Building a DIY long term food storage plan is critical to surviving any emergency.

The Covid-19 pandemic hitting the world and paralyzing it for 2 years has been a wake-up call foreveryone, and there’s no way around the fact that food supply waseffected more so than anything else.

So, if you want your family to have food security in order to combat any emergencies in the future, you must start emergency prepping sooner rather than later.

One of the ways you canstart storing food long-term is tostore food items in Mylar bags. These specialized bags are airtight, puncture-resistant, and most importantly,they prevent your food’s exposure to moisture, light, and oxygen.Mylar bags are agreat way to store dry food items to increase their shelf-life by up to 20-30 years.

If you are reading this, whether you are a beginner prepper or an emergencyprepping pro, you probably already know about the common food items that can be stored in Mylar bags long-term. For example:white rice, pasta, noodles, beans, and oats.

But there are other food items that can be stored in Mylar bags to extend their shelf-life, and you might not know about the 5 we are going to discuss today!

Let’s dive into these 5 food items that you may not know you can store in Mylar bags long-term.

Garlic Powder

When you think of storing spices, you don’t necessarily think of storing garlic powder. However, garlic powder can be a great addition to your long-term food storage. Not only is it nutritious, but it can add flavor to a lot of recipes.

Garlic is known to treat a variety of ailments, so much so that people even buy garlic pills for candidiasis, high cholesterol, and more.

However, we specifically mention storing garlic long-term as it is delicious and chock-fullof antioxidants that can help you fight free radicles generated in your body due to elevated stress in emergencies. A small amount goes a long way!

Commercially bought garlic powder lasts about 3-4 years when stored in cool, dry, and dark place. However, storing it in Mylar bags can increase its shelf life;garlic powder can maintain its flavor and potencyfor up to10 years when stored in Mylar bags. 

Quinoa

Emergencies call for nutrient-packed foods that build strength and tackle stress.Although rice and oats are examples of nutritious grains, quinoa is another nutritious grain that people should add to their emergency food supply.

Quinoa is a gluten-free, low glycemic index, and high protein grain that can easily be stored in Mylar. We recommend it as it could help you add some healthy variety to your long-term food storage plan.

It is a soft grain, so 8-10 years is the maximum shelf-life, even when stored in Mylar bags. So, be sure to keep rotating the quinoa you store in Mylar bags to avoid food spoilage in the long run.

Barley

Another soft grain that you can store in Mylar bags is barley. It also offers a variety of health benefits as it is loaded with nutrients that can help you energize your body during emergencies.

Since barley is a soft grain, it has a shelf-life of 18-24 months when stored in its original packaging. If opened, the barely can spoil quickly. So, if you want to store barley long-term, you need to use high-quality Mylar bags;a well-made bag will beairtight, moisture proof, and light blocking.

When you are prepping your barely, adding oxygen absorbers to yourMylar bags will help extend the shelf-life tremendously. Just like quinoa, barley can be stored for up to 8-10 years in Mylar bags. Be sure to rotate the bags periodically.

Bouillon Cubes

You might not have easy access to flavorings, vegetables, or spices during emergencies. But if you storebouillon cubes long-term, you can easily use them in an emergency— they can quickly boost the flavor of gravies, vegetable stocks, soups, stews, and more. Bouillon cubes can even substitute for oil in some instances!

When you buy bouillon cubes, they can be stored in their original packagingfor about 18-24 months. However, to increase their shelf-life even further, you can store them in Mylar bags.

This way, bouillon cubes will stay fresher for longer and won’t go bad before an emergency strikes. Althoughthe high salt content in bouillon cubes prevents them from going bad, storing them inMylar bags ensures that the bouillon cubes will stay fresh for emergency use.

Vegetable Powder

Vegetable powder is different from bouillon cubes! Vegetable powder is prepared by crushing dehydrated vegetables.

Vegetable powder can be made using all types of vegetables, either individually or as a mix, and you can easily store it in Mylar bags. Since it is dehydrated, it won’t go bad and will stay fresh for about 20-25 years in Mylar.

Add vegetable powder to baked goods, soups, and stocks, to increase the nutritional quality of food.

Bottom Line

Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers are a great way to store different food items. Apart from storing rice, beans, and oats, some items like quinoa, barley, bouillon cubes, and more can be stored in Mylar bags. 

You can check out our online store to purchase high-quality Wallaby Mylar bags for long-term food storage. We offer a Mylar bag bundle that includes 5 Mil thick Mylar bags, sticker labels, and oxygen absorbers.

Head to our site to shop or keep browsing through our food storage tips to learn from real prepping experts!