I have looked for this answer

[Different Socks]

and can't find an overall solution: Long term storage of dehydrated veggies, fruits, etc, how should I do it? I've seen vacuum bags used, baggies, sealed containers and other methods.
Can I simply put veggies, fruit, sauce leathers, and complete meals in sealed baggies, then store in a container til used? Does the container I put the baggies in have to be sealed also? What kind of sealed container are we talking about?
If this has already been posted, I apologize. I work 2 jobs and my time for researching the answer is limited. I just spent 45 min trying to find the answer to the above questions, time which could have been better spent doing other things.
Appreciate any info and please keep in mind, I'd like to do this as cheaply as possible.
BTW, I did look up the answer at One Pan Wonders and could not find any reference to it. Perhaps I am not looking hard enough? Also the drying book I have must be 15 years old b/c it instructs me to package everythng in paper bags and baggies.

[wannahike]

I use the vacuum sealer with glass mason jars. I use the jar cover like this

http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T03-0023-01-Wide-Mouth-Jar-Sealer/dp/B00005TN7H

Kept in a dark place they keep a very long time. Meats I store in bags in the freezer.
The jars are economical and you can fit a lot of dried food in a quart jar.

[Different Socks]

The sealed glass jars won't work. For me it is cost prhibitive. The amount of fruits, veggies, sauce leathers and such that I will be drying will be enough for over 700 dinners alone. I need the dinners, ingredients and such to keep for 2--4 years.
I live in a small apt with an even smaller fridge(that's probably 25 years old). I have a cool, dry basement to store everything for now, then later the separate boxes of food drops will be stored at several locations around the country for anywhere from 4 months to 1.5 years.
If a vacuum sealer is best, then that is what i will use. But if simple double or triple bagging using different sizes of baggies will work also, then that is what I'd like to do. Would that work, or do I have to vac seal?

[kanga]

everything i dehydrate, whether stored in a freezer ziplock or a vacumn-sealed bag, it all goes in the freezer. i have never had a problem and still have things that i dehydrated last summer. still good this summer.

[Different Socks]

My problem with freezing everything is that my fridge is so old, that the freezer is on the inside upper part of the fridge and has only a large plastic door to cover the opening--similar to a large dorm fridge--so space is very limited.
Would I be going the wrong direction if I double baggy and put in large Rubbermaid containers in my basement?

[kanga]

your storage time would be shortened massively. maybe find a small box freezer at a garage sale? i found one that would fit 10 bodies for $100 on my deer processor's bulletin board.

[kanga]

you know, you might want to pm sarbar. she is a dehydrating guru. she would know better than i what is possible and what is not.

[LaurieAnn]

your storage time would be shortened massively. maybe find a small box freezer at a garage sale? i found one that would fit 10 bodies for $100 on my deer processor's bulletin board.

You will shorten the storage life by many months. Instead of six to eight months you'll have a month or two. It is longer for veggies and shorter when it comes to meat.

This is from my book...

Food Storage: Safe Practices at Home and Camp
Food storage is a question I have addressed many times with my wilderness cooking students. First make sure that you have compressed as much air as possible out of the bags you store your food in. If you don’t plan to use the meals you dehydrate within a month or two, freeze them and they’ll keep for about six to eight months without compromising taste or quality. Recipes with sweet potatoes should only be stored for two to three months because the flavor can be compromised.

When you thaw the food, open the bag a little to let out any condensation that might occur, squeeze out the air, and close it again. If you aren’t freezing the meals, keep them in a cool, dark, and dry place or in your refrigerator. Check your meals a few weeks before you go—if there is the slightest sign of mold, throw the meal out. It means that the meal didn’t dry properly or became contaminated. This has only happened to me once, and it was because the bag wasn’t properly sealed.

[Dicentra]

First of all, thanks for visiting my site!

The USDA says that you should put your dried food (especially meats) in the freezer.

Personally, I think this is redundant. The whole point of drying food is to preserve it (vs freezing, another food preservation method). I store my dried food in zip lock freezer bags or glass mason jars. The bags are kept in a large tub (think under the bed storage type). Stock is rotated out at least once a year. Usually more often.

Think about it this way, do you ever see dried food stored in the freezer at the supermarket? No. They are in packages on the shelf and/or in bulk bins.

ehow link (http://www.ehow.com/how_4912569_store-dehydrated-foods.html)

What you do is your choice. Do note that I do not live in a hot and humid place. YMMV.