Affordable Food Storage/Prepping Ideas

[Milluw]

So in trying to be creatively frugal with my storage, I was just thinking someone else might like to see simple inexpensive ideas to do prepping. I am no expert by any means, so thoughts/ideas being shared is super welcome! 

 

My first idea to share is storing rice for porridges. I purchased 1-4 bottles of 2 liter sparkling water bottles each time I went by the shop, then used and cleaned them to be used. Also began purchasing 1-2 bags of porridge rice each time until I had enough to fill them with. 

I folded the oxygen absorbers to drop into the bottom of the bottles.

 

Then using a simple piece of paper and some tape made something to funnel the porridge rice into the bottles with. 

 

Then filled each one of them up! It is a good idea to shake them a bit for the rice to settle down into the flask, and then to top it off properly. I could have done a better job of it. 

 

TThat was

That was as much as I could do for one round back then, but I managed to fill them all within 2024.

 

I now have 12 of these, so one for each month for a full year. As you can see the ones that were filled better, the oxygen absorbers sucked the bottle in. Read another tip of using cling film around each bottle to further isolate them. I am not sure if it does much, but I did it since I figure it wouldn't hurt! For 2025 I am collecting another twelve bottles for parboiled rice, this time in a blue color, just for the sake of color coordinating.  It's super easy to store like that!

 

And even if it felt like I was getting little traction by purchasing small amounts each time, then when it all is finally done, it feels rewarding. Doing a little bit by bit really grows faster than you expect it to. 

 

[Milluw]

Another idea I started in 2024!  Rolled oats. Wanted to try mylar bags out for this. The idea was getting the oatmeal, plenty of cinnamon and also sugar on stock. The sugar and cinnamon being shaken together, it could be easy topping for warm oatmeal porridge. It might not be the most healthy thing, but one of the more easy, filling and affordable things to store in the long term I could think of.

 

Took me ages to collect these buggers as I was waiting for them to be on offer (Solgryn is the superior oatmeal and I will fight anyone who questions it!). Inexpensive oatmeal should be perfectly fine and easy to find most places though. 

 

Dropped 2 oxygen absorbers into each of 6 big mylar bags, filled them with the oatmeal and then sealed it shut with a flat iron. 

 

It ended up with 6 big mylar bags with 3 x 700 grams of oatmeal in each packet. Meaning you can grab one to last two months time for a years worth of food storage. Will need a better place to put them, but they're the silver bags above. 

 

Mylar bags do cost some, but it was the best I could think of for the oatmeal here. With the cinnamon and sugar, it is a pretty cheap meal to have for long term storage. 

[Milluw]

My final idea to share for tonight..  

I have started collecting these instant hot chocolate bottles now and again. Want to reach 12 bottles eventually. They can contain 400 grams in total and I want to fill them with dried green lentils (already have red lentils on store). Meaning there will be one to pull from storage each month to cook with. First time around I purchased glasses for the red lentils, but this here is far more economic. 

 

Not only are the containers less pricy, but you get some instant cocoa too! 

It's a win-win for me.