Can wheat berries be stored in mason jars?
Posted by Glittering-Heron2721@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 27 comments
I have stored and used wheat berries for 10 years. I grind wheat daily. I seal them in 5 gallon buckets with 7m Mylar and o2. Never have had a big problem.
I am helping my friend get into prepping. We are both young moms and she wants to prep after a hospital scare with her young child and threat of job loss. So, I gave her buckets and gamma lids, and we are going to Mylar up most of the wheat. She does want to try putting a bunch of the wheat in mason jars and sealing them with a canning jar sealer. I have a mini food saver kit, though know food saver brand often gives grief, but have never tried to seal wheat berries this way.
Is canning wheat berries this way a legit storage method to prevent weevil hatching?
Thank you!
Sergeant_Standby@reddit
Yes, storing wheat berries in mason jars can work, but it’s best to add an oxygen absorber to prevent weevil eggs from hatching. Just make sure the jars are sealed airtight. Many preppers prefer Mylar bags for longer storage, but mason jars are a solid option for smaller quantities.
Glittering-Heron2721@reddit (OP)
If I use o2 in mason jars I wouldn’t need to use a vacuum sealing device?
Sergeant_Standby@reddit
Yes, oxygen absorbers remove oxygen, which prevents the growth of weevils and creates a partial vacuum in sealed mason jars.
Glittering-Heron2721@reddit (OP)
That’s handy! My food saver sucks, and not in a good way.
Can I used the food saver jar suction thing without o2?
Sergeant_Standby@reddit
Yes, you can use the FoodSaver jar suction without oxygen absorbers, as it creates a vacuum to remove air. However, oxygen absorbers are more effective at removing residual oxygen, which is key for long-term storage.
ColonelBelmont@reddit
I've stored wheat berries, rice, pasta, dehydrated vegetables, and just about every other dry foods you can imagine in mason jars with my foodsaver with jar attachment. Thousands of jars over close to 20 years. It works fantastic, and I can't even guess how much money I've saved by not using oxy absorbers.
I swear by my foodsaver brand machine. My last one lasted about 10 years before the gasket wore out, and I'm talking thousands of sealed bags and jars. If your machine isn't working well, get a new one maybe. And don't get the cheapest, smallest one they sell. I use the FM2000 model.
elm122671@reddit
I LOVE my FoodSaver. The first one I bought was the basic one. That lasted years! When it was time to replace it, I upgraded to the newest one at the time. That was 12 years ago and counting...and I use mine several times per week for all sorts of stuff.
ColonelBelmont@reddit
I really don't know why they get so much hate. So many people say theirs broke very quickly. I can't help think they're all using it wrong somehow. Not cleaning it? Letting it suck up liquid or powders? I cannot even believe how much I used mine before it needed replacing. After the first year, i just kept thinking it would die any day now. But it just kept working for like another 10 years!
elm122671@reddit
I've had several people complain to me that theirs didn't work. Come to find out they were "generics" or different brands.
Glittering-Heron2721@reddit (OP)
Thank you!
Sweet-Leadership-290@reddit
Weevils can also be prevented by freezing the containers for a few days
RonJohnJr@reddit
Correct. One issue is what size O2 absorber to use. Pretty small, I'm going to bet.
27Believe@reddit
If you use one that is more than you need, it’s still ok though??
RonJohnJr@reddit
The total amount of chemical in the packets won't fully react. Maybe that will have unexpected consequences, maybe not. Probably not, now that I think about it.
GGAllinzGhost@reddit
lol no. There aren't any chemicals in the packets. Just little slivers of iron. Always use a little more than you think you need. There is zero chance of spoilage by overuse of oxy absorbers.
RonJohnJr@reddit
Chemical... chemical element... it's all chemistry.
GGAllinzGhost@reddit
There's no chemicals in it, dude. It's just iron. So no, you're wrong.
ommnian@reddit
Yes, I've stored grains/beans in glass jars of various sizes for years. I freeze grain/beans/etc for several days before I store to ensure all bugs in them are dead - freeze for 7+ days, pull out for 2-4+ days, then refreeze fro another 7+ days, and then pull out and bring back to room temperature before putting in jars.
The first freeze kills 90% of bugs, but those that survive freezing (some eggs, etc), will be killed the 2nd time around. Just have to be careful to allow them to come back to temperature before you store.
SunLillyFairy@reddit
Some people really prefer mason jars. Here's a recent comment I made that applies here too.
Fit_Guysbourne@reddit
Never knew what wheat berries were thank you OP
GGAllinzGhost@reddit
Wheat berries are item 1 with food preps, up there with beans and rice.
GGAllinzGhost@reddit
Thats fine as long as you have an oxy absorber in there and its stored in complete darkness.
chickapotamus@reddit
The canning jar sealers have often sealed the jar, but it can come unsealed over time, as many have found. The better thing would be to put oxygen absorbers in the jar with the wheat berries. Just a thought.
DisastrousLab1309@reddit
After 5 years I could smell the fat in wheat got rancid. Without removing oxygen I wouldn’t recommend.
A DIY solution could be to “wash” the wheats and the jar with CO2 or other inert gas. Probably cheaper than oxygen absorbers, but vacuum sealing will be even cheaper.
NohPhD@reddit
If you vacuum pack the jars and bag, sure!
If you don’t, then you risk weevil infestations.
RonJohnJr@reddit
Glittering-Heron2721@reddit (OP)
Idk why she wants to do both. I didn’t ask because I didn’t know if we could do it at all, and figured if more experienced preppers say it will work but be inconvenient, well whatever it’s her house. I am just glad to spend time with a nice friend doing some prepping work, and our girls get along great, so that’s nice. It did seem silly to me, but it’ll be fun so que sera sera.
I just wasn’t sure if it would be a good method. I haven’t used my food saver on jars because I do not like store mason jars.