Buying a 25-pound bag of Jasmine rice is a good way to save money on your groceries. But after you bring that huge bag home, the happiness doesn’t last long. You have to deal with a heavy bag that is hard to handle and spills rice all over the place when you try to get some out.
Leaving grains in the original packaging is a mistake.
- Pests: It attracts pests like weevils.
- Mess: Bulk grains can spill all over the place.
- Humidity: The original packaging exposes grains to moisture, which damages them.
To store that much food, you need containers that are strong enough to hold the weight and engineered to keep air out. Here are the best containers to help you manage your bulk pantry.
The Restaurant Standard: Cambro Square Containers
When you walk into any professional kitchen, you will see these everywhere. They are not pretty to look at, but the good thing about them is that they are indestructible.
- The Material: Made from polycarbonate, which is incredibly strong. You can drop these containers when they are full of rice, and the plastic will not crack.
- The Capacity: The 12-quart and 18-quart sizes are great for holding a lot of stuff. You can easily dump 20lb or 50lb bags of rice or flour into them.
- The Design: One feature that makes this great is the wide opening. This makes it easy to dip a large measuring cup inside without hurting your knuckles much easier than fighting with a plastic bag.
The Aesthetic Choice: OXO Good Grips POP Jars
Sometimes you need storage that looks nice enough to put on your counter. That is where the OXO Good Grips line comes in.
The big rectangular tubs are good for the pantry, but the 3-quart and 5-quart jars are even better for storing smaller grains like quinoa, lentils, or snacks. These are widely considered the best airtight cookie containers on the market because of their special seal.
- How it Works: The button on the top expands the silicone gasket around the edge. This creates an airtight seal. If it keeps cookies fresh and crunchy for weeks, it will definitely keep your lentils fresh too.
- The Look: The plastic is crystal clear and the lids are white, so they look very clean. They are perfect for open shelving where your food doubles as decoration.
The Budget Heavyweight: Gamma2 Vittles Vault
The Gamma2 Vittles Vault was originally made for pet food, but now it is used by bakers and bulk buyers everywhere.
- The Seal: It has a lid that you screw on and off. This lid features a double gasket system, which is arguably better at keeping things airtight than the Cambro.
- The Shape: They are stackable and designed to hold 15 to 50 pounds of product.
- The Catch: They are ugly. You would probably stick them on the floor of your pantry or in a garage freezer. They do not look good enough to put on a display shelf.
Does “Airtight” Really Matter for Dry Grains?
You might wonder if it really makes a difference if the container is airtight when storing dry grains. The answer is yes.
Air and moisture are the enemies of bulk grains.
- Brown Rice: Contains natural oils. When these oils meet oxygen, they go rancid. An airtight seal prevents this oxidation.
- White Rice: Acts like a sponge. If the container isn’t closed tightly, humid air will make the rice stick together and can even encourage mold growth.
Protecting the rice is important so it stays safe to eat and fresh for the long haul.
The Bottom Line
If you need to store massive amounts (20lbs+), do not go to the fancy home stores.
- For pure durability: Buy a Cambro or a Gamma2. They handle the weight without warping.
- For the counter: Choose the OXO POP Jars. They work perfectly as airtight cookie containers or grain jars, keeping your food visible, fresh, and stylish.
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