Food Storage vs Shelf-Life

http://livingprepared.blogspot.com/2016/03/food-storage-vs-shelf-life.html

When I began storing food just before Y2K, there was much controversy and uncertainty about this subject. Most who wrote about it were new at it themselves and had no long term experience to draw upon thereby what they were writing about was just a guess. Because of their guesses I made some mistakes in the beginning but, through my own trial and error and not giving up, got me on the right track.

It's not as difficult as you think, just two rules for food storage.

Rule #1,  Keep it very simple with minimal varieties!

Rule #2,  Store only what you've already tested, eat and know how to prepare.

Another confusing area about food storage is we’ve all heard about long term and short term but. What are they and how long is each and generally what kind of food is stored in each? Here’s what worked out for me:

Short Term Storage:

• Up to 2 years shelf-life.
• Virtually all foods in your supermarket fit this 2 year time frame.
• This is the food that's in your everyday pantry, just more of it.
• It is can, pouched, bagged or boxed foods including your home canned food.
• The source for this food is your everyday supermarket.
• There should not be any foods in Short Term Storage that requires freezing or needs refrigeration because you cannot ever count on having dependable grid electricity in troubled times.
• For Short Term storage there's no need for buying kit buckets of food, MRE's or other specialty survival foods.
• All can or home canned foods needs to be protected from freezing.

Mid-Term Storage: 

• Up to 10 years shelf-life.
• Most all #10 cans of dehydrated or freeze dried foods.
• Most all pouched foods/meals like the Mountain House brand.
• MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat).
• Kit Buckets of food, like the Mountain House 72 hour kit/bucket.

Long Term Storage:

• Up to 30 years shelf-life.
• Any purchased foods with a declared shelf-life of up to 30 years.
• Typically this is all bulk purchased dry foods like; wheat, beans, lentils, rice, barley, pasta, etc.
• It requires being sealed in Mylar Bags with Oxygen Absorbers.
• Included are ‘some’ #10 cans of dehydrated or freeze dried food, verify shelf-life before storing.

Additional Information:
Stocking commercially canned foods, long term food storage and home canning always raise the same question. What is the shelf life? I look to University Extension Services for the most accurate research and tested methods. The links below will help answer this question with tested fact. Enjoy and be safe with your food storage and canning!


The shelf life paragraph below is from the Utah State University Cooperative Extension
http://extension.usu.edu/foodstorage/htm/canned-goods/

Shelf Life:
As a general rule, unopened “Home canned foods” have a shelf life of one year and should be used before 2 years. “Commercially canned foods” should retain their “best quality” until the expiration code date on the can. This date is usually 2-5 years from the manufacture date. High acid foods usually have a shorter shelf life than low acid foods.

For emergency storage, commercially canned foods in metal or jars will remain safe to consume as long as the seal has not been broken. (That is not to say the quality will be retained for that long).

Foods “canned” in metal-Mylar®-type pouches will also have a best-if-used by date on them. The longest shelf life tested of this type of packaging has been 8-10 years (personal communication U.S. Military MRE’s). Therefore, storage for longer than 10 years is not recommended.


Here’s a few very good links for more qualified canning information.

Utah State University Cooperative Extension
http://extension.usu.edu/foodstorage/htm/canned-goods/

39 Food Specific PDF’s about canning are at this link plus other informative topics.
http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/by=category/category=319

National Center for Home Food Preservation. Lots of trustworthy information at this site.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html

Anti-Hoarding Laws Will Enable GOV To Take Your Food Storage by Ken Jorgustin

I suggest that you take the following information very seriously. It is a fact that there are laws on the books that will enable .gov to take and redistribute what you have – as they see fit – under the same circumstances that many of you are prepping for…

Should those circumstances actually come to pass, they will actually have the legal authority to take what you have. It will be even easier for them to do so if they and their agents preemptively discover (e.g. through local word-of-mouth) that you are one of those ‘preppers’. In other words, if you’re ‘ratted out’.

The mainstream has labeled ‘preppers’ = ‘bad’ (and worse), and the fact is that their label’s have ‘stuck’ in the minds of many – that’s another discussion altogether… Those who are self-sufficient-minded, independent-minded, liberty-minded, Constitutionalists, gun owners, any of the above… (you get the idea), be aware of your ‘label’ and the anti-hoarding laws which will paint a big target on you and your abode…

Note: In the context of this article, “hoarding” is not that of having piles of so called junk all around one’s home and yard, instead we’re talking about things like a deep food pantry, food storage beyond a few weeks, extra consumable supplies that you’ve stored, things like that… ‘They’ (the mainstream) have also labeled this type of thing as hoarding (which is ridiculous).

So here we go… how can .gov actually take this away from you?

Read more…

Trying Out Some Food Ideas by Suzanne

I've been thinking lately of trying out some of my food ideas:

1.  Adding sprouted lentils to a pot of pinto beans for more nourishment.

2.  Growing pinto beans and picking some of the beans at about 3" long for green beans, and leaving some to go to seed.  That way you could re-supply your beans and still can or dehydrate some.

3.  Try a few different recipes for hardtack to find one that won't break your teeth but will still store for years.

These are just a couple of the things I want to actually try for myself and see what is edible and what's not.

I'll be adding to this list and maybe some of you could comment with some ideas for me to try out.

I'll post my results as I get time to do them.

Blessings
Suzanne

Massive food inflation strikes Canada... consumers paying $8 for a head of cauliflower, $3 for a single cucumber.

(NaturalNews) Due to a "perfect storm" of inflationary factors – not the least of which being the continuing drop in oil prices – Canadians are seeing the effects of a weakening currency reflected in food prices at the supermarket.

$3 cucumbers, $8 for a head of cauliflower, grapes at $10 per bag – the spiraling cost of foods, particularly those imported from Canada's neighbor to the south, has consumers there reeling from sticker shock.

Social media platforms have been inundated lately with complaints about the rising food costs, and the offset in low prices at the gas pump has not been enough to make up the difference for Canadians who are now paying more for almost all imported goods.

It's one thing having to forego buying a new iPhone or other luxury items, but not being able to afford the foods one is accustomed to is particularly frustrating for the average consumer.

So what's behind the collapse of the Canadian dollar?

From The New York Times:

As prices for commodities have dropped, the value of the Canadian dollar has fallen, a direct link to an economy that is dependent on oil and other resources. It makes imports, like fresh American vegetables during the dark Canadian winter, look especially costly. Two years ago, one Canadian dollar was worth 93 American cents. On Wednesday, it stood at 69 American cents.

Canada imports 80 percent of its produce – much of it comes from California where the prolonged drought has caused prices to rise in terms of American dollars. This, combined with other factors, has caused prices for fresh fruits and vegetables to skyrocket – many items now cost more than three times what they did as recently as one year ago:

Iceberg lettuce sells for 3 Canadian dollars, up from the typical 90 Canadian cents. One head of broccoli goes for $4, compared with $1.50 for two in the past. Last winter, a head of cauliflower was selling for 2.50 Canadian.

U.S. food prices expected to rise

At the moment, food prices in the United States are maintaining an average growth rate, but the future is not so bright. In fact, many are predicting a steady rise in food costs in the coming years.

From CheatSheet.com:

There is plenty of concern over the future of food prices in America right now, and for good reason. Even big business is growing wary. Most of the western United States is experiencing a drought of epic proportions, which is most certainly going to have an effect on food prices nationwide. Droughts, along with the changes they force on supply lines, increased transportation costs, and destruction of livestock and farmland, all play a pivotal part in determining food prices.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/052749_food_inflation_consumer_goods_prices_Rising.html#ixzz3yFavz3bv

Back To Basics: What You Need In Your Pantry by Linda Loosli

Today my post will continue with my Back To Basics series, today it’s all about what you need in your pantry. I am actually staying with my daughter for a 2-3 weeks to hang out with her, her husband and my awesome grandkids. I am making dinner every night to give her a break and I love that her pantry is full. Yay, I can fix something every night in the slow cooker or the pressure cooker. I wrote this post a few months ago but I have now added it to my Back to Basics series.

I remember years ago thinking what can I fix for dinner tonight? Breakfast is easy, lunch is a snap. But dinner takes a little more thought to how to pull everything together. My husband and I purchase ready made salads every 10 days. That’s how long the salads last according to the packaging. Now, you may wonder why am I buying salads when I can make salads. Here’s the deal in the summer when my garden is growing fabulous vegetables I can make my own salads. But in the winter, I calculated the price of these bagged salads with the dressing, nuts, etc. you add before serving, it’s cheaper than if I bought all the stuff separately. Plus, there is no waste. The restaurants all serve chopped salads in a bag, so I thought why not? Unless you are eating at a 5-star restaurant they are serving bagged salads because they are a time saver. I watch for them to go on sale and life is good at dinner time with less time and money spent to prepare meals.

I can make something from my pantry to go with a fresh salad and dinner is ready in no time. Let’s get started, so you know what you need in your pantry.

What You Need In Your Pantry:

1. Beans: you can buy dried beans in a bag or purchase ready to use canned beans. You can make soups, hummus, side dishes, or chili and you have a great protein at the same time. I can make a meal with beans and my favorite spices then add some tortillas and salsa.
2. Rice: white rice has a longer shelf life than brown rice so I store very little brown rice. I can use rice to stretch so many frugal meals, love it! It’s fairly inexpensive even in smaller bags. I like to buy white rice in #10 cans, the shelf life is 30 years (unopened) because it is commercially packed compared to the bagged rice from supermarkets. I prefer not to use mylar bags. I only want to buy food storage once with zero waste. Brown rice lasts about 6 months from the grocery store because it has a higher fat content over white rice. You can store brown rice in the refrigerator for 2-3 months longer if kept in an airtight container.
3. Soups: some people make their own creamed soup from scratch. I buy Campbell’s cream of chicken by the case. I can make just about any casserole or soup with it. I watch for the case lot sales in the fall. Be sure and check the expiration dates.
4. White bread flour: if you can make bread you can barter and survive. Trust me, people love hot bread right out of the oven. You can make muffins, pancakes, waffles, cookies, cakes and so much more with flour of any kind.
5. Yeast: I purchase the brand SAF Yeast for my bread and biscuits. Period. I have not had good luck with other yeast brands. I store the amount of yeast I will use for a month in the refrigerator. The rest of the packages I store in my freezer. They have lasted three years for me in the freezer if unopened. If you can’t find it where you live, you can buy it online: Saf Instant Yeast, 1 Pound Pouch
6. Crackers: need I say more. Crackers are great with chili, soups and topped with your favorite chicken salad made with mayonnaise.
7. Peanut butter: sometimes my husband and I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. I make homemade whole wheat bread which is a bonus for my budget.
8. Jams and jelly: for sandwiches, biscuits, rolls and bread
9. Powdered eggs: for baking only, it’s nice to have a can of powdered eggs in the pantry if you run out of eggs. Of course, fresh eggs are better, but if you have an ice storm you can still make cookies and stay off the icy roads if your egg cartons are empty.
10. Instant milk: this is a bonus for every family. I store my opened #10 can of instant milk in the refrigerator so it’s ready in a flash if I run out of milk. It’s good for two years opened. Check the date on the milk you buy because every manufacturer is different.
11. Popcorn: popcorn is a great tummy filler and comfort food in a bad storm. Add some melted butter to popped corn with a smidge of salt and you have a great treat for everyone! You can add other spices as well and flavor the popcorn to your preference.
12. Dehydrated onions: I personally rarely buy fresh onions except maybe in the summer if my garden hasn’t produced enough yet. I love knowing I can add a scoop of dehydrated onions to taco meat, soups, chili, casseroles, omelets and not have to peel, cut or chop them. Love it!
13. Lemon juice: I do buy lemon juice for the refrigerator, but I also buy these packets I use every day and for emergencies: True Lemon Bulk Pack, 500 Count
14. Cocoa: can you smell the chocolate cake baking or relish the taste of hot chocolate right now?
15. Garlic: now you can buy a HUGE jar like my daughter, Heidi and store it in the refrigerator, buy some fresh garlic or buy it like I do from North Bay Trading Company. It’s air dried minced garlic and it is so awesome! I love that I can store it in my pantry, no refrigeration necessary.
16. Raisins: these are great for snacks, muffins, bread pudding, etc.
17. Spices: be sure and keep your pantry full with your favorite spices. I can’t get by without vanilla, chili powder, and cinnamon. You know the ones you need, right?
18. Tortillas: I can make my own tortillas with the stuff on this list, except my corn tortillas. Keep a few tortillas on your pantry shelves (check the expiration dates) and a few in the freezer. If you feel so inclined, learn to make tortillas. They taste yummy and fresh!
19. Chicken broth: if I have some leftover from cooking a chicken I will freeze it, but I prefer to use: Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base 8 oz. Of course, you will need water. If I see a good buy on canned or boxed chicken broth I will pick up a few for the pantry.
20. Olive oil/Coconut Oil: we can make so many things with oil. I just added it to the list because we know we need some.
21. Dehydrated or fresh potatoes: we can mash, fry or bake potatoes. I love dehydrated potatoes to add to soups and chowders. No peeling, chopping or dicing. I can add them right from the can to my soups.
22. Pasta: who loves spaghetti? Oh, and mac and cheese. Everyone needs pasta in a pantry, right?
23. Tomato paste or flakes: you can make soups, spaghetti, chili, stews, etc.
24. Salt: its all about flavor.
25. Sugar: I have to have sugar to make my bread, cookies, cakes and to put on certain cereals.
26. Honey: you can make bread with honey, peanut butter with honey sandwiches, make cookies and all kinds of other baked goods. I only buy honey from Cox’s Honey because it’s pure, raw honey. Honey is a natural food and is so good for you.  Give it a try in place of sugar next time.
27. Baking soda: I need it for baking muffins, cookies, etc.
28. Baking powder: I need it for baking, muffins, biscuits, etc.
29. Cream of tartar: I know this is a spice, but I need to make my biscuits and play dough for kids.
30. Canned meats: if you can your own that’s awesome! I buy mine at Costco. I like the chicken and tuna with water. I stock up big time when they go on sale.
31. Wheat: if you can grind wheat and make bread that is awesome. You can also make hot cereal with just the wheat and water to make a wholesome meal. Here is how I make hot whole wheat cereal: 1 cup washed whole wheat berries, 3 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional), place all the ingredients in a slow cooker at night for 12 hours and you will have hot cereal in the morning. Drain off excess water and store unused wheat in the refrigerator. Add a little milk and honey when serving, if desired. You can double or triple the recipe if your slow cooker will hold it. You can add the cooked wheat to many meals as you do rice or quinoa.
32. Dehydrated carrots and celery are always in my pantry. I can throw them in soups and stews.
33. Salsa and green chilies: I can eat these on everything, just saying.
34. Water: store as much as your budget allows. We need water to survive and to make most meals out of our pantry stash.
35. Fruit: canned fruit, freeze dried fruit longer shelf life) or dehydrate your own for a short shelf life.
36. Vegetables: canned, freeze dried or dehydrated.
37. Oatmeal, typically last about 2-3 years depending on the type you buy whether it’s steel cut, old fashioned or instant (quick). Always store these in airtight containers in a cool place.
38. Cornstarch, we can always use a thickener, right?

Here’s a printable for you: What You Need in Your Pantry

I added some items my readers suggested from my post months ago. If you have some more ideas about what you need in your pantry, I will add them as well. Here’s to being prepared for the unexpected.

http://foodstoragemoms.com/2016/01/back-to-basics-what-you-need-in-your-pantry/

Pantry Power

Source: Fix.com

Why You Need At Least a Year’s Food Supply

I have recently been reading some blogs that discuss storing different amounts of food.  The suggestions varied from as short as a month to a several years.  Some people sounded like they thought they were ready because they had two or three hundred pounds of grains for their family.  Me, I believe that you need at least enough food to survive through the next summer’s growing season. This requires at least a year’s supply.

This means that that if TEOTWAWKI were to occur in July, I would want to have enough stored food to survive until the next summer’s crop comes in.  That would be a year and a couple of months.  Even if you already had a crop in the ground, it probably would not be enough, plus many things can go wrong, from drought to raiders. If you are lucky and have a good crop right away and have success with hunting, the extra food is a good safety net.

I am convinced that most people do not store enough food.  They underestimate the number of calories that their body will require, because of stress and hard physical labor.  Children are another concern, I have been told by some people, yes I have a family of five, but the children are small they don’t eat much.  Just remember time passes quickly and children grow larger not smaller.  Malnutrition in children can stunt their growth and cause all types of health problems.

Here is a list of  Ten Basic Foods You Absolutely Need in Your Food Storage and  A List of Foods That I Recommend You Have in Your Storage.  Whether you are bugging in or going to a bug out location, store as much food as you can afford.  Some dried foods and grains can be purchased quite reasonably from the LDS (Mormon) Home Storage Centers.

Shop wisely and store a lot of food.

Howard

http://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/why-you-need-at-least-a-years-food-supply/#.VoPJ_LYrIdV

20 LONG LASTING FOODS THAT SHOULD NOT MISS FROM YOUR SHTF PANTRY

Whether you’re preparing for a major pantry clean-out or you’re about to load up on essentials for holiday baking and entertaining, there are quite a few items where an expiration date doesn’t apply.When stored properly — in an airtight container, kept in a cool, dry place — there are a number of pantry staples that can last just about forever. Continue reading →

Why You Need Food Storage For Survival

Sometimes I think people wonder why you need food storage for survival. I get it. Maybe you have been lucky enough to never have been without food for a day or two, or even a few weeks. Maybe you have never lived where there has been a tornado, hurricane, ice storm, flooding or extreme winds, etc. I get very concerned when I hear people say, “I will just go to Linda’s house.” Here’s the deal, I can’t feed my whole neighborhood and provide water, fuel, and all the items needed after a disaster or unforeseen emergency. I would have to rent a very large storage unit and have thousands of dollars to do that. My point here is we must be able to take care of ourselves, the government cannot take care of us. Period. They will try, along with other groups like the Red Cross, but we need to be real. Be prepared. Do what you can do for yourself, one can or package of food at a time.

Continue reading

How To Store Baking Essentials For Longer Shelf Life

The basic baking essentials used to make bread from your stored grains (e.g. wheat berries) include baking powder, baking soda, salt, and yeast. Some people (e.g. Mrs.J) also keep a supply of vital wheat gluten (or bread enhancer) for their bread making.

The question (and answer) for today is, How do I store these baking essentials for longevity?

Read more…

Urban Survival Food Storage, Rations, and Supply

If you’ve planned well and have an emergency survival kit that includes food rations, you have a better chance of getting through the survival situation smoothly than those who did not put aside rations for such a contingency. Your food supply will get you through the difficult challenges that will come at you in the initial phase, such as assessing the situation, figuring out an action plan, and considering any natural food sources that might be in the vicinity. Your emergency rations might be all you need, since statistics show that in the majority of survival situations, people are rescued or escape unaided within 72 hours. Read more »

Storing Crackers for Long Term Food Storage!

Bare Minimum Survival: 3 Foods Only

The absolute bare minimum of food that you need to survive (though not in particularly good health) is three foods, to provide the three macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. 1. a grain for carbs and some protein 2. an additional … Continue Reading →

Giving Away Food when the SHTF

If you have a large cache of stored foods and perhaps also a survival garden, you are well-prepared for any disaster scenario that disrupts the food supply. But a certain problem is inevitable. Most persons do not store food. Most … Continue Reading →

The Typical American Diet after the SHTF

You will soon be a vegan. Whether you like it or not. If/when the U.S. agricultural system collapses — and we are definitely headed in that direction — there will be very little animal-source food in the marketplace. Prices for … Continue Reading →

How Much Storage Space for One Year’s Food?

If you wish to store more than a month or two’s worth of food, storage space becomes an issue. What if you wanted to store 6 months’ worth of food, or a year or more? How much storage space do … Continue Reading →

The Majority Of You Will Die In A Food Supply Collapse

That’s right. And if you think about it – as in, critical thinking, – you will (should) realize the utter devastation that will surely result when the unthinkable happens… a SHTF collapse of our food supply which will kill multi-millions of you.

I only say ‘you’ in reference to the general population. Hopefully ‘you’ reading this are already prepared to some extent, whereas those who are not – will be facing near certain death.

Let me explain…

Continue Reading

Frugal Prepping Beyond Beans

You've probably read hundreds of articles on how to save money when you prep. Let me ask you, “Have any of them actually saved you money?”

My guess is that you may have saved a few dollars here and there, but nothing has really reached out and grabbed you. Nothing has actually resulted in long term savings for you. By the time you finish this article, you will know how to save money prepping. You will be equipped to make every dollar you spend count, and you will be spending less money than you ever have before.

Let’s start with some free ways to prep. What could be better than free, right?

The truth is, it doesn't matter how many beans you have stored away, how many gallons of water you have on hand, or how many buckets of freeze dried strawberries you have set back. None of that matters if you are forced to evacuate at a moment's notice. What if you are caught away from home, and can’t reach your supplies? What if you can only take a few of them with you? What if they are destroyed, stolen or unreachable?

Continue Reading...

Friday's Thoughts and Other Stuff (Food Storage)

Mother and Child

at a cooking class (ca 2015)

photograph by

Sgt. Sinthia Rosario

Last week, I wrote about starting a Medium-Term food storage plan for your family. Today, I'm talking long-term.


Different Meanings
A long-term food storage plan has a different meaning to different people. Some folks think long-term is having one year of food storage, in your home. While other people might think a long-term food storage plan is having food that will last longer than one year. Lastly, there are some folks that think a long-term food storage plan is about a three to five year supply of food for their family and a few friends.


One Year
Currently, one year's worth of food is considered long-term food storage. As we have seen during other events, one year may not be enough, so your family may need to store two, three, or even five years worth of food.

If you're careful, a one year supply of food can be easily stored using 'normal' grocery store bottled, boxed, bagged, canned, and frozen food. You might even be able to store two years of this type of food. You just need storage space, a lot of storage space.

Once you get past the two year mark, your family is going to have to store bulk whole foods, such as whole wheat, dried beans, oats, pasta, white sugar, and salt. (Dang, I forgot white rice, too)

Luckily, these whole foods also cover some folks concept of long-term food storage because they last eight to thirty years. That's right, dried beans will last at least eight years while white sugar, white rice, whole wheat, oats, some pastas, and salt will last up to thirty years!

To be in fact, 3.000 year old wheat was recently sprouted. (Ooops, that's false!)

Needless to say, you and your partner are going to have to change your family's food preferences from McDonald's to whole foods "If" you're planning to use whole foods in your food storage ; - )


Where to Purchase
There are various places to purchase your family's long-term food storage. You can buy it at the local grocery store, speciality stores, or on the internet. The most inexpensive place that I have found is from the Later-day Saints. They have whole wheat (two kinds), dried beans (only one), oats, pasta, and other food storage items.


How Much
There are one or two food storage calculators from folks like Julie and Jodi atFood Storage Made Easy and Provident Living or The Food Guys. These food storage calculators will give you a general idea of your family's needs for long-term food.

Needless to say, they are based on the Latter-day Saints recommendations, except for the Provident Living calculator. It is a simpler model, just seven items.


What to Purchase
Before I begin, you have to answer this question, 'How bad is it?'

Let me explain.

Is the collapse happening or are you able to slowly and rationally gather your family's long-term food storage. If it's happening, right now, I suggest, per person:

* 400 pounds of White Rice
* 200 pounds of Dried Beans
* 365 multi-vitamins 

Because these three items will keep one person alive for one very boring year, food wise.

So, ... A family of four would immediately require 1600 pounds of white rice, 800 pounds of dried beans, and 1460 multi-vitamins. (I suggest purchasing adult vitamins for the adults and children's vitamins for the children. But, ... You can improvise a kid vitamin by cutting an adult's vitamin in half)

Note:
I read that one pound of rice and a half a pound of dried beans will supply enough protein (plant, not animal) and enough calories to keep a person alive.

But, ...

I have not done the math or the experimentation to prove this statement. You have been warned.


A Little More Time
If you have a little more time, your family can purchase, what is called, The Mormon Basic Four. Needless to say, this long-term food storage plan is based on wheat. It is, per person:

* 365 pounds of wheat
* 100 powdered milk
* 100 pounds sugar or honey
*   12 pound salt, iodized preferred

As you see, it has its problems. It's all wheat, so you have to know how to cook wheat, a whole lot of different ways. There is a whole lot of sugar, and ... It's all wheat ; - )


12 Months or 52 Weeks
Now, the Latter-day Saints have been doing this a long time, so they have other recommendations that build on the 'Basic Four.' It is a 52 week or 12 month buying plan.

In this 52 week or 12 month purchase plan, a family buys certain supplies to help them acquire enough food to last one year. Of course, "If" you use this plan, you need 52 weeks to get everything purchased.

Of course, it's going to get complicated because the Latter-day Saints (Mormons) recommend different amounts for each family member.


Don't Have That Much Time
Now, if you have time, but not 52 weeks, your family can use a basic plan that Cresson Kearny (Nuclear War Survival Skills) developed many decades ago called The Kearny Basic Survival Foods plan. This plan uses seven items, per person:

* 360 lbs of whole wheat
* 120 lbs of dried beans
*   48 lbs of dried milk
*   24 lbs vegetable oil (I think that is 3 gallons, but I'm not sure)
*   48 lbs of white sugar
*     8 lbs of salt, iodized preferred
* 365 multi-vitamins


The Basics
Now, all of these plans, I have covered, are basics, except of course the 52 week or 12 month plan. They are meant to be supplemented by other food that your family may store, barter for, grow or harvest (hunt/trap) during the event. Plus, other options have become available in the last thirty years.


Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Food
Like Xerox for copiers, Mountain House has become the common name for freeze-dried food, even though, there are currently many, many manufactures of freeze-dried food. Some of these other manufactures, I believe, are contracting with Oregon Freeze Dried (Mountain House) to prepare their products ; - ) (Don't ask me which ones because I don't know)

Now, Mountain House products come in two different containers, a plastic foil package and #10 cans. The plastic packages have a shelf life of about seven years (cool, dry place) while the #10 cans have a shelf life of about twenty-five years. Yes, twenty-five years! Of course, the plastic foil packages only have two servings while the #10 cans have from about ten to twenty servings, depending on the product.

Next, these products come two ways, already combined and as ingredients.

My brothers and I have bought freeze-dried foods from Mountain house for our families. Scout, my brother, buys his food in the plastic foil packages because his family is bugging out. They are coming to my house "If" it's bad enough. Plus, they use them for camping.

The plastic foil packages are opened, hot water is poured in the bag, allowed to sit for about 10 minutes, and eaten. The food can also be placed in a pan, water added, then heated. The food is divided up when finished cooking.

Spartan, another brother, buys all his Mountain House as prepared food in #10 cans. He doesn't want the hassle of having to cook, real cooking that is.

My family has bought our freeze-dried food as ingredients, corn, peas, green beans, and carrots. These ingredients will be used to make food like dirty rice, stews/soups, and casseroles. We will also eat it as regular veggies with our meals. (more about that latter)


Now there are some companies that aren't selling freeze-dried food. They are selling dehydrated food. These dehydrated foods are less expensive then freeze-dried because it is a different process. You can look it up on the internet or just go to the links.



Draw Backs
There are draw backs to both of them. Dehydrated food has a shelf life of about eight years, even in #10 cans. Freeze-dried foods are expensive. Plus, they both take precious water to rehydrate before you can use them.


It's Latter
You will notice when I was talking about freeze-dried food, I said 'We will ...' Because freeze-dried is soooo expensive, we 'normally' don't use it. We use dehydrated food for our practice meals and as a less expensive alternative in our food storage.


Practice, Practice, and More Practice
Needless to say, at least, you and your partner need to practice cooking with all these different foods, whole food, freeze-dried, and dehydrated that you and your family store for an event. These food also need to be eaten as part of your family's normal food, so during an event, you don't go hungry.

We do this a couple of ways. First, is the 'camping.'

We go camping about twice a year. During our camping trips, we practice our skills putting up the tent, building a fire, cooking with cast iron, pooping in the woods, and many others. Kind'a like the scouts ; - )

Second, ... We have 'practice' sessions. Yes, we pretend the heat has gone out, so the family can practice closing off the house and using the wood stove, making a meal using the wood stove, and other skills.

Third, we have made changes in our diet to include foods like beans and rice, eating meatless stews (made with dehydrated veggies), and planting a garden.

Lastly, ... 


Specialty Equipment
Of course, you're going to need some specialty equipment such as ...

* Grain Grinder, a quality model

* Pressure Cooker with spare seals

And, ... 

* Several Cookbooks
http://gsiep.blogspot.com/2015/09/fridays-thoughts-and-other-stuff-food_11.html

Link:
The Latter-day Saints: Self Reliance - Home Storage
http://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category3_715839595_10557_3074457345616706237_-1_N_image_0?countryName=US&warehouse=01&showCountryChangePopUp=false&langId=-1&currency=USD&catalogId=10557&DM_PersistentCookieCreated=true&storeId=715839595&ddkey=http:SetCurrencyPreference 

Food Storage Made Easy - Food Storage Calculator
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/03/09/long-term-food-storage-calculator/

Provident Living - Food Storage Calculator
http://providentliving.com/preparedness/food-storage/foodcalc/

The Food Guys - Food Storage Claculator
http://thefoodguys.com/foodcalc.html

Millennium Ark - The Mormon Basic Four
http://standeyo.com/News_Files/LTAH_Food_Store6.html

Millennium Ark - 52 week or 12 month Purchase Plan
http://standeyo.com/News_Files/LTAH_Food_Store6b.html

Millennium Ark -Mormon's Food Guides
http://standeyo.com/News_Files/LTAH_Food_Store6c.html 

Millennium Ark -The Kearny Basic Survival Foods
http://standeyo.com/News_Files/LTAH_Food_Store7.html

Food Storage Made Easy - Freeze-Dried Foods versus Dehydrated Foods
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2013/09/10/freeze-dried-foods-versus-dehydrated-foods/

LDS.org - Food Storage
https://www.lds.org/topics/food-storage?lang=eng