How Much Food Fits In A 5 Gallon Bucket

Based on my math, a typical 5 gallon bucket holds 0.71 cubic feet of anything you want. Filled with water, it will hold 42 pounds of the stuff, not counting the weight of the bucket (typically 2 pounds.)

That means for any liquid or semi-liquid food such as wine, beer, peanut butter, honey or cooking oils, just remember 42. Readers of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy may recognize this number as the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything.

Once you start talking dry foods the weight really starts to vary.

This is a small list to get you started in planning for how many buckets you will need to store a given weight of certain foods. It also happens to be a great list to get you started in thinking about different foods that can be stored long-term!

Maximum Weights of Dry Goods that will Fit in 5 Gallon Bucket

Hint: use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F to search this page for the specific food you are looking for. 

WHOLE GRAINS: Cracked Red Wheat 29.2 lbs. 13.2 kilos Hard Red Wheat 37.5 lbs. 17 kilos Hard White Wheat 37.5 lbs. 17 kilos Pearled Barley 36.7 lbs. 16.6 kilos Whole Corn 37.5 lbs. 17 kilos Hulled Buckwheat 35 lbs. 15.9 kilos Flax 31.7 lbs. 14.3 kilos Long Grain White Rice 36.7 lbs. 16.6 kilos Long Grain Brown Rice 35.8 lbs. 16.2 kilos Par Boiled Rice 35 lbs. 15.9 kilos Rolled Oats 20.8 lbs. 9.4 kilos Oat Groats 35 lbs. 15.9 kilos Oat Bran (Fine) 25 lbs. 11.3 kilos Rye 35 lbs. 15.9 kilos 9-Grain Cereal 31.7 lbs. 14.3 kilos Hulled Millet 35.8 lbs. 16.2 kilos

FLOUR: Wheat Bran 12.5 lbs. 5.7 kilos All Purpose Flour 33.3 lbs. 15.1 kilos Cornmeal 33.3 lbs. 15.1 kilos

BEANS: Beans 35 lbs. 15.9 kilos Anasazi 33.3 lbs. 15.1 kilos Black Turtle 35 lbs. 15.9 kilos Black Eye 31.7 lbs. 14.3 kilos Garbanzo 33.3 lbs. 15.1 kilos Great Northern 35 lbs. 15.9 kilos Green 8.3 lbs. 3.8 kilos Green Peas 33.3 lbs. 15.1 kilos Kidney 33.3 lbs. 15.1 kilos Lentils 35.8 lbs. 16.2 kilos Lima 35.8 lbs. 16.2 kilos Mung 37.5 lbs. 17 kilos Pink 34.2 lbs. 15.5 kilos Pinto 34.2 lbs. 15.5 kilos Refried 20.8 lbs. 9.4 kilos Small Red 34.2 lbs. 15.5 kilos Small White Navy 37.5 lbs. 17 kilos Soy 33.3 lbs. 15.1 kilos

PASTA: Pasta – Macaroni 20.8 lbs. 9.4 kilos Pasta – Egg Noodles 13.3 lbs. 6 kilos Pasta – Spaghetti 29.2 lbs. 13.2 kilos

DEHYDRATED VEGETABLES: Diced Carrots 16.7 lbs. 7.6 kilos Cross-Cut Celery 6.7 lbs. 3 kilos Chopped Onions 15 lbs. 6.8 kilos Potato Dices 13.3 lbs. 6 kilos Potato Flakes 12.5 lbs. 5.7 kilos Potato Granules 37.5 lbs. 17 kilos Potato Slices 8.3 lbs. 3.8 kilos Split Green Peas 37.5 lbs. 17 kilos Tomato Powder 29.2 lbs. 13.2 kilos

DEHYDRATED FRUIT: Applesauce 16.7 lbs. 7.6 kilos Apple Slices 8.3 lbs. 3.8 kilos Banana 11.7 lbs. 5.3 kilos

DEHYDRATED MILK/DAIRY: Butter Powder 20.8 lbs. 9.4 kilos Margarine 20.8 lbs. 9.4 kilos Cheese Blend 20.8 lbs. 9.4 kilos Non-Fat Milk 29.2 lbs. 13.2 kilos Morning Moo White 29.2 lbs. 13.2 kilos

POWDERED EGGS: Powdered Eggs 20.8 lbs. 9.4 kilos Powdered Whole Eggs 20.8 lbs. 9.4 kilos

Our gratitude for the commenters who noticed the glaring mistake in the original article.  Whoops!

Adapted from a list provided by USA supply.

Posted on September 17, 2013 by trevor