Where do you get your bulk food storage containers?

[babydanielsmom]

The title just about says it all. We are in the process of remodling our laundry room and I want to dedicate some of the space to food storage...like rice, beans, flour. Is there any "special container" I need or will a container with a lid suffice (sorry I'm such a newbie at this stuff)? TIA

[babydanielsmom]

Any one?

[heathenmom]

I store bulk dry goods in 5 gallon buckets with lids. It's kind of a mish-mash: some I bought from wally-world, some from Home Depot, some I got free from different bakeries. For buckets that I open frequently (flour, mostly) I coughed up the cash for gamma lids. They. Are. Awesome. But pricey.

HTH

[mamadelbosque]

I'd go with 5 gallon buckets w/ gamma seal lids myself. We have 5 gallon glass ball jars... but I wouldn't buy them again. What I didn't realize when I bought them is that you can *NOT* buy replacement parts - so if/when you drop/break a lid the whole jar is worthless. It sucks.

[spring978]

I use free buckets from the bakery for huge amounts and glass gallon size wine jugs for everything else

[babydanielsmom]

thanks so much I had no idea bakeries would give away buckets

[fierrbugg]

Seconding the gamma seal lids. We just recently discovered that they come in different colors - is it sad when little things like that excite you?

I would also suggest looking into mylar bags and oxygen absorbers for extra protection inside the buckets for really long term storage. The bags are just over a buck a piece and can be cut down to different sizes too. You can seal them with something as simple as an iron (or hair iron, or food saver). Oxygen absorbers are a bit more expensive.

I know you asked specifically about bulk jars, but I do use smaller glass jars for some of my beans and such. Right now there are coupons on redplum.com for $1 off of the Ball Canning jar kits. Also check out your local thrift stores, rummage sales, CL etc.. You'd be amazed what people get rid of.

mamadelbosque: I also have a 5 gallon jar for which the lid busted. I was able to find a replacement lid on the top of a plastic jug of protein powder. Wish I knew the brand, but I stole it from a jug my brother was throwing away just to see if it would work. It's great to have use of my flour jar again. hth

[spiderdust]

I have 5 gallon containers with gamma lids. I found them at Costco in the area where they have pet food and such (probably so people can store the huge Costco bags of pet food in them, but they're fine for human food storage too). I do store some smaller amounts of things in 1/2 gallon glass jars too.