Gamma Seal Lids

In 2008 I discovered Gamma Seal Lids. Here is a blog post from 2009 where I talked about storing flour in buckets with Gamma Seal Lids, and another from 2010 so I’ve been using the lids and loving them for several years.

This is a bucket of rye that I was using yesterday.

You can see how the center lid unscrews.

It is a bit difficult to get the rings onto the buckets. Vince does it using a rubber mallet and you never have to take the ring off once it’s on . . though you can if you want to.

Vince was at Home Depot yesterday and noticed that they had Gamma Seal Lids in the paint department for $7.25.  The only reason it caught his attention was because he’s been re-doing the chicken waterer setup and the buckets need lids. I suggested Gamma Seal Lids because they’re easy for me to unscrew and he didn’t want to spend that much. I had said to him “They’re only about $10 each” so when he saw them at Home Depot, he checked to see if they were more or less than what I’ve been paying.  The ones I’ve been buying were actually $9 but I wasn’t sure til I looked it up online.

Vince bought a few of them at Home Depot and I looked them up online last night and if you buy them online, 6 per pack, they’re $6.60 each.

Before I go any farther, let’s talk about food grade containers. Not all plastics are created equally! The Gamma Seal Lids I have bought previously were pretty colors – blue, orange, red, green, yellow, white. These are all black. Nowhere on the lids or in the advertising does it say “food grade” nor does it say “BPA Free” and those things matter to me. The advertising for the black lids does say “Safe for storing pet food” and on the label, there are photos of the lids being used on buckets labeled “Corn Meal”, “Wheat”, “Flour”, and other food type items.

Not wanting to recommend something that might not be safe or accurate,  I called the folks at Gamma. Very nice folks! Here’s what they told me:

• Made in the USA! Their factory where these lids are made is in Sweetwater, TN. I suggested that I would like the company better if it was located in Sweetwater, TX but they didn’t seem real anxious to discuss that.
• They’ve been in business 25+ years.
• ALL of their lids are food grade and BPA free.

Once I was sure they were food grade and BPA free, I asked why they appear to be “Leaktite” brand on the Home Depot page but under the description, it mentions “Gamma”. He told me that Gamma does not sell directly to Home Depot but sells to them through “Leaktite”. The lids at Home Depot are made by Gamma and are the exact same quality and materials as all other Gamma Seal Lids.

The man also told me that the new labels will all say “Food Grade/Safe and BPA Free”.

Once these lids are sealed, bugs and moisture cannot enter the containers. As far as food items, I store grain, flour, sugar, dried corn (for popcorn and cornmeal), individual bags of beans or pasta . . most any food item that you want to store for an extended period and keep the bugs out.

We also keep dog food, cat food, bird seed and items such as that in buckets sealed with gamma seal lids.

Along with lids, you’re going to need buckets. There was a time when I could get buckets for $1 or $1.50 from the Wal-Mart deli but in our area, they no longer sell these. If you can get them from a bakery or deli, that’s great but if not, the best price I’ve found, though I haven’t done a lot of research on the buckets, was also at Home Depot. These may be better priced somewhere else but I do not know they’re food grade and the lids fit them and they’re delivered free to your home with a minimum purchase.