How to Vacuum Seal Rice for Long-Term Storage

Yes, you can vacuum seal rice for long-term storage. For best results, use dry white rice, seal it in smaller vacuum sealer bags, keep it cool, dry, and dark, and protect the bags inside a bin or bucket so they do not get punctured.

White rice is one of the better dry foods for long-term storage because it has low moisture and very little fat compared with brown rice. Vacuum sealing removes much of the air from the bag, helps protect against moisture and insects, and makes the rice easier to store in smaller portions. For even longer storage, some people also use oxygen absorbers, especially when packaging rice in Mylar bags or long-term food storage containers.

My own preference is to vacuum seal rice and dry beans in manageable bag sizes instead of opening one large 5-gallon bucket every time (although I do have rice stored this way too). Here is the method I use.

Quick Answer: Can You Vacuum Seal Rice?

Yes. Dry white rice can be vacuum sealed for long-term storage as long as the rice is dry, the bag is sealed well, and the bags are stored in a cool, dark, dry place. I prefer white rice for this because it stores much longer than brown rice. Brown rice contains more natural oils and is more likely to go rancid over time.

For the longest shelf life, vacuum sealed rice should also be protected from punctures, heat, moisture, rodents, and insects. I like placing the sealed bags inside a plastic storage bin or 5-gallon bucket.

My preferred brand of gallon size vacuum sealer bags for rice and other items that I have been using for years is from O2FrePak. I buy their 100-pack for a quantity discount. They are 11″ x 16″ 4 mil heavy-duty bags that are BPA-free.

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100-pack 11″ x 16″ Vacuum Sealer Bags (O2FrePak)
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Food	Vacuum Seal?	Best Long-Term Choice?	Notes
White rice	Yes	Yes	Best rice choice for long-term storage
Brown rice	Yes	No	Shorter shelf life because of natural oils
Dry pinto beans	Yes	Yes	May require longer soaking/cooking as they age
Dry black beans	Yes	Yes	Store dry, cool, and protected
Cooked rice	Not for pantry storage	No	Refrigerate or freeze instead

My Vacuum Sealing Method for Rice

You only need three basic things: a vacuum sealer, vacuum sealer bags, and dry white rice.

I personally use 1-gallon vacuum sealer bags. I do not overstuff them. Instead, I fill each bag with enough rice so that the finished package will still lay fairly flat. That makes the bags easier to stack, store, and protect inside a bin or bucket.

I just checked some of my own stored rice, and the filled bags are a little over an inch thick. I weighed a few of them, and each gallon-size vacuum sealed bag holds about 4 pounds of white rice.

That size works well for me because it creates a manageable portion. I am not opening a huge container every time I want rice, and if one bag ever gets damaged, the rest of the storage remains sealed.

For vacuum sealing rice, you do not need an overly expensive machine. A basic FoodSaver-style vacuum sealer will do the job for most people.

I just checked and one of the most commonly purchased options is this particular model:

FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Machine
→ Check Price & Availability(Amazon)

I personally bought the NESCO Deluxe VS-12 about two years ago. The FoodSaver is a popular choice, but the NESCO has been great for us so far. It has a double vacuum pump, multiple seal settings, and it has handled our rice, beans, and other dry goods without any problems.

NESCO Deluxe VS-12 Vacuum Sealer Machine
→ Check Price & Availability(Amazon)

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How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Rice Last?

Vacuum sealed white rice can potentially last for decades when it is stored properly: dry rice, low oxygen, cool temperatures, protection from light, and protection from punctures, rodents, and moisture.

Utah State University Extension says that properly sealed and stored polished white rice can store well for 25 to 30 years, especially when kept cool, dry, and protected from oxygen.

A PubMed-indexed study evaluated 18 samples of long-grain white rice, including regular and parboiled rice, that had been packaged in cans and stored for up to 30 years at room-temperature residential locations. The study found that the rice retained much of its sensory quality over time, and that most samples were still considered acceptable for emergency use by panelists.

That does not mean every bag of vacuum sealed rice is automatically a 30-year food storage item. The storage life depends on the type of rice, the quality of the seal, the bag material, and the storage environment. Heat, humidity, sunlight, insects, rodents, and tiny punctures in the bag can all shorten shelf life.

White Rice vs Brown Rice for Long-Term Storage

For long-term storage, white rice is the clear winner. Brown rice may be better nutritionally, but it still has the bran layer and natural oils, which means it can go rancid much sooner.

White rice has had that removed, which is why it stores so much longer when kept dry, sealed, cool, and protected from light and pests.

For everyday cooking, use whichever rice you prefer. But for putting rice away for many years, especially vacuum sealed or stored with oxygen removed, I choose white rice.

Rice Type	Long-Term Storage Expectation
White rice, original store bag	Shorter term pantry storage
White rice, vacuum sealed and protected	Many years, potentially decades
White rice, sealed with oxygen removed and stored cool/dry/dark	About 25 to 30 years
Brown rice, vacuum sealed	Much shorter; rotate sooner
Cooked rice, vacuum sealed	Not for shelf-stable storage; refrigerate or freeze

The key is that the rice must be dry before sealing and must stay dry afterward. If moisture gets into the bag, all bets are off. A good vacuum seal helps, but it is only one part of the storage system.

Can You Vacuum Seal Cooked Rice for Long-Term Storage?

No, not for shelf-stable pantry storage. Cooked rice contains moisture and should not be treated like dry white rice. If you vacuum seal cooked rice, it should be refrigerated or frozen, not stored on a shelf. This article is about vacuum sealing dry rice for long-term storage.

Freezing Rice First to Kill Bugs or Eggs

You can’t see them, but they might be there. You never know. I freeze the vacuum sealed rice bags for several days. This will kill any tiny bugs or bug eggs that may be present, but not visible.

After removing the bags from the freezer, I let them come back to room temperature before putting them away in storage, just to avoid any condensation issues.

Here’s a picture using my garage/shop fridge freezer getting the job done…

My Rice and Beans Storage Method

Where should you store the vacuum sealed bags of rice and beans? I personally like using plastic storage bins. I use the Sterilite 30-quart size for lots of things, and they work well for this too.

One of those bins will hold six 4-pound bags of rice when using gallon-size vacuum sealer bags. It will also hold about twelve 2-pound bags of dry beans when using quart-size vacuum sealer bags. Either way, that works out to about 24 pounds of food in one manageable storage bin.

In calories, that is roughly 38,000 calories per bin. Uncooked white rice has about 1,600 calories per pound, and dry beans are in the same general range. That makes rice and beans cheap, compact food insurance.

→ Sterlite 6-Pack Heavy-Duty 30 Qt Storage Bins

Another option is what I think of as a rice-and-beans grab-and-go 5-gallon bucket. Using the same 2:1 rice-to-beans ratio, I vacuum sealed 1-pound bags of rice and 1/2-pound bags of beans using pint-size vacuum sealer bags.

A 5-gallon bucket will hold 10 bags of each, with room to spare for a Gamma Seal lid. That gives me 10 pounds of rice and 5 pounds of beans in smaller, convenient portions. Altogether, that bucket contains roughly 24,000 calories.

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Hopefully this gives you a few ideas for your own emergency food storage. Rice and beans are inexpensive, practical, and easy to portion. With a vacuum sealer, vacuum sealer bags, and decent storage containers, you can put away a useful amount of long-term food without making it complicated.

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