Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart Free Download (PDF)

Get our free Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart for expert advice on keeping your pantry well-stocked and your food fresh for longer.

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Embrace the bounty of your harvest and the ingenuity of modern food preservation with our essential Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart, created in collaboration with Ola, the long-term food storage expert at Pack Fresh USA. This free downloadable PDF is your key to mastering the art of long-term food storage. It ensures that your pantry remains abundant and your food retains its nutritional value over time. Now, join us as we dive into the effective methods of dry goods storage, leveraging the power of Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers to achieve a sustainable and well-stocked homestead.

Table of Contents

Food Categories in the Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart

Our Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart provides a detailed guide on the amount of cc oxygen absorbers needed for various types of food and Mylar bag sizes, ensuring optimal preservation conditions. Here’s a breakdown of the dry foods included in our chart:

Beans
Cereal/Crackers
Coffee Beans
Dehydrated Fruits/Vegetables
Dried Corn
Flour
Herbs/Spices
Lentils
Nuts
Oatmeal
Pasta
Potato Flakes
Powdered Milk/Drinks
Rice
Seeds
Wheat Berries

By understanding the specific storage methods for each food type, you can ensure a comprehensive approach to maintaining their freshness and flavor.

Why Mylar Bags?

are the champions of long-term food storage, outshining other types of food packaging like vacuum sealer bags. Their high tensile strength and excellent oxygen barrier properties, derived from a polyester film laminated to aluminum foil, make them a superior choice. These bags safeguard your food, from dry beans to dehydrated fruits, against moisture, light, and air – the main enemies of food spoilage. Whether you’re storing white rice or your collection of dehydrated fruits, Mylar bags provide the best possible conditions to extend the life of your food for extended periods.

The Benefits of Oxygen Absorbers

When used with Mylar bags. elevate food storage to new levels by creating an unparalleled defense against the elements. These powerful packets are crucial for maintaining long-term storage integrity, triggering a chemical reaction that removes excess oxygen. This prevents oxidative damage that can degrade the quality and flavor of stored food, ensuring grains, legumes, and other dry goods stay in peak condition and free from rancidity.

Moreover, oxygen absorbers are also effective in other containers, such as food-grade plastic buckets and mason jars. For food-grade plastic, ensure a tight seal to block oxygen. Mason jars are particularly effective, as they create a near vacuum-like environment when sealed, ideal for preserving dry goods. They’re beneficial for light-sensitive foods if stored in a dark place or in opaque or amber-colored glass to prevent light degradation.

The Art of Using Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers

Sealing in freshness is an art form. Mastery of this skill is crucial for the longevity of your stored food. Utilizing Mylar bags for your dry goods requires precision. This is where our Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart comes into play. It guides you in determining the right amount of oxygen absorbers for different sizes of Mylar bags. This ranges from small pint-sized mylar pouches to large 5-gallon bags. By following this chart, you create an environment within the bag that mimics vacuum sealing. However, it’s enhanced by the aluminum foil layer of Mylar, which serves as a formidable oxygen barrier. This method ensures your food retains its taste, nutritional value, and freshness over time.

Sealing the Deal: How to Seal Mylar Bags Properly

Ensuring a good seal on Mylar bags is key to the longevity of your food items. For airtight sealing, you can use a variety of tools depending on the bag size:

Small Bags: A hair-straightening iron or a mini-hand sealer is perfect for sealing smaller bags. This method is straightforward and provides a reliable seal.
Large Bags: For larger Mylar bags, a household iron or an impulse sealer is more suitable. Glide the iron over the bag’s opening just once or twice to create a solid, durable seal.

For more expert tips on effectively heat sealing Mylar bags, check out PackFreshUSA’s detailed instructions, ensuring the best seal every time:

Tips for Storing Food in Mylar Bags

Rotation is Key: Regularly rotate your dehydrated foods every 3 years to ensure the best quality and nutrient retention.

The Lifespan of Flour: White flour lasts up to 10 years. However, whole wheat flour has a shorter shelf life due to its higher oil content, which can lead to rancidity. Store it with oxygen absorbers and plan to use it within 1-2 years.

Managing Fats: It’s essential to include oxygen absorbers when storing items with higher fat content, such as nuts. They help slow down fat rancidity. Regularly rotate these high-fat content foods every year or two to prevent them from becoming rancid over time.

Sugar and Drinks: Oxygen absorbers can help extend the shelf life of sugary drinks, although they may harden. Keep them tightly sealed and expect some change in texture over time.

Rice, Sugar, and Salt: White rice stores exceptionally well. Brown rice, however, contains more oils and may spoil faster; use it within 6 months to 1 year. Sugar and salt do not require oxygen absorbers but should be kept dry and protected from moisture.

Whole Grains and Brown Sugar: Like brown rice, other whole grains also have higher oil content and benefit from oxygen absorbers for a shelf life of about 6 months to 1 year. Brown sugar can clump; consider adding a few grains of rice in the bag to absorb excess moisture, or store it with a Terracotta Brown Sugar Saver to maintain its softness.

Seeds Storage: Store your seeds in a cool, dark place with low oxygen levels to maintain viability. Avoid completely oxygen-free environments for grains that you intend to sprout or plant.

By following these food storage tips and using our Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart, you can confidently maintain a diverse and nutritious pantry ready for long-term storage.

Additionally, for more insightful food storage tips and techniques, explore PackFreshUSA’s Learning Library. It’s a treasure trove of information for anyone serious about efficient and effective food preservation.

Download the Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart today

Download the Mylar Bag Food Storage Chart today and start mastering the art of proper food storage. This essential guide helps you optimally store various food products, ensuring they remain in the best possible condition, especially during troubled times. Enter your email below for this valuable tool and enhance your home food storage strategy.