I just got one of those tilia vacuum food savers. Been very impressed with its construction, ease of use. My question is, does anyone know how long things like rice, flour,beans, potato, sugar, pasta will last in a vacuum environment? Thanks

-- kozak (kozak@formerusaf.guv), April 21, 1999

Answers

I'd like to know the answer to that as well. I love my foodsaver. One of the things I learned about that is useful regardless of what Y2K brings. Bags are expensive, but can be re-used. Tip: don't try vacuum sealing noodles! Crunch,. . .crunch. :)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), April 21, 1999.

Using the Tilia FoodSaver vacuum sealer, I have successfully sealed about 30 bags of spaghetti noodles (no crunch, crunch). This was last November/December and it's still air-tight (I just checked on them last week). The key to this is to trim all the noodles to the same length, insert them so they lie parallel to the bottom of the bag, and to make small portions per bag. In my situation, I estimated how much noodles I would need for 4 people without having any leftover. This is the amount I seal per bag and the bag size is about 4 or 5 inches high and about 1/3" -1/2" thick.

I've also sealed rice. Figuring that rice can be kept for at least a couple of years, vacuum sealing it will keep the bugs and moisture out until I can use it.

I figure that I'll probably use all the food items I vacuum seal by the end of 2000 anyway, so it really doesn't matter much as to how long the sealed food items will last. I only want stretch the foods useful life to meet my requirements (I am thinking short term: 12-24 months, not long term: 2+ years).

If you want real entertainment, try vacuum sealing CAP 'N CRUNCH cereal. For 3 minutes after sealing, the cereal was still going "crunch, crunch...". I learned my lesson and now use mason jars...

Russell

-- (Oh Boy@y2k.com), April 21, 1999.

If anyone has a (relatively) inexpensive source of the rolls for the bags - PLEASE post it!!! The least price I have found is about $25.00 (plus shipping) for two rolls . Other bags just WON'T work.

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), April 21, 1999.

Jeanne

If you have either Costco or Sam's Club membership, they sell a box of 2 11" rolls and 2 8" rolls (4 rolls total) for about $27-$29. That's the price in Hawaii and I'm sure it is cheaper on the mainland. Everywhere else is too expensive...

Russell

-- (Oh Boy@y2k.com), April 21, 1999.

Russell,

I guess ALMOST everything is higher in Hawaii. The bags are the same price here in Idaho at Sams. Did you know that Sams and Costco are not related companies. I learned that when I tried to use my Sams card at Costco. They just looked at me funny. I guess they are direct competitors.

If you are looking for a way to keep track of your stored food, check out my food storage database at

http://www.srv.net/~jlayman/ I think you will like it. It costs very little ($10) and your check is written directly to charity. This database is helping me rotate food so nothing ever spoils. I hope to save a lot of money that way.

John

-- John Layman (jlayman@srv.net), May 17, 1999.