5 Best Food Grade Bins For Preserving Harvested Vegetables Old-Timers Use
Explore the 5 best food-grade bins old-timers use to preserve their harvest. Learn time-tested methods for safe, long-term vegetable storage.
That feeling of a full harvest basket is one of the best parts of this life, but it comes with a pressing question: now what? The race against spoilage begins the moment you pull a carrot from the ground or snip a squash from the vine. Before you rush to buy fancy vacuum sealers or clear out your entire refrigerator, it’s worth looking at the simple, time-tested tools that have kept harvests fresh for generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
Why Old-Fashioned Harvest Storage Still Works
The old ways persist for a reason: they are built on a deep understanding of what a vegetable needs after it’s been picked. Modern homes with central heating are actually terrible environments for storing produce. They are too warm and far too dry, accelerating decay and shriveling.
Old-fashioned storage methods aren’t about nostalgia; they are about recreating the ideal environment. They focus on the fundamentals: maintaining coolness, controlling humidity, ensuring proper airflow, and blocking out light. A simple wooden crate or stoneware crock often does a better job of this than a sealed plastic tub left in a warm kitchen. These methods work with the vegetable’s natural respiration process, not against it.
Leaktite Buckets: The All-Purpose Workhorse
Every small farm has a stack of 5-gallon buckets, and for good reason. When it comes to storage, the key is to use food-grade buckets, often designated with a #2 HDPE plastic symbol. These buckets won’t leach chemicals into your food, which is a non-negotiable starting point.
These durable, 5-gallon buckets are built to last, perfect for any job around the house or on the worksite. The comfortable grip handle makes carrying heavy loads easy, and the non-stick plastic simplifies cleanup.
Their true genius lies in their ability to create a custom microclimate. For root vegetables like carrots, beets, and parsnips, a bucket is a perfect vessel for the damp sand or sawdust method. You simply layer the vegetables with damp (not wet) sand, which keeps them crisp and hydrated for months. The optional gamma seal lid provides an airtight, pest-proof seal, turning a simple bucket into a miniature root cellar ideal for a cool basement corner.
Turn standard buckets into airtight storage containers with Gamma Seal Lids. The unique two-piece design locks in freshness, protects against pests, and fits 3.5, 5, 6, and 7-gallon buckets.
Wooden Apple Crates for Breathable Storage
Some crops need to breathe. Storing apples, winter squash, or sweet potatoes in an airtight container is a recipe for condensation, mold, and rot. This is where the classic slatted wooden apple crate shines. The gaps between the slats allow for constant, gentle airflow that wicks away excess moisture.
This circulation is critical for "curing" crops like squash and sweet potatoes, a process that heals cuts and hardens the skin for long-term keeping. While these crates are fantastic for preventing rot, they offer zero protection from rodents. Their use assumes you have a secure storage area, like a well-sealed pantry or a critter-proof corner of the barn. It’s a classic tradeoff: perfect airflow versus vulnerability to pests.
Ohio Stoneware Crocks for Cool, Dark Keeping
There is nothing quite like a heavy stoneware crock for passive temperature regulation. The thick ceramic walls act as a thermal battery, absorbing the cold from a concrete basement floor and keeping the contents consistently cool. This stability is something thin plastic or metal bins can’t replicate.
Originally designed for fermentation like making sauerkraut, these crocks are also exceptional for dry storage. Filled with sand, they become a fortress for root vegetables. Their weight and opaque nature make them a dark, stable, and rodent-proof environment. A simple wooden lid or plate placed on top is all you need to keep things dark and clean. They are an investment, but a well-made crock will outlast you.
Dayton Burlap Sacks for Onions and Potatoes
The biggest mistake you can make with onions, garlic, and potatoes is storing them in plastic. They need to be kept dark to prevent sprouting (especially potatoes) and have excellent airflow to stay dry and firm. A humble burlap sack, like the kind feed comes in, is the perfect tool for the job.
The woven jute fibers allow moisture to escape easily while blocking out nearly all light. Just hang the sack in a cool, dry place like a garage or basement, and you’ve created the ideal storage environment. This method is simple, cheap, and incredibly effective. It’s the reason you see potatoes and onions sold this way—it just works.
Rubbermaid BRUTE Bins: A Modern Classic
Move and store items easily with the durable Rubbermaid Brute Tote. Its secure lid keeps contents safe, while ergonomic handles reduce strain during transport.
While not made of wood or clay, the heavy-duty Rubbermaid BRUTE bin has earned its place as a reliable storage workhorse. When you need something absolutely rodent-proof, stackable, and easy to clean, this is the answer. Make sure you get the food-grade white or gray versions, not the black ones made from recycled materials of unknown origin.
The key is to adapt them to the task. For potatoes or apples, you can easily drill a pattern of holes around the sides to provide ventilation. For storing root crops in damp sand, they are a lighter, more manageable alternative to a heavy crock. They represent a modern application of old principles: a durable, safe container you can modify to control airflow and humidity.
Key Features: Airflow, Material, and Lids
Choosing the right bin comes down to matching its features to the needs of the vegetable. Don’t think in terms of the "best bin," but the "best bin for this crop."
Airflow: Is it essential or detrimental?
- High Airflow Needed: Potatoes, onions, garlic, winter squash, apples. Use slatted crates or burlap.
- Low Airflow (High Humidity) Needed: Carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips. Use buckets with damp sand or stoneware crocks.
Material: The material dictates the environment.
- Wood/Burlap: Breathable and natural, but offers no pest protection.
- Stoneware: Heavy, stable, cool, and pest-proof. Excellent for maintaining temperature.
- Food-Grade Plastic: Lightweight, pest-proof, and versatile. Can be sealed tight or drilled for ventilation.
- Lids: A lid isn’t always necessary. Use a tight-fitting lid only when your goal is to seal in moisture, as with carrots in sand. For most other things, a loose-fitting lid to keep out dust and light, or no lid at all, is preferable to prevent condensation and rot.
Tips for Setting Up Your Own Root Cellar
You don’t need an actual underground cellar to successfully store your harvest. The goal is to find or create a space that is cool, dark, and consistently humid. Many homes have a spot that can be adapted.
Look for an unheated corner of your basement, especially on the north side of the house where it stays coolest. An insulated closet, a bulkhead, or even an old chest freezer (unplugged, of course) can serve as a makeshift cellar. The ideal temperature range is between 32-40°F (0-4°C) with high humidity. You can monitor this with a simple thermometer/hygrometer.
To increase humidity, you can leave a bucket of water on the floor or occasionally mist the concrete. Organize your space with shelves to keep bins off the floor, which improves airflow and makes monitoring for spoilage easier. Remember to store apples separately from potatoes, as the ethylene gas from apples can cause potatoes to sprout prematurely.
Ultimately, preserving your harvest is about fighting a battle against warmth, light, and dryness. These simple, proven containers are your best tools in that fight. By matching the right bin to the right vegetable, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor long after the growing season has ended.
