Seal Crock Before or After Food?

[SiofraTural]

I’m trying to do a nice basement filled to the brim with crocks and vessels, and the game gives an option to seal an empty crock. It’s been a season since I sealed, and since I’m a new player who is cursed with forgetfulness, I didn’t think anything would be an issue.

I am making a garden year two and am harvesting a ton of veggies and seeds that I found on my year one travels. I have a shelf built next to my makeshift kitchen, and I resealed the crocks. I made the big batch of food, put them in the crocks, and when I put them on the cellar shelves, I noticed that their expirations are a lot shorter than the 1-2 year crocks I sealed the year before. Turns out that they no longer say sealed.

My question is, what is the point of being able to seal a crock with no food in it, if it is no longer considered sealed when you put food in it afterward? 

Edited March 10, 2025 by SiofraTural

[Zane Mordien]

If you remove food from a sealed crock it breaks the seal. I assume it is the same if you seal a crock and then put the food in, you break the seal. Not sure why it would let you seal an empty crock but if it does then don't do it.

[Booker42]

I don't know about sealing empty crocks, but if i am not mistaken the seal breaking when getting food out is fairly new. 

[Dilan Rona]

You want to seal the crock after putting in the food. if you seal it first, and then put the food in, the crock of food will not be sealed, forcing you to reseal the crock after putting in the food.