December 2013
“Build a small supply of food from your normal, daily diet.
One way to do this is to purchase a few extra items each week to build a
one-week supply of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply until it
is sufficient for three months. These items should be rotated regularly to
avoid spoilage.”
All Is Safely Gathered In , Food
Storage Pamphlet
Following these guidelines for food storage for a college
student or for a young family seems like a simple way to begin.
1. Make a list of the “staples “
that your food storage should contain according to the foods you like to eat. Keep
a collection of your favorite recipes.
This also helps meal planning and staying on a budget.
2. Keep this list as a “Long Term
Grocery List” inside a cabinet door so you can purchase items as they are on
sale or when the food budget allows for extra purchases.
3. As your ” Staples” storage grows
move on to complete a full three-month supply.
Kathy Bray, co-author of Not
Your Mother’s Food Storage, suggests to “write down the date you open
something and then look at the date when you’ve used it up.” Just write it on
the packaging with a sharpie. This will help you know how quickly you use up
your staples and calculate how much you will need. For example, If you use one
jar of peanut butter in a week, you will need 12 jars for a 3 month supply.
This can be helpful when using a food budget and planning a monthly budget.
Food storage in an apartment or small living space can be
easier when think outside the kitchen. Start with a closet that can be used as
a “pantry”. Use plastic bins to hold homemade mixes. Place food under beds or
on shelves located in less conspicuous places. Keep food accessible so you can
easily rotate your storage.
An important part of food storage is budgeting. Building
your food storage on what you like to eat will reduce wasteful spending and
increase your ability to store food on your budget. Also, a storage full of
items you enjoy will lessen your desire to spend more on a fast meal elsewhere
also helping you stay on a budget.
Food storage can be helpful and less expensive by making
recipes for mixes made out of bulk items and stored in Ziploc bags, ie, noodle
mixes, brownie and muffin mixes, dry soup mixes. Included are some recipes.
Food storage can bring peace to your mind during any rainy
day, whatever your situation may be. It also allows you to serve your neighbor
on their rainy day.
Ready to make mix recipes:
13 cups quick cooking oats 1
cup brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup dry milk powder 1
Tbsp cinnamon
Mix dry ingredients together in a ziplock bag or ice cream
bucket. To make 1 serving: Mix ½ cup
of oatmeal with ½-1/3 cup water. Add any dried fruit you would like. Microwave
on high for 1 minute.
Basic Muffin Mix
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour Add:
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup sugar 1 egg
2 tsp baking powder 2 TBSP oil
¼ tsp baking soda ¾
cup water
¼ tsp salt optional:
add berries, dried fruit,
2 ½ TBSP dry milk powder cinnamon
and sugar on top
Mix dry ingredients together in a ziplock bag. You can use ¾
c. wheat flour and ¾ c. white flour. To
make: Pour mix into bowl and add wet ingredients. Mix or stir together.
Pour into greased or paper lined muffin tins. Bake 400’ F 20-22 minutes.
Basic White Sauce
3 cups non-instant dry milk powder , 2 cups all purpose
flour, 2 Tsp salt.
Mix together and store in an airtight container. Use in any
recipe that calls for making a white sauce using milk, butter and flour. It is
a completely fat free alternative and tastes great! It will store for up to 5
years on the pantry shelf.
Homemade Mac and
Cheese
8 oz macaroni, cooked 1
½ cups cheddar cheese
½ cup + 2 TBSP white sauce mix salt, pepper, garlic onion to taste
2 cups hot water Diced
ham, optional
Cook noodles, Whisk white sauce mix and water together in
sauce pan. Cook and stir
Season with spices to taste.
May add ham and buttered bread crumbs . Bake at 350’
Until bubbly hot. You can freeze this dish before baking. To
use frozen casserole just thaw and bake as directed
