Many people buy food in bulk and consider long term food storage at home. When you plan to store certain food items for a duration longer than usual, the same needs to be placed in the right containers. Using the right containers for storing food is essential to extend their shelf life. You might be planning to buy a number of food items which you need regularly and store them for longer duration. But are you aware about the right containers that need to be used for this purpose? Probably not! You need to carefully choose a container when storing food for a longer duration. So wondering what are the best options for the same? Here's all about the same. Best Containers for Storing To start with, let me tell you that the shelf life of food will be extended when it stays away from air, humidity and light. Some foods also need to be stored at specific temperatures and only doing so will keep the same in good condition for longer duration. Remember that packaging food in transparent containers does not protect it from light. So when you use one of the following containers and in case you opt for a transparent piece, do store it in dark, so as to preserve its quality. Air-tight Boxes Air-tight boxes are the most preferred long term food storage containers for foods that are a part of your daily diet. Such foods don't need a really long term storage but must be stored well till the prepared quantity is over. Air-tight boxes that are made of stainless steel and have a plastic lid or those boxes made of high quality and thick plastic with lid are the best picks in this case. Remember that no matter whether you opt for plastic or steel box, the same needs to have lid with a rubber gasket. Gaskets are placed around the rim of the lid which makes it stay tight on the container without leaving any gap in between. Such leak proof and airtight containers are highly popular as storage boxes for home and for camping food storage as well. Plastic Buckets Plastic buckets are the most recommended. While there are a range of options in plastic buckets, you must opt for only those pieces which are made of high density plastic. You can find lightweight, yet tough and thick pieces in attractive shapes and colors. Again, go for one with airtight feature. These buckets are best for storing grains like wheat or beans and most of the dry foods. Many recommend not to use these buckets for storing rolled oats or rice. You can opt for smaller buckets instead of the extra large ones. Smaller buckets will help you store food in parts and add to the convenience of removing and using food from these, unlike the extra large buckets which are difficult to handle once filled with food. Zip Lock Pouches If you are storing a variety of food items, but in less quantities for longer duration, then zip lock bags or pouches can be a good alternative to containers. Well, let me tell you that there are a number of brands that are known for their line of pouches with airtight seal. Moreover, these can be further stored in plastic buckets or containers for added protection. The pouches are easy to open and seal back to store rest of the food. You can also store liquid or dry items in these which need to be refrigerated for long term storage. Buying food items in bulk and storing them is a practice that many families follow. When you invest enough money in this, it is essential that you also invest in good quality containers for storing the same so as to ensure that your food does not lose its nutrition value and quality after a certain period of time. Reading the guidelines will help you to get more details like temperature of storage for various wet and dry foods.