What would you say if I told you that you could eat food up to 30 years old? Honestly, it would probably be a resounding “YUCK!” I was right there with you until recently.
We bought a home in 2021 and are finally able to have the garden we have always wanted, and we are growing more food than we ever thought possible. We’ve got canning and dehydrating down, but getting through what we were able to store within their shelf life is sometimes difficult. So I began researching alternative methods for long-term food storage, and I fell deep down the rabbit hole… so deep I ended up in deep space or maybe the deep woods and stumbled upon the Mylar bags. Remember astronaut ice cream and beef stew in a bag? That stuff.
Along with Mylar bags, you will discover the freeze dryer. Unfortunately, a freeze dryer can run up into the multiple thousands and is not quite in the budget just yet, BUT that didn’t stop me. What I noticed after the sticker shock of a freeze dryer was the packaging (Mylar), and I’m surprised I never noticed it before. Our food and other common household items are packaged in Mylar bags.
What is Mylar?
Hang with me while we get technical for a second. Mylar is Biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate which is a polyester film made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate. It is strong, stable, clear, and acts as a gas and odor barrier, all of which have made it a favorite of the food industry. Typically Mylar is coated over other strong or attractive materials like aluminum or craft paper to add strength or style, but the main reason the food industry loves it is that it acts as a barrier. Oxygen and moisture are the enemies of food, and Mylar keeps both out. Most foods are not the ideal candidates for long-term storage because of oil or moisture, but Mylar can help get that expiration date to a year. So why aren’t most foods packaged in Mylar? Unless you are shopping at an emergency preparedness shop (do those exist? probably) or your local outdoor and recreation store, you will not see much packaged for long-term intent. Why? Cause money. Mylar is a more expensive packaging, and companies want you to go through their items (or let them expire) and come back and buy more.
Which foods can be stored long-term?
A lot of items’ shelf-life can be extended in a Mylar bag (with an oxygen absorber), but the general rule of thumb is that the more moisture or oil a food contains, the worse candidate it is for long-term food storage. I’m going to skip the less-than-a-year items and get to the (incomplete) list of cool stuff.
3 – 5 years:
- Baby milk/formula
- Cornmeal (maize flour)
- Herbs (ground)
- Powdered milk (full-fat)
- Sprouting seeds
- Green coffee beans
5 – 10 years:
- Alfalfa
- Granolas (without fruit or added oils)
- Herbs (whole)
- Millet
- Most Beans (some longer – see below)
- Quinoa
- Peppercorns (whole)
- Peanut butter powder
- Powdered milk (semi-skimmed)
- Powdered egg (freeze-dried)
- Rye
- Unbleached flour
- Wheat flakes
20 – 30 years
- Coffee (instant)
- Freeze-dried fruit and vegetables
- Hulled oats
- Kidney beans
- Lentils
- Lima beans
- Noodles
- Pasta
- Pink beans
- Powdered milk (skimmed)
- Rolled oats
- Tea (bags or loose)
- White rice
Indefinitely:
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Honey powder
- Salt
- Sugar
So now what?
Exciting stuff, right? Now to take action. We’re not afraid of buying those 10lb bags of flour anymore, and I’m way more prepared and excited to dehydrate items from our garden this year. I’m also trying my hand at seed saving this season, and I will pack them in Mylar for next spring.
Have you tried Mylar bags before? Let me know more about your experience and how you use them in your household in the comments.
