When you get started with a survivalist base for your prepping activities, one of the biggest investments you can make is an inventory of oxygen-free containers for food storage. Food storage can give you a significant advantage in survival when access to traditional food supplies is scarce.
Oxygen-free containers for food are a worthy investment for survivalists since they can extend a food stockpile’s lifespan by several months or even years. Oxygen-free food containers also help prevent food stores from being contaminated by environmental exposure or disaster-related pollutants.
Why Use Oxygen-Free Food Containers?
Oxygen-free food containers are a smart option for survivalist bases for several reasons. Here are the main advantages of buying oxygen-free food containers for your emergency food storage:
- Extended shelf life: Foods that are kept in oxygen-free storage will be safe to eat for years after they’ve been put up, especially dry bulk goods like beans and rice. If left undisturbed, these food sources will be safe to eat months after other supply lines have been destroyed.
- Prevent contamination: One of the biggest dangers of long-term food storage for emergency situations is that these food items are easily contaminated by smoke, moisture, and other catalysts for spoilage. Oxygen-free food containers prevent this and maintain the food’s quality over time.
- Bulk dry goods: It can be difficult to keep bulk dry goods like rice in good condition in storage if they aren’t kept clear of rodents, mold, and other contaminants. Using oxygen-free containers allows you to store large amounts of dry goods at one time, increasing your general food supply.
- Insect control: Along with worrying about moisture and spoilage, survivalists who store large amounts of food for a long time in a place like a bunker or pantry will need to worry about grain moths, weevils, and other infestations if items like flour and cereal aren’t stored in sealed containers.
- Storage convenience: If emergency food pantry items are not kept in oxygen-free storage, they will have to frequently be replaced with fresher items as they expire. Oxygen-free food storage prevents preppers from having to spend as much time rotating out their food storage.
The reasons that people use oxygen-free food containers for prepping are practical ones. But which material is the best option for oxygen-free food containers?
Materials for Oxygen-Free Food Containers
There are a few different materials that are commonly found in oxygen-free food containers. The type of material you choose for your food storage will depend on the type of food being stored and how you intend to store it.
For example, large amounts of bulk grain might be stored in BPA-free plastic barrels or bins, while smaller items might be stored in labeled jars or Mylar bags.
These are the materials commonly found in oxygen-free storage containers:
- BPA-free plastic: BPA-free plastic is the preferred plastic for long-term food storage containers since it doesn’t leach toxins or chemicals into stored food when subjected to heat or other environmental factors. Most plastic bins used for long-term food storage have a snap-and-seal design.
- Mylar liners: Mylar bags or liners are often used in combination with hard storage options like buckets or bins to help provide an extra environmental barrier. Mylar can withstand temperatures of more than -60F and up to almost 248F. Mylar bags are also reusable and resealable for easily rotating old stores.
- Metal: Stainless steel containers can be a good choice for oxygen-free food containers since they don’t support bacterial growth and they don’t leach chemicals or odors into the food. Metal containers are also more environmentally friendly than plastic.
- Glass: Glass can be used for long-term food storage since it doesn’t absorb moisture or odors. The main risk of using glass containers is that glass can be easily broken or chipped if the containers are moved around. Another advantage of glass containers is that you can easily see what items are held in which container for inventory purposes.
Different materials store different foodstuffs more easily than others, so it’s likely you’ll want to incorporate a variety of different materials in your long-term food storage rather than just one. Including oxygen absorbers and extra Mylar liners as an additional barrier against the environment can help enhance your store’s lifespan regardless of which material you go with.
Why Are Oxygen-Free Food Containers Worth It?
No matter which oxygen-free food containers you decide to invest in for your survivalist activities, they’re always worth the investment if you go with a brand that is reputable. These are the advantages you can count on if you go with an oxygen-free food storage system for your emergency food pantry or shelter:
- Food preservation for long-term storage: Even if grocery supply chains break down and the environment becomes too polluted for hunting and fishing, protected food storage gives you a strong ace in the hole for food scarcity situations. Oxygen-free storage also allows food to be hidden in places where it would be vulnerable to spoilage.
- Disaster-proofing: Many survivalists pride themselves on being able to live off the land, but what if you end up in a situation where venturing out of your shelter is too dangerous? Long-term oxygen-free food storage gives you security in even the worst catastrophes. Stored food can be used to survive as well as barter for other goods.
- Less dependence on fresh food: Even if you know how to hunt, fish, and forage, gathering these food sources can depend on luck rather than skill. Having a strong long-term food store leaves you less vulnerable to days when crops are damaged or wild game is scarce. It also gives you a way to safely preserve fresh foods from the garden.
Setting up a long-term emergency food store is one of the smartest goals you can set as a prepper, and oxygen-free food containers help make sure that your emergency food investment doesn’t go to waste.
Oxygen-Free Food Containers Are Worth the Cost
While they might be one of the most expensive investments you make in prepper supplies, buying the right oxygen-free food containers can add a ton of security to your post-collapse planning. By allowing you to store years’ worth of food safely, oxygen-free storage frees you up to gradually expand your emergency food pantry over time.