Use Mylar Bags for
Dehydrated Food Storage
Perfect for Long-Term Food Storage

Use Mylar Bags for
Dehydrated Food Storage
Perfect for
Long-Term Food Storage

Three Mylar bags, 10" x 14" in size

Use Mylar bags for dehydrated food storage after your dehydrated food has been vacuum sealed in either pint- or quart-sized-vacuum bags.

Putting vacuum-sealed packages inside Mylar bagPutting vacuum-sealed packages inside Mylar bag

The last step for proper food storage is the plastic-lidded bins, or buckets which store our Mylar bags for long-term food storage.

TOP Frequently Asked Questions:

Mylar bags for food storage?

Yes! Mylar bags are very useful for food storage and extending shelf life. Some key advantages of Mylar bags include:

  1. Airtight seal - Mylar bags provide an impermeable barrier to oxygen and moisture when sealed properly, preventing food spoilage.
  2. Block light - The reflective properties of Mylar block UV light exposure which can degrade nutrients and flavors over time.
  3. Rodent/insect proof - The tough, tear resistant plastic foil can prevent entry from pests looking for a snack.
  4. Lightweight - Thin Mylar takes up little space and doesn't add lots of weight if transporting food kits.
  5. Reusable - Mylar bags can be used over and over again with proper rotation and sealing as long as they retain integrity.

Potential disadvantages would be the inability to see its contents from outside, and condensation risks if temperature extremes fluctuate.

Using high quality multi-ply food vacuum-sealer bags with oxygen absorbers tucked inside, and proper labeling helps maximize the usefulness of Mylar for securely storing emergency food supplies long term.

How to seal Mylar bags for food storage?

Further down this page, I mention that Mylar bags are sealed ONLY, using the sealing function of the FoodSaver food vacuum-sealer.

We do NOT draw the air out. Why? Because you can't!

Both (inner) sides of the Mylar bags are smooth ... and without the necessary textured bumps on one inner side of the bag (that clear food vacuum-sealer bags have) enables the air be drawn out!

When the Mylar bags are filled with their dried food goodies, we then seal the top of the Mylar bag. Check out this page for proper placement of Mylar bags and food-saver bags.

Mylar Bags Give An Extra Layer of Protection

These special bags are made from a polyester film and are very shiny in appearance. They keep out air, light, moisture, and BUGS!

Mylar bags are very tough and tear-resistant and are ideal for food packaging—they provide an extra layer of protection to our individual food packets that you'll place inside for safekeeping.

Mylar Bags at Amazon

Dry-Packs 1-Gallon ShieldPro Mylar Bags

  • 10" x 14" Dry-Packs ShieldPro Mylar Bags
  • Includes 60x 300cc Oxygen Absorbers (in packs of 20)

1-Gallon Mylar Bags

  • 10" x 14" Genuine Mylar Bags for Long-Term Food Storage
  • Pack of 50
  • No oxygen absorbers included

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The price you pay does not increase.


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How to Grow and Dehydrate Herbs free eBook

How to Grow &
Dehydrate Herbs

Treat yourself today with my free eBook. Learn how to dry the top six herbs and make herb-infused oils and vinegars!

Click the book cover and that will take you to my secure download page and full deets.

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Pick up my Free eBook today!

How to Grow &
Dehydrate Herbs

How to Grow and Dehydrate Herbs free eBook

Treat yourself today with my free eBook. Learn how to dry the top six herbs and make herb-infused oils and vinegars!

Click the book cover and that will take you to my secure download page and full deets.

It's my gift to you as a way of saying "thanks for stopping by!"


What are Mylar Bags Made From?

Mylar bags are crafted from a thin, silvery gray polyester film that was first invented in the 1950s by the DuPont chemical company. This pioneering polyester material, now commonly called Mylar, paved the way for a versatile new form of durable and flexible plastic sheeting.

Today, Mylar polyester film is manufactured by a number of corporations around the world. It continues to be valued for its unique combination of strength, flexibility, and thinness.

Unlike many plastics, Mylar polyester films can be stretched and flexed without tearing or cracking. They also resist punctures which is good to know. Why? Dried food can become brittle and have sharp points.

In bag form, Mylar provides an excellent barrier against oxygen, moisture, and aromas. These properties have made it a popular choice for food storage and packaging.

Why Use Mylar Bags for Dehydrated Food Storage?

When it comes to storing dried foods, Mylar bags are a great option. They are airtight and moisture-resistant as mentioned above. Keeping your dried foods inside Mylar bags helps keep your dried foods fresh and free from mold and other contaminants.

Mylar bags are placed inside food storage containers, or they can be kept on a shelf, loose.

IMPORTANT: Mylar bags offer an extra layer of protection
against the three enemies:

MOISTURE

AIR

LIGHT

If you're looking for a simple and effective way to store your
dried foods, Mylar bags are a great way to go.


Did You Know This?
Mylar Bags are Smooth Inside...

Mylar bags are smooth, both inside and out, unlike food vacuum-sealer bags.

Mylar bags, when sealed properly, are easy to write on with a black felt-tipped pen/marker so you know what's in them!

The reason you can't vacuum these bags, (or at the very least is hard to do), is that both sides of the Mylar bag are smooth and when clamped closed in the food vacuum-sealer, the air cannot be drawn out. But really there's no need to draw the air out.

We simply use the Mylar bags to store our filled vacuum-sealed bags.

Here's the reason for the "textured side" in vacuum-sealer bags:

Food vacuum-sealer bags need to have one inner side textured. You need to have a way for the air to be drawn out when vacuum-sealing your packages that are filled with dehydrated food!


A SIDE NOTE:
The 'Inside Story' of a food vacuum sealer bag:

A SIDE NOTE:
The 'Inside Story' of a
food vacuum sealer bag:

Let's Take A Closer Look...

Look closely at the plastic vacuum bags that the dehydrated food goes into first; you'll notice that one side is smooth and the other side is 'bumpy', for want of a better word.

These textured 'bumps' enable the air to be drawn out of the bag, otherwise, the two smooth surfaces just simply clamp shut tight together! Yeah, repeating myself here, but ... just want to get the point across!

Click the images below to view them bigger!


Use a Black Felt-Tipped Marker Pen on Mylar bags

Black Felt Tipped Marker

When you've filled your 10-inch x 14-inch Mylar bags, use a black felt-tipped pen to describe the contents of the bags.

Write the date on it too!

Keep reading to see the reasonable number of vacuum-sealed packages that can fit inside one of the bags.

Place Three or Four (Max!)  Packages Inside One Mylar Bag

I can get at least three plastic-wrapped vacuum-packed packages into one bag, sometimes four. Do not overstuff.

If you try to get more in, it makes it harder to seal the bag, plus you risk puncturing the vacuum-sealed packages inside when one pokes against the other.

That's the reason why I plastic-wrap the packages after vacuum sealing.

For a 10-inch by 14-inch Mylar bag, don't forget to add a 300cc oxygen absorber for long-term storage, before sealing.

NOTE: To make sure you understand—we do not vacuum the air out of the Mylar bags for dehydrated food storage, we only use the sealing function on the vacuum-sealer machine; not the air removal function.

The vacuum AND sealing takes place only on the food vacuum-sealer bags, or the food vacuum-sealer rolls. We only draw AIR out of our food vacuum sealer bags that have the oxygen absorber tucked in before vacuuming it!

Filled Mylar Bags for Dehydrated Food Storage

Mylar bags packed and sealed

Don't forget to check out Amazon for the best prices—and as you can see in the Amazon ads shown farther up the page, some Mylar bags come complete with a matching number of appropriately sized oxygen absorbers!

Thanks for reading about mylar bags for dehydrated food storage. I hope you found the information useful, especially regarding why we do not vacuum the air out of Mylar bags!

Questions? Write to me here.

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Susan Gast, founder of Easy Food Dehydrating

Hi, I'm Susan Gast, founder of Easy Food Dehydrating. My passion for dehydrating food began in 2010 while seeking crafty uses for abundant tomatoes. I've since devoted myself to elevating the art of removing moisture from fruits, vegetables, meats, and so much more!
JOIN ME as we unlock the magic of food preservation through dehydration together!
Read About Me here.

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