives. Your jars must be sterile, so they don't carry bacteria or fungus into the canned goods.

Cans are easily stored, and they can hold extremely nutritious ingredients for a long time to improve the quality of food in your storage.

Best Foods For Canning

• Tomatoes
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Jams and jellies
• Meat
• Seafood
• Pickles
• Sauces

Drying or Dehydrating

Dehydrating food is a great way to preserve food for an emergency. It saves you from having to purchase more store-bought or home-canned goods, and it extends the life of your food.

In order to dehydrate food, you will need a pressure canner and dehydrator. However, these can be difficult to find in the event of an emergency, so you may want to plan ahead for that.

When it comes down to the best ways of dehydrating food, people try two main methods: The oven dehydrator and the traditional method. Both approaches have their pros and cons, but they are both simple enough for anyone looking to start saving some extra snack stockpiles.

The first step in dehydrating food is to make sure the food is low moisture and high in energy. This means that these foods should be fried, roasted, or baked before dehydrating.

In order to dehydrate any food item, you will need a vacuum sealer for sealing the bags. Depending on what type of food you are dehydrating, the time it takes to dry will vary greatly. Some items take hours while others take days. If this is not possible, you can use a drying agent such as silica gel or even freeze-drying.

When you home dry your food, be sure that the moisture content is below 20%, or else it will be challenging to execute the process properly.

Best Foods For Drying or Dehydrating

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meat
• Fish
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Grains
• Herbs
• Crackers and bread

Vacuum Sealing

Vacuum sealing is the process of removing air from around an item to reduce the volume of the item to a smaller size without changing its shape or damaging its content. This is done by using a vacuum machine with specialized bags and containers that are specifically designed for vacuum packing.

Vacuum sealing keeps food fresh longer, prevents freezer burn, and makes it easier to store large quantities of food in small spaces. The downside is that it's not cheap and requires specialized equipment.

One way to extract air from around food items is by using a vacuum machine with specially designed bags and containers; this is known as vacuum packing. Vacuum machines can use either heat or mechanical force to remove air from around food items. Vacuum machines can be used in either commercial or residential settings.

When vacuum sealing a can or jar of food, you should make sure that the lid is on tightly because the air inside will condense inside of the container. It will form a vacuum around the contents, which helps to preserve them for months.

Vacuum sealing food allows you to have an extensive pantry without running out of groceries ever again. It is also one of the most effective ways to store food long-term and extend the shelf-life of items.

Best Foods For Vacuum Sealing

• Dehydrated fruit
• Nuts
• Rice
• Pasta
• Coffee

Mylar Bags

Mylar bags are made of a thin polyester material that is water-resistant and completely BPA-free. These bags were first introduced back in the 1950s. They have been a popular choice for storing food ever since they hit the market, but it wasn't until recently that their use became more common among consumers.

When you place food in Mylar bags, make sure you close them tightly at all times to prevent any moisture from escaping from within the bag and spoiling your food. You should also avoid storing items with high moisture content.

Mylar bags are a popular food storage option because they are lightweight, durable, and resistant to moisture. They're also good for storing other items like laundry detergent or garden tools.

The Mylar bags have a number of applications in the kitchen and the garage. The bags can be used to contain small items like spices, while they can also be used to protect condiments from cryogenic temperatures in the fridge or freezer.

Mylar bags are also useful for storing food that is being eaten, as they provide an airtight seal so that the product stays fresh and doesn't spoil quickly.

The qualities that make Mylar bags great are their durability and insulation capabilities. The food can be stored for a long time without changing the taste or odor, as it is kept away from oxygen, moisture, and light. The plastic material also has a tight seal that prevents any moisture from escaping.

Best Foods For Mylar Bags

• Nuts
• Grains
• Granola
• Powdered eggs and milk
• Flour
• Beans
• Pasta
• Coffee
• Oats

Refrigeration

Refrigerators can keep food good for quite some time as long as they are properly maintained. But the fridge needs to be set up to its optimum temperature and humidity levels so that it will not cause damage to the food.

When you are storing your food in a refrigerator, you will need to take certain precautions. These include the following: keeping your fridge and freezer doors closed at all times, using reusable containers or bags instead of plastic ones, especially when using a freezer, and keeping food on shelves away from door hinges and other parts of the refrigerator where moisture can accumulate.

Refrigerated food storage is good for preserving the nutrients in food, but it can also be a rather expensive way to store food. The shelf-life is the shortest among all of the food storage methods discussed in this guide.

Prepared foods can last up to a few days in the fridge, but you can store all types of food here. Uncooked meats and dairy will last for 2-7 days as well.

You also have a long list of containers that can go in the fridge. These include plastic containers, bags, glass jars, and many more.  

Best Foods For Refrigeration

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Dairy
• Meats
• Seafood

Best Food Storage Method

If you are looking to store food easily for a few days, refrigeration is the obvious choice because it requires minimal preparation time.

However, if you are looking for a longer-term option, we prefer to use vacuum sealing or Mylar bags because they give you up to 30 years of storage with dry foods. These methods cost more money upfront, but you will save in the long run because it is nearly impossible for them to spoil.