The Clever Way To Store That Bulk Bag Of Rice You Bought At Costco

Costco is well known for being able to keep its prices lower than most other retailers, and one way it does that is by selling items in bulk. That explains why you may have ended up with a 25-pound bag of rice, even if you don't cook it on a daily basis. So how should you go about storing that massive bulk bag of rice? Well, you're not alone in this dilemma. In a recent Reddit post on the Costco subreddit, someone asked how to store a 5-pound bag of rice (though posted a photo of a 25-pound bag), noting that, "Keeping it in the bag in the pantry feels like a disaster waiting to happen and I lack containers big enough for 5lbs." 

Numerous commenters responded with suggestions, though only a few were in line with the topic. One person suggested using the giant containers of pretzels, cheese balls, animal crackers, and protein powders that Costco also sells in bulk. It is frankly a really clever idea (and something we should consider adding to our list of pantry storage hack ideas). If you bought your bulk bag of rice at Costco, chances are, you may have already purchased one or more of these other bulk containers in the past as well — perhaps that giant container of mixed nuts, which is a pantry staple you should grab from Costco.

Before using any such container to store rice, be sure to wash them out carefully and let them dry fully. If your bag of rice is still filled to the brim, it may be easier to scoop the rice into your newly repurposed Costco storage containers than to try to pour the rice from the package. Depending on how big your bag of rice is, you may need several of these upcycled containers to store it all.

If you don't have any of these on hand, you can purchase specially made containers for storing rice. Food-grade buckets with gamma lids can also be used for storage, which can be found at some Costco Business Centers. Other options to consider, as suggested by Reddit users, include using pet food containers, wide-mouth glass jars, gallon-sized sealable bags or vacuum-sealed bags, or to simply roll up the bag of rice and using a clip or rubber band to secure the bag so bugs can't get in.