Question: has anyone done cost-comparison and effectiveness-comparison between using mylar bags and vacuum sealing with seal-a-meal?
I just called Seal-A-Meal and the lady who answered the phone didn't have any info comparing seal-a-meal to mylar bags. She'd never heard of them. But stated that foods should follow the guidelines in seal-a-meal product booklet:
Pantry:
Cereal - 6-12 months
Coffee, ground - 1-2 years
Flour - 1-2 years
Nuts - 1-2 years
That doesn't seem like a long time. I really need more information.
STOP!
Just talked with the lady's supervisor, Sheila, and she said that as long as you get all of the air out, dry goods properly sealed in a seal-a-meal bagging could last 5-7 years! Thanks, Sheila.
A side note: I will use oxygen absorbers, not in the seal-a-meal bags but 10-15 per 4-gallon bucket. Well, I guess I'm gonna be sealin'-my-meals when I'm over this flu!
Question: Will a seal-a-meal machine seal mylar bags?
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As a side-note, I've broken down and am ordering 26 4-gallon square buckets with lids. I chose 26 so that I can pack 2-weeks worth of food in each - from rice, beans, peas, lentils, gluten-free pancake mix and pastas, dried fruit, spices, tea, powdered milk and eggs, etc. We received a seal-a-meal as a wedding present, and, barring a relapse of the flu, will start unpacking boxes, organizing our food stores, and sealing up 2 weeks at a time.
4 comments:
We have a food saver and I do use it to seal my mylar bags. I also make my own soup mixes, bread mixes etc. and put them in food saver bags. Then all I have to do is open a bag, pour in the crockpot, add leftover meat and fill with water when I don't feel well, so we can still eat easily. My grown daughter even asked for these mixes to be on her Christmas list.
That's a great idea, Rebecka. Thanks.
Good to know that the seal-a-meal can seal mylar bags too.
Vikki
Be careful using too many oxygen absorbers in a bucket. I'm not positive, but I think I read that you can actually end up damaging your bucket with too many absorbers.
Thanks for the great posts!
Cindy
I seal mylar with my clothes iron. Just lay edge of bag on a wood cutting board and press lightly with iron on medium. Any method (02 absorbers or seal-a-meal) of removing the air is good. But even without air, foods with high oil (nuts) content shouldn't be kept long. If you use seal-a-meal to close mylar bags, you may want to make it release sooner than it does by itself, because mylar just doesn't need as much heat.
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