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.

One way to get Food Supply in 1 year

A Complete Year’s Supply

purchased within one year

on Five Dollars a Week

( **Now as prices have gone up you may have to add it up to ten dollars; again this is only a suggestion**)

Week 1: 6 lbs. salt

Week 2: 5 cans cream of chicken soup

Week 3: 20 lbs. of sugar

Week 4: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 5: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 6: 6 lbs. macaroni

Week 7: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 8: 8 cans tuna

Week 9: 6 lbs. yeast

Week 10: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 11: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 12: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 13: 10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 14: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese

Week 15: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 16: 5 cans cream of chicken soup

Week 17: 1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins

Week 18: 10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 19: 5 cans cream mushroom soup

Week 20: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 21: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 22: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 23: 8 cans tuna

Week 24: 6 lbs. shortening

Week 25: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 26: 5 lbs. honey

Week 27: 10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 28: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 29: 5 lbs. peanut butter

Week 30: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 31: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese

Week 32: 10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 33: 1 bottle 500 aspirin

Week 34: 5 cans cream of chicken soup

Week 35: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 36: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese

Week 37: 6 lbs. salt

Week 38: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 39: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 40: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 41: 5 cans cream chicken soup

Week 42: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 43: 1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins

Week 44: 8 cans tuna

Week 45: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 46: 6 lbs. macaroni

Week 47: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 48: 5 cans cream mushroom soup

Week 49: 5 lbs. honey

Week 50: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 51: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 52: 50 lbs. wheat

Some weeks you will have leftover change. Save the change each week in a kitty to be used for the weeks you may exceed $5.00 (for example, as when purchasing wheat or milk).

You will end up with:

500 pounds of wheat

180 pounds of sugar

40 pounds of powdered milk

12 pounds of salt

10 pounds of honey

5 pounds peanut butter

45 cans of tomato soup

15 cans of cream of mushroom soup

15 cans of cream of chicken soup

24 cans of tuna

21 boxes of macaroni and cheese

500 aspirin

1000 multi-vitamins

6 pounds of yeast

6 pounds of shortening

12 pounds of macaroni

This should be enough to sustain two people for one year. For every two people in your family, add $5.00 (**$10.00**) more and double or triple the amount of the item you are buying for that week.

This list was given to me many years ago. I do not know who sent it to me or exactly where I got it. It is good info. Again the Money amounts will have changed with the new costs of things and such. It is a good list and you get the idea. Just add these items to your shopping list and put away.esp if you find things on the list that are on sale, then buy them then. Do not wait to get to week 25 to buy that item. Cross things off your list as you go. Make a plan, make a list, prepare yourself and your family.