italics are things I’m not sure about
Why I wanted a vacuum sealer
Freezer burn
Fish & meats
I belong to a food club and we purchase in bulk for better pricing. I like to purchase whole frozen sockeye salmon (3-5 pound size). However it’s just my husband and I, so I use my butcher saw and cut the frozen salmon into about 6-7 servings and the put the pieces in Pyrex bowls or Ziploc® bags to go back into the freezer. Either way, I get freezer burn.
The other day I purchased 10 pounds of chicken heads for bone broth – it arrived as one big frozen chunk. It needed to be slightly thawed and refrozen into smaller portion sizes. I used Ziploc® bags, but could not remove all the air. The following simple methods are not really good enough for my purposes.
- Using a straw to try to remove air
- Using the water displacement method to remove air
Garden produce
Sometimes the easiest things to do with summer abundance of fruits such as elderberry berries and goumi berries is to Ziploc® them and put them in the freezer. Unfortunately freeze burn is an issue here as well. I work so hard for the produce, I want to consume it in the best and most flavorful state.
Short and long term dry storage
My food club offers various bulk purchases – including nuts & seeds, beans & lentils, and dried fruits. I also like taking advantage of grocery store specials. However, fresh is important to me and I want to avoid the possibility of bugs.
This winter, we had some uninvited house guests – mice. They seemed to enjoy unopened bags of rice and grains. I need to get better about storing food in Mason jars, or putting unopened bags in air tight rodent proof containers such as Clear Weathertight Totes, vacuum tight 5 gallon buckets with screw on lids or small Galvanized Steel Trash Cans with Lids
Nut & seed storage
According to Sally Fallon, sprouting, in particular the drying, slows the rancidity process so that pecans are good for six months at room temperature when dried. Fresh pecans in an airtight container have been shown to stay good for 23 years in the freezer by the University of Alabama. Personally we like to keep larger bags in the freezer, and keep small amounts in glass jars in the pantry to eat out of and refill as needed. The key is keeping them in something airtight, and then refrigeration helps keep them fresh. Walnuts go rancid very easily, pecans are close. Almonds are much tougher, and pumpkin and sunflower seeds are very durable.
David at Pecan Shop
I also talked to Brian Paddock at Capay Hills Orchard to learn more about nut storage. He said almonds and dates can be stored unrefrigerated for months (they were in the Bible). Almonds biggest “killer” is moisture. They should be kept in a cool, dry place. I asked, if I removed the air, then I have removed the moisture. He said correct. He thought vacuum sealing would be more effective than oxygen absorbers for moisture removal since moisture can be held in the nitrogen in additional to the oxygen. He also mentioned that certain states in the US are naturally drier than other states.
Unfortunately Brian wasn’t able to tell me exactly how long they would last in an airtight jar. All he could do is quote me University of California Davis studies for almonds:
Almond Storage for Freshness
| refrigerator | 6-12 months |
| freezer | 2 years |
These storage times would be good enough for me; however, I’m running out of room in my refrigerator and freezer. Also, I don’t like to be dependent on these electric appliances, because I have lost food in the past due to power outages. I’d like to extend room temp storage of almonds to 6-12 months.
Brian also commented that the refrigerator is a moist environment. When the door is opened, moisture from the room condenses on the items. You need to be careful of moisture. Storing items with as little air in the container as possible helps.
Dehydrated foods
Sometimes I dehydrate garden produce and store in Mason jars. My storage time ranges from a few months up to a year (the next garden season). If wouldn’t be much more work to take the air out of my Mason jars with the Pump-N-Seal®, and my produce would keep better and stay fresher.
Spoilage in my refrigerator
Raw milk & cream storage
These products are hard to come by, if I’m lucky I get them every few weeks. In a normal glass jar, raw milk and cream would last 7-10 days; however, I would like to make these products last longer in my refrigerator.
Keeping homemade items fresher, longer
Some highly perishable items I would like to store better are applesauce, juiced fruits & vegetables, nut & seed milks, and fruit salads. With vegetable juices and nut & seed milks, I would like to store in 1-2 cup vacuum sealed Mason jars so folks can “grab & go”. When juicing for storage, it’s important to have a juicer that runs at a low RPM (Revolutions Per Minute). See the full article on The Best Way to Store Freshly made Juice by John Kohler. Some highlights from the article are quoted below:
The best way to store juice
John Kohler
The best way to store juice is in an air-free environment. Air is one of the primary factors that will cause degradation of the juice. After you juice and have your juice is in its catch container, you will need to pour it into your storage container… When you fill your storage container, be sure to fill it to the brim, and maybe even overfill it a little before putting on the lid on the container. (You can add purified water if you do not have enough juice to completely fill the container)… I use a food saver appliance with the mason jar sealer. (see picture above). The best way to store you juice is in a vacuum environment that removes the air from the container the juice is stored. Remember to keep your juice COLD.…
Other hints and tips and to store your juice longer
- Juice an extra lemon into your juice for the citric acid that may help preserve the juice.
- You can pre freeze (or chill) the storage container to help keep the juice cold.
- Start out with the cold produce, to ensure your juice is cold.
The best way to store nut milks
I would think John’s comments above would apply to seed and nut milks as well. If you’re going to be keeping your seed or nut milk for some time, it’s best made in a low RPM juicer vs. a high speed blender.
Half used cans and jars
I don’t use cans very often, but there are some items where I tend to use parts of a can and I would like storage to be effective and simple:
- coconut milk
- tomato sauce and paste
If the size of the can is correct, a Mason jar lid can be sealed to it. If the jar has a screw cap with a rubber ring on the inside, tab-cheks can be used.
Comparing vacuum sealers
Vacuum sealers I’ve tried in the past
I’ve had an inexpensive electric vacuum sealer which broke. After it broke, I found some instructions on the Internet on how to reverse a bike pump, to turn it it a suction pump. It seemed like a good project for my son & husband. Unfortunately, that didn’t work too well either. After a lot of hard pumping, it does remove air from my Mason jars. However, it was simply too frustrating to use.
Pump-N-Seal® vs Zwilling®
| Pump-N-Seal® manual handheld | Zwilling® rechargeable handheld | |
| Mason jars | ||
| Bags | ||
My choice
I wanted something powerful, easy to use, and ideally non-electric.
Pump-N-Seal® – it is easy to use, economical and easy to store. It is mechanical, so I believe it will last longer than my previous electric vacuum sealer. Pump-N-Seal® comes with a 10 year warranty – which is probably longer than most electric device warranties. Also, upon reading the reviews of the various vacuum sealers, reviewers often complain that if you accidentally suck up some liquid the device is ruined. With Pump-N-Seal® you just take the device apart and clean it. Finally, Pump-N-Seal® offers replacement parts that look easy enough for me to switch out.
Various ways to use Pump-N-Seal®
Overview
FoodSaver vacuum lids
Use to seal both wide mouth and narrow mouth Mason jars. You will need to purchase a separate lid for each type of jar. Mason jars come in a variety of sizes from one cup to 1/2 gallon.
You can purchase FoodSaver® Jar Sealing Kit with Wide-Mouth Jar Sealer, Regular Jar Sealer, and Accessory Hose here, as well as other places on the Internet. Then you use the D-Flater Stick (which comes with the Pump-N-Seal®) to attach the Pump-N-Seal® to the FoodSaver lids. When it comes time to remove the FoodSaver lid, be sure to do it as quick as possible, as not to let air back in.
Storing flours and other powders
So that your powder doesn’t clog the suction device, it can be helpful to put something like a coffee filter on top of the contents.
Tab-Cheks
Use to seal regular food glass jars or Mason jars.
The tab-cheks can be used multiple times – just remove them carefully.
Tab-Chek vs. FoodSaver jar lid
Tab-Cheks are more full proof – less to go wrong. With the FoodSaver jar lid, you need a good seal on the jar, plus you need to be able to remove it quickly as not to let air back in.
Plastic storage bags
The reviews I’ve read online all rave about using the Pump-N-Seal® for Mason jars, etc. The one thing they tend to criticize is using it with regular heavy duty freezer bags. The process works, it’s just a bit cumbersome because you have to oil below the Ziploc® seal in order to get an air tight seal. Pump-N-Seal® realized this, and have designed food saver plastic bags that attach directly to the Pump-N-Seal®. At the time of this writing, there were supply chain issues and their bags were all out of stock. They recommended using other brands.
If you are freezing juicy meats, use an absorption pad. You can usually get these free at the meat counter of your grocery store. You put the suction tube under the pad, and the meat sits on top of the pad.
If you are serious about freezer storage, you might want to consider putting multiple vacuum sealed bags into a larger Ziploc® bag. You do not need to remove air from the larger bag.
Reusing Food Saver Bags
First, never reuse bags that have been used to seal raw meat, fish, eggs, or cheese. Even if you have washed the bag thoroughly, bacteria from these foods could still remain. Read more from the USDA and FDA on Food Safety.
Second, avoid reusing bags that are oily, greasy, or otherwise just really messy. You may not be able to clean them thoroughly enough to ensure that they won’t taint new food. Be sure to wash the bag out well with hot water and soap, either by hand or in the dishwasher (plastic clothespins can hold the bag open). [and might be needed so the bag doesn’t get pushed around]
Food VacBags™
Food VacBags™ also recommends not reusing bags used in the microwave or boiled.
Air dry well to avoid mold.
Comparing Brands of Vacuum Seal Bags
| Ziploc® freezer | Food VacBags™ house brand | FoodSaver™ | Pump-N-Seal® | Vesta Precision® | Zwilling® | Homelux Theory | |
| Material5 | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Silicone |
| Availability | Locals stores | Food VacBags™ | Bed Bath & Beyond FoodSaver™ | Pump-N-Seal® | Food VacBags™ Vesta Precision® | Sur La Table Williams & Sonoma Bed Bath & Beyond | |
| Sizes | Pints, quarts & gallons | Pints, quarts & gallons | Quarts & gallons | Oversize quarts & oversize gallons | Quarts & gallons | Small, medium, large | Small, medium, large |
| Valve/port for vacuum sealer | No1 | No1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No1 |
| BPA free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| PBS free | Yes | ||||||
| PVC free | Yes | ||||||
| Lead free | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Phthalate free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Thickness | 3.5-4 mil; 5 ply, commercial grade | 4 mil | 4 mil | .15mm | Significantly thicker | ||
| Sous Vide2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Heat resistance | Simmer | 194 F | 197.6 F | bags: 428 F sliders: 176 F | |||
| Cold resistance | -0.4 F | bags & sliders: -76 F | |||||
| Microwave safe3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Dishwasher safe (top rack) | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Freezer storage time | No | 5X-6X longer | 5X longer | ||||
| Country of origin | China | China | China | China | |||
| Comments | zipper bags not intended for liquids or freezer4 | app to track when you store your food & when it will spoil (bags have a QR code) – vacuums sealer bags vs. sous vide bags? | |||||
| Cost (4/1/2022) | 80 gallon bags $27.44 | 100 quart bags $30.99; 100 gallon bags $39.99 | 34 quart bags $19.99; 12 gallon $11.99 | 50 small check-valve bags $24.97; 38 large check-valve bags $26.97 | 15 quart bags $14.99; 15 gallon bags $16.99 | 20 piece set (8 small, 8 med, 4 lg) $29.99 | Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags (2 Large + 2 Medium + 2 Small) $23.97 |
| Amazon reviews | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | ||||
| Ziploc® freezer | Food VacBags™ house brand | FoodSaver™ | Pump-N-Seal® | Vesta Precision® | Zwilling® | Homelux Theory |
Table notes:
1 You can still vacuum seal without a valve. You need to oil below the zipper seal and follow directions on the Pump-N-Seal® site. You can also use a tab-chek, however, if the bag gets bent, bumped, etc, the seal could be broken or come loose. Tab-cheks are usually recommended for harder surfaces.
2 Closely monitor that the pot has plenty of water and the vacuum bag is not in direct contact with the bottom of the pot. Some suggest to double seal the bags when using them for sous vide cooking.
3 A small puncture in the bag is needed to allow steam to escape
4 The box said not freezer safe, yet Amazon says it is freezer safe
Silicone storage bags
Brands
Stasher Platinum Silicone Food Grade Reusable Storage Bag
SPLF 12 Pack BPA FREE Reusable Storage Bags (6 Reusable Sandwich Bags, 6 Reusable Snack Bags), Extra Thick Freezer Bags Leakproof Silicone and Plastic Free Lunch Bags for Food Meat Fruit Veggies
homelux.theory@gmail.com
Cleaning
Homelux Theory recommends before first use, to soak bags in salt water for 24 hours, and then rinse with soap. I asked them why this was necessary.
We recommend soaking the silicone bags because this is a way to make sure that we are able to sanitize our silicone bags before use. For the salt and water mixture, you can use 1 tbsp of regular salt and then for the water level, it should be enough to soak the bag completely.
For future reference, you can also use salt water after every use, saltwater thoroughly cleans the silicone bag and helps prevent any bacterial growth. Other than that another cleaning procedure you can try is using 1 tbsp of dish soap and 1/2 cup of baking soda. The soapy water will greatly help with stains and the baking soda will absorb the odor left.
Homelux Theory
I’ve read some blogs on the Internet where they say turning the bags inside out to wash and dry shortens their life. I asked Homelax Theory about this practice with their bags.
If you’d like to wash our HOMELUX reusable food bags by hand sometimes, we recommend turning the bag inside out, rinse the bags with water (to minimize any food/drink residue), then use a sponge along with soap to thoroughly clean the bag (like how you would normally wash dishes by hand). After that, rinse off the soap with water and allow the bags to air dry by themselves – You may also use a towel/paper towel to quickly dry the bags if you’d like:)
Homelux Theory
Bowl-Seal Flav-O-Nators
Universal bowl lids which enable the use of Pump-N-Seal® on just about any bowl – it even works on cooking pots.
Food storage
Great to keep leftovers fresher. The smaller size works perfect on my 8″ round Pyrex bowls as well as my rectangular Pyrex bowls. The larger size works good on my stainless steel mixing bowls and larger Pyrex serving bowls.
Marinating
I look forward to marinating with summer salads, vegetables and meats.
Wine stoppers
These might work for some oil & vinegar bottles
Vacuum sealing specific items
Foods
Breads
Freeze the bread first, else the vacuum sealer will likely crush it
Coffee
Coffee Storage: Storing Fresh Coffee Beans
Liquids
If you are using a bag instead of a jar, it may be necessary to partially freeze the contents first.
More
Food VacBag™ has a “Can You Vacuum Seal” Series
Foods that shouldn’t be vacuum sealed
Food VacBag™ is concerned with anaerobic bacteria as well as food that emits a gas when stored. See here.
Misc
Batteries
I’ve stored batteries too long. Sometimes they are simply less effective, other times they started corroding.
Books, important (or historic) papers, documents
Be careful with things that could collapse such as papers or documents. If it made sense, I would seal them in the same bag as a book. Else I would use a flat piece of cardboard for extra protection.
We have some keepsake books that I will try vacuum sealing.
Am wondering if the plastic has chemical and some type of archival paper should be between the plastic and the item.
Clothes
Baptism gowns
Am wondering if the plastic has chemical and some type of archival paper should be between the plastic and the item.
Garden seeds
The seeds I’ve stored in cool dark place have been good for several years. However, I’ll probably experiment some with vacuum sealing. Especially when you vacuum seal, be sure the seeds are thoroughly dry before sealing.
The Self Sufficient Home Acre recommends using oxygen absorbers and silica gel packets in your air tight storage containers to increase the storage life of seeds. For more information on silica and dry storage, see dry foods below.
And more
101 Items You Didn’t Know You Could Vacuum Seal
Food storage basics
Liquids
Challenges to liquids are heat, light, oxygen. For optimum storage, reduce the challenges as much as possible.
In general l like my liquid stored in glass or Pyrex. The Pump-N-Seal® is an easy way of getting excess oxygen out. The other thing I do is when a container is half empty, I transfer the contents to a container half the size.
Dry foods
From RedRose Homestead
Challenges to dry foods are heat, light, moisture, oxygen, bugs. For optimum storage, reduce the challenges as much as possible.
Air is about 21% oxygen, 79% nitrogen. While oxygen presents a challenge to food storage, nitrogen does not.
To get rid of bugs and prolong storage, you need to get rid of oxygen. There are two ways to do this:
- Oxygen absorbers – removes just the oxygen – up to 99%.
- Vacuum sealers – removes both nitrogen and oxygen.
To remove moisture, some options are air dry, dehydrate, and desiccants.
Whiles most of this post is on vacuum sealing, I would like to talk a bit about oxygen absorbers and desiccants below.
Oxygen absorbers
Oxygen absorbers physically remove the oxygen from the atmosphere in the container and will kill adult insects and prevent larval insects from surviving. They are small packets that contain iron powder. They are made of a material that allows oxygen and moisture to enter but does not let the iron powder leak out. The moisture in the food causes the iron to rust. As it oxidizes, the iron absorbs oxygen. If the packages are stiff, they are no longer effective.
Oxygen absorbers are more effective at removing oxygen than vacuum packaging. Air is roughly 21 percent oxygen and 79 percent nitrogen. The oxygen absorber packets absorb only the oxygen. The remaining air is mostly nitrogen. Nitrogen does not allow for the growth of insects. Oxygen reduces the life of food, so in addition to preventing the growth of insects, oxygen absorbers increase the usable life of the food product. For more information see, Oxygen Absorbers FAQ.
Combines vacuum sealing and oxygen absorbers
Combining vacuum sealing and oxygen absorbers produces the longest storage life. People don’t usually use oxygen absorbers if storing less than a year.
The oxygen absorbers can be placed directly in the container with the food, and then vacuum sealing can be applied. Honestly, most of the time I plan on just vacuum sealing. With oxygen absorbers, you need to be careful not to expose them to air for more than 30 minutes or they lose their ability to absorb. For pictures and more information, see The Benefits of Using Oxygen Absorbers .
Sources for oxygen absorbers
- Food VacBags™ (small company) – sells OxyFree
- True Leaf Market (family owned non GMO seed source) – sells OxyFree
- LDS Home Storage Center if you have one in your area, this would be the most economical; can also mail order for a small shipping fee. Here is the link to the Online Store; only sells 300cc
Desiccants
Desiccants such as silica absorb moisture. They are needed if your food is more than 10% moisture. It’s important to use food grade silica. The silica gel packets that come with new shoes are not food grade. Silica can be regenerated by putting it in a low temperature oven.
Combining vacuum sealing, oxygen absorbers & desiccants
Combine methods that are practical for you.
If you think your food may be more than 10% moisture, use a desiccant on the bottom of the container. If necessary, put an oxygen absorber on the top of the contents in the container. Water sinks, and oxygen rises.
Personally, Mason jars are my favorite. You can reuse them. Mice can’t get into them. The contents are visible and light isn’t an issue since they are stored in a dark part of my basement. I do have some oxygen absorbers on hand. When I want to be extra cautious, I’ll use both oxygen absorbers and vacuum sealing. If I think a food is too moist for storage, I simply won’t store it, or I’ll store it in the freezer. I’m currently using silica for my garden seeds which I’m storing in my basement (which can be damp at times).
Bulk purchases
I like to purchase in bulk. It’s simpler (less shopping) and more cost effective, yet at the same time I like fresh. Below are some examples of my bulk purchasing.
- I order coconut oil (usually) in the one gallon size. When I need to open it, I’ll pour the contents in four one quart Mason jars and then vacuum seal. I’ll have one open jar in my cupboard at a time.
- I’ll purchase three pounds of almonds. When I get home, they go into about six 1/2 gallon Mason jars. I’ll vacuum seal the six jars, and the one open jar will be in my refrigerator. If I have freezer space, the remaining jars will go into my freezer.
- I like to make bone broth weekly – in big batches. The finished broth goes in multiple quart or half gallon size vacuum sealed jars in my refrigerator.
I general I like to have a “working container” which does not get vacuum sealed with each opening. If the working container will be less than 1/2 empty for some time, I’ll step the container size down.
FAQs
Q: How long does food last when vacuum sealed
A: Generally 2-4 times longer. See some charts below
- Extended Storage Time for Vacuum Sealed Foods
- How Long Does Food Last When Vacuum Sealed
- Food Expiration: Vacuum Sealed Food Shelf Life Chart
Q: What are some vacuum sealing tips and tricks?
A: Vacuum sealing tips & tricks
Food should be allowed to cool at least to room temperature before vacuum sealing.
Q: How does temperature effect storage?
A:
According to the USDA, each 10.08 degree F increase in temperature will half the (garden) seeds’ storage life. This applies to other foods too. So, if you are keeping your Mylar bags in a cool area (such as a root cellar), they will last longer than if stored in a hot area (such as your garage).
https://www.primalsurvivor.net/mylar-bags-food-storage/
Q: How do I minimize oxygen and also minimize vacuum sealing?
A: Even before I had a vacuum sealer, when I jar is half empty, I step the jar/container size down.
Q: For dry foods, how does vacuum sealing with the Pump-N-Seal® compare to using oxygen absorbers?
A:
Q: How do I combine using my dehydrator and vacuum sealer?
A: See Dehydration and Vacuum Sealing for Foods in Troubling Times
Q: How does Mylar bag storage compare to FoodSaver bag storage?
A: Mylar bags are dark, thus better able keep out light. Mylar is used for dry food storage, and not used in the freezer. Food VacBags™ writes about them here. Learn about Mylar bag storage, including detailed instructions, here.
Q: How can I find out more about long term food storage?
A: The Mormons have lots of information on this topic. It is their tradition to have a year’s worth of food on hand. Refer to their website. There are also numerous prepping websites such as The Provident Prepper
Q: Does atmospheric pressure or elevation (height above sea level) effect the pressure of the vacuum seal?
A: Both can effect the pressure of the vacuum seal; however, both are usually insignificant.