The Gun Counter

I am planning on buying some of these gamma seal lids as part of my food storage / survival strategy. But buying the buckets and having them shipped seems VERY DUMB as the cost of shipping is so high due to bulk.

Suggestions on finding local purveyors of food grade quality buckets. Free is obviously better, but just avoiding spending $5 in shipping for each $5 bucket would be great too.

Side not, is there any real reason that any NEW bucket isn't food safe?

http://freckleface.com/shopsite_sc/stor ... seals.html

A bakery would be my first choice, though lots of other food ingredients come in 5 gallon buckets.

I've seen new 5 gal buckets for sale at the big home improvement stores. If you can find used ones, I don't see why they wouldn't be safe if you washed them well before use.

Darrell wrote:I've seen new 5 gal buckets for sale at the big home improvement stores. If you can find used ones, I don't see why they wouldn't be safe if you washed them well before use.

I've seen them there too. But I was wondering if they were of different (lesser) chemical blend that made them less good / food safe. As in a little chemical weepage into your house paint is no big deal, but that same weepage into your rice might be toxic.

CByrneIV wrote:

They leach solvents and mold release agents over time. Food grade buckets are made on a production line that uses non toxic non leeching solvents and mold release agents.

I figured there was something to it other than just a label.

Does it still matter if I am partitioning them off by putting the grains in ziplocks inside the bucket. My idea is to put a mix of grains in each bucket (rice, cous cous, legumes) then I have a reasonable amount of each to eat through when I open each bucket (for rotation of stock)?

Off to see about bakeries in the area.

Thanks guys

Nearly any business which serves prepared food will get something in 5 gallon buckets. When I worked at the brewpub, we had buckets of pickle slices for garnishing sandwiches. We would empty one every three or four months.

The smell left behind by pickles or whatever can be removed by soaking/scrubbing with a strong lye solution. The solution may be recycled from one bucket to another.

Having an opening tool like one of these makes life much easier. A simple plastic one can be had for less than $10.

Catbird wrote:
Having an opening tool like one of these makes life much easier. A simple plastic one can be had for less than $10.

I am a reformed Chef. We had one of those at most of the restaurants, not that I could get anyone to use it.

But most restaurants don't buy in 5 gal pails anymore. But I did get two buckets from the grocery store and it seems like they will be a steady, if slow supply of them. The lady mentioned that other people come in and get them too. She had a look on her face of "WHY?" but I didn't take the time to enlighten her. Figured I would look all tin foil hatty.

Does it still matter if I am partitioning them off by putting the grains in ziplocks inside the bucket. My idea is to put a mix of grains in each bucket (rice, cous cous, legumes) then I have a reasonable amount of each to eat through when I open each bucket (for rotation of stock)?

Ziplocks may hold water but they still are permeable to many vapors (including water vapor!).

blackeagle603 wrote:

Does it still matter if I am partitioning them off by putting the grains in ziplocks inside the bucket. My idea is to put a mix of grains in each bucket (rice, cous cous, legumes) then I have a reasonable amount of each to eat through when I open each bucket (for rotation of stock)?

Ziplocks may hold water but they still are permeable to many vapors (including water vapor!).

Good thinking. I got two from my local grocery and it seems like I can get more without much trouble, so I will just take that route.

Only downside is they are 3 gallon, but I can upgrade as I find 5 and 7 gallon ones and for some things, 3 gallons might be a great size.

Now to figure out where to store my comestibles. No basements in Florida.

This thread got me to thinking...

Keep an eye peeled for opportunity to score food grade buckets if you have industrial type kitchens in your area that feed large qty's of people -- e.g. Church Conference/Camps, school kitchens, perhaps even hospital or nursing home kitchens.

I've got close friends who are food service mgr's at a Christian Camp/Conference center. I'll be asking them about saving this type bucket for me.