Food Storage Recommendations
 | Author:
Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent |
Food Storage Recommendations
Allison Kosto
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
Ever find a great sale where you want to buy a large quantity of food?! It’s a great feeling to save a little money! Plus the rural nature of our life in Montana provides incentive to have staple products on hand over the convenience of a quick trip to the grocery store. However, it can be difficult to figure out what to do with a large quality of food and continue to balance safety and quality. Having an understanding of food storage recommendations may allow you to extend the shelf life of food products.
Not all food can be treated equally when it comes to storage. There are two thresholds that are important to consider. The first is quality. Even when stored properly, food will deteriorate in quality before it becomes unsafe to eat. The next important threshold is safety. Both of these thresholds depend on the type of food, length of time in storage, temperature of storage area and packaging. Some of these factors are out of our control while others can be strategically addressed.
When considering length of time, it is important to recognize that food has been stored in other places before coming to your home. It sat in distribution and transportation for a period of time as well as the store. Most packaging comes with a date, but different terminology is used. “Sell by” is the date the store is required to sell the product. However, the consumer can still safely eat the product after this date. A great example is milk. Montana has a unique milk law that requires that milk be sold within 12 days of pasteurization. However, the industry standard is 14 to 21 days. This means milk in Montana is very fresh and allows for flexibility after the “sell by” date to continue to drink or use the milk at home. If you need milk stored even longer, you can freeze it for up to three months. It is important to note that freezing can affect milk’s flavor and consistency, but it still works great for cooking.
Other times you may see a “best if used by” date which indicates a date for best quality and flavor. This date has nothing to do with product safety. Another date label is “use by.” Similar to the “best by” date, you will notice a deterioration in quality after this date. Some products such as baby food or formula are considered unsafe after this date and should be thrown out. If you are considering long-term storage of any food product, then make sure it has not passed the expiration date because the quality is already decreasing.
The best food storage space is cool and dry. If possible, keep in an airtight container. Placing it in a fridge or freezer will typically further extend the shelf life but can result in changes in the quality for some products. Using containers or materials designed for freezer storage is important. Charts exist that provide detailed recommendations for specific products.
Another reason to store food is to be prepared in case of an emergency. It is recommended to have at least three days’ food and water on hand for an emergency. This is because in an emergency, it will take an average of 72 hours for government officials to set up relief efforts. In some areas, especially hurricane zones, it may be advisable to have several weeks’ worth of food and water saved. The 3-day emergency supply should be portable so that you could grab it if you asked to evacuate quickly. A portion of these foods should be ready to eat with no cooking. Commercially canned products are a great option for this. Bulk foods such as grains, beans and dried milk are also good additions. Don’t worry about nutrient or vitamin deficiencies in a short-term situation. For water, plan for at least 1 gallon of water per person a day. To save time, you can also purchase prepared containers that have emergency food supplies ready to go.
Some organizations advocate for a long-term food supply for an emergency that may impact the food supply chain for one or more years. This obviously takes up a lot more storage space and there are only certain foods that can be stored safely for this long. Long-term food storage is limited to canned goods and low-moisture foods. A year's supply of basic foods for one person is about 400 lbs. wheat, 60 lbs. dry beans, 60 lbs. sugar, 15 lbs. powdered milk, 10 qts. oil and 8 lbs. salt. This selection of food products lacks several nutrients and vitamins that could be found in canned fruits, vegetables or meats. Other long-term food options are meat jerky, instant potatoes, rice, dry pasta, applesauce and powdered drinks. Also don’t forget to store the equipment needed for cooking and be sure to rotate food and water every 6 to 12 months to ensure you keep a safe and quality food supply.
No matter your rationale behind food storage, it takes time and effort to store food successfully and safely for the short, medium or long term. For more information on food storage and safety, contact MSU Extension in Broadwater County at 406-266-9242 or allison.kosto@montana.edu.
