Food Storage - Where do I begin?

Do you grow food in a garden? Do you have an extra jar of peanut butter or an extra can of diced tomatoes somewhere in your house? Do you have food in your 72 Hour Kit? If you said yes to any of these questions, you’ve already begun your food storage!

To me, there are two sides to food storage: “insurance” food storage and “to live” food storage. Both ways are good.

What is “insurance” food storage? “Insurance” food storage is buying a three month supply of food for your family from an emergency preparedness type store (think MREs--Meals Ready to Eat) and calling it good. You have your three months of food in case something crazy happens and you are following the prophet. All is well.

How to start “insurance” food storage?

· Look for Deals: Some of the stores have newsletters or emails announcing upcoming sales. Sign up for them.

· Try them: If it tastes nasty, don’t buy a 3 month supply of it!

· Make sure you have a way to eat them: Do the meals need water? Do they need to be heated? Will you need/want utensils?

“To live” food storage is incorporating the bulk (rice, beans, and grains) and canned foods you already use in your normal meals into your three month supply. This method is more time consuming than “insurance” food storage, but it usually costs less.

How to start “to live” food storage?

· Start Small: Build up a week supply of meals, then a month, two months, etc. Or build up one meal at a time. Work on having all the ingredients to make spaghetti six times in three months. When you finish that, then work on having all the ingredients to make tacos six times in three months, etc. Until you have a three month supply of meals.

· Buy in Bulk/Look for Deals: If something you normally eat is on sale, buy a case of it!

· Learn how to cook from scratch: If you are not familiar with cooking rice, grains, and beans, learn how! Cooking or baking with whole grains takes a little practice, but it is much healthier than processed foods. Did you know you can make your own yogurt, evaporated milk, sour cream, etc. from powdered milk? You can! There are so many areas to improve and become more self-reliant.

Don’t forget there is more to food storage than just food! It’s also important to store other things you use all the time.

· Water: Are you relying on your water heater as part of your water reserve supply in a crisis? Do you have a way to get the water out of your water heater? Have you practiced getting the water out of there?

· Financial Reserve: We all can see the wisdom in having some money set aside.

· Health and Hygiene Products: soap, baby diapers, feminine hygiene products, toilet paper, dental care, etc.

· Health Care: First-Aid, medications, etc.

· Fuel: candles, matches, wood, coal, kerosene, propane, diesel, etc.

· Clothing: cold/warm weather, children’s clothing, sturdy shoes, etc.

· Tools: food mills, generators, camping gear, etc.

· Essential Records: birth certificates, marriage license, social security cards, bank account numbers, etc.

There is no wrong place to start. The important part is to start! Keep it simple and work on your food storage a little every week.