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Mylar bags are a great way to get an airtight seal for your food. They're made of a lightweight material that can hold a lot of weight, but are easily punctured. This is why they work best when used in conjunction with 5 gallon buckets or some other storage container.

Mylar bags help keep light from reaching the food, which could potentially speed up the deterioration of it. They give an airtight seal which keeps oxygen from getting in and turning the food rancid, as well as killing off any bugs or eggs that might have been in the food to begin with. They also keep the moisture out, which again will prolong the shelf life of the food inside it.

Food grade Mylar bags are often used in conjunction with 5 or 6 gallon food grade buckets. The bags look huge when compared with the buckets. You'll almost think you ordered the wrong ones. But all that extra room is really necessary if you're going to use them to fill up the inside with dry goods. Besides, you can always trim off any excess when you're done.

It's important when filling the bags that you fill them inside the container you're going to store them in, such as a bucket. Don't fill them all the way full because you will need a couple inches at the top to allow room for your seal. Remember, you can always trim the excess off. Sometimes it's easier to leave more headroom and cut off what you don't need, than it is to try to make a full bag close evenly like it should.

You'll also need to make sure to get all the pockets of air out as you fill it up. You can do this by lifting up the container and thumping it against the floor. You may need to lift the bag up some as well, just to settle the food down into the corners as much as you can.

Then you'll want to pull the bag up from all the sides and make sure all the slack is out of the bag. This is when you place the oxygen absorber in the bag, if you're going to use it. Not all foods need an oxygen absorber, so make sure to check before you toss one in. (Sugar is one food you don't want to use an oxygen absorber with, if you do it will be as hard as a rock when you go to use it).

Sealing the bag is fairly easy, you can do it with almost any iron you already have on hand. Although you will want to test it out first, to make sure you have the iron on the correct setting. (Usually it's a high setting, but don't use any steam)! So practice a few times on a bag before filling it and doing it for real.

It is possible to buy a special iron that's used for just sealing Mylar bags. These can make your job so much easier, that you'll have to decided if they're worth it or not. If you use a regular iron, you will need to put something under the bag (such as an ironing board) before you use it. The heat sealers are designed so that that's not necessary. Sometimes if you can find a group of friends who share your interest, they'll split the cost with you and then everybody wins.

Mylar bags are fairly simple to use with clear instructions on how to get the best use out of them. Make sure to use them according to the manufacturers' instructions and you'll be really happy you took the time to learn about them.

Pros: Mylar bags can give you an airtight seal, allowing food that you've stored to last even longer than it would otherwise. They are very thin and lightweight, and don't take up much room.

Cons: Mylar bags are easily punctured, so they're best when used in conjunction with another type of food storage container. When it comes to getting an airtight seal "practice makes perfect" so you may run through a few extra bags before you get it right.