Rice storage (sorry if old hat!)

[Happyhacker]

Thinking about storing rice/pasta in SS and thought of flasks (mind you maybe not good for pasta as it takes up too much room). These would have a dual use. The idea is to use the flask (want plastic free and light proof) when rice bags opened so 2L should be about right. Also I tend to long term store rice in their bought bags in a dark u/stair draw.

Advice sought on these points, thanks.

[jansman]

Its not old hat.With rice in particular, you are talking about what I personally,consider to be THE survival food.A large proportion of our planet lives on this staple alone.It can be eaten as it is as a fill- belly,or mixed with whatever meat,fish or vegetables you may have .

My own personal approach to storage of rice and pasta is much as you have described. I buy pasta in 500 g packs,rice in 1 kg packs.And leave them as they are.You may read on American prep sites about freezing it to kill bugs etc.etc. That is because their food hygiene standards are a lot lower than ours.That white rice from Tesco has been screened and cleaned before bagging. I worked as a beef butcher that supplied Tesco amongst others, and their inspectors are strict! The same rules will apply to dry goods too.

I then put those packets in sealed plastic containers ( I use screw top pickle barrels from the Indian curry house) but there's plenty of boxes and such out there. Then store as is in your aforementioned cool dark place.Keep em in date rotation and Bingo!

Others may chime in and say they wrap in mylar with oxygen absorbers and suchlike - and that's fine! I just can't be bothered with all that FAFF and extra expense.Incidentally, we have just finished eating white rice ( white store best by the way) that was two years beyond its best before date,and it was fine,as you will guess.

[Happyhacker]

Well thanks, that's encouraging. One thing if one puts the bought pack straight in a container that container cannot be used for unpacked food unless washed out beforehand but I guess you use the larger containers as permanent packeted stuff storage. If I decant a packet I sometimes wash the outside and my hands before opening as packets can be handled by anyone and placed even on the floor.

I have just looked at various sealed containers in our local cookware shop and noted the prices of the OXO, Lock&Lock and Systematic containers and shall now go online to check out and compare. I shall use some of these for day2day use when I decant a packet although I do store flour in these types of containers because flour packets are not sealed against mites. Does anyone not bother about mites and cook them anyway?

[jansman]

I have never encountered any vermin in any stored dry food tbh. Regarding containers for rice ,a lot of preppers use washed and dried 2 litre pop bottles.

[Happyhacker]

Okay, how do you dry out a pop bottle? Presumably you mean a used water bottle as getting the unwanted chemicals out and dried I would have thought was a problem? Anyway I still think it best to keep rice and pasta in their original packing as you suggest, jansman.

[jansman]

Yes,how do you dry a pop bottle? I have tried, but it takes forever.

For me it remains original packing in a food grade plastic container.Even then,a plastic storage box is OK.I use those too.Cool,dry and dark is the holy trinity for all food storage I guess.

[Happyhacker]

Yes,how do you dry a pop bottle? I have tried, but it takes forever.

For me it remains original packing in a food grade plastic container.Even then,a plastic storage box is OK.I use those too.Cool,dry and dark is the holy trinity for all food storage I guess.

Good point here. How do we know cheap pop bottle don't leach chemicals into the contents. They are not designed for long term use! Nasty! Advise stop doing it.

[Happyhacker]

PS, heaven knows why all my posts have to be checked! Someone must be very busy in the background I don't sneak a nasty one in!

[jansman]

PS, heaven knows why all my posts have to be checked! Someone must be very busy in the background I don't sneak a nasty one in!

Ha ha! Ten posts and you are good to go! Just a way we sort out ' odd' members as it were.Just a good job you are conversing with the moderator who is busy in the background!

[Jamesey1981]

Ikea do some nice flip top containers for stuff like this and they're not a lot of money, worth a look in if you have one near you.

For long term storage of stuff I keep it in the original bags unless it's basmati rice or penne, I buy those in huge sacks and then vacuum seal it in bags that hold the same amount as my containers, I don't seal them down tight, just about as well as the usual bags are as if you go too tight then the sharp edges puncture the bag, just works out a bit cheaper and it doesn't take long to sort out, I buy my vac pack roll cheap in bulk as well, otherwise that would likely defeat the object of buying the big bags.