I have been meaning to post this information online and have not found a good venue for it, but reading the responses to the article So You Think Starting a Garden Will Be Easy After TEOTWAWKI inspired me to contact you for your consideration of adding this little tidbit for your blog followers.
The second letter response to the article stated that “We put dehydrated tomatoes and peppers in pint canning jars, put a tiny hole in the center of the lid, put on a Pump ‘N Seal seal, pump out the air, and place in our cool, dark, root cellar.”
I bought a Pump-N-Seal some years back from an As Seen On TV store for about $19.99. I did not like using it for the ziplock bags but loved the idea for the jars. However, the pin prick in the lid and the tape to cover the hole still bothered me. After tons of web crawling, I could not find any alternatives. Then I started using my own brain cells and deductive reasoning.
I bought two of the Mason Jar lid attachments– one wide mouth and one regular mouth– that work with the FoodSaver vacuum sealer. I thought the Pump-N-Seal hose would fit directly in the lid, but it didn’t. The lids did not come with the tubing, so I went online and bought the accessory hose from FoodSaver. I think the cost of the accessory hose was $3.00. Then, I paid $5.00 for shipping. UGH! The Pump-N-Seal hose fits perfectly in the tubing, and of course the tubing is designed for the lid attachment. Now, I am able to use my Pump-N-Seal to vacuum out the air in my canning jars! I was SO excited!!!! I have been meaning to share, but like I said, I didn’t get around to it until just now after I read that post to your blog.
This was a great alternative for me because the FoodSaver vacuum sealer is rather expensive, and I am always looking for alternatives for when the power is out. The only other thing I am planning to explore are O2 packets and desiccants for my dehydrated goods.
Food Saver Lid, Regular and Wide-Mouth
Food Saver Accessory hose
Thank you for your blog! Also, thanks to your reader who wrote the response that inspired me to finally get this information out!!!!
HJL Replies: This is a great way to save dehydrated foods and one that I use myself. In fact, there will be a future article forthcoming that takes this approach to a whole new level for the prepper. Both the Tilla Food Saver Lid attachment and the Pump-N-Seal work well together. You can use the Food Saver when you have electricity, and the Pump-N-Seal makes a nice power-free backup. It also works for things other than food. For example, oxygen is the enemy of rubber, and if you use the Tattler reusable lid system, you can also vacuum pack your extra rubber seals in mason jars to extend their life.