What’s The Difference Between Vacuum Sealing And Airtight Containers?

“Hi! I’ve been preserving food for a few years now, but I’m confused about the difference between vacuum sealing and using airtight containers. Usually, I make large batches of dehydrated veggies and fruits and then store them in jars or containers. I’ve been told that vacuum sealing lasts longer, but I’m not sure why. Also, does vacuum sealing make sense if I just preserve things for a few months? What’s the real advantage here, and are there specific foods where one is better than the other?” Thanks, Christina, Auckland, New Zealand.

What’s The Difference Between Vacuum Sealing And Airtight Containers?

Hey Christina! I love that you’re so deep into preserving your own food — it’s always so rewarding seeing the fruits of your labor (literally!). Your question is a great one too, and it’s something a lot of people wonder about when they get into food preservation. So, let’s break it down and explore whether vacuum sealing or airtight containers work better for you and when each method makes more sense!

1. What Is Vacuum Sealing?

Vacuum sealing is a process where you use a machine (or manually in some cases) to remove all or most of the air from a package before sealing it. This method is often used for storing food like meats, cheeses, and even dried vegetables and fruits. The idea is that by removing oxygen, you prevent some of the big culprits behind food spoilage — growth of bacteria and mold, as well as oxidation (which causes food to deteriorate).

I’ve personally found it to be super helpful when I need to store things long-term or bulk storage after big garden harvests. Like the time I over-planted zucchini and ended up with way more than I could eat in a few months — vacuum sealing stepped in and saved the day (and my freezer from overflowing!).

2. What Are Airtight Containers?

Airtight containers, on the other hand, just mean the container has a seal that creates a barrier between the food and the outside environment. It doesn’t remove oxygen like vacuum sealing does, but it protects your food from external moisture, pests, and air exposure.

It’s kind of like putting a tight lid on a Tupperware dish after dinner compared to tightly wrapping up a sandwich in plastic. The container doesn’t necessarily “preserve” the food in the same way that a vacuum seal does, but it keeps things fresh for a while, especially over short to mid-term storage.

3. The Big Difference: Oxygen!

The key difference between vacuum sealing and airtight containers? Oxygen — or more specifically, the lack of it! Vacuum sealing sucks out most of the oxygen, which is what slows down the pesky spoilage processes caused by bacteria, mold, and even chemical reactions like browning or getting stale. Airtight containers? Not so much. They just seal the food off from the air outside the container, but they don’t do anything to remove the oxygen around your food inside it.

This is why vacuum sealing tends to last longer. No air, no growth of unwanted microbes, and therefore a longer shelf life for many foods.

4. Which Is Better For Long-Term Storage?

Now, Christina, let’s talk timeline! If you’re looking to maintain freshness for months or even years, vacuum sealing is king. It extends the shelf life of dried goods like grains or dehydrated fruits and veggies by huge margins, especially if you store them somewhere cool and dark afterward.

Let me throw in a personal example here: I have these big bags of dried tomatoes from a couple of summers ago, vacuum-sealed and tucked into my pantry. They still taste almost as fresh as the year I dried them. Compare that to some beans I stored in airtight jars at the same time, which started to fade in flavor after about six months or so.

Here’s a handy breakdown for you:

5. Short-Term Storage: Airtight Containers Shine!

But you also asked about storing things for just a few months, Christina — and here’s where airtight containers might be your winner. For stuff like crackers, flours, or anything you plan on using up within a few months, an airtight container works just fine. You don’t need to go all out with vacuum sealing just for short-term storage.

I keep most of my dried herbs in simple glass jars with good lids (think airtight) because I use them frequently and don’t need super long storage. Plus, it’s nice to pop open the pantry and quickly grab what I need when I’m cooking, without having to peel open a vacuum-sealed pack every time!

6. Benefits of Vacuum Sealing

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dig into the benefits of vacuum sealing:

• Extended Shelf Life: Vacuum-sealed foods are much less likely to go bad quickly since you’re cutting out the air that bacteria need to grow.
• Great for Freezer Storage: If you freeze food, vacuum sealing also helps prevent freezer burn. Freezer burn happens when moisture evaporates out of food, and vacuum sealing helps lock that moisture in.
• Maximizes Space: Vacuum-sealed foods take up less space in the pantry since the lack of air lets the food shrink down a bit. Especially helpful for bulging freezers!
• No Pests: Little bugs can’t sneak in like they can with just jars or standard bags, so it’s great for grains and dried goods.

The drawback, though, is that setting up vacuum sealing can be a little more work for short-term needs. Also, if you’re vacuum-sealing things you’ll use regularly (like spices or herbs), you’ll be constantly breaking those airtight seals, which can feel like a bit of a hassle.

7. Benefits of Airtight Containers

And here are the upsides when it comes to airtight containers:

• Convenience: Super easy to open and close, perfect for everyday items like snacks, bulk ingredients you grab frequently, or food stored for shorter periods, like your dehydrated veggies. This might be what you’re after, Christina!
• Reusable and Cost-Friendly: You don’t necessarily need any special equipment for this, just a good quality jar or container, especially those you probably already have on hand.
• Perfect for Fridge/Pantry Use: Airtight containers work well for storing leftovers, herbs, or those dried foods you’ll use within a couple of months.

8. Which Foods Work Best for Vacuum Sealing?

If you’re leaning more toward vacuum sealing, here are some excellent choices:

• Proteins: Raw meats or cheeses do wonderfully since vacuum sealing keeps them fresh, especially in the freezer.
• Dried Foods: Fruits, veggies, and herbs handled this way last a very long time. You mentioned dehydrated veggies, Christina, and vacuum sealing them could easily extend their life by 2-3 years.
• Grains and Flour: Dry pasta, grains, and flour can all benefit from vacuum sealing, especially if you store bulk quantities.

If you only need short-term storage or are constantly using the food, an airtight container is totally fine. However, for long-term storage or bulk preservations, vacuum sealing will deliver more bang for your buck.

Final Thoughts…

Christina, I hope this helped clear up the confusion for you! To quickly sum things up, vacuum sealing is ideal for long-term storage, preventing pests, and extending the life of dried and fresh foods alike. On the other hand, airtight containers are convenient and useful for foods you plan to consume within a few months. It sounds like you’ve already got it down with airtight containers for your everyday storage — if you’re looking for longer preservation, vacuum sealing could be your next best friend!

And thanks so much for your question — happy preserving!