How long does food last in mylar bags?

Mylar bags are the best long-term storage method for dry foods such as rice, beans and flour. When handled properly, some foods can even last more than 25 years!

 

If you're not familiar with this method, here's everything you need to know about long-term food storage in mylar bags, including step-by-step instructions for packaging food in mylar bags, shelf life, oxygen absorbers and FAQs.

 

Food can be stored for short or long periods of time.

 

Short-term should be considered 12 months or less. However, long-term storage of food in Mylar bags can keep food fresh for more than 25 years if done correctly!

 

What foods can you store in Mylar bags?

Most foods can be successfully stored in Mylar bags, but some foods are better suited for long-term storage than others. Foods with a high fat content, such as meats, nuts and beans, will spoil within 3-12 months, regardless of how they are stored. Dry, low-fat foods, such as oats and grains, can be stored for years in an anaerobic environment. Fruits and vegetables can be stored successfully for years after dehydration. You can buy dehydrated or freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, or you can make your own using a dehydrator.

 

As a general rule, a good rule is that the more water and fat you leave in the food you want to store, the shorter the time the food will be safely stored. Therefore, any food should be dehydrated as much as possible before storage.

 

Temperature is another important factor that affects the shelf life of stored food. In general, foods last longest at lower temperatures. For example, wheat stored at 5 degrees Celsius lasts approximately four times longer than wheat stored at average room temperature (21 degrees Celsius).

 

Wet foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits and meats are best stored in aluminum or aluminum cans as they come from the supermarket or local store. Canned foods are an excellent way to supplement your mylar-sealed dry foods for emergency storage. Canned wet foods, such as vegetables, soups, fruits, etc., usually have a best before and use by date of 1-2 years after their date of manufacture and can often be kept longer without loss of quality.

 

Here are some examples of commonly stored foods and how long they can remain good to eat when stored in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers

 

Less than 1 year.

Nuts

Chips or fries

Chocolate or candy

Brown rice

 

1 to 3 years.

Dehydrated meats, such as cheese or beef jerky

Yeast

Dry crackers

Crackers

 

3 to 5 years.

Infant formula/formula

Cornmeal (maize flour)

Herbs (ground)

Milk powder (full fat)

Germinated seeds

 

5 to 10 years.

Alfalfa

Gluten

Granola

Herbs (whole)

Millet

Mung beans

Quinoa

Pepper grains (whole)

Peanut butter powder

Milk powder (semi-skimmed)

Egg powder

Rye

Unbleached flour

Cereal

 

10 to 20 years.

Black turtle beans

Black-eyed peas

Buckwheat

Butter/margarine powder

Chickpeas

Cocoa powder

Durum wheat

Flax

White flour

Whole wheat flour

 

20 to 30 years old.

Coffee (instant)

Freeze-dried fruits and vegetables

Hulled oats

Kidney beans

Lentils

Lima beans

Spaghetti

Spaghetti

Pink beans

Powdered milk (nonfat)

Oatmeal

Tea (bagged or loose)

White rice

Indefinite.

Baking soda/powder

Honey

Salt

Sugar

 

So, don't hesitate to try long-term storage in mylar bags! It's one of the best ways to store food for the long term!