The General Food Storage FYI

Food Storage FYI

Prepare a storage area for food. COOL, DRY, and DARK conditions are best. Include a permanent marker to date items as they are added to the shelf. Remember to rotate first in first out by putting the new items in the back of the older items already on the shelf.

CONTAINERS- Always store your bulk foods in food storage containers. Many people have had to throw away lots of food because it was left in sack, where the product can or was exposed to moisture, insects, and rodents.

NEVER USE TRASH CAN LINERS IN YOUR PLASTIC BUCKETS TO LINE THEM AS THESE ARE TREATED WITH PESTICIDES

NEVER put water or food containers directly on cement. Use carpet, wood, shelves, etc. Reason- is chemicals will leach into the containers from the cement.

Stock up on items when found to be on sale. Look for case lot sales: buy one get one free sales. Buy multiple items when in season to carry through for a year.

Try to put your food and water storage in several different locations in your home.

USE YOUR FOOD STORAGE!!!! It is vital that you and your family become familiar with the things you are storing. You need to know how to prepare these foods. Your family needs to know what it tastes like. You do not want to do this under stress. One of the most important things you can do is get your family used to eating these foods. A stressful period or disaster is not the time to totally change your diet.

Get food storage cook book and learn too use the foods you are storing. You can even put one together by adding you favorite recipes into a 3 ring binder marked food storage recipes.

this is something that was put together many years ago. Just transferring info here. I am sure there are many more ideas I could add to it. FYI on Food Storage.

Sources: Not known for sure: Information is from many others credit goes to them

A few ideas are my own thoughts.

Rotating Food Storage

Rotating Food Storage

This is s BIG question. How do I use and Rotate my food storage? My answer is by using it. Ok that is easy to say, but how.

Here is what I have learned...

 

1. Buy only the food you will eat.
2. Then buy food in small enough packaging, so you will open it and use it.
3. Date all food storage foods, soaps, anything that you store all things need a month and year put on to them. Some people only put the year i.e. 2014. I have heard of some people who have put stickers on their food storage items, i.e. stars for 2013, hearts for 2014, and Christmas stickers 2015. They made a master sheet with year and the kind of sticker next to that. Then they use all stars cans first etc.

 4. The first in first out rule.(FIFO) This helps with rotating the food stuffs. Always put the new bought stuff on the shelf in back of the food already on the shelf. That is why dating all items helps with this.

 5. Buy in bulk and repackage the food stuffs your shelf. Use Food grade buckets, canning Jars, PETE bottles, etc.

6.  Keep a master inventory list. WRITE down what you have, what you want, and what you NEED to get. Write it down in pounds or in cans and learn to buy that way. Well I update mine only 2 times a year, Jan and July. I look to see what I have, What I need and what I have used. Ok say you want 100 pounds of rice person in your family. And you have 4 people in your family like I do. You want 400 pounds of Rice total. Now you keep your eye out for great deals, sales, etc. I was able to add 100 pounds of rice to my food storage. 20 pound bags for $5.00 each. So I spent $25.00 for rice. Now I added that to my master list and now I have 75 pounds of rice per person. I now know I need 25 pounds per person to get to my goal. Or a total of 100 pounds. So I will continue to watch for the best deal and buy accordingly through out the year.

7. Use your Food Storage as a Giant Pantry. This is the best way I have found to rotate my Food Storage. All of my Food Stuffs are in the same area, sorted and labeled and dated. All are on shelves or in CLEARLY marked boxes. When I go to make dinner, I go to my Food Storage area and get what I need.

8. By using what you have stored away, means your family and you will

 A) Be able to use it when the need arises.

 B) KNOW how to cook with it

 C) Your family will be used to eating it and your bodies will be USED TO IT

D) You can have recipes ready to use for all food stuffs in your Food Storage

9. NO wasted money. Use food and replace it. I have heard all too often of people who have bought wheat, dry milk, etc. Stored it away and NEVER used it. Then had to throw it away and start all over. WHY, store food you will never eat? Why store food to throw away? Why throw money away? Start using the food stuff you have and replace and then no wasted money and no wasted food.

10. You will save money in the long run. Yes you can save money by eating out of your food storage. I can now only buy food to replace food I used as long as it is on sale, or I am running out.( running out to me is 2 items left on the shelf) I only need to shop once a month and that there will save money. I never have to run to the store to “Get” something to make a recipe or dish. I only spend $250.00 total for my Food budget each month, most families spend much more to feed a family of four, and that is including the dog, and cat.
11. You will eat healthier. You will be able to eat healthier and better foods. If you start to eat more grains and such and less highly processed, snack foods, etc. You will lose weight, you won’t need, and you will feel better. The most important thing is you will feel full and will need to eat less snacks.
12. The best thing I can say is. Learn what is best for you. It has taken me 15 years to be able to do all of this. I have learned by doing. If you live and practice food storage, you will never have a problem in rotating it. You will use it everyday and as you go you will see how easy it really is.

Food Storage Recipe for May

This months Food Storage recipe is going to be for Non Food Items.

I have used these recipes for 6 months now. They are easy to make and really does not take up that much time.

FABRIC SOFTENER:
6 cups hot water (hot tap water is fine)
3 Cups White Vinegar
2 Cups Hair Conditioner

Add Water (hot) into container, add conditioner, mix up, add vinegar, mix well. Put into resealable container. Like your old fabric softener bottle. Add the same amount you would normally use in the rinse cycle. Yes you can use this in HE washers, As that is what I have. Shake before each use.

You can buy cheap hair conditioner, any smell you like. Works good.

LIQUID LAUNDRY SOAP:

1 bar of Soap (Fels Naptha)
1 cup of Borax
1 Cup of Super Washing soda
2 cups of water
4 gallons of water
5 gallon bucket with lid
old cheese grater, old pot, old wooden spoon, old whisk.


Grate soap bar using an old cheese grater, add to a pot, add 2 cups of water. heat on low, mix and stir unitl soap is melted and combines with water.

Pour Borax, and Super washing soda into the bucket and mix up. Add the hot soapy water from the pot and quickly mix and thoroughly. Add 1 gallon of water at a time to the mixture and stir, until you add 4 gallons. Mix up well. Cover and let sit OVERNIGHT! Uncover in the morning, mix up with a spoon or whisk until well blended and the "big" chucks are small. Add to smaller containers, like old laundry detergent bottles. Shake to mix up before use! Use only 1/2 cup per load! It will not suds up! You can use in HE washers as it will not hurt it, and you use less detergent for a load. 5 gallons of soap will last me 3 months, for less than $3.00.

(DO NOT USE BAKING SODA! WRONG ITEM!)

Peanut Butter Recipes

Peanut Butter Recipes....

So now that you have Peanut Butter stored up, now
what? There is more than just eating PB and J sandwiches, PB on crackers, or just eating it on a spoon or on apples. 

Here are a few recipes I found to use up peanut butter. 

Cream of Peanut Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 cup milk
• Snipped chives
• Chopped peanuts for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. MELT butter in medium saucepan. Cook celery and onion until onion is tender, but not browned. Stir in flour and cook about one minute. Whisk in chicken broth, cooking until thickened and bubbly.
2. REMOVE from heat. Puree mixture in batches, in a blender, until smooth. Return to saucepan.
3. ADD the peanut butter and milk, stirring to blend thoroughly. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve hot or cold. Garnish with snipped chives and chopped peanuts, if desired.

 Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Yield: 6 Cups

Recipe from http://www.jif.com/Recipes/Details/420

Crispy Peanut Butter Pretzel Chicken
Serves 6
3 tablespoons fig jam
2 tablespoons prepared stone ground mustard
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thighs or legs
8 ounces sourdough pretzels, coarsely crushed
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Mix together fig jam and mustard in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Place pretzels in a food processor, and pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, egg, water, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
4. Place flour in a large plastic bag. Add chicken breasts and shake to coat evenly. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then dredge in the pretzel crumbs, pressing coating lightly to adhere to chicken. Place coated chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet. Bake until chicken is cooked through, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
5. To serve, divide fig mustard among six plates, and using the back of a spoon, smear it in a line across center of plate. Place a piece of chicken on top of jam, garnish with parsley, and serve hot.
Recipe from http://peanutbutterlovers.com/

Oriental Chicken 'N Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 8 ounces angel hair pasta or vermicelli
• 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. PLUS 3/4 cup Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing
• 3/4 cup sliced green onions
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger*
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro or parsley
• 2 Tbsp. Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sherry
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool.
2. On broiler pan, arrange chicken. Brush with 2 tablespoons Dressing, then broil, turning once, 6 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
3. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat remaining 3/4 cup Dressing and cook green onions and ginger over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in cilantro, Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, sherry and crushed red pepper. In large bowl, toss pasta with green onion mixture, carrots and red pepper. To serve, arrange on platter, then top with sliced chicken. Garnish, if desired, with additional sliced green onions.

• *SUBSTITUTION: Use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and decrease crushed red pepper to 1/8 teaspoon.

Recipe from http://www.peanutbutter.com/

Peanut Butter Energy Bites (Makes approximately 15 cookies)
Ingredients

• 1 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. wheat germ

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir together until everything is fully mixed. The dough will be very thick.
• Scoop dough by the tablespoon onto the cookie sheet.
• Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the sides of the bites begin to brown.
• Let cool and enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Jelly

This is the time of year that Peanut Butter and Jams and Jellies go on sale, Just in time for back to school. This is the perfect time to add Peanut Butter and Jams and the like to your Food Storage.

There are many people who make their own Jams and Jellies. Please make, store and put away. There is nothing like a fresh jams and jellies cooking in the pot before your jar them up. My Children always loved the fresh foam on the jam and eat it with fresh homemade bread!

Peanut Butter is a quick and easy thing to add to your 72 hour kits, and has a shelf life that does not need to refrigerated in times of emergency. The going shelf life of peanut butter is; The official is use by date. Many people that have stored peanut butter: unopened jars that have been kept in a cool, dry, dark place can last between 2-5 years after the used by date. Again this is a personal choice and you do with it what you want to. Always smell your peanut butter you will know by the nose that it is no longer good to eat.

Jams and Jellies are made with sugar and the like. They officially have a used by date on prepackage items. The general rule is about 1 maybe 2 years. It all depends on what it is, how it was made and if it has sugar or sugar free.

Do a simple search, check the websites for the brands you use and see what the manufacturer has to say all about it. When you make your own the general rule of thumb is use it with in a year. I have used jams I have put up for up to 5 years later. Check the seals, and make sure they are not molding or spoiling.

This is the time of year I like to remind people to add a few extra jars to food storage. 

Now if your family has a peanut allergy sufferer you will not want to add peanut butter to your storage as it will be a hazard to the family member.

As with any food storage it is best to use up what you have, replace as needed. Wasting food and throwing it out is a waste of money. Always use the first in first out method. Always date for incoming food on when you added it to your food storage and place behind what you already have on your shelves. Use your food storage and you will never have to throw out food, and your food will be used long before the use by dates!