how to store kibble / dry food?

[louisstools]

I'm looking for tips on how to store kibble for my 10 year old girl. My girl is a light eater and the smallest bag of her RX food is 6lbs and will last her 6 weeks but by the end of week two there is a noticeable difference in her enthusiasm with the food. She's also picky and if the kibble sits out for more than a few hours (3) she won't eat it. She likes her food FRESH...anything else is a knock down drag out fight.

Right now we're doing what the food manufacturer, Purina, said to do which is to fill a good plastic container with a day or two's worth of food and then fold over the top of the bag and use a potato bag clip to seal it. I've read a lot that says after opening its best to keep the kibble in the bag b/c it's designed for storing the food. Purina said that when I called them. This seems to be the one consistent thing about storing kibble. However with such large bags, how do you keep it from going bad? This seems to work ok-ish except by week 3 she's not as interested in the food and I can either fight my cat on every meal (light eater means 13 meals a day) or I pitch the bag for a fresh one.

Would it be better to split the kibble up into ziplock bags after initially opening it? My thinking is it would prevent air from getting into the kibble better as we access a bit for day to day use.

What about freezing the kibble in ziplock freezer bags? I've read vague posts where people do that but there's not enough information. What type of bag? What is the portion size? How long do they allow it to remain in the freezer? Never enough detail.

For ziplock bags, does the closure type make a difference? Slider vs the non-slider? Is ziplock the best brand of bag to use? Should I look into a vaccum sealer?

Something else??

If you do this for your kitty and have success, it would be helpful for your step-by-step (go into as much detail as possible...assume I'm an idiot b/c I am and you're teaching me your method, "war and peace" your reply!) so that I don't miss out a crucial step.

 

[susanm9006]

I have a tall plastic container, Rubbermaid, big enough for me to drop the bag in. After I scoop out some I just fold the bag over and put the lid on.

 

[neely]

I have a tall plastic container, Rubbermaid, big enough for me to drop the bag in. After I scoop out some I just fold the bag over and put the lid on.

I've always done the same whether it's for our cat or dog and it works fine. The food stays fresh and the animals don't complain.

 

[lollie]

I use an OXO food storage container, the kind with the push button lid. I have heard that mites were a problem with pet food and someone here actually recommended freezing the food, so that’s what I do. When I get a new bag, I separate it into gallon size freezer bags (one of those fills my container) and pop them in the freezer. When you need one, just thaw.

Should I look into a vaccum sealer?

I guess vacuum sealing would be best, but I’ve never had a problem with frost or anything.

it would be helpful for your step-by-step

Okay, so your bag size depends on your container size. Like I said, mine holds a gallon. Freezer bag brand and closure don’t really matter. I usually use a Ziplock freezer bag with a double zipper.
Put your food in and fold your flap over to squeeze any air out as you close.
Food should be good for several months (they say six - nine), but I’ve never had to have mine over maybe two
before it was used.

 

[Furballsmom]

I have a fair quantity due to leftovers from our angel Poppycat and some I got that a neighbor was giving away, so I divided the kibble into zip bags and am freezing it. Large quantities go stale too soon otherwise .

 

[Father of furbabies]

For one cat (before the current ones) we used a vacuum sealer bag system and would break food down into smaller portions then toss them in the freezer. The current cats don't care and are chow hounds so the food does not last long enough to go stale.

 

[Caspers Human]

We use a clean 5-gallon bucket with a tight fitting snap-on lid.

Get a brand new one from Home Depot, et. al.. Give it a quick cleaning, before you use it, just to be sure. A 5-gal. bucket can hold an entire 15 lb. bag of Purina Cat Chow. The snap-on lid keeps the contents clean and dry. We also have a smaller, RubberMaid cereal keeper with a tight fitting lid and a flip-up pouring spout.

Casper's daily rations come from the cereal keeper which is kept in the kitchen. When supplies get low, we refill the cereal keeper from the bucket which we keep on the landing leading down to the basement.

We live on the shores of the Great Lakes where it gets pretty humid in the summers. We've never had trouble with food going bad unless somebody leaves the lid off the container or doesn't snap it all the way shut.

 

[nlkiser198343]

I'm looking for tips on how to store kibble for my 10 year old girl. My girl is a light eater and the smallest bag of her RX food is 6lbs and will last her 6 weeks but by the end of week two there is a noticeable difference in her enthusiasm with the food. She's also picky and if the kibble sits out for more than a few hours (3) she won't eat it. She likes her food FRESH...anything else is a knock down drag out fight.

Right now we're doing what the food manufacturer, Purina, said to do which is to fill a good plastic container with a day or two's worth of food and then fold over the top of the bag and use a potato bag clip to seal it. I've read a lot that says after opening its best to keep the kibble in the bag b/c it's designed for storing the food. Purina said that when I called them. This seems to be the one consistent thing about storing kibble. However with such large bags, how do you keep it from going bad? This seems to work ok-ish except by week 3 she's not as interested in the food and I can either fight my cat on every meal (light eater means 13 meals a day) or I pitch the bag for a fresh one.

Would it be better to split the kibble up into ziplock bags after initially opening it? My thinking is it would prevent air from getting into the kibble better as we access a bit for day to day use.

What about freezing the kibble in ziplock freezer bags? I've read vague posts where people do that but there's not enough information. What type of bag? What is the portion size? How long do they allow it to remain in the freezer? Never enough detail.

For ziplock bags, does the closure type make a difference? Slider vs the non-slider? Is ziplock the best brand of bag to use? Should I look into a vaccum sealer?

Something else??

If you do this for your kitty and have success, it would be helpful for your step-by-step (go into as much detail as possible...assume I'm an idiot b/c I am and you're teaching me your method, "war and peace" your reply!) so that I don't miss out a crucial step.

I use a small metal can with a lid and my cat eats but he rarely eats it because he gets 5 ounces of wet food a day. I keep the rest in the bag sealed up in the attic where it stays cool.

 

[Tobermory]

I feed wet food, but I buy two-pound bags of Dr. Elsey’s kibble to use as treats. My vet suggested that I freeze the bag for a minimum of three days to kill food mites. Then I move the bag into the fridge to prevent the kibble from going rancid since it takes so long to use it up. I keep about 1/2 cup in a ziplock bag in a drawer for treat time so it’s not cold.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I'm looking for tips on how to store kibble for my 10 year old girl. My girl is a light eater and the smallest bag of her RX food is 6lbs and will last her 6 weeks but by the end of week two there is a noticeable difference in her enthusiasm with the food. She's also picky and if the kibble sits out for more than a few hours (3) she won't eat it. She likes her food FRESH...anything else is a knock down drag out fight.

Right now we're doing what the food manufacturer, Purina, said to do which is to fill a good plastic container with a day or two's worth of food and then fold over the top of the bag and use a potato bag clip to seal it. I've read a lot that says after opening its best to keep the kibble in the bag b/c it's designed for storing the food. Purina said that when I called them. This seems to be the one consistent thing about storing kibble. However with such large bags, how do you keep it from going bad? This seems to work ok-ish except by week 3 she's not as interested in the food and I can either fight my cat on every meal (light eater means 13 meals a day) or I pitch the bag for a fresh one.

Would it be better to split the kibble up into ziplock bags after initially opening it? My thinking is it would prevent air from getting into the kibble better as we access a bit for day to day use.

What about freezing the kibble in ziplock freezer bags? I've read vague posts where people do that but there's not enough information. What type of bag? What is the portion size? How long do they allow it to remain in the freezer? Never enough detail.

For ziplock bags, does the closure type make a difference? Slider vs the non-slider? Is ziplock the best brand of bag to use? Should I look into a vaccum sealer?

Something else??

If you do this for your kitty and have success, it would be helpful for your step-by-step (go into as much detail as possible...assume I'm an idiot b/c I am and you're teaching me your method, "war and peace" your reply!) so that I don't miss out a crucial step.

I got these large bins with a rubber ring around the screw-on lid from Petco.. I store the 6-lb. bags, after expressing as much air as possible from and making sure their self-closing tops are closed, in these. I've used these for years with no problems. They're similar to this:

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/gamma-vittles-vault-plus-976814

 

[nlkiser198343]

I've always bought friskies dry food biggest bag I can and stored what I can in metal pop corn cans. Cut the hole in bag as small as possible and fold shit and clip it. Kept at no more than room temperature mine lasts months. He was eating 2 5 oz cans of wet food and still eats dry food that I had over a few months. I give him Purina pro now since I can afford it

 

[nlkiser198343]

Sorry I meant shut. Lol

 

[louisstools]

When you need one, just thaw.

How long does the thawing process take? And how do you do thaw it? Just take it out of the freezer and put it on a shelf?

 

[Alldara]

With smaller bags I keep it in the bag, use a bag clip and put it in a closed container.

With big bags, I leave the first portion in the bag, and put other portions I put in freezer bags.

Very important step: keep the bag and/or take a photo of the lot and expiry numbers. You'll need them in case of a recall.

They say you should only buy a bag that is a month's worth at a time, so I put approx. A month's worth per portion.

It defrosts quickly, so I just take it out the night before.

 

[Furballsmom]

What about freezing the kibble in ziplock freezer bags? I've read vague posts where people do that but there's not enough information. What type of bag? What is the portion size? How long do they allow it to remain in the freezer? Never enough detail.

For ziplock bags, does the closure type make a difference? Slider vs the non-slider? Is ziplock the best brand of bag to use? Should I look into a vaccum sealer?

I didn't give you enough specs, I really apologize.

So, I'm using gallon size ziplock freezer bags (not the slider type), the amount of food is probably about six cups per bag. I think the ziplock brand is probably the best. I can't answer at this point as to how long it will last in the freezer.

A vacuum sealer is ok, but I've used a straw to suck the air out of the bag, and other times I've just rolled the bag up to expel the air.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Phoebe has Royal Canin Anallergenic, which I have to buy in 2 x 4kg bags because buying smaller ones more often is far too expensive. I keep it in its bag, squeeze the air out as much as I can and use the ziplock, roll the top down and put a bulldog clip on it. She gets through it faster than she used to, but one bag still lasts nearly three months. Never had an issue with it.

Daisy’s still on her first 1.5kg bag of Pro Plan Weight Loss food. I don’t know how long it will last, because I wasn’t counting it out while introducing her to it. It has a good sturdy ziplock, better than the RC one, I think. I’ll probably go to the 3kg bags (works out cheaper) and again, just keep it in the bag.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Am I right in assuming his food is staying fresh if he's still eating it? it wouldn't make him sick I would hope. It doesn't smell bad to me but it doesn't smell good either

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Am I right in assuming his food is staying fresh if he's still eating it? it wouldn't make him sick I would hope. It doesn't smell bad to me but it doesn't smell good either

Does it smell the same as when you bought it?

 

[louisstools]

They say you should only buy a bag that is a month's worth at a time, so I put approx. A month's worth per portion.

Yeah, pre covid I can understand that. Post covid...I like a spare. Can't always get my girl's food.

 

[louisstools]

I didn't give you enough specs, I really apologize.

You're fine. No need to apologize!