6 months worth of food

You can store grain products (rice, flour, etc) without having bugs in them if you freeze them first. We had friends who would freeze their grain products in empty clean 2 liter soda bottles for a couple of weeks, then store the bottles on their shelves. I always store my flour and rice in the freezer until I'm ready to open the bag, and have no bugs ever.

You can also contact a Morman cannery if one is in your area and arrange to can your flour/grain/beans in the big tin cans so that they are vacuum sealed. I think you just have to assist with a few hours of service in the cannery. Some Mormon churches also have the equipment available and will set up "canning" parties ever so often.

I've also found that the easiest way to build food storage cheaply (other than canning your own) is that when the stores put things on sale that you like and your family will eat, buy double the amount you would ordinarily buy and put the extra in your food storage.

When I first started buying less prepackaged stuff (hamburger helper, bread, bisquick) and more basics (sugar, flour, etc), DH noticed, but said nothing as the quality of my cooking did not change (or even improved). When I started bringing home a few extra jars of items, he said nothing. When he looked in the pantry downstairs and saw all the groceries, he grinned. When prices on groceries started to climb in recent weeks, he grinned more. Now, it is a joke between us.

I still don't fully know what I'm stocking up FOR, but I feel more secure having extra. It makes me feel better about being able to feed my family. It makes me feel better knowing that I could go a month or two without buying ANYTHING. It is peace of mind. If nothing else, your husband will understand that it makes YOU feel better, which should be reason enough (even if he doesn't understand WHY it makes you feel better).

-Joy

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-Joy

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The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Thomas A. Edison

my hubby likes MREs.....my niece's husband is a marine......

he said the guys that went to Iraq (him included) HATE the MREs and wont touch them....he sent 2 cases last November.....

he was supposed to send one case home with my niece when she came to visit/move home last week....forgot to ask if he sent it.....he is supposed to get out of the service this summer so our link to cheap MREs will be gone....

Rachel

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If at first you dont succeed.....click undo

==>my hubby likes MREs.....my niece's husband is a marine......

When I was in both the Army and National Guard (set the wayback machine to 1987 through 1996) -- they couldn't give those things away. Army soldiers liked their "Pogey Bait" instead.

There were some very lean times in college where I survived 100% on cases of MRE's that soldiers were issued, but didn't want. They'd usually issue us a couple of cases at the beginning of the 2 week annual training and most folks never touched 'em. I'd load up 40 or 50 *cases* of 'em to take home and eat as needed.

I *hate* 'em, but they do the job good when you're hungry. And if you have to actually pay for 'em, forget about it. They're pricey.

Wish I still had some friends in service. I'm sure I could get plenty as all soldiers hate the darned things.

My Grandparents remember the Depression and my Dads family have always stored food.My Dad kept the Pantry full of food and a large Freezer full of meat..His sister who lives in the sticks has always kept a lot of food in storage....She has at least 2 large chest type freezers that she keeps filled with what she buys on sale, what my Uncle and Cousins get hunting anf fishing,,She has chickens and a couple of cows she rescued, she calls them pets but my Uncle calls them steak on the hoof if things ever get bad.......It is only recently in the last 20 years or so that most Americans have stopped keeping a stockpile of food on hand.........I am slowly increases the amount of food I have on hand especially food that doesn't need refridgeration.........I did not heavily prepare for Y2K as I seriously doubted it would happen, but I did have about a months food and water on hand.....But, things are getting more chaotic everyday, something is building to happen soon and even if it doesn't having 6 months to a year of food on hand really gives a lot of Piece of Mind.......Don't forget, unlike in the past our goverment does not have a large stock of food for the people.Most communities have a 3 to 5 day stock of food..you all see what happens when a Hurricane or blizzard is coming, there is a run on the stores and the shelves empty out...And if you live in a larger city, there is probably not even 3 days supply because of population density............Mike

I was reluctant to post in this thread because I don't want to hijack it, but it really is quite relevant to the subject at hand.

Something that I think about a lot when it comes to stockpiling is storing what you normally eat. I live in suburbia, so what I grow in my garden, we consume in that season (not enough acreage to grow food for canning). But in a nutshell, we don't eat processed or commercially canned goods. Since life is grand and we can get to the grocery store/farmer's market each week, we eat everything fresh, fresh, fresh and I cook everything from scratch (nothing from a box). I do use canned tomatoes, but that is the only canned product I use. But for my SHTF pantry, I have a lot of preserved and canned goods, including things like SPAM. We don't eat this kind of food at all and as long as we have access to fresh food, we won't. Our dd is on the Feingold diet (no preservatives, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, etc. It's basically an all-natural diet).

So, what do you do if under normal life circumstances, you don't eat what keeps in a pantry? To rotate my stock, I will probably contribute it to a local food bank. My concern is to know how to even cook this stuff if I'm in a pinch. I have a wood burning stove and cast iron pots and pans, so I'm not worried about "HOW" to cook it, but "how" to cook it, if you know what I mean.

LOL... I have been there too..I remember when we lived in AK and the prices of food was astronomical compared to what we were used to stateside...and I had four children. I went to a case lot sale at the Commissary and bought cases of Tuna and Tuna Helper with cases of green beans, corn and peas really cheap..and we ate that forever...I thought it would never get eaten...I still am not that fond of Tuna Casserol now because of that. lol

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Christanie Farm...living life as it was intended

The reason for storing what you'll eat, and eating what you store, is because if you're put into a position where you have to live off your stored goods, then you're probably under stress due to loss of job, natural disaster, extended illness, etc.

You don't want to be learning to cook and eat unfamiliar foods when you're under stress. You're going to want/need familiar and comforting foods.

I'd suggest cooking from your stored items once per week. That way you learn how to put those items together and, just as importantly, your family becomes familiar with them and will more readily adapt to a steady diet of those items.

For anyone interested in this type of topic, there is a whole forum devoted to emergency preparedness. Check it out, it's a good forum.

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Our homestead-in-the-making: Palazzo Rospo
Eating the dream

Oh, THANK YOU for posting that URL. I had it quite awhile ago and somehow lost it. Love it.

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Marvelous Madame
Be kind to others. You do not know what burdens they are carrying.

I wait for the sales on necessities that keep for a long time. Brands/products I like and will use I stock up on. I never pay full price unless I have a coupon except for milk,bread eggs, short lived products. Stocking up is not only a way of being prepared or feeling secure, but of saving money in the long run.

Velochic- Maybe check out a pre-WW 2 cookbook? Most are from scratch, use canned (including things like SPAM) or dried (and fresh of course) food, but little frozen because freezers for the home were just coming into vouge. It (mine is 1942 Ladies Home Companion Cookbook) can give you recipes for all kinds of things made from dried beans, canned fruit and veg....and one section is just on canning fresh food. Might help you make use of what you store....just my .02

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Life is good!

I store my grains in #10 cans sealed with a packet that takes the oxygen out of the can. The cans will keep that way or in sealed food safe buckets for as long as I will live. I also store mine INSIDE my house, rather than outside to further lengthen the storage life - my kids' inheritance. Glass jars are good too. If you get bugs they were probably in the grain as eggs before you put it in the jar. I freeze all grains (that I don't put in cans) for a week or so before storing. That should kill all bug eggs. This includes pasta. You can get 2 liter glass jars at Hobby Lobby that use the regular canning lid and flat. I use those for longer term storage.

If you have an LDS church in your area, each church is assigned to a Store House. That store house might be 3 hours away, but there is one assigned to the Church members living in that area. The store house has basic food items in bulk that you can purchase, or you can bring in your own items to put in cans or mylar bags. They are provided at very reasonable prices, but not always the cheapest prices. ( I find the sugar $ high compared to the 25 lb bags from Sams Club)The prices usually only change twice a year. Some of the usual items are - wheat - red and white; flour; sugar; beans -pinto, navy, red; dehydrated refried beans; dehy carrots; dehy apples; potato pearls; pasta; powdered milk - non instant; dehy onions; choc pudding; van pudding; hot choc mix, etc. They have a canner available (to seal the $10 cans) as well as a mylar bag sealer. You can use either for the cost of the bag, can, lid and box - if you want a box to put your cans in. You need to call ahead and find out their schedule since the store houses are not open every day in many areas -some only one day a week. You do not have to be a member of the church to use the facilities. No one will try to get you to join while you are there. There are missionary couples there to help you and over see the use of the machinery. There is sometimes a grocery-type store associated with the store house. These products are only for the use of church members in need.

If you go I suggest taking an apron and your own markers to mark your cans with (there are pre-printed labels for the items you purchase there). You will be asked to clean up anymess you create before you leave. It is a good experience to go- take some friends with you and make an outing of it. It is in all of our best interests to see that as many people as possible have stores of food for their families.

Any of our LDS members know where I'd find a list of canneries? I'm wondering if there are any in Wisconsin.

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Marvelous Madame
Be kind to others. You do not know what burdens they are carrying.

I can something at least once a month and the jars can get pricey if you're buying them new. I have quite a supply of empty ones I have picked up at auctions, found for giveaway and for sale by individuals. Even the thrift stores have jars for .10 - .25. I used to pick up two boxes of lids each time I shop, but haven't done that for awhile. Also found Ball canning salt on clearance for .59 last year and bought all that was left.

Just remember the jars and rings are reusuable, the lids are not.

Maggie

http://www.providentliving.org/locat...26-1-4,00.html

fyi: i just called the one near me, and they said they don't sell to the public. i haven't called the next closest yet.

--sgl

You can also call www.waltonfeed.com and ask about the pool trucks and if there is a group in your area. If there is no group, you can get a drop by purchasing 2000 pounds min and do your own group. I know that sounds like a lot, but I buy half that much with each trip to the feed store.

Anybody in the Lee, Milam, Williamson county area of TX, I am trying to get a group together. The deadline for orders in and paid is April 30th. PM me if you are interested.

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I believe in God's willingness to heal.

Cyngbaeld's Keep Heritage Farm, breeding a variety of historical birds and LaMancha goats. (It is pronounced King Bold.)

Hi, I have another good reason to keep a pantry full. My ap. burst, and I had to leave my 13 year old son in the house alone for 4 days. I didn't really have to panic, because my pantry was full, and he could live there for weeks alright. Even when I got home from the hospital, I couldn't cook or shop for another week. Plus no money coming in from no work for a month. Stocking up on food for 6 months, really saved us. I will always stock-up from now on. Sue

Hunger is the best spice.

It might not be tasty, or what you want... but I guarandangtee you, you or your chilluns go a week eating air, those strange grains will be tasty.

My parents put food on the table... if we didn't want whatever was there, it was ok. But there was nothing else. A few times I went hungry, for mean hardheadedness... but eventually I'd relent and eat.

I try and store what I eat. But I also add a years worth of belly fillers, such as rice. I like rice, but I don't love it. But having been hungry in the past, a 5 dollar bag of rice that'll feed me for a month, is a fantastic bargain (seeing as a fast food burger will set me back that much)

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming