How can I keep a big bag of dog food fresh for a long time once opened?

May 14, 2020 2:11 AM

My dogs are used to a premium dog food which I buy in 5 pound bags. The store where I buy it cannot import this brand into Indonesia anymore, so they kindly sent me a 15 pound bag for the same price. However, I have two chihuahua mixes. Even a five pound bag lasts nearly two months. Difficulty level: Tropics & Covid-19

Dog tax.

I keep the 5 pound bags in the freezer. Otherwise, it quickly gets mushy and spoiled, even in the small version. Even using the bag's (kind of flimsy) sealer zip, it's just knocked over by the humidity here. (And bugs! Bugs get into everything!) This big bag absolutely won't fit in the freezer. In the past, I tried to separate such a bag into tupperware containers in the fridge, but it also went bad very quickly. And I in any case do not have 15 pounds worth of food savers in the house. Any suggestions?

posted by frumiousb to Pets & Animals (9 answers total)

Do you have a neighbor or friend that would loan you some freezer space? That seems like the cheapest way to go about getting it in the freezer.

Buying a chest freezer would work but that's the throw money at the problem solution. I've never regretted having a chest freezer though it's been useful for so many things.

In terms of it you may just have to store what you can and thow away it the rest because of all the restrictions . In that case, you would start by using stuff you couldn't store until that goes bad, move to the fridge bit until that goes bad and then start with whatever you could for in the freezer.

You may be able to prolong its shelf life in the fridge by turning it down to the coldest setting, but you also risk freezing other things on accident . I have a corner in mine where stuff generally freezes, so I'd put some there for example .
posted by AlexiaSky at 2:39 AM on May 14, 2020

Can you open the bag up, take out what you need, and vacuum seal the rest back up until the future point in time?
posted by freethefeet at 3:16 AM on May 14, 2020 [1 favorite]

If you have the plastic space saving bags designed for clothes you could fill one of those up and use a vaccum to remove the air as a bag for the food.
posted by AlexiaSky at 4:08 AM on May 14, 2020 [1 favorite]

do you use dehumidifier sachets in with the stored dog food for in big plastic boxes (10L) that seal shut (diamond brand) in the containers? My regular dry food is fine stored in the bag in a cupboard with humidifier things on the shelves (tropics too). It sounds like you have the expensive moist dry kibble if it's going bad that fast. You can buy small silica gel packets at the supermarket or a photo place and put them inside the plastic containers to keep the kibble relatively dry.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 5:31 AM on May 14, 2020

yes! Lots of silica gel - put it in a sock, and tuck the sock into the bag. Get one of those big cheap tupperware containers, put in more silica gel, and then close the cover.
posted by ChuraChura at 6:12 AM on May 14, 2020 [1 favorite]

(that's what we do to store cat food in West Kalimantan)
posted by ChuraChura at 6:12 AM on May 14, 2020 [1 favorite]

Can you divide it into smaller, sealed/sealable containers? Ziplocks, jars, plastic containers, etc. More work upfront than one big sealable container, but worth it because it maintains the food fresher for longer.
posted by Neekee at 6:39 AM on May 14, 2020 [1 favorite]

can you find something like this?

humidity, bug and pet-proof.

if nothing else, a plastic bucket with a sealing lid will do about the same thing. you will have to look to find a lid with an actual seal though, they normally just snap on.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:54 AM on May 14, 2020

Kind of a pricey for a single-use item, but can you find inexpensive vacuum sealers for sale locally? You could seal off small pouches of a few pounds each and open one/store in the freezer as needed. Given the bugs/humidity situation, you may find additional uses for such a gadget. And holy shit, your dogs are adorable.
posted by drlith at 8:10 AM on May 14, 2020