Over the last several weeks, I have written various articles all focusing on
emergency preparation. I hope that you have learned as much as I have! This week, the focus will be on how to begin a food storage program for you and your family. This can seem like a daunting undertaking however, it need not be so.
Remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare: slow and steady wins the race. I will cover some key points and then leave it up to you as to how to proceed. Remember, every family is different, so every food storage pantry will be different. There are numerous sites that you can explore for more in-depth information. Just Google Food Storage 101 and watch what happens! WARNING: You can easily feel a bit over-whelmed slogging through the information! When this happens remind yourself that taking baby steps will get you where you want to be.
1. Space
One of the reasons most people don’t get involved with storage is they don’t believe that they have the “space” to store any items. While many people may not have a basement or root cellar, most have room under beds, in closets, or other nooks and crannies. There are some clever ideas on the internet to help you. Your family may not be able to store 6 months worth of food, but you would be surprised where you can hide and rotate, 3 month’s worth!
2. Sit Down with Your Family and Get Their Input
Explain some of the reasons why one would want to have food storage. Let the family know that THEY are going to have a say in what is stored, and why. Get them excited about making their own lists for one week, of what they would want to see stocked. Involving everyone makes your job easier!
3. Keep a List for One Month
Write down everything you purchase during a one month span. You will notice that there are items that repeat themselves over and over again: pasta, rice, peanut-butter, eggs, milk, etc. When you have the list, separate the foods into food groups: starches, dairy, fruits, cereal, etc. Now you have a good idea of where to begin, and you can go onto the next step.
4. Rule of 5
Begin with breakfast. If your list shows that you go through 4 boxes of cereal in one month, the next time you go to the store instead of getting 1 box, get 5. Congratulations! You now have a one month supply of cereal. Each week buy 5 extra of something that you use all of the time — not just occasionally.
5. Buy In Bulk
Purchasing 5 of anything need not put you into the poor house. Consider purchasing in bulk. We all know discount stores that cater to bulk buying, but be careful because this is not always as economical as it seems. Sometimes discount food stores will carry products you NEED at a greater savings than other wholesale warehouses.
Check out the newspapers — if you don’t get one, go on-line. Many are now putting their specials, as well as their coupons on-line for you to print and use.
Form your own food co-op with friends, family or neighbors. You may not need 12 jars of mayonnaise, but you and someone else may be able to split a case.
Consider separating bulk items such as pasta, rice, cereals, etc., into individual family-friendly sealable bags. Write the date on each bag, and then put the bags in air-tight containers. In this way you only need to pull out what you need, while keeping the rest fresh.
Be sure to check dates when purchasing at a case-lot sales. You don’t want to purchase something that expires in 2 months! Again, consider splitting the cases with someone else if you don’t need all of the cans, etc.
6. ROTATE!
If you buy what you USE, rotating will be no problem. If you eat 1 can of applesauce a week, and you have 5 extra stored, (remember the Rule of 5), you will want to replace every applesauce can you use. Keep a list and cross off what you use from your storage each week so that you can replace the items when you shop. This way you will always have 5 cans of whatever you need, stored and ready to go.
