I lived on a Caribbean island. I never had flour, beans or anything like that without bugs in it. You figure out ways to deal with them and move on. Now that I’m back in the states, I’m grateful for bug-free items and try my best to prevent them and freezing is one of the very best.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for a common sense approach to food.

The battle between good and weevil

I liked your theory: by the 3rd year, we'll see bugs in the food and think, "Extra protein!" lol I opened a bag of flour a week ago and it had flour bugs in it. Yuck. I remembered a story my Mom told me about my Dad's mom... Gram was making cookies and mom noticed there were flour bugs in the flour. Gram didn't pay any attention to them and made the cookies anyway! =) I guess when you live through the Great Depression, you view food differently. She lived into her 80s before passing, so eating a few bugs didn't hurt her! Oh, just in case you're wondering, I threw out the buggy flour... I'm not that desperate... yet!

There is no better solution for long term storage of dry goods than Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. No fiddling around with freezing, no expensive jars. Seal it and forget it for decades.

You mention protein which reminds me of a funny story. I worked for a gentleman that was a prisoner during WWII. One time they got a shipment of oatmeal with worms in it. They sifted through it and removed all the worms. The second time they got a shipment, it also had worms. He said they needed the protein so they just cooked it up. I believe in a SHTF situation, it would be a lot shorter time before we would just cook them in with the food.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for sharing this story!

After 3 years you won't care, TRUE ... LOL. Originally I stored my rice in the 5 gallon food grade buckets with screw on lids after freezing for 3 days then allowing to then sit at ambient temp about a week to get rid of any/all condensation. I would also throw in Bay Leaves at 3 or 4 levels when filling and lastly add a food safe desiccant package on top. I'm now in process of upgrading, putting that same rice in mylar bags with an oxygen absorber and then again in a 5 gallon bucket to keep the critters out. But why? Like you say the weevils are free protein. We'll have to adapt to conditions we never dreamed of or planned for. But I'm still hoping for the best and prepared for the worst I can anticipate, just for the peace of mind. I enjoy your common sense and doable approach to prepping. At 72 my back to the land back breaking hero days are over but I'm ready for anything Mother Nature throws at us here in New England. Be well as you adjust and adapt to life's losses and difficulties.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Great ideas, thanks for sharing.

I ate some cereal one time before looking in it and realized it had wevils in it, I did not get sick from it but I have looked in every box since then lol

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

I have memories from childhood of critters swimming in my cereal. Yikes!!

You are such a beautiful blessings. Thank You 💕

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

My daughter was cooking rice and I came into the kitchen and asked if she had added Italian seasoning because I saw some dark little items floating on top of the water. When she said nom I then realized what had happened, lol. I found your channel on how to properly store food, and now no longer find random weevils. Also, sprinkling Borax around the pantry keeps them away too.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Oh wow! Thanks for sharing your experiences.

LOL! I always make the joke that if there are bugs in my flour or other preps, it just added protein. So I loved it when you said it.

Thanks AG. It was great to see so many people commenting on this subject. Dried weevils can act as bait for bigger things. Trapping small creatures will yield better game but it's very time consuming.

Lol, "extra protein". I had some kind of very tiny rice weevil in two jars that *had* been frozen prior to storing. I refroze them for a week, sifted out all the dead bugs, and re-stored them in clean jars. 6+ months on, still bug free.

Extra protein. Love that attitude. That's epic! lol😂🤣😂

You always have great tips. Thank you. May the good Lord watch over you and your family. Peace and Love.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, I appreciate your kindness and shared blessings.

How interesting!

Good subject! If anyone is squeamish about eating buggy rice cook it and feed it to pets or live stock. Chickens like cooked rice, pigs will eat it and rice can stretch dog food.

@ChristianLove7

Жыл бұрын

Excellent idea 👍🏽

Good afternoon Alaska Granny. Thanks so much for your tips on preventing weevils in rice.

Thank you!

I’m blessed to have a huge stand up freezer. I always freeze all grains, flour, rice and pasta for at least 72 hours. If I have the room I just store it in the freezer

@matshepherd118

Жыл бұрын

Hello. How do you defrost your rice before storming it in Mylar bags? I worry it will condensate and hold moisture when I take it out.

@suzend46

Жыл бұрын

@@matshepherd118 I don’t store it in Mylar bags. When I take rice, coffee, grains and such out of the freezer I always cut the bag open or take the top of the jar off and let it throughly dry before putting it in a container for storage.

Thanks for this important info, AG 😊

Thank you

We were notified today that because of the violence happening in Mexico we will be seeing a shortage of fresh fruits and vegetables.

@muddyshoesgardener

Жыл бұрын

That’s interesting.

@zippy2641

Жыл бұрын

Hard to believe that could happen in a country run by drug cartels.

Good Advice. Thank You.

I wondered where youve been. Good to see you

Good Morning AG, Thank you for these Very helpful teachings. May I ask, what about Old Fashion Oatmeal. How to keep/get critters out of that? Thank you in advance.. Love to you

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

I store oatmeal in airtight containers, mylar bags, and buy from the LDS Church in number 10 cans that last 30 years. I have never had a problem with bugs or stale oatmeal.

I didn’t know I could still use the rice if bugs in it. That’s good news! If it happens, I’ll do that. I’d hate to toss out all my rice!

@AZCanner

Жыл бұрын

Yes, they can be rinsed out.

@MispelledOnPurpose

Жыл бұрын

I had 2 large bags of rice from WMT that both had weevils hatch. I may have been able to return them but I had the bags for several months before I went to use them. I put them in the freezer to stop them from multiplying and thoroughly rinsed before using. Nobody knew the difference. But if you're squeamish, rice can also be cooked and used for animal feed or other household purposes... desiccant, ground for face powder, hair rinses, etc.

@Toni-ux3xo

6 ай бұрын

Sadly, I recently freaked out, panicked, and just chucked many stored pounds of rice and pasta without remembering my mother would skim them off while cooking.

I’ve been following your method for years and never had a problem, thank you so much!

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Great to hear!

Another great survival video with a positive outlook. You’re so uplifting. You have traveled extensively. What are the food conditions like in other countries? What about herbivores. Is their food bug free? Just something I think about.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Yes, I have traveled all over the world, and had some interesting meals! Third world countries definitely have challenges with food, and use every morsel available. Sadly, Americans waste about 28% of their food.

Great advice and thanks for sharing. 🙏👏👍✨💫❤️⭐️

Thank you for your video. I've had great luck until recently when some bugs came into the house in a bag of birdseed of all things. Now tomorrow I'll fill an old sock with Diatomaceous Earth and then put that sock into another sock and make me a powder ball to dust the cupboards and he cracks with.. Now the bugs are not in the cupboard, ..... yet. So I'll fix their little wagons before they get there. The D.E. is food grade, you just don't want to be inhaling too much it. I'm wearing a mask myself. I have lots of rice in very cold storage so I'm not worried about that stuff. Good luck.

@dalegaa4094

Жыл бұрын

I've found that birdseed often has the larvae of pantry moths in it. There are moth lure sticky traps that work well but it is best to just not keep birdseed in the house at all.

Thanks for sharing this information. Very helpful.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Extra protein 😸 That's what they are...yet I like your 'skim them off the top' idea 👍

Thanks, AG... I recall living in Hawaii with a roommate from Japan. She ate rice every day. I noted that she always rinsed the rice in a colander before cooking. Maybe because of weevils? IDK, but I did eat some of the rice & I am still here today! This was over 10 years ago.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

I had friends from Korea that told me they always rinse rice three times. I think it is to remove dust and debris, and am always interested to see what the water looks like when I rinse rice.

Thank You AG for highlighting this issue. Another problem we ran into was a mouse that got into our pantry. In transitioning to country living, I told wife we have think differently.

@rachaelsupadventures

Жыл бұрын

We haven't had mice in the Years! We have 2 Hunter cats!

@tott3457

Жыл бұрын

We had mice coming in our house Which was built in the 50s and added onto. Lots of imperfections I discovered that they don’t like fabric sheets!!! 😅. I place them in the corners of my closets and the rooms. I haven’t seen a sign of the little germs since. Replace the sheets every couple months Hope this helps!

@TheGlobalTravelr

Жыл бұрын

@@rachaelsupadventures when we get fully settled our plan is to recruit a barn cat!

@TheGlobalTravelr

Жыл бұрын

@@tott3457 I will pass along to my wife. This is a new home n I think it weaseled itself through the dryer vent. Thanks!

@maryb2798

Жыл бұрын

I agree--get a cat or two and you won't have any problems with mice!🐈

This is a great video! Thank you for the video and God bless 🙏

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

If you have been holding off on buying a vacuum sealer due to price, TEMU online is selling a stripped down version for super cheap. No bells and whistles, but you don't need that anyway. Worth a try for $10. You can by precut bags online. Food Preservation Automatic Vacuum Sealer, Two Modes, Comes With 5pcs Seal Bag $10.49

This is the first time I have ever heard of rice webbles 😵‍💫 Yikes!! Thanks for the warning

Thanks Alaska Granny great information n tips God bless 🙏 😊 👍 🇺🇸

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Great Video

thanks for this. I actually had them in sealed bags of flour. They got into everything!!!!! Now I vacuum seal it in glass jars with oxygen absorbers. Makes storing them less stressful, but I am running out of storage room lol.

@dalegaa4094

Жыл бұрын

I'm trying both ways, Mylar bags with O2 absorbers and jars with O2 absorbers. Both ways I freeze and thaw before storing.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Yikes! Sorry you had to deal with pantry bugs and weevils. They are challenging!

@Loristhriftykitchenpantyr

Жыл бұрын

@@AlaskaGranny yes, Florida is very bad for bugs and rodents. The glass jars really helps a lot :)

Always enjoy your channel

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

I appreciate that.

Wonderful Information dear Alaska Grany ! Hey I am from India and from the Nashik City. Thank you so much !!

@AlaskaGranny

10 ай бұрын

You are welcome!

“By the third year . . . “ haha love it. It’s true. Still safe to eat.

Dang i hope i dont reach the third year of not caring!!!!! Lolol

My 88 year old neighbor keeps all rice and pasta in the freezer at all times and just takes out what's needed for a meal.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

That works.

Yes now I vac seal everything, and so far it works. Years ago I got some kind of little black bugs when I tried storing food in an RV. 2 Colorado winters didn't kill them, so I am not a fan of trying to freeze kill bugs. Plus like she said, condensation is a mold grower and enemy of food.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

RV storage is extra challenging. I worry about critters chewing up everything!

Use a sofa water machine with the co2 and fill your container with co2. Freeze as well to be double carefull

I didn't know to do this and ended up with a massive infestation of my beans and rice. It would have been the 3 year shtf mark for me to eat it lol. Thanks for sharing about the boiling water, I didn't know that!

@HuzzahDaddy

Жыл бұрын

Did you have them in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers?

My mom used to store ginger roots in rice, which kept them away. Not sure how well it worked. I suppose you can also use basil leaves.

Love and prayer AG

Hi. I love your channel. I have a question about flour storage. I bought a 25 lb bag of flour and had it in the freezer for 3 days. Can i just put it in 1 gallon freezer bags and put them in an air tight container in the freezer lobg term? But should i put bay leaves in it while in the freezer? Thanks.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Allow your food to come to room temperature before you package it to avoid condensation from the freezer. You can add bay leaves in the airtight container.

❤

Eeww Yuck, nasty little blighters, nobody wants those. 😮 TFS AG, take care & keep busy everyone. ❤🙂🐶

I had a lot of brown rice go bad bc i did not process it correctly. It had bugs, smelled bad, and moldy. Those same bugs got into some of my dried beans.

@zippy2641

Жыл бұрын

The bugs didn't get into your beans...they came with your beans. Don't store brown rice long term, it has too high of fat content. Use Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers for all dry goods.

How long do you freeze your rice for?

thanks for the video! Many years ago, I watched my Grandma sift through her rice and flour to strain out the bugs. Then she cooked with it. She lived through the Great Depression. I store my rice and other dried food in mylar bags or glass jars, with oxygen absorbers. the O2 absorbers were working properly, until the last 6 months or so. Every brand of o2 absorber that I order Fails now. Any suggestions? I've wondered if this issue is part of the food sabotage that's going on, or maybe the products were on a hot ship for too long?? I'm frustrated!! thanks AG ❤

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear you are having troubles with the oxygen absorbers. I hate to think food sabotage, but we need to question things that are happening. Nice lesson from Grandma!

So if you freeze it do you then Thaw it before vacuum sealing it at room temp? Will it be wet? I only have so much room in the freezer. Help to put new bag in Tupperware in freezer so when pull out to thaw before vacuum sealing it won’t condensate as much? Thanks for tips

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Yes, thaw at room temperature a few days before vacuum sealing to avoid moisture. If you do not have room in your freezer and bugs are not a problem for you, you can skip that step if you need to.

Good morning ❤️ love year 1 year 2 year 3 extra protein!!🤔 I'm always saying and all those movies where the shtf happens people are pretty excited when they find a can of fruit. And they never looked to see what the best by date is!

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Exactly!! Love this comment.

Having no way to freeze anything I put everything in vacuum sealed jars or bucket’s with bay leaves and Damascus earth . When you’re ready to use it remove the bay leaves and rinse 3 times. Now it’s ready to use !!! Stay Safe everyone!!!🇺🇸

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Your strategies work great.

Bay leaves

Yep extra protein 😂

Buggy spaghetti is another one

How many have ever used a flour sifter for a recipe because some recipe called for the measurement by sifting? I believe the original creation for the 'flour sifter' was NOT to make the flour airy for a recipe, but to filter out bugs.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Yes, I covered that in one of my videos. Bugs are naturally occurring in grains.

I noticed that you put your rice in jars. I couldn’t find jars when I started buy long term foods! So I vacuum sealed. Is this choice enough?!?

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Yes, that is great. There are many good ways to store foods to last.

👏👏👏🤞🤞🤞❤️❤️❤️

I keep bay leaves in a little bowl in my pantry, apparently weevils don't like the smell? It seems to have worked for me anyway.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Great tip!

After you freeze your rice do you let it sit out in room temperature before putting it in mylar bags with oxygen obsorbers? (then buckets) I've heard that condensation from freezing then thawing then bagging can cause dangerous mold to grow and contaminate.

@brendadavis223

Жыл бұрын

yes it should sit out a day or so

@flowermage7299

Жыл бұрын

There are a couple of other YT vid's out there on how to freeze and what to do after. But I do remember you almost have to dehydrate your food again, before storing it.

@cynmelly637

Жыл бұрын

I freeze for 3 days then leave out for 3 days, turning the package on the counter once or twice a day so both sides of the rice get dried.

@zippy2641

Жыл бұрын

Why bother freezing? No oxygen = no bugs.

can i just vacumn seal them and store them ? i mean they cant live and thrive without oxygen right ?

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Vacuum sealing is a great way to store food. Protect bags from punctures.

Another weevil thought...if they hadn't hatched, you woulk have enjoyed your rice believing it to be peast free even though there were probably insect eggs already in it...

Can you freeze your rice after it's been put into a mylar bag or will that still cause condensation?

@zippy2641

Жыл бұрын

If your going to use oxygen absorbers, there's no point in freezing. Bugs need oxygen to survive. No oxygen = no bugs.

@hollyh9334

Жыл бұрын

Yes it will cause condensation. Do not freeze in mylar. Either freeze prior to putting it in mylar (making sure it comes back to room temperature and is thoroughly dry), or simply pour the rice in the mylar bag and add oxygen absorbers. Bugs cannot live in an environment without oxygen.

I found these rice weavels in my rice. I flushed everything down the toilet.

@AlaskaGranny

3 ай бұрын

I hope you didn't clog the toilet.

@robertwright7283

3 ай бұрын

@@AlaskaGranny Everything went down fine. Those are really nasty bugs. The unopened package was full of them. I never had rice weavels before and I hope to never get them again.

Çan you eat the rice

I either oven can or freeze then vacuum seal. I'm storing my dry goods in 33 gallon galvinized trash cans and layer a lot of bay leaves with food. Cans are placed on moving dollies and stored in my garage.

@ahhotep8

Жыл бұрын

Good luck😆🤣

@NicolleteAntoinette

Жыл бұрын

I would recommend also sprinkling food grade diatamcious earth throughout and mixing well. It's safe to consume, but you could rinse before cooking if desired. Be careful not to inhale to fine dust from it as it could cause respiratory complications.

I picked fresh blackberries from our backyard. Rinsed them off and put some sugar on them. Let them rest while I made the crumble topping. Went back to the berries and there were tiny ants crawling around. Darn. So I just stirred them in and made the crumble. A little extra protein. No one was the wiser.

Weevils: How to Add Protein to Your Rice Stock : )

I wash my rice over and over to get rid of the bugs but if they're still in it I wouldn't know I cooked that and give the Lord thanks. In poorer countries no one has time to look for bugs/weevils they eat them because they're starving. It's because we are so spoiled and things are at our fingertips we just throw away and buy more. Others are not so fortunate. I know! I do that too. I threw away flour with bugs in it. My mom says she'll eat whatever is left of the flour. I know we are eating bugs daily without knowing. Probably far worst and don't know what we've consumed. That's why I don't trust some of the foods sitting out at sea on those container ships for how many years. Humidity and all. No wonder the food has bugs.

@AlaskaGranny

Жыл бұрын

Great insight into food security worldwide.

You aren't supposed to eat rice with weevils?......OOPS

Dog food!