Has anyone else heard a lot about mylar bags lately? Or just me? Maybe it’s just me.
I gotta be honest, since 2020, I haven’t felt at peace. There’s been this uneasy feeling in me ever since. Between all the shortages, feeling insecure financially after so many businesses shut down, wanting everyone to remain healthy, political stuff and so much more.
I’m in Utah and shortly after we got shut down from the virus, we had a few earthquakes. Now, they weren’t big but with everything feeling so uncertain it shook a lot of people. Myself included.
So, I started getting prepared for any type of emergency. I started with 72-hour kits. I’m still working on the next step which is having a 3 month supply of food and necessities for my family.
I’ve also been known to call it my pantry extension.
What’s in my 3-month supply of food?
This is where I’m so glad I found out about Mylar bags.
Generally, it’s everything I have in my pantry just enough to feed my family for 3 months. Included in this is anything frozen you would need. Such as chicken, beef, fruit, vegetables, etc.
As I’m going through this process, I’m realizing just how much my family consumes and uses in 3 months. It’s a lot. So, if you get overwhelmed, just take it a step at time.
Start small and buy extra food for a meal for your family. Buy an extra bag of pancake mix.
But here’s what I’ve put in mylar bags so far: (keep in mind, I’ve just started doing this)
- Flour
- Sugar (No O2 absorbers needed. . . it’ll just make the sugar hard)
- Pasta
- Black Beans
- Rice
Other things I plan to put in mylar bags:
- Cake mixes
- Pancake mix
- Cornstarch
- Dry Cereal
- Oats
- Chocolate milk mix
- Hot chocolate mix
- Spices
- Gravy Mix
- Mashed potato flakes
- Yeast
- Salt (no O2 absorbers needed)
- Bread crumbs
- Powdered Sugar
- Dream Whip
- Protein Powder
- Muffin Mix
- Brownie Mix
- Protein Pancakes
- Pudding mix
I have a lot of things I want to do (obviously) but as you get into it, it’s important to remember that you don’t “hoard” things. That you start buying small and don’t clean out store shelves. That’s exactly what we want to avoid. (Remember toilet paper in 2020? Yeah don’t do that).
Why Mylar bags?
While mylar bags are for dry food only, I still like the idea. I’m able to do it relatively inexpensive, from my home, and with minimal things needed.
Materials needed:
- Mylar bags (I’ve read that 7 mil is the best.)
- Oxygen absorbers
- Iron or hair straightener
- Whatever you want to put in the bag
Also, when done correctly, most of the items will last 10-30 years! So, while I use everything I put in the mylar bags, if I don’t use it within the expiration date, there’s no longer any worry. In the mylar bags it’ll still be good.
What should you not put in Mylar bags?
Not everything can go in mylar bags. Food that is dry is typically ok to be put in the bags.
However, if the food has a lot of oil in it, the oil can still go rancid, and the food won’t last.
Also, if the food has any moisture to it, try canning it instead.
Dehydrated foods can go into them, just make sure that they’ve been dehydrated correctly so they last in the mylar bags.
Where can you buy Mylar bags?
**Dislcaimer: I’m an amazon affiliate. If you click on my Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you.**
I got mine off Amazon. There are the gallon size I have. I also have these quart size ones.
I do recommend both sizes. I’ve put flour, sugar, rice and pasta in the big ones while beans and other pasta in the smaller ones.
My next ones, I’m going to try the Wallaby brand. I’ve heard good things about them, and I like their sizes.
What else do I need to know?
I like having the mylar bags with the zipper closure. It makes it so that when I do open the mylar bag because I need to use the food, I can still close the bag and not have to worry about putting the food in something else.
I recommend putting your food in the mylar bags first, closing it most of the way using a hair straightener (or iron or whatever you’re using), leaving a space just big enough for the oxygen absorber. Once the oxygen absorber is open, you need to close your bag quickly so that it doesn’t absorb too much oxygen from outside the bag.
So, you’re going to throw your O2 absorber in, seal the bag the rest of the way and you’re done! You can now put it in a 5-gallon bucket (recommended since the bags aren’t critter proof) or on a shelf. Whatever you think is best for your situation.
Are you going to try mylar bags?
I’m curious how many of you are wanting to try mylar bags or already do!
If you haven’t tried them yet, what’s your concern?
If you have, what’s your favorite thing to put in the mylar bags? Did I miss anything?
Thanks for being here!
Thanks so much for being here, in this space with me. This life is so crazy, and many times things feel uncertain. I feel you. You’re not alone in that.
Let’s be friends! Find me on Insta! Or I’m just getting started on TikTok. I’d love to have more people to follow.
How to prepare for any emergency that could come.