Whether you want to prepare for a natural disaster or just want to have a huge stockpile of food in your house, Mylar bags are considered the best repackaging material on the market. 

Due to their tensile strength and ability to block moisture, sunlight, and oxygen, Mylar bags are considered the most superior food preservation product around! 

But how do you use Mylar bags to store your food long-term? And is it necessary to use oxygen absorbers with Mylar bags? 

In this article, we will share seven easy steps for you to efficiently store food in Mylar bags. We will also give you a brief list of items that will need oxygen absorbers with Mylar bags. 

Seven Easy Steps to Use Mylar Bags for Food Storage

Myalr bag food storage steps infographic

  • Take a 5-Gallon Food Grade Bucket and Line it with a Mylar Bag

The first thing that you should keep in mind is to always use a food-grade bucket to store your food long-term. 

Why is this? Well, food-grade buckets are specifically manufactured to store food long-term, so they are made with non-toxic materials. Moreover, you can use food-grade buckets for different purposes such as carrying water, fermenting foods, pickling, and more. 

The other thing that you need to remember is that you should use 5-gallon Mylar bags as they will fit perfectly in the bucket. Once you have lined the bucket with Mylar bags, let’s move to the next step. 

Mylar food storage bag

  • Pour your Dry Food Item into the Mylar Bag Lined Bucket

When you start pouring dry food items, such as beans, into your Mylar bag-lined bucket, make sure to leave at least one-inch of space at the rim. This will give you enough space to put the bucket lid on properly. 

Also, before you open your first bag of a given dry food item, prepare all your food-grade buckets by lining them with Mylar bags. This will speed up your process. 

Something to consider would be to have a family member or friend help you prep your food! You can breeze through step 2 with just one helping hand. 

  • Start Using the Right Oxygen Absorber Based on Cubic Centimeters

You can visit USA Emergency Supply to determine what oxygen absorber is right for your preps based on two factors—cubic centimeters and the type of food you are preserving.

With oxygen absorbers, you need to remember that the packets will start absorbing oxygen as soon as you open them. This is why we suggest you prepare all your buckets with food and put oxygen absorbers in at the end. 

If you have already opened your oxygen absorbers, you need to store them in airtight containers until you are ready to use them.

heat sealing the Mylar bag

  • Seal the Bag

You can use an impulse sealer to seal your Mylar bags, but there are also some pretty cheap DIY ways to seal Mylar bags! For example, you can use a clothing iron or a hair straightener.

If you opt for one of these DIY methods, be sure to first seal an empty Mylar bag to determine whether the items you have at home are suitable for heat sealing. If you find that they aren’t working, you might want to buy a professional Mylar bag sealer.

  • Mark the Food Type and Date on the Mylar Bag

You don’t want to end up in a situation where you have no clue what’s in your bags! So, once you have sealed your bags, write the type of food and packaging date on the Mylar bag.

You also need to mark the bucket with the same information to ensure that you know what’s in the bucket without needing to open it. 

This is why all of our bundles include identification stickers!

Mylar food storage bag

  • Fold the Bag into the Bucket

Once you have sealed and marked your Mylar bags, you must fold the bag in the bucket to put on the lid. 

Remember when we said to leave an inch of space at the rim in the beginning of this blog post? This is where that space becomes helpful to your long-term food storage.

  • Use the Lid to Close the Bucket

Finally, use the lid to close the bucket and use the heel of your palm to give it a nice pound. You don’t need to use any fancy buckets with fancy lids. Buckets only need to be food grade as they are just there to protect the mylar bags in the long run. 

Bottom Line

Mylar food storage bags are one of the best ways to store food long-term. If you follow the steps mentioned above, you will be set for success if SHTF! 

If you want to purchase sturdy, high-quality Mylar bags, check out our online store. Our Mylar bags are engineered with an added internal layer of aluminum foil which provides superior structure, puncture resistance, and prevents light penetration. Many brands sell flimsy Mylar bags that are prone to holes and tears, but we never sacrifice quality.

We want you to have everything you need to be prepared, which is why all of our bags also include oxygen absorbers and identification labels to assist your long-term food storage needs. 

Visit our online store now to see why thousands of preppers choose Wallaby!