PETE plastic and how grits can save your family

I am a big proponent of smaller divisions of food than those big pails everyone likes to use. What works for us is 2L soda bottles with dry goods and a 100cc O2 absorber.

What this allows is easier use, without opening a big pail which can easily go bad or be invaded before it can be used. I also acquire through various channels, the blue or black plastic crates that hold 8 of the 2L bottles each and they help a lot with storage and transport.

Sometimes the crates can be begged from convenience store people or found sitting out by the dumpster or if you are bold, just ask your local Pepsi guy what it would take to get a dozen.

The bottles we use only contained diet sodas so no sugar residue will be an issue. I simply wash them out with very hot water and air dry until no water remains inside. Ask family and friends to save them for you, provide a lawn and leaf bag for them to throw them in and pick them up regularly as to not inconvenience them. Pick either Pepsi company style or Coke style, they are different heights and don’t mix well. In my experience, Pepsi type seals and stacks better. I prefer diet Mt Dew bottles above all the rest. The color blocks some light.

Then I use a funnel that fits into the neck and pour a plastic cup at a time into each bottle. I constantly tamp the bottle on the counter to settle the contents well as I go. Then I put a 100cc oxygen absorber in it and seal the lid. In a few hours the sides of the bottle will begin to be sucked inward. 50lbs of white rice (under $14 at Costco) or 50lbs of grits will fit in 13-13.5 bottles. Pasta varies depending on which type. One hundred of the 100cc O2 absorbers is around 10 buck on EBay. To save them once the packaging is opened, keep the, in a mason jar with the lid on tight.

The oxygen absorbers keep any critters from growing in your grain or pasta and keep it from oxidizing. They are cheap and work very well at keeping your dry goods usable for many many years.

These are a good size for barter, easy to use and reseal, cheap and work very well because soda bottles are made from PETE plastic which is oxygen impermeable. 5 gallon pails are not. Mylar bags are an option, but in my way of thinking the bottles are more durable and of course, free.

This method works well for salt, sugar and all dry stuffs. In fact, 20oz or even 2L soda bottles make great .22 ammo storage with a desiccant packet begged easily from local shoe sellers thrown in or make your own from larger desiccant bags broken down into smaller portions in cloth or even a little paper packet.

Potato flakes are CHEAP @ Aldi. You may grow tired of instant mashed potatoes but ask the irish if potatoes can stave off famine.

People can live a LONG time on rice and grits with various stuff thrown in for vitimins and protein. 1/4 cup of dry rice or grits per person cooked will grow when cooked to be an acceptable meal with a few scraps of something added. I buy grits from Honeyville, but I understand Sams Club has big bags of grits as well. I suggest you put away 100lbs per family member of rice plus maybe 50-100lbs of grits. Pasta and instant potatoes only add to your survivability and are every bit as easy.

I also want to say that ALL food storage is finite. The real battle is having seeds and knowing how to use them. Saving seeds each year and knowing when to plant, having the manpower to garden plus do all of the other chores required to survive after the cans of beans are gone is the ultimate answer. Knowing about raising stock can only really be learned from doing. Rabbits are easy if space is limited. Chickens need a little more space but eggs are a superfood. Move toward a self sufficient lifestyle if possible. Collapse now and avoid the rush.