We had an old freezer that was using too much electricity, we were gifted a very nice, larger freezer. I cleaned it all up (the old freezer) and it’s in the corner of our basement - holding all our dry goods! I put the stuff in the freezer for a few days, then over into the non-working one. Seems to be working good so far. I got the idea from my Mom (she’s in her mid-80’s). Smart cookie. 😊

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Yes she is a very smart cookie! We just junked an old freezer I was using to raise queen bees in. I am no longer doing that and we needed the room in the garage. I wish I would have thought to do what you did! Fantastic idea.

@muskokalad9567

7 ай бұрын

What about the freezer smell going in your food.

@fishinghole333

7 ай бұрын

Absolutely brilliant!

@mscatnipper2359

7 ай бұрын

That's why I changed my mind and had my old freezer taken away. Even though it was clean and thoroughly dry, it still had a smell, and I was concerned that residual moisture in the air might become the potential source of mold or mildew. I guess if you store items in glass jars, it doesn't matter, but I'm not so sure about mylar bags.@@muskokalad9567

@carinrichardson

7 ай бұрын

Great idea! I replaced mine and was going to get rid of it, but this is a great idea!

I like to store my pastas in big popcorn tins. My in-laws gave us a tin of prepopped popcorn each year and I washed them and dried them thoroughly first. They work great!

@DutchAlaskagirl

7 ай бұрын

I am constantly on the lookout for those at thrift stores

@KT-yq7ed

7 ай бұрын

Great idea, however the current and only popcorn tins I find are so small and not large like they used to be!!!!!! A long time ago I did find a company that sold the larger ones but you had to purchase a lot of them…they are probably twice as much today……☹️ haven’t looked yet……

@DutchAlaskagirl

7 ай бұрын

@@KT-yq7ed 😔

@lightgiver7311

7 ай бұрын

I remember those.

@kathymcmc

7 ай бұрын

Great idea, Lynnsmith.

If your potato chips get stale, put them on a cookie sheet and put in the oven on 200 for about 5 minutes. Like new.

@DutchAlaskagirl

7 ай бұрын

Or dehydrator. Works for cereal and crackers, too

@goingslowlynowhere

7 ай бұрын

If they are soft? Yeah, that works. If they have gone stale? As in the fat has started to get rancid? It might mask dodgy taste quite a bit, but the fats in it will have changed for the worse.

@Tess-he3qg

7 ай бұрын

@@goingslowlynowhere True. I’m talking about if someone doesn’t close the bag right. Not if the chips are old.

@maryschaefer2183

7 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing. I wonder if it would work for crackers too ?

@jgjg3848

7 ай бұрын

Do you think this method would work for tortilla chips too? I have a couple bags that are stale that I'd like to try to revive.

The fact that you have to explain that your counter is clean, is just crazy to me! You're a clean freak, and it'd probably be safer to eat off your floor than on most restaurant plates!

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

LOL! Thanks for that vote of confidence!

@bluewater4

7 ай бұрын

Don't be too hard on Jim. We all know the counters are clean but reminders are helpful. People out there get lazy unless they know cleanliness is of great importance. Wait until you interact in someone else's kitchen! Thanks, Jim.

@tracyhernandez3573

18 күн бұрын

How long will pasta keep in your bins?

I kept a big refrigerator that broke and store all my dry goods in it. Free metal box.

@amyreese8931

7 ай бұрын

I can't open the Level Up download, all the others (water purification, etc) work just fine. Did you change your format? Thank you

@poodlegirl55

7 ай бұрын

@@amyreese8931 Why are you asking me?

Pam/Audience. With your long spag and sharp edge types of noodles. Leave them in the original package and wrap them with several layers of plastic wrap, THEN put them in to your mylar bags with oxy abs. Then you can put your mylars in a white bucket. The long and sharp edge types will sometimes poke holes in your mylar. Spend a few extra moment and pennies to secure your long term foods!😉

@GnomeInPlaid

7 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@leebrendalee

7 ай бұрын

Yea but even if there’s a bug in bad…..doesn’t matter ,,,bye bye when you boil the water

@TheSimArchitect

7 ай бұрын

Wow! So this is what I should have done when trying to vacuum seal my dried tomatoes and my chamomile, so they would not keep poking holes! Awesome advice!

@lisaruiz6799

7 ай бұрын

Yes, that's what we do as well. Also, you can break spaghetti in half a little at a time and package it the same way.

@homesteadgal4143

7 ай бұрын

I have had great success with my stored spaghetti noodles that are in mylar. I only use quality mylar with good thickness -- that's very important! To store, I break the noodles in half so that I can use smaller mylar bags. I add in an oxygen absorber, then seal. I have several pounds of the noodles per bag and have 20 bags -- these are long-term storage for us. Never had any holes or 'poke through' issues at all.

We keep our dogfood in metal trash cans to keep the mice out. Perhaps I should use them for food storage too.

We had a rodent problem and they did chew through the plastic to the food. We had to start putting mylar bagged foods in metal trash cans. We bought the small ones to keep the weight down. Expensive ... but not as expensive as replacing the food!

Thanks for the latest post. My experience has taught me that if the mice can smell something interesting in a plastic container they will try to get into it. I think it is their job to do so. Gaskets sound like a really good idea. PS Please don't be embarrassed to share the mouse invasion, I was inspired to check my pantry and found that I needed to pay attention to what was going on. Thank you very much!!

For pasta I use 5 gallon buckets with gamma lids. I separate the Costco pasta packs into shapes, one bucket per shape. I am not a big pasta eater, but it stores well and pasta is a comfort food and a meal stretcher. 😊

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Sounds great! Thanks for sharing!

I read an article about using dried bay leaves to keep bugs out of flour, cereal, etc. I placed some on my pantry shelves. I realized that winter that there was no signs of mice. 2 years later and still no mice.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

There is lots of anecdotal information written about bay leaves repelling pests, but there is not yet any scientific evidence to support that claim. The Utah Extension Office says that bay leaves are not recommended as a way to repel pests. Rather, they recommend oxygen absorbers or vacuum sealing as their top option.

@ddavis78

7 ай бұрын

I do both! Vac seal and bay leaves@@RoseRedHomestead

@danniemcdonald7675

7 ай бұрын

​@RoseRedHomestead is that because bay leaves haven't been tested? Or have they tested them and proved them not to work? Not being a smart aleck, just curious. 😊

@karileonard9239

7 ай бұрын

I use bay leaves. Noticed some more fragrant than others. I buy by the pound. Also put on the floor. Suggest replace every year.

@ruthspillman546

5 ай бұрын

❤tks, I have had a mose get into my car. I will put some bay leaves in my car!!!

From what I have read mice won't chew through unless they can smell it. I think that is why peppermint oil is good. It messes up their "smeller".

@ArtFlowersBeeze8815

7 ай бұрын

So spritz the bin with rubbing alcohol?

@lyndabuchholz1216

7 ай бұрын

@@ArtFlowersBeeze8815 That evaporates pretty fast. The oil has worked for me and lasts longer. I am gong to try to grow peppermint around my foundation and see if it repels them.

@pricklypear7934

7 ай бұрын

Once, I had mice eat the peppermint leaves & the wall I had sprayed.

@lyndabuchholz1216

7 ай бұрын

@@pricklypear7934 Hungry mice! Glad I haven't had that problem. I have found that there isn't one cure to repel animals.

@barbaram5787

7 ай бұрын

Peppermint oil has never worked to repel our mice.

We are serious pasta eaters so we have tons of it. We store in sealed mylar bags in 5 gal storage buckets, 1/2gal Mason jars sealed, vacuum sealed food saver bags and some in those #10 cans from the lds storage center. Pasta pasta everywhere. Lol

Perfect timing - We just bought 36, 1lb bags of pasta for $.99/ ea; the last store in the area to have 16 ounce bags at this price in the area and pasta at this unit price. Thier stock of 16 oz bags was dwindling and being replaced 14 oz bags for the same price. We bought a case each of the remaining 3 types left.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Wow! Lucky you! That is awesome.

@terryhenderson424

7 ай бұрын

@@RoseRedHomestead By June '22, we were on simply an inflation fighting larder filling approach; the 4th for the year. Im thinking we will gather some free, 5 gal and/ or 2.5 gal buckets from a bakery or two then remove from the cardboard boxes to buckets, bags and all.

Pam, I use up the little bits and pieces of pasta in vegetable/beef soup. It’s an easy way to use them up and not waste anything.

@patti6194

7 ай бұрын

This is a great idea! thank you for sharing it.

@eatiegourmet1015

6 ай бұрын

That's what we always did. Mom always put the broken bits into a mason jar and it would later go into her chicken noodle soup. I remember we whined once that the neighbor kids' mom bought alphabet noodles for their soup, but my goodness, what I wouldn't give right now to have a bowl of her very special soup! Don't get me wrong I am a very good cook, and I cook often, but Mom's was special... ;)

I personally prefer glass jars for food storage. I know not everyone can do their food storage into glass jars, but because I did a recycling project at my job a long time ago. The things I learned were astonishing. All plastics are air permeable long term. All plastics off gas the life of the plastics. Now I try to buy as much as I can in glass and that is hard to do. However I will repackage things I am able to into glass jars. :) My biggest frustration is storing water. I am now looking into a stainless steel water barrel to store my water.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

That is great if you are able to do that. Glass would be my preference as well.

@ddavis78

7 ай бұрын

@@RoseRedHomestead I just went through a 2 month process of getting rid of my pantry moths! Some came in on something (still don't know what) but I was out there every day killing them and used those sticky traps etc and finally managed to get everything into jars and was finally able to get rid of them. They cannot get into the jars. I opened all the packages to inspect them then put the contents into the jars with the directions for use. No more bugs, and mice can't get them either!

@snsnplpl

7 ай бұрын

Don't forget your water heater usually has 50+ gallons (depending on size) in a suitable container already taking up space.

@user-uy9jw2zj8r

7 ай бұрын

I agree with you. I try to store as much in glass as I can.

@user-uy9jw2zj8r

7 ай бұрын

⁠do you freeze your pasta? I had pantry moths and was told to freeze my pasta and rice for 3 days, then let it dry at room temperature and then store it ( I use glass containers after getting those moths). They we’re difficult to get rid of, but I did with bay leaves, sticky traps, and peppermint drops, etc

We had mice chew through a large plastic bin, so we store them in metal garbage cans now

Last year I bought a bunch of pasta I opened packages and put the pasta in glass jars gallon and half gallon jars then then vacuum seal

Rose Red, I've learned quite a bit from your video's. But if I may make a suggestion. Though you've sealed up the containers for pasta, there may be bugs and their eggs in the packaging prior to you acquiring it. I myself store all packages in the freezer for 3 days prior to placing it in sealed bins...

@ArtFlowersBeeze8815

7 ай бұрын

Yes, good point. I've had infestation of insects in prepackaged rice a roni, knorr soup mixes and uncle Ben's rice mixes. It happens. That is when I started using mason jars for storage some 40 years ago. My coldroom is very humid. I keep thejars in their cardboard flats and slip a clear garbage bag around the whole thing so the lids don't rust.

@cynthiafisher9907

7 ай бұрын

@@ArtFlowersBeeze8815Pantry moths can get into mason jars. The only jars they can’t get into are the clamp top type jars.

@DutchAlaskagirl

7 ай бұрын

Pam did mention that she has had this pasta for years. Had there been any eggs in there they would have hatched by now. I vacuum seal my pasta and flour for that reason. If there are any bugs or eggs in there they would not survive without oxygen.😊

@cynthiafisher9907

7 ай бұрын

@@DutchAlaskagirl Yes, that us true for the ones that may have come in the package, but bugs can get in after they come home.

@MaryWehmeier

7 ай бұрын

You need to be careful introducing moisture in the freezer.

Bins that do not have a gasket can be sealed very well with a 1/4" door gasket along the top edge of the container. I also covered the opening and door gasket with press and seal cling wrap then the lid. this worked very well.

FYI - the solution I use to prevent rodents chewing into my food storage - I bought two USED large metal cabinets ( $30 each) and I keep my food in there in garage. They are tall with five shelves and two doors that latch. No holes for mice entrance. Works like a charm. Just don’t forget to shut the doors!

Galvanized garbage cans with tight fitting lids work well for pasta storage.

When I empty a quart jar or pint size, I thoroughly wash and dry it. I then use that jar to vacuum seal my pasta in it. I even break my spaghetti noodles to fit the quart jars.

@cynthiafisher9907

7 ай бұрын

That will keep rodents out, but not pantry moths.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Sounds good.

@tennesseeterri

7 ай бұрын

If you vacuum seal the jar, no bugs can hatch because there is no oxygen.

Those airtight plastic bins are very convenient and effective, but I've been trying to eliminate as much plastic from our lives as possible, so I recently repackaged all of my pasta preps into large glass jars with airtight lids. Happily, this prevents any rodent threats and keeps the pasta in an airtight environment for long-term storage, yet is convenient for easy access. It's also very attractive on the pantry shelf. 😊🥰

We installed a mini-split air conditioner in our garage/storage space. It is very efficient and effective. The unit itself was expensive, but my electric bills aren’t bad at all. It was definitely worth it.

@RoseRedHomestead

20 күн бұрын

Thanks for sharing, Jim

I bought one of the tough brand totes from Walmart that was very thick and had bags of Mylar beans in it. I used clear thin totes for ramen. The same weekend I put it away something chewed a hole in both. I learned from Southern Prepper to get old filing cabinets to put your items in that are susceptible to rodents.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Interesting idea. I have had mice get into my filing cabinets in the garage--they made a nest in one of the drawers, so I guess it would depend on the filing cabinet.

@lynwatson1260

Ай бұрын

I also had a rodent nest in a filing cabinet.

We live in the country! I have had a problem with mice in the past! Our home is old and there are areas where mice can get in I discovered that they can be detoured by fabric softener sheets. I put them in corners and around my food storage area. I haven’t seen any signs of them since. Cheyenne pepper is helpful also. We have irrigated pasture, so My main problem is beetle and cockroaches. So I have a lot of sticky traps in areas where our dogs can’t get to. Behind furniture under fridge…… thank you for all the helpful tips you provide 🙏🏼

I'll store mostly smaller pasta that cooks quicker , you can use thin or angel hair spaghetti as a good pasta in most dishes...

Thanks, Pam! I can always depend on you for great information!

Abuela, As a long term prepper since 1999, I believe in belt and suspenders, so to speak, therefore, I would not only add O2 absorbers, but also put all pasta, rice, etc. in the freezer for 24 to 48 hours before repackaging in Mylar. After all insect larva need oxygen but insect eggs don't. Factory and retail outlets are notorious for insects, larva and eggs.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comments. We have also suggested that the freezing before repackaging. Jim

From experience, please note that rodents can INDEED chew thru hard plastic containers!! Also, while pasta may not go bad visibly, it may start tasting like the box or wrapper. Therefore, it is a good idea to store without the packaging. When prepping food, it is important to use glass or metal containers or non- see through buckets. I am leery of any other storage containers because if just ONE mouse finds your stash, game over! They can chew through most anything!!!!

NEVER had rodents - until I started storing food and grains, pasta. That horrible day when you see chewed noodles on the floor and --- I invested in a CAT. No more rodents or droppings or chewed noodles. Now to stock up cat litter and - DIY cat feed. Better than the HUGE loss of pastas, and such. YES mice chew thru plastic. Even soft cans. (no more filthy germy droppings, also)

Glass or metal are the only truly secure ways. Some have had problems even with the thick plastic food buckets.

Hi Rose, Thank you for this video. I am having my own small troubles with vermin and this video was right on time. I am in the middle of repackaging all our dry pastas, rice and beans. Some of it I am just inventorying and and rotating. But the pasta is being sealed in mylar with both OA and desicant. We live in Virginia and it is very humid here for much of our year. Additionally, this long term storage is kept in the dark in our basement. I am grateful for the handouts and though I have not been to your store before, I will now. Thank you again. Barb.

Just made biscuits following the RRH class method last night...my husband raved over them! ☺

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

That just thrills me! Thank you!

I use smaller and larger steal garbage cans for sugar, pasta, rice and beans storage. Rodents will NOT get in them as long as you secure the lid. I just put the packages in and kind of organize in 1/2, 1/3, or 1/4 sections keeping like items per section.

We have used metal lockable tool boxes to defeat rodents in our shed periodically. Food in jars, in tool box.

I want to encourage others to take the 2 months of meals in the pantry challenge. I have been building my working pantry, rotational pantry and long term food storage for a year. But I have been doing so based solely on sales and I thought I had about a year's supply in my stores. I felt pretty good. But I decided to take the two month challenge as a way to better organize what I had. I made up a two month meal plan and went pantry shopping. Boy was I surprised. While I did have probably almost two years worth of most foods, my meals were incomplete. I found holes! For example, I had plenty of canned green beans (they go on sale often) but not even two months worth of canned carrots! Well, I am canning carrots and starting my meal plan for January. I love this plan! Thanks Rosered!

@patriciacooke886

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for your comments. I also am thinking I have 6-9 months worth of pantry storage. You opened my eyes. I am L A Z Y about my planning meals. Married 56 years I guess that’s why, get bored planning meals. The yu😊

@ForbiddenChocolate

7 ай бұрын

​@@patriciacooke886I'm terrible about planning meals too! Since I'm only canning for three now, I've started canning more soup and stew bases. Raw packing makes it super simple which, being disabled from a back injury, is imperative now. It's also nice to have meals ready to heat and eat on the shelf for days when even frying an egg is too much to even think about. 🙂

@bumblebee7922

7 ай бұрын

@@ForbiddenChocolate Awwwww... HUGS to you!

@jesuschristisking2877

6 ай бұрын

Dehydrate as well. You can store a tremendous amount of food dehydrated. 1kg corn dehydrated to 95grams. Same for carrots. With Christmas in UK and Thanksgiving and Christmas in US coming up there's loads of deals on root veg. But them and dehydrate them. Pumpkin, butternut squash for soups added to beans & peas. Dehydrate your onions. Etc because you really don't think about these things because it's easy to pop to the shops and get. Your dehydrated stuff will be a life saver while growing your actual food.

I heard putting out bay leaves around on your shelves, drawers, closets ect will deter rodents,spiders,bugs ect.

@paisley1134

5 ай бұрын

I believe someone on another video had said dryer sheets also repel mice. They bought dryer sheets at the Dollar Tree store and put those around. I never used this but I have used bay leaves and they seem to work for my home.

You're such a cool lady and a wonderful teacher! Thank you 😃👍

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😃

We place bay leaves on top of our food items. Tape all around the 5 gallon buckets and they are stored in a closet. Yes, we must pay attention to the heat when we place food in plastic. Best to buy wheat berries instead of storing too much flour. Spray with mint oil, or any other oil that bug dislike. A cool dark place sounds great.

She is so sweet. Yall are blessed!!

Having stored food in those bins in a hot humid environment, but in the dark, and using O2 absorbers, the bugs still got in. I do pack in mylar but I tend to leave the pasta in the bag with a couple of small clips into the bag at the top so the OAs can do their thing. Gives some normalcy on opening. But in a heavier plastic bin. You are 100% correct you need to look at your own environment.

@michaelfranks341

7 ай бұрын

Hot and humid environment is your issue. Not the mylar or o2 absorbers.

@theoldguy9329

7 ай бұрын

@@michaelfranks341it was the boxes with the gasket without mylar that was not sufficient there. I now store food in mylar with OA in those boxes and I do not have the issues of "bugs".

@Dee-im7zd

7 ай бұрын

@@michaelfranks341exactly! Heat alone is an enemy. Humidity magnifies the problem. I would never store anything in the heat, humidity or no humidity.

You are so kind for giving all this information and free downloads

I live near a creek it runs right in front of my house and property so we always have rodents running around like you do. Years ago I started buying the same rubber gasket containers. I have my dogs food in a big one extra plastic silverware and paper plates and cups in another. So far I have not had a rodent get in they are great containers. I never realized how long pasta actually lasts. Thank you for the new tips. Thinking of buying more bins soon just to have extras.

@jesuschristisking2877

6 ай бұрын

Pasta, white rice, plain flour,dried beans & peas last easily 10-15 years properly mylar bagged with oxygen.

Always so much helpful information! And I live in Louisiana (southern most) and boy is it ever humid! I cannot keep anything outside; even canned goods have been questionable. But I find places to stick em inside! Lol. I bring a lot to my office. I have a whole pantry here. (Ssshh! Don’t tell anyone! 🤭)

You made my day when you spilled the pasta! I just finished putting dried beans into Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers for the first time and a bag slipped and spilled dried beans all over the kitchen floor! I felt so defeated and had to throw away what fell. I got out a big pot to set my bag in while working on it which worked well but it was still nice to see that it happens to everyone...even an expert like you!

@patti6194

7 ай бұрын

You could have saved those beans, because you have to wash them when you use them anyway. If you are worried about germs, just cook them in a pressure cooker.

@kellyname5733

7 ай бұрын

Why did you throw away the beans that fell out of the bag? Even if they fell on the the floor you could have rinsed them and then made something where you would have boiled them. I swear, Americans are way to sterile.

Like the bins with gasket seal. Had not seen them before.

@justkim5476

7 ай бұрын

Costco also carries these.

@sjohnson5923

7 ай бұрын

They are Sterlite brand but not all have the gasket.

Had a sturdy heavy duty lided garbage can in our garage that mice chewed the bottom corner...your plastic tubs will be child's play for a hungry rodent... They even chewed threw two heavy duty commercial grade rubber thresh hold we put on to stop drafts and critters. We purchased one of those cans with the trapdoor on top laced with peanut butter, ladder attached for them to climb up...when they take the bait ...they fall through the trap into the water below. 100% successful results, ended our rodent problem.

@tereasamelhart6360

7 ай бұрын

Any hardened meat grease works well too! Save your peanut butter!😂

I learned years ago not to store whole wheat pasta in the boxes they come in; you’ll have an infestation of flying critters in no time, so I started storing in my freezer. Since space was at a premium I started vacuum sealing linguini in bags and rotini in half gallon jars (the noodles are sharp and will pierce a bag). For extended storage I’ve added white pasta to the mix, I just hope my taste buds don’t revolt. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, it is greatly appreciated. ❣️

@user-uy9jw2zj8r

7 ай бұрын

I think the flying critters may be Pantry Moths and they are VERY difficult to get rid of, but it is possible but can take up to a year to rid them completely

@barb7014

7 ай бұрын

@@user-uy9jw2zj8r Wow, thank goodness I caught them early and evicted them quickly by tossing the pasta and scrubbing the shelves. It’s not an experience I’d ever want to relive. Thanks so much for the info.

I was reorganizing my food storage this weekend and was wondering how to best save pasta. Thank you!

Pam: Metal filing cabinets may be the answer to your rodent problems. They can often be purchased at very reasonable prices from auctions of closed or remodeled business offices. Even purchased new they are not very expensive and you can stack multiple units on top of each other depending how high your ceilings in the garage are. This will make it very easy to leave many products in their original packaging and can be arranged in a manner to stack multiple short layers in an individual drawers. Be sure to check the back of the filing cabinets to ensure there are no openings that a tiny mouse can enter into and if you choose to stack the cabinets it might be a good idea to use some of those devices that attach to the back of dressers that prevent small children from tipping them over on them or Jim can use some kind of strapping to secure them to the garage walls. Hope this is helpful.

@patriciacooke886

7 ай бұрын

Aren’t the bottoms not sealed?

@cynthiafisher9907

7 ай бұрын

I’m thinking a mouse could squeeze in.

@sherimetschan961

7 ай бұрын

​@@cynthiafisher9907Correct. I used to work for a pest control company. A mouse can get through a 1/4 inch hole.

@cynthiafisher9907

7 ай бұрын

@@sherimetschan961 I believe it!

You can get those gasketed bins at Big Lots. When they have their 20% off everything sales, I stock up on them.

@RoseRedHomestead

Ай бұрын

Thanks for the information. Jim

I welcome all your thoughtful videos. Many Many Thanks 🙏🏻

I’m persnickety and put pasta in a couple paper lunch sacks and then in thick 7.5 mil Mylar vacuum bags with oxygen absorbers. 😅 live in SW Florida so very humid. Also use MRE style Mylar pouches for ramen noodles w oxygen absorbers. These bags can handle boiling water to cook right in the bag. 🤗

I had some rice in the original bag in a plastic container on the shelf. After about a year, I opened it up and it smelled old.

I stored cardboard boxes and found a flurry of insect pieces come out with pasta. Now I freeze-treat first. Was it the pasta or the cardboard contaminated? Buying from an Amish thrift I noticed pasta with good expiration dates not delightfully fresh upon purchase. Discolorations in the spaghetti. Off brand. A little research said pasta using more cheaply produced recipes have different ratios of oil. Some oils not the best kind or best produced of its kind. Two issues. Edible and eatable but made a poorly presented offering at the table and plate. An education for better living is always appreciated. No place to get it until the internet. Thanks for each lesson in these troubling times! Your teachings of common sense basics is sometimes embarrassingly absent. After a preparedness fiasco, "Never thought about that!" doesn't change the mishap or make a person feel better. In very troubled times one chance is all you have to shield yourself. THANKS YOU TWO!

Thank you for your kindness in making the downloads for us. 😊

Thanks Pam and Jim. I find I have to cook pasta a bit longer once it reaches level 3.

I have several second hand metal filing cabinets that I use to store food in . The rodents have no chance of getting to my food , also some metal storage cupboards usually used for tools in garage but I store my food in them as well as they are all metal and the rodents cannot get in .

Next will be the cotton balls. My now dead mice had nothing to eat or so I thought. They got into my tea when nothing was available, and once the tea was tossed and I thought there was nothing else left for the mice to get into, I found they chewed on the cotton ball packets. The mice are gone for now, but they will somehow find their way back this winter. The heavy plastic bins are good. I have never had an issue with those and rodents. Check near the handles to make sure there are no holes so no food aroma gets out to tempt rodents.

I got some 1 gallon jars at a yardsale to store spaghetti and lasagne noodles. Critters can't get in them and the gallons are to large to use for canning anyway.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Great solution!

I've got pet rats, and I can assure you that a plastic bin / storage container, is not rodent proof - they could, if they wanted to, quite easily chew through that plastic and get to the food. I would use a glass storage container or a metal container, as plastic is something they can and will just chew right through. If you're dealing with a mouse, as Rose Red states that will struggle and probably wouldn't even attempt it, but a rat as I said could with extreme ease chew through those plastic storage containers.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Right, and I don't claim those bins are rodent proof. But they have worked for us for years without one incident, so at least for now we are sticking with what is the most economical for us.

@astroranger5528

7 ай бұрын

@@RoseRedHomestead Apologies Rose Red, I didn't mean to offend you, or imply that you stated they were rodent proof. I just wanted to let people know from my own experience of owning rats, and the destruction they can cause. Again, my sincere apologies, I wasn't intending to criticise or cause you any upset, and so I apologise if I have offended you.

I use glass jars and vac seal

Get you a good cat !

Pam Thank you for the help. I would like for you to just send them to me and it is the screen shot you shared on the Packaging Pasta for Long Term storage and the one on biscuits. I have tried a number of things to get them to a print page but I have had no luck. I hope you can use a different tool to send them rather than the docx in the future. Thanks again, Bobby

Loving all u post even more the new direction you ve taken, keep them coming Gadget lady :)))

I like to use any kind of glass jar or mason jars to store my pasta, popcorn, dry beans etc. When growing up in the country, we had those big wood rats and so I always save jars instead of plastic.

Great Topic! I’ve bought a ton of it plus jarred spaghetti type sauces because I figure it is an nexpensive way to have a lot of meals with a long shelf life in reserve. I put the pasta in glass jars except for spaghetti types which I put in mylar bags and store in 5 gallon buckets.

@tennesseeterri

7 ай бұрын

I break the long spaghetti in half and vacuum into jars.

Love this!!! Thank you so much ❤❤

Rodents, bugs, etc . . . all trying to get all the pasta and other things in our storage - when the bugs get in the pasta that is in a large tote, I cook up to give to the chickens

@lynwatson1260

Ай бұрын

Great idea!

😊

Progresso has a delicious chicken lemon orzo soup. We usually take this as a base and add extra orzo to make 2 servings, not one. Delish.

@RoseRedHomestead

3 ай бұрын

Fantastic! Jim

I wonder if the scent of food is obscured by the plastic smell, and maybe that’s why the rodents leave it alone. Thanks for the great info!

Everytime I buy some pasta, within a month, weevils hatch. I usually vacuum seal it. But, rice vacuumed seal in a jar, the vacuum seal goes away within a week.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

You could use oxygen absorbers to help maintain a vacuum and remove the oxygen from the jars/bags and prevent weevils from hatching. Another option is to use new lids for your vacuum seals in addition to the oxygen absorbers. Jim

Just the video I needed. I have alot of lasagna noodles I need to pick up but didn't know how. Now I do! Thank you!!!!

Nice bins! I use Lock 'n' Lock gasketed containers for most of my pasta storage :-)

I watch your videos all the time and I want to thank you for all the information you share. Have you ever freeze dried gnocchi? If so, please direct me to the video. If not, would you be willing to test cooking and freeze drying them. I would like to add them to other freeze dried meals. For example, beef with mushrooms as gravy over gnocchi. Look forward to your next video.

Most of my pasta ares stored in 5 gal empty bakery buckets. They have the blue gasket sea is as well. I put my egg noodles in half gal size jars

I live in a humid area and I use mylar bags with oxyen absorbers

I vacuumed sealed in my mason jars my pasta

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

That works. Jim

I so appreciate all the ideas you give. A rotating pantry is so important. Well done. ❤love your channel.

Doing that same task today-same bins (bought last year) and mountains of pasta.

Great subject and information

Peppermint oil.. keep mice out. I have also heard irish soap grated up keeps pests out too.

Thanks for your videos, Pam! I found your channel when I was looking into getting into canning and found your videos comparing some electric canners. Those videos really helped me decide which machine I wanted to get. And I really appreciated the detail you went into with the numbers and guidelines behind safe canning of things like your meat sauce when testing them.

Love this

I've been using the bins like the one you have with the gasket from Walmart. They are great!

I have been portioning out my bulk items in quantities I’ll use in 3 mos. Then those smaller packs I store in a storage bin. I enjoy your videos and the format with a white board. Totally my love language.

Thanks for sharing

Always great information!!

I put all my pastas into brown lunch bags, each lunch bag has certain types of pastas in it. Then I fold the top of the bag to where it basically 'wraps' itself around the pasta, then carefully tape one small piece of tape onto it, I label it with instructions (that I also have the instructions in my recipe binder) and then put that into vacuum seal bags, seal them. They've lasted way over a year now and are still good. This saves a LOT of space and I tell you what, for those packages being so small, darn, when you fill even a small tote or container, those things get heavy fast. I learned how to do this from someone else on YT but forgot who it was. It has saved us sooooooo much space it's crazy and we've donated some to friends and family as well.

@sheriaustin8750

7 ай бұрын

I do the exact same thing. Glad to know someone else does the same thing. I do it with oatmeal and potato flakes too.

@lisaruiz6799

7 ай бұрын

@@sheriaustin8750 Me too. You can even do instant oats the same way. Just cut a tiny slit into the package of oatmeal and seal up in a vacuum seal bag. Doing all of this last year for us took a lot of time and working together but I tell you what, prices have nearly DOUBLED on the exact pastas we bought last year. One brand, we use to get for .24/package. Now that one is at .40/package the last I checked a few months ago. It's crazy!

Walmart wells 30 gal - I thi no - galvanized garbage bins with lids that are good for dried goods. When I bought mine they were only about 20 bucks

Excellent advice, thank you!😊

GREAT video! I LOVE pasta, but became a "pasta snob" and only buy Garafolo now. My store had the Garafolo on sale a few years ago and over a few weeks I bought it all. My store no longer carries it. That's a really good brand and all I buy now. Still have a few Barilla around here, but noticed it doesn't taste the same. I no longer buy that kind. That's how/why I switched to different brands. The taste changed over the years, like so many brands of food, sadly. Always GREAT to see you!!

We have been using the plastic contai ers your showing for about 10 years now. We do freeze drying a lot. They are fantastic to protect all foods. I'm glad to see you're using them as well. We live in a dry climate, too, Northern Central Nevada.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing, Jim

@SprtulLuv

7 ай бұрын

Your welcome.

Pam, I always learn from you! Thank you!!!

Bugs get into noodles, bake in the oven 195° four hour.

@RoseRedHomestead

7 ай бұрын

Or put them in your freezer for 3 days.

Great ideas. I’m going to order some of those plastic bins with the blue gasket. Thank you 💕💕

So helpful and I love the organization of it at same time. Thanks