Can I Safely Stock Up?

[Guest Houston1219]

A local mom and pop pet store has our brand of dog food for the cheapest it's been EVER. Their price is usually the cheapest around, but the manufacturer (Nutro naturals) is running a special there for an additional ten dollars off per 15 pound bag. A bag that usually would cost me $35 at the chain stores (this supply store has very limited hours) is $18!!!

 

The bargain hunter in me wants to clear the shelves, but the rational me knows spoiled food can make a dog sick.

 

My question is this: how far ahead can I buy bags of dry food? How should they be stored? My grandma has a large wine cellar in her basement. Could I buy a few extra bags and keep them in there? Maybe in air tight containers?

 

Btw we have one dog who eats 4.5 cups a day and they are 15 pound bags.

 

Thanks!

[Time4ANap]

The food will have a "best by" or a "sell before" date on the packaging. I would only buy what you can use in that time. A wine cellar may be too humid - not sure though. I buy a couple 40 lb bags at a time and just keep them on a storage shelf in our laundry room,which is on the HVAC system so the temperature is consistently between 70 and 80 all year.

 

You shouldn;t need any special storage containers if you use it by the date on the package.

[kronckew]

'sell by' and 'best before' dates do NOT mean you should throw out food that has reached those dates. too many people waste their money and waste food by throwing out perfetly good food. if you are OCD and must do so, give it to a doggie charity that rehomes dogs.

there is a considerable time AFTER those dates expire that the food will still be good. especially if in a sealed bag. if there is a 'use by' date on the bag, however, it will probably start deteriorating after that date and so sould be used rapidly or thrown away if there is any indication of spoilage - smell, mold, etc. do follow the instructions on the package for storage and how long it's good for after opening.

Use by

You will see "use by" dates on food that goes off quickly, such as smoked fish, meat products and ready-prepared salads.

Don't use any food or drink after the end of the "use by" date on the label, even if it looks and smells fine. This is because using it after this date could put your health at risk.

For the "use by" date to be a valid guide, you must follow storage instructions such as "keep in a refrigerator". If you don't follow these instructions, the food will spoil more quickly and you may risk food poisoning.

Once a food with a "use by" date on it has been opened, you also need to follow any instructions such as "eat within three days of opening".

But remember, if the "use by" is tomorrow, then you must use the food by the end of tomorrow, even if the label says "eat within a week of opening" and you have only opened the food today.

If a food can be frozen its life can be extended beyond the "use by" date. But make sure you follow any instructions on the pack, such as "cook from frozen" or "defrost thoroughly before use and use within 24 hours".
Best before

"Best before" dates appear on a wide range of frozen, dried, tinned and other foods.

"Best before" dates are about quality, not safety. When the date is passed, it doesn't mean that the food will be harmful, but it might begin to lose its flavour and texture.

Eggs can be eaten after their "best before" date as long as they are cooked thoroughly until both yolk and white are solid, or if they are used in dishes where they will be fully cooked such as a cake.

Cooking eggs until both the white and yolk are solid will kill any bacteria, such as salmonella. People who are in "at-risk" groups should only eat eggs, or food containing eggs, that have been thoroughly cooked. These groups include:

babies and toddlers
elderly people
pregnant women
people who are already unwell

Every year in the UK we throw away 7.2m tonnes of food and drink, most of which could have been eaten. So think carefully before throwing away food past its "best before" date.

Remember, the "best before" date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the instructions on the label, such as "store in a cool dry place" or "keep in the fridge once opened".
Display until and sell by

Date marks such as "display until" or "sell by" often appear near or next to the "best before" or "use by" date. These are instructions for shop staff, not for shoppers.

The important dates for you to look for are the "use by" and "best before" dates.

Edited August 8, 2014 by kronckew

[oldrunners]

My daughter and I just did a 2 state search for Nutro grain free. I found 2 14# bags in Rehoboth Concord Pet store, and bought them both. (for $84!!!) When I asked if I could order more, I was told it was listed as OBS in the computer. That means obsolete, and therefore cannot be re-ordered. Our Petsmart doesn't have it anymore, nor does any stores near my daughter in Virginia. She has emailed Nutro, but hasn't heard back. This is unfortunate since it is the only food Lua will eat with any gusto. Our conclusion is that they are either re-vamping the product, re-doing the packaging, or, discontinuing the product altogether. (This dog lived in Europe the first year of her life, and ate a grain free food from England. This food can be bought here, but is hideously expensive. Since she has been in the States it has been a struggle to find something she likes that is grain free, and within my daughter's budget.) So, if the dates are ok, I suggest you buy it!

[4My2Greys]

I've found myself lately in the same situation. I found a food that I have fed Chase and had been having trouble getting at a store that has it discounted because they are no longer going to carry it. They have them reduced from $60 to $38. So far I've bought (3) 25lb bags and after reading kronckew's post I think I'm going to call and see if they will hold the remaining bags for me to pick up tomorrow.

[Guest Lillypad]

Love it, I am a bargin hunter too. Believe like human food, there is probably a leeway after the best before date. But I was wondering...could you keep it in the freezer? (If you have one large enough, of course) Would this extend your storage time. I would call the manufacturer, they most likely have a customer service contact for questions of this sort. Good luck and I second the idea to stock up.

 

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[Guest Houston1219]

My daughter and I just did a 2 state search for Nutro grain free. I found 2 14# bags in Rehoboth Concord Pet store, and bought them both. (for $84!!!) When I asked if I could order more, I was told it was listed as OBS in the computer. That means obsolete, and therefore cannot be re-ordered. Our Petsmart doesn't have it anymore, nor does any stores near my daughter in Virginia. She has emailed Nutro, but hasn't heard back. This is unfortunate since it is the only food Lua will eat with any gusto. Our conclusion is that they are either re-vamping the product, re-doing the packaging, or, discontinuing the product altogether. (This dog lived in Europe the first year of her life, and ate a grain free food from England. This food can be bought here, but is hideously expensive. Since she has been in the States it has been a struggle to find something she likes that is grain free, and within my daughter's budget.) So, if the dates are ok, I suggest you buy it!

 

If you have the UPC off the bag you could call around to local stores and all then to look it up in their system. Many chain stores have linked inventory systems and can tell you of other stores show balance on a product. I do this often at the pharmacy where I work finding drugs for patients. Payless also does this when they don't have your size. :

 

Btw, what food are you searching for?

Edited August 9, 2014 by Houston1219

[oldrunners]

We're looking for Nutro grain free turkey and potato. I stopped by my local Concord Pet today for my own dogs' food and spoke with the manager. She said as far as she knows, Nutro is discontinuing their line of grain free. Also, they searched their store-wide inventory for me---thats how I found the bags in Rehoboth. There are probably a couple more bags floating around in smaller stores somewhere on Delmarva, but I refuse to drive more than an hour or so to get them! I think my daughter has bought a bag of every grain free food made, and my dogs have finished off each and every one, except this one. As much as my daughter wants to feed grain free, my granddog seems to have other ideas! I feed Nutro chicken and brown rice, and Lua loves it. Thank you for your advice, and we shall see what happens!

[Guest Houston1219]

I see the grain free venison and fish(?) varieties all the time. Never payed enough attention to them to notice a turkey one. Is it the dark purple/indigo blue bag? The ones I seek out are the lavender color ones