An excellent write up Jen, thanks! I'm on this same path, but you've given me a number of new ideas to pursue. The thing I find hardest is getting roommates/partners/family on board with this. You can be as dedicated as you want, but unless you are willing to give certain relationships up or can get others on board, it can be very hard to follow through with many of these items ("it's deprivation to live like that!" - yeesh).
I wanted to comment briefly on food storage. You mentioned food-grade buckets as a preferred container - I use them too, and they work great, but get them from a different source. So, for those who can't get them from a health food or bulk store, try your local donut shop! They almost all get their fillings & glazes in food grade buckets and will sell them to you for $1-2 each. They just need a good washing to get the stickiness and the jelly smell out and then they're good to go. They're also often 3.5 or 4 gallon buckets which reduces the weight of each bucket when full, which is great if kids/smaller/elderly people are going to have to move them, even more so if they are stored on shelving that you have to lift them overhead to get onto.
I also love Gamma Seal lids on top of them, though they add substantially to the cost ($10 each as of this posting) and are not strictly necessary (the donut store buckets come with a lid, though it will degrade over multiple openings and closings).
Bucket Source
I wanted to comment briefly on food storage. You mentioned food-grade buckets as a preferred container - I use them too, and they work great, but get them from a different source. So, for those who can't get them from a health food or bulk store, try your local donut shop! They almost all get their fillings & glazes in food grade buckets and will sell them to you for $1-2 each. They just need a good washing to get the stickiness and the jelly smell out and then they're good to go. They're also often 3.5 or 4 gallon buckets which reduces the weight of each bucket when full, which is great if kids/smaller/elderly people are going to have to move them, even more so if they are stored on shelving that you have to lift them overhead to get onto.
I also love Gamma Seal lids on top of them, though they add substantially to the cost ($10 each as of this posting) and are not strictly necessary (the donut store buckets come with a lid, though it will degrade over multiple openings and closings).
Thanks again for establishing this space!
DutyBound