Where would you start

Theres one about 50 miles away or so, But I get a discount for being an employee at the store. But might still need to compair the prices just to see.

4 people, Don't really have a plan as far as how many days I want to get to. Guess I would like to get atleast 3 months maybe.

Like. Like amd LIKE! LOL

I like the 5 gal buckets for staples like rice, beans, noodles, flour and sugar. Other things I would prefer smaller cans and what not.

Lard I will put that on my list, thanks.

I do can and freeze vegies from the garden. I know how to can meat. They say you become addicted to it after you learn, but that has yet to happen to me. I really don't like to can. It's a lot of work and I have a VERY small kitchen, my work space is about 2x4 ft.

Thanks everyone for your input, All ideas are helpful not only to me but others. I love coming here.

Canning lids. Canning jars can be found at garage sales and on CL, but canning lids are essential.
And if you possibly can, put your dry goods (flour, corn meal) in your freezer for a week before storing them out of the freezer in air-tight storage.
Then I also vote for whatever is on sale if you also get a discount from the sale price. You can make a big dent in your pantry list with a double discount!
Kit

Canning lids good idea, I will see how much a case costs. Yes the sale plus discount is a good deal, bought 15 lbs of bacon last week, for about $1.35 lb. Not bad there. Just gotta watch the deals and figure in the discount. I need to watch for another deal on a case of beef to can up, as I am out of what I did last year, but canning 70lbs of meat takes alot of time and work, but when I can get it for about 2.25 a pound it is worth it.

I would definitely focus on buying what's on sale. That would include some items that are not food, ziploc bags, aluminum foil, paper plates, laundry detergent, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, first aid items.
Make a list of all the things you need & eat for a week, a month, or however often you shop. Then multiply that out to figure out what you need for a month. Then when you have a months worth "in storage" go for two months worth, etc. Buy what you already eat, that can be stored. Don't stress over it, you've already made the most important decision, which is to DO SOMETHING! I wish more people would! Your family is fortunate to be SO loved and cared for.

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Thank you for the kind words, and see yet something eles to think about, getting non food items on sale. Added to my list. One a week thats my goal for now.

Don't forget spices. Especially those that you can't grow yourself like cinnamon, pepper, paprika, curry spices etc. If you buy them in pouches and put them in totes they are easy to stash under the bed or in a closet. Think of how you flavour your foods the most. Salt never goes bad. I buy it in "pickling salt" form. it's cheaper and you can put it in a pepper mill. Salt is the essence of life. You can't have enough!

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I'd recommend buying foods you can stretch by adding bean & rice & pasta. A single can of chile can be mixed with rice or bean to feed 2. Tuna, mushroom soup, and noodles can be mixed for a cheap casserole. You get the idea. Nobody wants to sit down to a big bowl of rice by itself, but add some soy sauce, egg, & whatever for dirty rice. Makes a budget go a lot further.

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Yep spices, I do pick those up most shopping trips. Steching foods with added rice and beans is a great idea. Our sale for the week starts tomorrow, I will let ya all know what case of things I choose first.

Do you have case lot sales at your store? I used to work at a grocery store, and twice a year there was a case lot sale... Could you save up the money you *would have* put toward a case of whatever every week, and then spend all that money during the case lot sale? So you'd not only get the cheaper price because it's case lot, but you'd get the employee discount as well? It would make your money go even father...

On pressure canning....We lost a freezer a couple months ago and there was 50# of meat to can up...beef...some had to be cut some was already stew meat...I did 25 quarts of stew beef in 2 days...I probably cut meat for an hour....chopped a bag of onions...a couple quarts of tomatoes...some boullion cubes....all into a giant pot to cook up(times 2)...ladled into the jars and ran the canner while I made dinner or knitted mittens or socks...
I don't love canning either but I hate being hungry or wasteful even more!

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My advice is to keep a detailed diary of what you use in a week. A simple notebook would work. List every item used for every meal including salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc. Also list all snacks eaten. Do this every week and you'll have a detailed list of EVERYTHING you need to store. Some things like milk, don't store long term so if you can't keep a goat or cow, then store powdered versions.

Some weeks you might use a LOT of an item, some weeks not much at all. For example in summer you might use a ton of sugar for making jelly, etc. But in winter you might not use much at all. By keeping the diary for a year, you'll end up with a very good list of what you need.

I'm a picky eater so I don't store tons of rice. Why store something I don't eat? I keep a bit for others, but it's not something I will personally eat unless it's eat or die of starvation. I do store tons of pinto's cause they are my favorite food. Also lots of corn cause I really like cornbread. Everyone has to match there storage to their family and what they eat.

Never store things you don't normally eat. In an emergency you'll have enough problems without adding gastric conditions to them.

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