Today I have something important to share…
A Complete Guide To Finding, Buying & Using Can Storage Racks
Because when it comes to food storage, things get cluttered fast!
And not only does chaos look horrible, it compromises your food supply.
Instead, invest in some racks to avoid food expiration dates!
TOPICS IN THIS GUIDE… ↓(click to jump)
- Best Can Storage Racks Today
- Why You Should Invest In Racks
- Using “First In-First Out” Strategy
- Keeping Track Of Expiration Dates
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Here’s the deal, nowadays, there’s an overwhelming number of choices.
Some are big, some are small, some are heavy, and some are light.
But no matter the style you prefer, you should figure out how much food you want to store before you buy.
Then once you have your goal number, it’s time to go shopping.
Here’s a list of the best racks for can storage on the market today:
These FIFO Store Racks are my favorite when it comes to can food storage.
This one can hold up to 54 cans of food, and it's light at only 4 pounds, 15 ounces.
The only downsides are:
- Plastic racks are more susceptible to damage
- And it won't stack as well as some other options
But it's one of the only FIFO can storage systems on this list!
Watch this short video review to see how these will work for you:
↓ Rotating Can Food Storage System FIFO
These DecoBros Stackable Racks are very popular for several reasons.
First, you can buy as many as you need or as many as you can fit and simply stack them one on top of one another.
Each rack can hold up to 36 cans, and the rack is built so that when you pull one can out and the next rolls in to replace it.
It’s made from heavy gauge stainless steel. So this device is durable and requires minimal set-up. And at 6.2 pounds, it’s the lightest; most compact can storage rack on this list.
All that, in combination with the affordability of this rack, makes it one of your best options.
However, the biggest CON is it’s NOT a FIFO rack.
With this Pantry Can Organizer, you can build your perfect organized pantry in one step.
THIS is a First in, First out (FIFO) system, so you'll avoid those expiration date blues... and NOTHING will get lost or go bad.
Store, rotate, and organize up to 60 stacked cans that are 4” in diameter or less. Attach more Cansolidator food container systems on top of one another or side by side to increase your storage.
Here's what a couple of reviewers had to say:
- I loved it; my cupboard is more organized and tidy. I Know which one to pull out and use without having to check through the expiry dates.
- Our 2nd purchase of this storage 1st in-1st out system. Contrary to reports, it was easy to assemble and adjust to different can sizes. Units can be conjoined side to side if you have long shelves or stacked one atop another.
↓ The “Cansolidator” Pantry Food Rotation System
This canned goods storage rack can store up to 36 cans.
One nice feature of this rack is it includes 6 adjustable dividers to accommodate different can sizes.
It's a sturdy rack once assembled and has a chrome finish to prevent rusting.
Again, this one is not FIFO either so you have to remove older cans in order to place new cans behind it - except for the top shelf, of course.
These racks are small and simple but effective. They have a slanted design to ensure the cans will roll to the front of the rack when you remove one.
It includes small rubber stoppers at the feet of the rack to prevent slipping.
The biggest downside to this rack system is it's not first in first out unless you have access to the backside of the rack.
So if that's important to your canned food stockpiling plan, pass on this rack and get a FIFO one instead.
The biggest option on this list, this can rack storage system can hold up to 200 cans at one time!
It's designed with adjustable spacers to fit different sizes of cans.
The FIFO Can Rack is made with a “first-in, first-out” system which again, allows you to easily rotate through your older cans first.
It's even stackable!
So if you’ve got the space, place one of these units on top of another to increase your can storage capacity to 400 cans!
↓ FIFO Can Rack Review
4 Reasons Why YOU Need Them
Keeping your food pantry well organized is the top reason.
But it isn’t the only one:
1. Keep Cans Off The Ground
Keeping your food off the ground is a basic rule of storing food – even if it’s in a can.
Vermin, floods, and accidents can compromise your survival supplies down there.
Keeping food off the floor helps to keep it dry, and vermin are less likely to create their own private hidden snack bar.
2. Make Organization A Breeze
Most allow you to check “expiration dates easily.”
And they also give you a quick visual reference for how much food you have left.
You won’t overlook the fact that you’re running out of green beans or canned corn.
And thus, you can restock well before you run out.
Plus, if you decide to get a “First In First Out” (FIFO) system, you’ll consume the oldest cans first (more on FIFO can storage below).
3. Racked Food Is Safer
They ensure they’re out of the way and not creating trip hazards.
Everything on the floor can become a serious trip hazard.
And if your cans are carelessly placed on a high shelf, they can also make for a falling hazard.
But if they are on a rack engineered to hold them right, they are safe and sound (and so are you).
4. More Cans Per Pantry – Even Tiny Ones
This hearkens back to “good organization practices.”
With a storage rack, you can fit more cans in the pantry.
More food inventory per square foot is an easy win.
This can also free up space in your storage areas to fit more key food supplies besides cans (like sacks of rice and beans).
Wisdom Behind The “First-In-First-Out”
One of the most frustrating and wasteful experiences is discovering mid-emergency your food stockpile has gone bad.
And while “expiration dates” and “best by dates” are a myth (especially with canned goods), they will eventually go bad.
That’s where a stockpiling rotation strategy comes in.
You must rotate all your foods to stockpile food for a future emergency.
And yes, this includes canned foods.
So to protect your food investment, we recommend FIFO racks.
First In, First Out racks are designed to use older cans first but also allow you to add newer cans without reorganizing everything.
With regular racks, when you add new cans to the front, older cans get left stuck in the back.
These often get forgotten about and get older by the day.
FIFO fixes this age-old problem.
They’re designed to add new cans to an upper row while old cans are removed from a lower row.
So as you remove cans, the entire inventory shifts to present the oldest can for use first.
Stockpile rotation is built into the design!
If you’re getting prepared and have a choice between 2 rack systems, always choose FIFO.
How To Track Canned Food Expiration Dates
There isn’t much in the way of maintenance regarding racks.
They don’t have any moving parts, so you don’t have to worry about changing out the oil or charging batteries.
What is helpful, though, is to keep a log of what you have, what you need, and when your food will go bad.
I recommend this for all survival food storage spaces:
You should keep a clipboard hanging in your pantry.
That way, you can keep track of what you bought, when you bought it, and when it will expire.
This is an easy way to make sure your supplies remain fresh.
It’s also the best method for ensuring you never run out.
This method makes quick work of restocking your canned goods cache.
Thus, you’ll avoid letting your precious foods expire and running out in an emergency.
And keeping an accurate inventory prevents overstocking.
Sure, creamed corn is good, but you don’t want to end up with 1000 cans of it accidentally.
If you do, you’ll be on a strict cream corn diet in an emergency, which will get very old fast.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining a healthy supply of canned goods is a wise step toward prepping basics.
But it won’t do you much good if your can cache remains chaotic.
Racks are vital to any food storage system.
- It offers you a compact way to store cans in a small space.
- It makes it easy to track what you have and when it expires.
- And it grants you fast access to the food you need when you need it fast.
You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for an industrial-kitchen-sized rack.
A smaller, stackable setup will work just fine.
But it’s critical to have the proper ones to protect your canned good for years.
I hear many stories from our readers about how they forgot about their canned goods, and now they’re decades old.
They as me if they can still trust them and worry whether they are edible.
The good news is you can avoid this fate with good organizational practices.
And that starts by investing in high-quality can storage racks.
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