Long term food storage can be achieved without cans, buckets or oxygen absorbers. Using my techique you can vaccum seal food in a mylar bag and a FoodSaver.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
To store food for a long time, instead of buckets and oxygen absorbers you might try this technique using a FoodSaver.
I just wanted to thank you Billy for this video. After one or two attempts I got the technique down. It is fantastic. Since I am only prepping for 3 people storing 25 lbs or more of rice, wheat, etc. in a single mylar bag in a 5 gallon bucket is actually impractical. Using your method I can easily store one or two pounds of food in a smaller mylar bag using my foodsaver vacuum sealer and thus I only have to open what I need when the time comes even if it is only for normal storage rotation.
@Pippie2010va Don’t give up. I came up with a real easy way using the tube you get with the FoodSaver. Look for it on my list of videos.
I’m doing something wrong, Nothing of mine worked and I wasted so many bags and absorbers, didn’t work using a food saver either .
My air tight bag which came with the Food Saver does not hold the air for too long. I know the machine works perfectly and seals it tight first, but after about 30 days or longer, the bag gets loosen. I had collectible coins in couple bags and it sealed really nice and tight at first, but after a while all my coins were loose in all the bags. Do you have any tip ?
The reason behind the very thin FoodSaver strip (1″ or less) is that it has to fit between the vacuum chamber and the heat strip (can’t touch the heat strip) on this newer model and there isn’t much room. When I cut a 3″ strip the bag never sealed b/c both the Mylar bag AND FoodSaver bag was on the heat strip, so the machine was trying to heat seal through all those bag layers.
Since the Mylar bag is the only part that is sealed you can actually reuse the 1″ strip over again on the next bag.
I just purchased the new FoodSaver V3840. It stands upright and it fully automatic. It took me about 2 hours to figure out the same process that Billy shows in the video. The key to the newer upright auto models is instead of cutting a 2-3″ strip, you cut about a 1″ or less strip so that the FoodSaver bag inside the Mylar bag does NOT cover the heat sealing strip. The 1″ strip ONLY goes into the vacuum chamber and the Mylar bag is sealed behind it all in one step b/c it’s fully automatic.
Excellent. Save a lot of foodsaver bag footage. Thanks!
Hey Billy, cut the strip sideways, feed into Mylar bottom to top, and seal. Will draw air from the bottom.
Billy…what size Mylar bags are you using to fit the 8 inch strip of FoodSaver bag inside it? Is the Mylar bag also 8 inches wide?
Right on
.
I was looking for cheaper bags than the expensive food saver bags to seal food with. If the mylar bags are reasonably cheap, this just solved my problem.
Thank you sir
You, sir, are a genius!
Darn! I thought I was the first one to think of this! Oh well. I guess that means you are I are brain brothers. It takes a very imaginative and logical mind to come up with an idea like this.
Here’s my video. It was such a cool idea that I wanted to share it too.
watch?v=4U_mTR9rEUg
What thickness were the bags that you used? I purchased a case from the LDS website and have yet to put them to use. (Truck driver)
I want to get more food stores up when possible. Thanks for the GREAT vid’s. We all know that when it comes to food storage bags, mylar is the way to go.
Thanks. Worked great. You are the man!
The Foodsaver sucks all of the air out prior to sealing. Your hear the vacuum then once the suction reaches a preset level, the heat strip warms, sealing the mylar. The Foodsaver bags work quite well, but eventually air will diffuse into the bag, so they aren’t good for long term (30 years) food storage. Perhaps a few years though.
So the air in the bags will automatically drain out of the bag once you seal it? Or is that an optical illusion..? Thanks for the reply 5/5
You’re quite welcome. Do use the iron though. Some bags I didn’t use the iron on leaked a little. The iron gives you a wider seal.
This worked like a charm! I never would have figured this out on my own. Thank you!!!
Another good idea is to take an iron and make an even wider seal as a final step. Like the oxygen absorber, it’s good insurance.
Another great video … I’ll try both techniques. It would sure save on FS bags to use just a strip inside the mylar. Thank you!
Fred,
Try both techniques and let me know your preference.
hey, thanks a lot for the new video…it information will help a lot in my food storage……thanks again
is there a difference in rolls of mylar (usually used in growing plants) and pre made “food grade” mylar bags?
@bravecat100
I made another video using a different technique. It’s called: The Easiest Way to Seal a Mylar Bag With a FoodSaver – Ever. Look it up under my list of videos and try it.
I tried this on my pretty strong Kenmore seal and save (a vacuum of 26″hg) and yet it doesn’t work. It seems the heating element wasn’t design for this. I even let it heat two or three times. It looks like the Mylar bag is 5 mil. Total it has to seal 16 mil thick.
@bobbobmarley27 It’s not magic, I’m sure it would.
Why did you take the white plasic off at the end?
A picture is worth a thousand words. This video is priceless. Thank you!
Since when and? who has been telling you to do this ? To store? food, and buy Silver, etc.
BeeRich33,
I got mine on ebay, after looking they had the best prices. (even with shipping)
Where can I get mylar bags?
@billygarner587 hi bill…how about mushroom?..can it help to prolong the freshness of a mushroom?…hoping for your response…ty
You won’t need the DVD’s to be vacuum sealed, just sealed. Squeeze out the air and seal with a foodsaver or just an iron.
ok then could U use a strip (one half the bag corrugated side only) of the food saver bag INSIDE the Mylar bag so U only Use 1 inch of food saver bag?
Jagjit,
Sorry it took me a while to respond. Liquids will be sucked up into the FoodSaver, so I suggest you put them in a plastic Foodsaver bag, squeeze out all of the air you can, and seal the end without vacuum. You can do the same with Mylar, but you wouldn’t know when all of the air is out. If presence of air is unimportant, simply pour in the liquid into the Mylar bag, keeping the edge to be sealed dry, and seal with an iron.
Thanks, Bill
Im intereested in perserving my dvds in mylar bags. What happens if you just use the mylar bag with no outer foodsaver bag? will the mylar bag seal?
I like this idea but I don’t like waisting the food savor bags could you make the food savor bag alot longer then the mylar so you can reuse it or dose it have to be almost the same size?
WOW! That is totally awesome. I will have to pass this on to the other ladies in my Titus 2 class.
awesome and informative video. any idea how to seal liquid food?
Bill,
Thanks for your efforts in making this. I am bolstering my food storage and also looking for a vacuum sealer to put away an Elk I took while preventing freezer burn.
I so appreciate your knowledge. Now I know how to use Mylar for solid food storage.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Dante
Awesome. I’m going to put this vid in my favorites-list. 5/5
The model I have is about 12 years old. I would get the best I could afford, and it should last a long time. Look at the different features and see if you need those extras. The higher the vacuum, the better.
There are so many Food Saver models that it is hard to choose. Can you recommend one?
In my experimenting, I have used both. It’s too early to tell, but the ones with the oxygen absorbers are extremely hard. At about 40 cents each, it’s cheap insurance to use one in case there are a few molecules left in the space between the beans peas, etc.
Wow, I think this is an awesome idea! Do you add an oxygen pack inside the mylar bag for extra security since this is for long term storage?
Jane,
Thanks for your kind comments. I like your suggestion of writing contents/date on the tab. It needs to be there so our grandchildren will know what grandma or grandpa put in the mylar bag a few decades before. By the way, I have been experimenting some more and have a new, easier technique. It will be posted either tomorrow or this weekend.
Thanks,
Bill
This is THE MOST PRECIOUS video. I adore your accent and your matter of fact tone..and the way you knock on it to show how hard it is…it makes my eight year old giggle. I AM NOT being sarcastic. Watching your video is hypnotic. Like watching The Waltons is soothing when I just can’t face reality on FOX NEWS.
ONE SUGGESTION…that wide flap you cut off at the very end would be a GREAT TAB on which to SHARPIE the CONTENTS and maybe a date on your very superior, but very OPAQUE sealing bag!!