# Mylar or Canning Jars



## joseph97297 (Nov 20, 2007)

Finishing up our bag of potato, 50 lbs on the dehydrators. Have been alternating short term storage (mason jars) and long term storage (Mylar, O2 absorbers and buckets) when finished, one tray to one, one tray to the other.

Question is......... last week I came into a great amount of 1/2 gallon jars, to the tune of 130-150 (for the great price of free, but that is another post), would they be as good as Mylar if packed with O2 Absorbers and kept out of the light? We literally have tons of space in regards to light free storage, inside. I am down to my last 70 mylar bags so if I can use these jars, that would be a boost to the budget.

So any ideas or opinions? I was thinking that they would seal nicely and if kept out of the light they would work. I know they are breakable, but only myself or the wife gets out of the storage areas.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Congrats on both the potatoes and the jars!

I love using jars for dry food storage, but that's an individual choice. If you have somewhere to keep the jars safe from falling (I keep them on heavy duty shelves in their original boxes and out of light and heat, I'd use the jars. They don't have to be airtight sealed either - just screwed down tight to keep moisture and air out. 

I started out using a lot of mylar bags, but have drifted more towards jars in the last two years. Mainly I use buckets for rice, salt, sugar, oatmeal, and other pourable things.


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## Just Cliff (Nov 27, 2008)

You lucky ba...Guy. Wow! Great find on those jars!!!!!!!!

Jars are fine to store in and they can be reused. Gett a box of Ball plastic screw on lids to put on the open jars and you should be set.

I don't use O2 absorbers often., I use nitrogen over my dehydrated stuff. A lot of people use O2 absorbers and love them. I have used a few in the past. I also use used lids on my jars of dehydrated goods. I heat my jars in the oven with the goods in them. If you keep the heat LOW around <150 you wont damage your food. I do it enough to get everything warm, pull it out, shoot it with Nitrogen and seal it. My jars do have a light vacuum seal. I do the same thing.. kind of, on my tins. This also works well for "one use" jars like spaghetti sauce comes in. 
I have, in the past, packed my food right into the jars, put a hot lid on and used my vacuum machine to pull it down and sealed it.

ETA: Make sure your lids are warm to hot to make sure you get a good seal. The way I reuse lids without bending is to put my jars in hot water. It increases the pressure inside the jars and the lids are easier to remove without bending. This works very well on the liquid goods you have canned because you will probably heat most of the stuff anyway.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

> Have been alternating short term storage (mason jars)


Uh oh. I'm missing something.
Why are mason jars only short term storage for dry goods?


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

You can definitely use those mason jars for LTS. Either O2 absorbers or vacuum sealing will work. I wouldn't suggest using the plastic caps for this. In my experience, they leak liquid, and if they leak liquid, they'll leak air into your food. Oxygen and light are the enemies of LTS. Breakage in an earthquake or shelf failure is the other hazard. Find cardboard boxes the right size to fit the jars and make a cardboard grid between the jars to cushion them, then store on the lower shelves. You can also use paper towels or newspaper in between the jars in the box to package them securely. Hope this helps. 

For more info, check out the links on any of A.T. Hagen's posts. He has compiled a wonderful .pfd doc on food storage and preparedness.


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## coalroadcabin (Jun 16, 2004)

I am so jealous! I love 1/2 gallon Mason jars for dry foods storage. Congrats on your windfall!


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## Packedready (Mar 29, 2011)

I vacum seal my 1/2 gallon jars with all my dry daily usage items. I use 5 gallon buckets with with 02 absorbers. I never used to use 02 absorbers and never had a problem, all though I did have wheat go bad (rancid) after 8 years.


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## casusbelli (Jan 6, 2009)

just put the dehydrated stuff in the jars with an O2 absorber, using reg canning lids. They seal for me, and they pull down in center of lid, just like when your canning cools down. The O2 is 21% of air, and when that's absorbed, there is a partial vacuum. I've heard that the O2 absrbrs also absorb some moisture too, dunno if that's true. 
I dunno if the vacuum is permanent. Never had a 'pop-up' after time. 
glass should be as good or better than mylar. 
They say the absorbers are non-toxic. Suppose they are right, since they're also put in various packages in processed foods, like bacon bits. Nevertheless, I wrap mine in cut-outs of coffee filters to keep them from touching the food. Probably over-kill.


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## joseph97297 (Nov 20, 2007)

Thanks all, figured it would be okay, just wanted to check with others. Heading up this weekend to pick up two more bags of taters ($12 for 50 lbs white, 15 for red) and a bag of onions.

The dehydrators are enjoying the break right now, got a batch of chili going right now in the crockpots, will dehydrate that tomorrow (after a brief fridge nap).


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## Just Cliff (Nov 27, 2008)

Apparently there was a misunderstanding of my post. The plastic lids are used AFTER you open said dehydrated item to use if you don't use the whole jar.


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## windblown (Apr 18, 2011)

dehydrated chili???? that sounds very interesting how do you do it


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Only thing I can add, is that rats will chew through Mylar, but they can't through canning jars  That said, plenty of folks keep their Mylar bags securely sealed inside 5 gallon buckets. I am opting for this solution. I had read dehydrated foods stored in Mylar would last a lot longer than jars, even with O2 absorbers. Does any one know this to be true? I'd like to factor the longevity in with my plans...


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## joseph97297 (Nov 20, 2007)

I use mylar inside the buckets, but only put an Oxygen Absorber in the bag as the plastic will breath anyway.

Basically, no meat chili and then spread it out on the fruit trays....

I have three or four recipes, from basic to "Holy Cow, where is the ice cream?"


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## acde (Jul 25, 2011)

putting a wide rubber band around the middle of the jars helps to keep them from bumping each other.
great score. I have an obsession with mason jars .


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

acde said:


> putting a wide rubber band around the middle of the jars helps to keep them from bumping each other.
> great score.



Good idea - now I'll have to be on the look out for some nice wide bands.


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

Sounds like a good use for those rubber bands that come around our newspapers.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

I did some research and *CANNING JARS WIN*! Mylar loses, oh well, has its uses.


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