Having access to shelf-stable food that will store for years without refrigeration or freezing is a necessary part of my home pantry and emergency food supply. I can’t help but wonder what my family would do if we lost power for an extended period of time and were unable to keep the food in our…
Buying food storage can be costly. Letting it all expire and go to waste is not something we want to see. As I was rotating our food storage recently I wondered how can I prolong or extend the shelf life of my food storage supply? However, before you can prolong food’s shelf life you need to…
One of my favorite things to do is make homemade bread. There’s just nothing better than warm bread and homemade strawberry jam. I always have bought and stored my own yeast so that I can make bread at any time. During the summer months, I don’t usually make bread as often because I don’t want…
Pressure canning is the only safe method for canning low-acid foods which are foods with a pH of greater than 4.6. Because of the danger of botulism, low-acid foods must be canned in a pressure canner which means that the water (boil) bath canning method is not safe and should not be used for low-acid…
When we first started buying freeze dried food and freeze drying our own garden produce, meals, and other foods we consistently asked ourselves two questions. What is the shelf life of different freeze dried foods? And how should we store freeze dried food to get the longest shelf life possible? After hours of research and…
I was cleaning out my pantry and food storage the other day when I came across an old bag of white sugar. It felt clumpy so I could help but wonder if the sugar had gone bad. The best buy date on the package was about a year past the date so I did some…
Rice is a crucial part of every home’s food storage. I use different types of rice in various meals that we eat on a regular basis so knowing how long rice can be stored under different conditions, how to tell if it has gone bad, and simple ways to extend its shelf life is important….
Flour is a pantry staple that I always keep on hand and buy in bulk. When buying a 25-pound bag I would bring it right home and transfer it from its original bag to a 5-gallon bucket with a screw-on lid to keep the flour fresh and get the most out of its shelf life….
I enjoy preserving foods and have often desired to do a full comparison between a freeze dryer vs dehydrator. I do own both a freeze dryer and a food dehydrator, and spend time freeze-drying and dehydrating a variety of foods for food storage, emergencies, camping, backpacking, snacks, and more. Both freeze-drying and dehydrating are food…
One of the first questions I had before buying a home dehydrator is “what foods can be dehydrated?” and also “what foods cannot be dehydrated?” These are important questions for anyone who is interested in buying a home dehydrator to preserve their own food or for anyone who has recently bought a dehydrator and wants…