Food Storage Calculator

Calculator estimates the minimum food storage amounts for a year. The amounts are estimates only. Enter the number .75 in each column and you get storage amount for one person for 1 year. Enter .375 in each column and you get storage amount for (1 person) for 6 months. Enter .1875 for 3 months (1 person) . Enter .09375 for 1 month (1 person).


Ages 7 +
Ages 0-6
Estimated Food for 1 year:
Grains
Wheat lbs
Flour lbs
Corn Meal lbs
Oats lbs
Rice lbs
Pasta lbs
Total Grains lbs

Fats and Oils
Shortening lbs
Vegtable Oil gal
Mayonaise qts
Salad Dressing qts
Peanut Butter lbs
Total Fats lbs

Legumes
Beans, dry lbs
Lima Beans lbs
Soy Beans lbs
Split Peas lbs
Lentils lbs
Dry Soup Mix lbs
Total Legumes lbs
Sugars
Honey lbs
Sugar lbs
Brown Sugar lbs
Molasses lbs
Corn Syrup lbs
Jams lbs
Fruit Drink, powdered lbs
Flavored Gelatin lbs
Total Sugars lbs

Milk
Dry Milk lbs
Evaporated Milk cans
Other lbs
Total Dairy lbs

Cooking Essentials
Baking Powder lbs
Baking Soda lbs
Yeast lbs
Salt lbs
Vinegar gal

Water
Water gal
Bleach gal

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How Much Food Fits In A Container

Estimated Gallons Per Pound
1 Gal 1.5 Gal 2 Gal 5 Gal 6 Gal
This table includes estimates only, your usage may vary.
WHOLE GRAINS: (lbs.)
Cracked Red Wheat 5.83 8.75 11.66 29.15 35.00
Hard Red Wheat 7.50 11.25 15.00 37.50 45.00
Hard White Wheat 7.50 11.25 15.00 37.50 45.00
Pearled Barley 7.33 11.00 14.66 36.67 44.00
Whole Corn 7.50 11.25 15.00 37.50 45.00
Hulled Buckwheat 7.00 10.50 14.00 35.00 42.00
Flax 6.33 9.50 12.66 31.67 38.00
Long Grain White Rice 7.33 11.00 14.66 36.67 44.00
Long Grain Brown Rice 7.17 10.75 14.34 35.83 43.00
Par Boiled Rice 7.00 10.50 14.00 35.00 42.00
Rolled Oats 4.17 6.25 8.34 20.83 25.00
Oat Groats 7.00 10.50 14.00 35.00 42.00
Oat Bran (Fine) 5.00 7.50 10.00 25.00 30.00
Rye 7.00 10.50 14.00 35.00 42.00
9-Grain Cereal 6.33 9.50 12.66 31.67 38.00
Hulled Millet 7.17 10.75 14.34 35.83 43.00

FLOUR: (lbs.)
Wheat Bran 2.50 3.75 5.00 12.50 15.00
All Purpose Flour 6.67 10.00 13.34 33.33 40.00
Cornmeal 6.67 10.00 13.34 33.33 40.00

BEANS: (lbs.)
Beans 7.00 10.50 14.00 35.00 42.00
Anasazi 6.67 10.00 13.34 33.33 40.00
Black Turtle 7.00 10.50 14.00 35.00 42.00
Black Eye 6.33 9.50 12.66 31.67 38.00
Garbanzo 6.67 10.00 13.34 33.33 40.00
Great Northern 7.00 10.50 14.00 35.00 42.00
Green 1.67 2.50 3.33 8.33 10.00
Green Peas 6.67 10.00 13.34 33.33 40.00
Kidney 6.67 10.00 13.34 33.33 40.00
Lentils 7.17 10.75 14.34 35.83 43.00
Lima 7.17 10.75 14.34 35.83 43.00
Mung 7.50 11.25 15.00 37.50 45.00
Pink 6.83 10.25 13.66 34.17 41.00
Pinto 6.83 10.25 13.66 34.17 41.00
Refried 4.17 6.25 8.34 20.83 25.00
Small Red 6.83 10.25 13.66 34.17 41.00
Small White Navy 7.50 11.25 15.00 37.50 45.00
Soy 6.67 10.00 13.34 33.33 40.00

PASTA: (lbs.)
Pasta - Macaroni 4.17 6.25 8.34 20.83 25.00
Pasta - Egg Noodles 2.67 4.00 5.34 13.33 16.00
Pasta - Spaghetti 5.83 8.75 11.66 29.17 35.00

SPROUTING SEEDS: (lbs.)
Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds 7.50 11.25 15.00 37.50 45.00

DEHYDRATED VEGETABLES: (lbs.)
Diced Carrots 3.33 5.00 6.66 16.67 20.00
Cross-Cut Celery 1.33 2.00 2.66 6.67 8.00
Chopped Onions 3.00 4.50 6.00 15.00 18.00
Potato Dices 2.67 4.00 5.34 13.33 16.00
Potato Flakes 2.50 3.75 5.00 12.50 15.00
Potato Granules 7.50 11.25 15.00 37.50 45.00
Potato Slices 1.67 2.50 3.34 8.33 10.00
Split Green Peas 7.50 11.25 15.00 37.50 45.00
Tomato Powder 5.83 8.75 11.66 29.17 35.00

DEHYDRATED FRUIT: (lbs.)
Applesauce 3.33 5.00 6.66 16.67 20.00
Apple Slices 1.67 2.50 3.34 8.33 10.00
Banana 2.33 3.50 4.66 11.67 14.00

DEHYDRATED MILK/DAIRY: (lbs.)
Butter Powder 4.17 6.25 8.34 20.83 25.00
Margarine 4.17 6.25 8.34 20.83 25.00
Cheese Blend 4.17 6.25 8.34 20.83 25.00
Non-Fat Milk 5.83 8.75 11.66 29.17 35.00
Morning Moo Milk 5.83 8.75 11.66 29.17 35.00

POWDERED EGGS: (lbs.)
Powdered Eggs 4.17 6.25 8.34 20.83 25.00
Powdered Whole Eggs 4.17 6.25 8.34 20.83 25.00

Types of 5 gallon food grade buckets

It didn’t take long for me to realize that there are basically 2 types of food grade buckets you can get for free from deli’s/restaurants.  These are pickle buckets and frosting buckets.  The pickle buckets obviously need to be cleaned and soaked to remove the pickle smell if you want to store food in them.

FireHouse Subs – They sell their pickle buckets for just $2 each and donate the money to Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation so that was fine with me to pay the $2 for food grade buckets.  They are also a bright red color which is pretty cool.

Where to Get 5 Gallon Buckets For Free

  • Sam’s Club – Back in their cake area, they had about 5 buckets setting on their sink.  I asked if they give them away or would sell them and they asked me how many I wanted.  I said 2 and they just gave them to me.  Was a great extra stop and I plan on going back for more.
  • Wendy’s – I was able to pick up 1 – 5 gallon pickle bucket from Wendy’s for free.
  • Dunkin Donuts – I was told they just throw away all their 5 gallon buckets and couldn’t believe it.  I was able to snatch 2 of them before they tossed them for free.
  • Chick-Fil-A – They also have some free buckets.

How To Get The Smell Of Pickles Out of Buckets

FireHouse Subs has a recipe to get rid of the pickle smell from their buckets and it works great, just know that if you have quite a few of them, then you will really go through the Murphy Oil soap.

  1. 1/3 cup bleach
  2. 1/3 cup murphy oil soap
  3. 1 gallon hot water

Just rub the inside of the bucket well and let it set for a few hours.  Can also be used for cleaning your bathroom.

Understanding Food Grade Buckets

When storing food in 5 gallon buckets, you want to look on the bottom of the bucket and make sure that the numbers in the triangle are either a 1, 2, 4 or a 5.  The best being the “2”.  Keep in mind that if you are using Mylar bags inside your bucket, you don’t HAVE to have food grade buckets.  But if you want to be extra cautious , then look for a food grade bucket that is solid in color so light does not penetrate it and it’s marked with a 1, 2, 4 or 5.  Most of the buckets you get from deli’s that make cakes and baked goods are #5 which is what I have most of.  If you get pickle buckets, they should be in a #2 bucket, but you will have to get rid of the pickle smell.  I found the best overall buckets to come from FireHouse Subs as they are #2, bright red and have a metal handle, so the $2 is a no brainer.

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