# Cold temps and canned foods



## Sunbee (Sep 30, 2008)

I have some commercially canned food out in our uninsulated, unheated garage. It's not going to get as cold as outside: our deep freeze is out there and running, but I don't know how much help that will be.
Is freezing a concern for food in metal cans? I've just got tomatoes out there right now. My preps are woefully low but I was thinking of storing stuff out there, including food, as I rebuild them--it's on the north side and stayed cooler than the house all summer.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Not Good because frozen food expands! Of course the cans will freeze solid in no time. 
Can't you store the cans under a bed or up in a closet?


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## Sunbee (Sep 30, 2008)

No more closet space, and under the bed is out because the kids will play with it. There are seven of us and this is not a big or well designed rental. I'll figure something out, though. Won't hurt legumes or grains to freeze.

I know I can freeze stuff in my straight sided glass canning jars--they're labeled for it and I do all the time, but all my jars are empty (except for the one with cranberry-horseradish relish in the freezer). So that's why I wondered.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Ok, I know this cause I did have tons of solid expanded canned food. I needed to use it and it was going to stay a solid mass for months to be my location. I used it. It was frozen I thawed it and used it right a way. Texture was ruined but we were not starved. This was done in 2003 my disater year. Any can that I did not find before spring and did thaw but did not split was later feed to chickens. Thawed and split was burned. Explaination as to why I did not find it all was due only to phyically not being able to make it down a cliff to retrieve all of the totes of can goods before the trail was closed due to seasonal conditions. It was at were where only to be there temp till early Fall but things happened and we had no place but that to live in and Winter came on us and we retreated to a shed on the bluff. My son and I did all we could to get as much as we could get. I remember the sound of the cans bursting and popping. We were inside in a beach cooking shack by the woodstove somewhat warm, crowded with as much as we could fill the shack with that was needed. tough choices. I saved alot that winter but I lost a lot too. If it is frozen keep it frozen.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

kasilofhome said:


> Ok, I know this cause I did have tons of solid expanded canned food. I needed to use it and it was going to stay a solid mass for months to be my location. I used it. It was frozen I thawed it and used it right a way. Texture was ruined but we were not starved. This was done in 2003 my disater year. Any can that I did not find before spring and did thaw but did not split was later feed to chickens. Thawed and split was burned. Explaination as to why I did not find it all was due only to phyically not being able to make it down a cliff to retrieve all of the totes of can goods before the trail was closed due to seasonal conditions. It was at were where only to be there temp till early Fall but things happened and we had no place but that to live in and Winter came on us and we retreated to a shed on the bluff. My son and I did all we could to get as much as we could get. I remember the sound of the cans bursting and popping. We were inside in a beach cooking shack by the woodstove somewhat warm, crowded with as much as we could fill the shack with that was needed. tough choices. I saved alot that winter but I lost a lot too. If it is frozen keep it frozen.


Wow,that must have been scary.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I'll figure something out, though


A cabinet with a light bulb and a TC-3 Thermocube can keep things above freezing without heating the entire space.

I'd use two seperate light fixtures in case one burns out

http://www.thermocube.com/


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

It is because of where I once found ourselves that I connected the dots (helped being in area where people used the term "homesteading" that once I got to a place that had internet I searched the word and found this site. This has been the greatest educational site better than college and the monthly fee is only internet fees which I consider a savings. 
Homeschool info and free classes
the news
banking online. (saves gas and stamps)
knowledge,
online books
comparing prices online (saves gas)
I used to feel like all I did was take from you people it is a joy when 
my first hand deals can be past on to help someone else.


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## Sunbee (Sep 30, 2008)

That thermocube looks like what my folks need for their 'wellhouse' (which is really more like a crawlspace under the patio stairs to access the pump).

Good to know I can still use the cans if they've frozen as long as I don't let them thaw, thanks. Not sure what their current status is, but I'd guess they aren't frozen yet.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I need one (or two!) of those thermocubes for our pump house - we keep a light bulb on in the coldest parts of winter, but it would be great to not have to remember to do it.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I need one (or two!) of those thermocubes for our pump house - we keep a light bulb on in the coldest parts of winter, but it would be great to not have to remember to do it.


It's best to use at least 2 lights, and to check every now and then to make sure they haven't burned out.

You could even use a *small* electric heater


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Yes, we discovered this Spring that the bulb had burned out sometime between February when we last checked it, and April when we went to turn it off for the summer. We didn't have any severely cold weather but it could have been bad. It's just one of those things you don't think about every day (unless the pump lines freeze!). So this winter we're splitting the electric and putting in TWO bulbs.


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## lemonthyme7 (Jul 8, 2010)

We have an unused refrigerator on our unheated front porch. I am using it to store any boxed items that freezing will not hurt so that I can keep any cans or items that freezing would damage inside. The refrigerator assures me that my items will be critter proof. I am guessing if I had a way to put a light bulb inside the refrigerator that it would keep it above freezing as the refrigerator insulation would help. Probably not an option for you but just thought I'd throw it out there.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I am guessing if I had a way to put a light bulb inside the refrigerator that it would keep it above freezing


It's possible you could use a small drop cord and still be able to shut the door, especially if you cut a small notch in the door seal
It doesn't take a large bulb to keep it above 32*


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## Guest (Nov 10, 2011)

Some canned food, like oil pack tuna, won't freeze. I have made perfectly good tuna sandwiches from tuna that was left in the hunting cabin over the winter. 

Some things like cooking oil, shampoo, and dish soap will freeze but are normal when they thaw out.


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Will the kids still get into it if it is in one of those plastic tubs designed to go under the bed? If it isn't something you need access too all the time, a bit of duct tape wrapped around the box in a couple of places might be enough to keep them out of it. Not too much damage they could do to the cans anyway, although I suppose if yours are like mine they would end up using the cans as weapons.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

We've had stuff freeze and then used it later. We lived. I don't worry about things like that too much. I have honestly never had a can split, but it would be a possibility if the contents froze hard.


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## Gianni (Dec 9, 2009)

Frozen canned food looses taste but not nutrition. Nutrition drops at the same rate for frozen or non frozen. This comes from a grocer friend.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Frozen canned food looses taste but not nutrition.


The bigger problem is the cans might burst


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