Thing 2: Pantry Overstock and Pet Food
Using the garage for overflow pantry items seems like a smart way to take advantage of bulk-buy savings. However, storing food of any kind—for humans or pets—in the garage is an open invitation for a host of problems, from pest infestations to food spoilage.
An Open Invitation for Pests
Your garage may seem secure, but rodents can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime, and insects can find countless tiny entry points. The aroma of bagged pet food, birdseed, or even cardboard boxes containing dry goods like pasta and cereal is a powerful attractant. This is a core challenge in preventing pests in the garage.
Rodents have sharp teeth that can easily gnaw through paper, cardboard, and thin plastic bags. Once they’ve breached the packaging, they will not only consume the food but also contaminate it with their urine and feces, which can transmit diseases. Insects like weevils, ants, and cockroaches are also drawn to these food sources, creating an infestation that can quickly spread from the garage into your home.
Even canned goods aren’t completely safe. While pests can’t chew through the metal, the paper labels and the faint food odor can attract them. If they establish a nest nearby, they can contaminate the can surfaces, which you might then handle and bring into your kitchen.
How Temperature Extremes Ruin Food
Beyond pests, the garage environment itself is detrimental to food quality and safety. Storing items in what is effectively a hot garage during the summer months is particularly damaging.
Canned goods are designed to be shelf-stable within a controlled temperature range, typically below 85°F (29°C). According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), storing canned foods at temperatures above 100°F can lead to spoilage and deterioration. The heat can disrupt the food’s texture, degrade its nutritional value, and in some cases, cause thermophilic bacteria to grow. Conversely, if canned goods freeze, the contents expand. This can break the can’s seal, allowing harmful bacteria to enter once the can thaws.
Other pantry staples are also at risk. The oils in pet food, nuts, and whole grains can go rancid in high heat, giving them a foul taste and smell. Wine is famously sensitive; temperature fluctuations can spoil its flavor and cause the cork to shrink, allowing oxygen to seep in. Even bottled water isn’t immune—high temperatures can cause chemicals from the plastic bottle to leach into the water.
The Best Place for Your Bulk Buys
The safest place for all food storage is inside your climate-controlled home. A cool, dark pantry, a kitchen cabinet, or a dedicated shelving unit in a dry basement are ideal locations. If you buy in bulk, the best practice is to decant items immediately.
Transfer dry goods like flour, sugar, rice, pasta, and pet food from their original paper or plastic bags into airtight containers made of glass, metal, or thick, food-grade plastic. These create a barrier against both moisture and pests. This simple step not only protects your food but also contributes to better organization, making it easier to see what you have at a glance.
