Cook'n is the best selling recipe organizer

I attended a seminar that my sister-in-law taught the other night on food storage. She gave some great, basic tips on having a food storage that's actually edible! Sometimes I think we just store basics, but who wants to live off of just wheat and rice?

1. Add Variety

Don't just store buckets and buckets and even more buckets of wheat or rice. That's great, but get something else in there. Spices, cheese and tomato powders, even a food storage cookbook!

2. Extended Staples

Keep some sugar, baking soda, yeast, powdered eggs on hand. This is great not only for food storage, but when your making those cookies and realize "Oh no! I'm out of brown sugar!" No your not, you have some stored. Just replace it when you go to the store.

3. Vitamins

We still need to keep our nutrition up and I don't think bread and butter cuts it. Obviously, the more varitey of items you store the better, but vitamins are a great idea, too.

4. "Psychological" Foods

When you're feeling low, boring food and the same old same old doesn't help a whole ton. Store some things you get excited eating. I know of a lady who went and canned graham crackers! Store candy, jello, cereal, pudding. Who doesn't want one every once in a while?

5. Maintain Balance

Get a little of this and a little of that. Rather than focusing on getting a year's worth of vegetables. Get some fruit, crackers, powdered milk, sprite, peanut butter, jam, cake mix, bisquick, pasta, etc. Buy it little by little until you have what you need. I don't want to live off just vegetables. Ick.

6. Store it correctly

Try to keep it in a cool room, or unfinished basement if you have one. Out of direct sunlight and off of the floor to prevent water damage.

7. Use It or Lose It!

Rotate through! You don't want to have bought your supply, then let it sit and go bad. Use cans from your storage, keep a list next to your food of what you take so you can replace it with something brand new when you go to the store. Budget for it.

Food storage is so important. It is not just in case a catastrophe happens, which is still a good reason to store food. I know many people, including my family growing up, who lived off of food storage when times were rough and money was scarce. Store! What a great back-up that can literally save your life.

Food storage image:
https://s-media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/upload/11540542765159656_TZncZxN2_b.jpg
Variety image:
https://www.pilotseasoning.com/images/splicelot3_up5o.gif
Brown sugar image:
https://mybrands.com/getmetafile/ee1370d3-08b0-44af-b9b6-a4a5af17c2f7/CH-Golden-Brown-Sugar-2-lb-bag?maxSideSize=132
Vitamins image:
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PUjYKIyEP6g/TUC256BuW3I/AAAAAAAADks/V_lpkaxTEJ0/s640/vitamin-e.jpg
Jello image:
https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UqeFUmYBL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
Nuts and dried fruit image:
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XqxIhD_0Kik/UFnPYRUBMWI/AAAAAAAAIiI/NWx_00vlnNg/s1600/1.jpg
Storage room image:
https://www.zupas.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/food-storage.jpg
Baking bread image:
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KjRNStSRNcw/Ti0HPT7aJVI/AAAAAAAACG4/jnQJG45kmHY/s1600/Baking+bread.JPG