Be Prepared: An Introduction to Food Storage

November 21, 2010 - 1:30 ET

In the age of the 24 hour supermarket, food storage may seem like a crazy concept. But economic forces are converging in such a way that skyrocketing food prices no longer seem like a possibility, more and more they appear to be an impending certainty. While Glenn could be wrong about inflation, there’s no harm in being prepared. Don’t be the person holding up a sign looking for help, be the person with a life raft. Look at the information on food storage and decide what’s best for you and your family.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

- No refrigeration, plan for emergency assuming no electricity.

- Be nutritious, there may be some more physical activity required (ie. Blizzard requires more shoveling)

- Keep calorie count

FOOD

- Recommend you start with 2 week supply of food
- Good no-cook food items

- Energy bars / breakfast bars
- Almonds
- Peanut butter
- Tuna packages
- Canned pasta
- Dried fruit / canned fruit
- Dry milk
- Instant coffee
- V-8 juice

- Plan around the way you already eat.

- Build around 3 categories of food

- Grocery store goods:  often inexpensive, and it’s all familiar stuff.  (i.e. mac & cheese)
- Freeze dried foods:  lightweight and don’t take up much room.  more expensive up front, but priced out per serving, it’s budget friendly. 
- Bulk dry food:  rice, beans, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, cornmeal, wheat, dried milk, etc.  It will be the backbone of your food storage and last up to 20-30 years.

- Don’t stock up on it unless you know you like it.

- Look at ingredients. You don’t want something high in sodium or preservatives

- Pay attention to shelf life. Take a look at package, can. Soup doesn’t need water and can store this for a few years.  Plastic bags and cardboard boxes – 1 yr max

WATER

- Easiest way to store is by using cleaned out 2 liter soda bottles. You can easily clean out with hot water, drop of soap. Rinse thoroughly. That type of plastic is safe for storage.

- Recommend 2 liter soda bottle / per person / per day. For consumption and washing.

- If a situation where water is an issue, be sure to have stash of paper plates & freeze dried meals.

- If you can heat water, then at least you can enjoy a hot meal (i.e. mac & cheese, pasta, soup)

STORAGE

- 5 main enemies to storing food

- Temperature:  ideal is 40 degrees -  72 degrees.  For every 18 degrees above 72, food will lose its’ nutritional value by half - Humidity: Store food off the floor and away from outside walls
- Pests: Keep food in air-tight containers clean up food particles on the shelves or floor
- Oxygen: Use oxygen absorbers, rotate food, vacuum packing food to reduce oxidation
- Light: Keep your pantry area dark.  If food is in clear containers, keep them in labeled boxes with lids.

- Look for places where can you declutter (I have water bottles stored under my kids’ beds)

- You can store food in bin under a bed, clear out space in closet and designate a shelf.

- I recommend pieces of furniture that can double as storage. (i.e. Bench that opens up with a storage component – especially good for small homes)

- Store in a place that you won’t be dipping into constantly.

NON-FOOD ITEMS

- Items like toilet paper, can be bulky but it can be stored in garage, attic, shed, etc. moisture will affect it but temperature won’t.
- Non-food items, purposefully 1-2 weeks supply
- Go through entire day and jot down every non-item used. Soap, shampoo, contact solution, etc. buy extras of those.
- Keep easily organized in buckets (i.e. dental, laundry, etc.)
- Give serious consideration to how your family will cope when power is down. Communication, entertainment, What would we do to take care of pets? Keep things cool in the home, etc?

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation
Storage information
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/store.html
Canning information
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html
Drying information
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/dry.html

Articles about our Economy

Check out this article from Glenn Beck about our economy. It is very good and really makes you think.

12 Signs Economy May Tank

Here is another article also by Glenn Beck about the economy.

Prepare prepare prepare

Hyperinflation and what to do about it

So the Fed is printing money again, and just monetized our debt, so who thinks inflation is not coming? Well if you think that then I have some things to sell you. lol....
Really inflation is coming if not hyperinflation (inflation of over 100% over the course of 3 or more years). All the signs are there, so what can we do about it? Good question, this may help:

What can we do to survive a period of hyperinflation?

One, make up your mind that you will survive. Make up your mind that you will not fight the predominant trend. You do not do your country nor your family any service by being broke. Since hyperinflation is basically a collapse in confidence of the value of a nation’s currency what we need to do is think of assets that might retain their value against a depreciating currency.
These assets might be gold, silver, art, diamonds, antiques, religious artifacts and farmland. Now farmland may seem like an odd one, but imagine that most people live in cities. Those cities are entirely non-self supportive. These populations are only able to feed themselves because of their ability to offer dollars for food. If those dollars had no value, then they would be in a position of not being able to eat. So one’s ability to grow their own food is a pretty valuable asset, lest people start eating their neighbors.

So think about what you are going to do when this happens, no think about what you are going to do now to prepare yourself and or your family for the events that will happen.

Start storing needed food, supplies, water, ammunition and any other thing that you might need. It does not hurt to be a little prepared even if things do not get that bad. But if they do where would you rather be? Amongst the crowd that said oh do not worry things are fine, or with the people who know it is not a bad thing to be a little prepared.

Like the Boy Scouts say "Be Prepared"!

Food Storage

Having a food storage for your family is always a good idea in troubled times and good. What do you do if you loose your job, get snowed in, disaster strikes, etc...? Well if you have a little or a lot of extra food stored then you just go about your business and your family is taken care of and you have the ability to help others in need.
With the economy and job market the way it is today I really think this is one of the most important investments you can make for you and your family.
Also food storage is just a general term for emergency supplies not just food, but all the things you will need to live on if you cannot get to supplies or afford them.

If you are on board with this idea then the question becomes how much food storage is necessary? Well I believe it is a good idea to have a year of food for every person in your family, of course this takes some time to build up too and some money also. But imagine the peace of mind that you will have when you have it? Wow that would feel so good and you would know that your family would be able to take care of it's self no matter what happened.

Here is what my faith says about food storage:

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to “prepare every needful thing” so that, should adversity come, we can care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others.

"We encourage members world-wide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings.

"We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve."