I went back over all the food storage threads and discovered that we’ve had a really hard time staying on topic (what a shock!) Let’s try again, and this time keep our advice to each other all in one place. This thread is for food storage advice only. Bring us your oxygen displacers, your canning links, your food quality plastic containers, your dehydrators and your wrapped in your plastic dispenser machine advice, yearning to be free.
Let’s see if we can keep this one on topic enough to serve as the reference thread and index it to the front of the wiki. It’s worth a try.
Let’s call this one “The Classic Food Storage Thread.”
can’t you rent a container fill it with food, place it somewhere for a small fee and fetch the food or sell/trade it, when the panflu comes ? Do some warehouses,supermarkets support this ?
Good question, gs. Answers from the crowd are welcome.
What is the volume of food people are keeping? 1 cubic meter per person per month or what? Just to have an idea as it would help communities think in community scale, families in family scale, etc.
let’s say 2–3 m^3 in total. One container which you can put on wheels and transport with a car. And then do some trade with full containers for those too lazy to prep. Prepping industry is still in its infancy. Which is the most durable food,beverage BTW. ?
I just spent a year with most of my belongings in storage and thought i’d better share with those thinking of storing foods in storage units that most facilities require that you do not store food there. Mice and rats are frequent in these places. My opinion, in this situation for those with no other place to store things, is “what they don’t know won’t hurt them” . Just make sure you store in containers that are mice and rat proof…and concealed in boxes so you can not tell what is being stored. Be sure to bait with rat and mice poisen around the inside perimiter of your unit. Boric acid spread around will help with insect control, roaches, etc. ( but you still must use air tight containers for the food) Also, I have been visiting websites on food storage and emergency planning and have read on one site that garbage bags can be used to line 5 gal buckets. This is NOT correct. Most garbage bags are treated with pesticides. Use only well washed food grade buckets and if you prefer to line those, use mylar bags which are available online. I purchased ones that have a zip lock closure and added O2 absorbers before I sealed the bags.
I’ve been worried about using garbage bags. What about using them for wrapping up 25 & 50 pound bags of rice? I figured there is no contact with the rice and it will help keep moisture out. I use a small vacuum to suck out as much air as possible and the tie it off. From there I put it in 55 gal screw top drum. (I think the drum used to have Jalapeno peppers in it) Oxygen absorbers arrived yesterday with the dried eggs … that’s today’s food storage project.
gs – at 07:11 “prepping industry” … interesting.
rba - IMO, I don’t think I’d chance putting my food in them, I’d be concerned with leaching of checmicals into the rice bags. I’m not positive on this and maybe someone else here knows for sure, but I would think that the plastic on rice bags will allow for some air and chemical transference. as would any small minute holes. If getting the mylar is a problem for you, how about repacking in those new super large zip lock bags that are now available? Not sure how air tight they are, but check and see if they are labled food grade on the box, or call the manufacturer.
Does anyone know of a site where suggested menus could be found? I want to reverse-engineer a set of menus to make sure I’m covered, both nutritionally and ingredients-wise.
We recently purchased a new refrigerator, moved the old one to the basement and found that we no longer needed to run our old chest freezer. I have foods stored in there like flour and rice in ziplock freezer bags, boxes of crackers and cookies, etc., anything I am worried about mice getting into. I also have many 2 liter soda pop bottles not completely filled with water on the bottom layer. When TSHTF, I will take out the dry goods, plug in the freezer, and have a storage place that will allow us a few more days to consume our perishables if/when the power goes off.
Worried Well, what I am doing is creating a monthly menu for our family of 7 from what we normally fix. Because of our family size we have to economize A LOT so I using canned and prepped foods of some type on a regular basis anyway.
I’ve also been taking some of our family favorites and converting them, where possible of course, to where they can be made with only canned/processed ingredients.
It isn’t easy but it is working.
One thing I’m finding is that I’m definitely going to have to get my mom to help me pressure can meats because I simply CANNOT afford to by all of the commercially canned meats that I would need for a family of our size. The commercially canned stuff is also way high in preservatives and sodium. Alot of the commercially dehydrated stuff is also outside our pocketbook at the moment though I’m seriously looking into powdered eggs if I could find a local distributor. I don’t like ordering online any more than necessary because I don’t like paying shipping on top of everything else.
After I get the month’s worth of menu I create a “grocery list” of necessary items. My plan is to stock for 3 months to begin with so I would multiply everything by 3. After I get 3 months done I’ll continue building as time and money permits but will be adding in there canned items from local farmer’s markets.
I’ll have my menues typed up and keep them with the storage inventory. My reasoning for this is so that I don’t use any of the staples or vital ingredients up and have nothing left to go with it. Also, in case I am incapacitated or too busy tending sick family members, it will be a way for hubby and/or two older children (currently 15 and 13) to step in and cook without too much panic.
Each time a menu dish is used it will be crossed off so that we know what is available and what isn’t without having to hunt for all the dish ingredients before we decide what we can have for a meal.
In case of big emergencies where no “of cooking age” person is available, I am putting together simple meals in a bag for my younger three that have everything they would need for a balanced meal. I’m using gallon ziploc bags and there will be napkins and plastic utensils along with serving sizes of whatever I can rig up that isn’t junky food … fruit chips vs. potato chips, a single serving drink powder then can poor into a bottle of water vs. a can of soda, etc.
It is a little overwhelming trying to do it this way, but for a family our size with the potential for having so many down in the household at one time, in the long run I believe it will be the most efficient.
This is for those of you who are just starting your food stoage. I know I was wondering about how much to buy to fully fill 5 gal buckets, with mylar liners. Hopefully this info will make it easier, and faster, for you to effectively purchase your food stuffs.
flour = 30lbs. this will make approx 30 loaves sugar = 40 lbs macaroni noodles = 21 lbs 1 jar of yeast is enough for 16 loaves.
anybody else have any measurement conversions to add?
Geez. what a mess. sorry about the way it printed out on post. it’s nothing like how i typed it…with it all running together.
two great books:
“Putting Food By” Hertzberg, Vaughn, Greene authors, Stephen Greene Press publisher
and
“Preserving the Fruits of the Earth; How to “put-up” almost every food grown in the United States - in almost every way” Schuler & Schuler authors, Galahad Books publisher
One of the best sites I have found is http://www.providentliving.org/ It is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints But you don’t have to go to the preachy part. Just click on “Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness”. It has some really good info about what and how much to store. The Mormon’s have been preparing for a long time (about 70 years) so they have a lot of good information.
Great resource Utah, I once nannied for a morman family about a million years ago, during the “duck & cover” cold war era. They had a large family (9 children) and a pantry underground which extended from the house - under the back yard and all the way to the back fence. Mucho bucks to build I expect, but they rotated about 6 months worth of food and I learned a lot about storage, rotation and what staples will keep indefinitely. Never thought I would be bringing back that knowledge!… oh, memories…
Looking into ordering dry milk from www.honeyvillegrain.com They have 2 kinds high heat, and low heat. Does anyone know the difference? Or if normal dry milk in the store is high or low heat?
I see food storage in several catagories…
3 days.. that is the ‘go bag’ or used to be called a “BOB” (Bug Out Bag) your grab and go bag. providing 3 days worth of food… high protein energy bars, water, clothes, important papers, bed roll, good walking shoes. Also one in each car.
6 months canned goods. These are easy to open items and easy to eat out of a can.. cooked or not. Canned vegetables liquid contributed to your daily liquid intake. This will inventory.. stew, canned fruits, canned vegetables, soups and broths, canned meats, canned beans, fruit juices, powdered milk, etc. The first 2 weeks is shocking.. it is easy to open a can and work on other problem areas without having to worry about making bread, grinding wheat ets. Only buy what you eat… better to learn to can your own.
long term storage.. this is your grains. These are the 4 staples. wheat, powdered milk, salt and honey or sugar. Adding Corn, Beans and peas, flax seed, rice. These foods require more thought for cooking. But after the 2 weeks of initial shock, need to be brought out and included in your diet.. which will also extend the 6 months food supply into years.
Of course water for basic survival and herbs and spices are a must to keep foods interesting.
Seeds to grow your own food and plastic to create a green house.
While storage can be a problem, get creative!
If you have children, please remember to get games that are timeless.. jacks, lots of paper and crayons, pick up sticks, books for them to read and for you to read to them. Birthday candles! little inexpensive toys.. army men, dolls and clothes. the little ones understand less and are in the most need of stability.
Knowledge is everything! learn to can food, dehydrate fruits and vegetables, cook from scratch.
I think vacuum sealing grain is the easiest way to keep bugs out of grains and legumes. Then stored in 5 gallon plastic containers. I always freeze my grains first, let set out and freeze again. Since I am storing for the next 50 years <smile> I don’t want to come back and have my stuff eaten by uninvited visitors..a.k.a bugs!
Storing dry foods in canning jars can be done quite easily, clan jar, place lid on, place in an oven set on the lowest temperature for about an hour. When the jar cools, it will vacuum seal. I don’t use this method on anything I want to grow.. wheat for an example. I need my wheat to sprout to provide me with a fresh vegetable which includes Vit. C. Heat kills the seed.
just passing through
Kathy, your system sounds exactly like what I need to do. But overwhelming is right! So far I have about a week’s worth, and haven’t yet tallied calories/protein/fat etc., or figured out how much of the different ingredients those menus will use. Lots of work ahead …
I like the idea of at least two weeks’ worth of easy-to-cook foods for the early days. Though I might need to make bread then, just to take out my frustrations on grinding and kneading.
Canned Butter
I haven’t tried this yet but got this recipe from a friend who says that it works. But you do need to buy REAL butter and make sure it is the good stuff.
Ingredients and Instructions 1. Use only highest quality butter (Land O Lakes or equivalent). 2. Heat jelly jars in 250 F.-degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals. 3. While jars heat, melt butter slowly until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. 4. Pour melted butter carefully into heated jars, being careful not to get any butter on rim of jar. 5. Add lid and ring and close securely. They will seal as they cool. Shake jars a few times during cooling to prevent separation, although this step is optional. 6. Put into refrigerator or other cool place until butter hardens. After hardening, butter will store for 3 years.
Kathy in FL - when you say store for 3 years is that in the refigerator or on the shelf?
My friend puts her’s in a cool closet (no light source) … now this is something that I’ve never personally tried. Personally I would prefer to can it with a hot water canner or a pressure canner (for low-acid foods). Someone with more experience really should comment on this recipe.
I have used this recipe before, it is safe and works and yes will keep for 3 years on a pantry shelf (cool & dark). To heat the jars prior to filling, it is easiest if you just set them on a cookie sheet and slide it all into the oven.
Thank you very much - I just love real butter on everything.
Does anyone know how long root vegies like potatos, onions and garlic will keep in a cool dark pantry?
Heres another dehydrating question.
I wanna store some bacon in the pantry.
Could I fry or bake it, then dehydrate it, and store in a canning jar?
I tried this with some bacon, as I love it too. I first fried it til crispy, then squeezed off as much grease as possible, then dehydrated it and crumbled it up. It’s been in a vacuum-sealed jar in the pantry for a little over a year now (I actually kind of forgot I had it). I have not used any of it yet, but it looks and smells fine. I will try some out for breakfast in the morning and hopefully live to tell you how it is ;-). If you’re afraid to go this route, the grocery stores all sell real crumbled bacon in plastic packaging. Sam’s club has the best deal for large bags about $7 or so. In my grocery store it’s located with croutons and salad dressing and such, small bag $2–3. I use it alot in salads, green beans and stuff when I run out of regular bacon or just don’t feel like cooking up a few slices. Seems to me it has a shelf life (before opening) of about a year, after opening it has to be refrigerated.
I tried something today that seemed to work well … but I’d like a second opinion. While wandering the aisles of our local Wallie World, I found space saver bags on sale. I bought a couple of XL bags on a lark. When I got home I placed my recently purchased 25 lb bag of oats in it … hooked up the vacuum and fired it up. It really seemed to work well.
I have ordered Mylar bags that are probably more cost effective. But I have to say for the big bags of grain and flour this seems like it will work well.
Am I missing a downside?
http://tinyurl.com/desck I found some meat recipes for canning. Some look pretty good….looking forward to trying them.
Lynn22 - potatoes, onions and garlic should last till the next crop is ready. I am still using last summer’s onions and have potatoes that I could use but am saving them for seed. Not sure about the ones you buy - somehow they never seem to last as long. I think it has something to do with being chilled for transportation, but I’m not sure about this.
In another thread somewhere mentioned that they thought you could grow potatoes from peelings. This is absolutely right. When you pick up the potato and look for the “eyes” Peel this part a bit thicker (common sense here, the potato needs something to grow from) and it will grow. I usually cut away the end of the potato with the eyes and use the other part. You can also, if you have some seed potatoes, cut them into pieces to give you momre seed. As long as each piece has an eye.
Now a question, what is the deal with the dehydrators? You all seem to do your own and your own canning. Neither of these are done where I live.
Thanks, Hoggie. Good information. I’m just a suburban dweller that just purchases these vegetables as I need them. I usually just put them in the frig. Do you know what the best way to store them long term is? No root cellar at my house : ).
Do you have a cool garage or shed ? Get a couple of dustbins and put the bags of veg in the dustbins. Seems to keep them about the righ ttemperature etc. For onions - if they have a bit of stalk left on them, the best way I know of to store them is to make them into a string and hang them up somewhere they’re cool but frost free
hoggie – at 03:57
Canning and dehydrating is so much fun! Heres some dehydrators. I’d say the round one is the one most folks have in thier houses. Basically you just cut your food up lay it flat on the racks, and put the lid on. The machine circulates warm air, drying the food out. Right now I’m doing apple chuncks to add to morning oatmeal, that is if I don’t eat them all! Dried apples are SO YUMMY! http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/dehydrators.asp
My mother used old pantyhose to hang onions, and even citrus fruit, for longer-term storage. She’d tie a knot between each one.
Hoggie
It surprises me that you do not can or dehydrate. You are so informative on food storage, I thought for sure you’d have a hand in this also. ;)
I got my dehydrator at Walmart. Many department type stores have them, and price will vary according to where you buy it. bought 1 box of extra rings (that you put the food on) so I can bulk dry foods at one time. I use mine for chopped onions, green peppers, garlic, jerky (though this will not keep for long storage on shelf, but will in freezer). Just about any veggie that can be sliced or chopped. I have not used for fruits, as I don’t really care for many dried fruits. (easier for me to just buy raisens, etc) Just store your dried stuff in air tight containers, again bought at walmart, and they will keep indiffinately. Buy these foods on sale and it becomes very economical. Canning is another thing altogether. I recommend deep water bath canners, though there are short bath canners available. Buy real canning jars, (hate to say it again, but walmart in my area still has these on the shelves). do not use recycled mayo jars,etc. and get the blue ball or equivilent canning book for instructions before you start or before you buy your equipment. (yep, it’s at walmart.ha) It’s not difficult to do at all, just not something many people do anymore. The initial expense is not cheap..various size jars/lids, get the wide mouth, (and get alot of extra lids so you’ll have them for later canning), canner, jar lifter, metal ladle, funnel, etc. You’ll need a large (like 12 QT) stock pot to cook your jelly or skin tomatoes in or whatnot. Before you know it, you’ll be making your own jellies, canned tomatoes, paste, etc. Makes a huge difference in amount of available food stocks you’ll have in your pantry. the only drawback I could mention is that commercially canned tomatoes, etc have a longer shelf life than the 1 yr I personally usually give home canned. but with a garden to grow in each year, it’s not a problem for me. Hope this answers your questions.
Classico spaghetti that I buy at Costco is packed in Atlas Mason jars. I’ve used them for years in canning my garden bounty—tomatoes, green beans and stews. Only recycke those jars that are identified as Bell, Atlas or Mason.
Can we just use those plastic containers that are widely more available than the glass jars, fill them with rice or flour or what have you, add an oxygen absorber, close with lid then just duct tape the rim? Would this suffice for perhaps short-term storage (as in 1–3 years)? Thanks for anybody who might know, I’m really curious about this.
What would be the best way to store saltines, graham crackers, commercial cereals,potato chips, etc. if you do not have mylar bags or oxygen absorbers? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
For soda crackers, try and buy one of the commercial tins that they come in. Last year I got a tin from one of the major brands that holds 6 long packages of the crackers.
Also, sometimes … at least I’ve seen them in a couple of local grocers as well as at Wallyworld on occasion … you can find soda crackers in the ethnic food aisle in a round, green tin. I’m going to be looking for this on my next grocery trip myself.
as for chips, I would look for the ones with the furtherest “best if used by” date and then store them in their own bags in a large food grade tub. Make it a good and sturdy one so that it won’t crush if something is sat on top of it.
To me, the same would be true of commerical cereals … Frosted Flakes, Corn Flakes, that sort of thing … leave it in the bag it was packaged in and then just store it in a large tub.
Graham crackers and cookies can be put in tins as well … and they can also be “crisped” back up if they get a little soft. Just put them in or near a heat sort on a low setting. Just watch them so they don’t cook. All you are doing is getting the moisture out of them.
The reason I say get you some big tubs is so that you can stack these items more easily without worrying so much about varmints getting into them, getting crushed because they are on the bottom, and better organization.
I would still pay special attention to the “best if used by” dates though to maximize your storage time.
Youngmom — rice lasts a really long time no matter what the container so long as you keep it varmint free (I use bay leaves) and moisture free.
A couple of people have been recommending getting a Food Saver and I know my mom loves her’s … so I might see if I can fit it into our budget and pick one up.
I was wondering if anyone has had problems with dented cans from Internet Grocer. I just ordered a case of canned butter, then I saw an old post on this site from an unhappy customer who claims his order was mostly dented. Now I am concerned as he claims they blamed the shipper and yet the box was not damaged.
Mine came in just fine. No sense worrying if you have not gotten your order.
I have rice question. White or dark? I bought a 50 lb bag of white at Sams because for the price it was a too good deal. It says to wash it first. Thre was an indian rice but I got concerned about storage. We are not a big family and rotten food is money I can spend elsewhere.
Also I read rice keeps for a long time. I’m REALLY new at this food storage stuff. I want a 8 month supply of food and I have been gatherinbg for awhile. Now it time to garther grains. Is there a book or publication which may help the storage question?
White rice is best for storage. Just put your rice in the freezer for three days to kill any weevils and then take it out, allow for any moisture to dry, and put it into airtight containers. I had a couple of bayleaves for “insurance.”
Outstanding! Thanks
Here is some proof that tinned food lasts a jolly long time !
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4693520.stm
Enjoy :)
perfect timeing.. I just dug out a can of grapefruit juice dated 1998… we will see.
One easy to use storage food is Matzah. It keeps literally for years. I have used it as a snack at my desk at work over the years, and have found that when you buy it in plastic wrapped packages, it keeps for at least a year. I once found a 4 year old box, and aside from tasting a little stale it was fine.
With Passover coming soon, look for the 5 pound packages, which in the larger cities are often sold as loss leaders to attract shoppers for that holiday.
Even though I decided to “chill” on this whole flu-prep idea, I did order some oxygen absorbers, especially for my jars of nuts I bought several months ago. The peanuts already taste slightly less fresh, not bad but noticeable. Is it a good idea to put in the OA’s now, or only use them on very fresh food? Sorry if this was answered elsewhere, there’s just too much to read anymore.
For those wanting to grow their own veggies. You might want to check out these little portable greehouses. I saw one recently. Real neat and reasonably priced.
I am going to go ahead and buy some food online already in the special buckets that will keep for years, as extra insurance for what I’ve got and am rotating and using.
Some of the worst-case scenarios (and lack of nation food surplus) have me thinking I might not have enough once I have to start reyling on it. Save me some shopping cart trips now, too… Also, I see things available online that I won’t find at our stores.
Lorelle I don’t know about using OAs, but, could you put the nuts in the freezer?
crfullmoon and Lorelle----most nuts (except Macedamia due to fat content) can be frozen without any problems. Don’t need OAs if the nuts are frozen fresh. My dad used to freeze walnuts and almonds for up to a year without any problems.
Does anyone have a source for those small canned hams 1–2lbs like you see in a Hickory Farms gift box. They don’t need refrigeration. I recall my dad always kept them in the pantry when I was young- came in handy in the blizzard of 1978! I have not been able to find them anywhere.
I saw them at Sam’s Club.
Excellent-I’ll check them out this weekend. Thank you
I often see them in drugstores like RiteAid, CVS, Walgreens, etc.
Cinda---also check Walgreen’s or CVS, depending on what part of the country you’re in. They generally have a few on the shelf in their grocery aisle…and the stores aren’t usually packed with people and their carts!
Thanks everyone! I just have such a fond memory of that blizzard and my Dad making grilled ham and cheese on his little sterno stove that he made with 1/2 of a big coffee can he had cut down and an aluminum pie plate with those little hams and velveta! I was 17. I was SO impressed with my Dad. Part of me is glad he’s not here to witness this- but part of me sure wishes he was. I’ve always kept a full pantry because thats what he taught me was the right way to run a household- but he had the experience of growing up “so poor that if it cost a nickle to go around the world we couldn’t get off the porch” in rural Nebraska in the 30s and knew how to “make do”. I try- but I sure wish I’d asked more questions and listened more when I had the chance. Ah well hind sight is 20/20 right?
Cinda … Dollar General has those canned hams for $2 each. They also carry some other items along that line that are great for camping and/or disaster prep.
This may belong in the salmon dishwasher tread but.. Filling a plastic container with carbon monoxide is a well known technic to preserve food.. So what about using carbon dioxide ? Its easily available in mineral water cartridges (soda-pop machines?) All you would need was a cartridge, a vent and a tube.. the co2 will sink, and force the air out of the container if you have two holes.. Then seal and it will hold for how long?? Will it work, and will it be cheaper than using vacuum systems?
Ive read this thread and have a few questions. . . 1) Can 2 liter soda bottles be used to store grains, beans and rice if the O2 removal packets are used??? . . . . 2) Would food saver bags (with 02 removal packets) be a suitable replacement for mylar bags for storing inside 5 gallon buckets??? THANKS!!!
Kathy in FL - thanks for the info about canned hams at Dollar General. I have been looking for them for over a month and was about to give up. The clerk looked at me funny when I bought 7 of them this weekend.
SCW AZ @ 15:53
I’ve used 2 liter bottles for years to store things like popcorn and rice. <grin> Never used the O2 packets with them … just stuck a bay leaf in there.
Hillbilly Bill @ 16:00
Glad I could help. I need to run up to the Dollar General and pick up a few more now that my regular groceries are bought and paid for. Wonder if I’ll get the same look? LOL!
Cinda, here in the Northwest, Bi-Mart and Winco both have those hams. I’ve seen stacks of them lately.
BTW, we all probably wish we had asked more questions and listened more. My father grew up during the depression, then dropped out of High School to go fight the NAZI’s. He ended up dieing way too soon (1980) and I still sometimes wish I had pried more out of him.
Kathy in FL – at 16:07
Thanks Kathy!!!
Another Question. . . The 5 gal buckets should have a number “2″ on the bottom (a food service symbol?)??? …….
Also to repeat myself Question #2) Would food saver bags (with 02 removal packets) be a suitable replacement for mylar bags for storing inside 5 gallon buckets???
SCW AZ @ 19:14
I’m no expert on mylar bags and storage with O2 packets. I can most of what I put aside for emergency prepping. If you want a laymen’s guess, I would say that the food saver bags would work just as well. Compare the cost of mylar vs. the food saver bags to give you a clearer picture perhaps. Both are food grade if nothing else and shouldn’t “bleed” chemicals into your food during storage.
There is a number on the bottom of the food-grade buckets. I’m not sure what it is though. <grin> If you have a friend that works in a deli or a restaurant have them turn over a bucket of pickles or something similar to find out which number it is. You could probably also google it with some phrase like “food grade bucket number”.
Hopefully someone else will catch your question and give you a better answer.
I believe that “2″ is the number for High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Food grade plastics tend to be HDPE, but I don’t know if all HDPE is food grade.
I did a search on the net just a while ago trying to find a list of codes for food grade buckets and barrels but didn’t find anything useful.
Your best bet is to find out what originally came in the buckets.
On other threads they say it should be No. 2 on the bottom.
Re: canned food I bought some in 1999 for Y2K. I took it out 2006 and opened it up to see how it was. The green Beans and corn were perfect. The Chef-Boy-R-Dee Ravioli was tinny and I threw it out. (On one thread a poster said any canned good with tomatoes or citric acid will go tinny fast) The baked beans were fine. The Cambells chicken soup tasted a little “off” (or maybe it was my imagination.)
So I am using canned goods in my BF preps because I feel it can last a long time. I keep them in a closet in my house. (71 degrees and dark)
I am also using rice and beans because they last a long time.
I have been told by people who work in the processed food industry that most canned foods will last 7 to 10 years or even longer if stored in a cool place.
The exceptions are tomato products, as Worried in the city pointed out. I hadn’t heard about the Citric Acid issue, but it sounds right.
Thanks to you all- I found my canned hams today at BJs ( like Sams club for those of you out west) I went for other stuff and was with my cousin, who doesn’t want to hear it- so I only bought 1 3pack today, but I will be going back for some other stuff I saw as soon as I see whats left over from the bills this month. Did hit a deal on B&M baked beans 28 oz cans this week- 10 for 10.00 and regular canned beans- kidney, pinto, pink black- 3/1.00. They also had a large bag of pinto beans- but I can do better in smaller bags by the pound at Wallyworld. getting there.
I received a vacuum Sealer for a x-mas gift this year. I want to go ahead and prepare some snack mixes for my kids but do not know how long the snacks will keep. Has anyone done this? Any Suggestions? I read that foods keep longer, but how much longer?
Working Mom … no, but I definitely have been pulling together a bunch of recipes to do this with as well. I would think that they would last about as long as the “best used by date” on bags of such treats that you would buy at a grocery store.
For example, I bought a bag of generic snack mix from wallyworld at the end of January ‘06 that said the “best used by” date was 17 Nov 2006. And you can usually get another month past that date in my experience. Also, add back in the transportation time and how long it may have set on the shelf and you could get another month.
So, by my estimate you should be able to get a year of storage time out of properly packaged snack mixes.
I’m want to get one of those Food Savers and figure I’ll make up batches and put them in quart jars or half-gallon jars (as I can get them) and just date them. They’ll rotate out of my pantry before the year is up and I’ll just keep making fresh as stuff gets used up.
What’s your take on this idea?
I bought snack mix, dried fruit-trail mix, flour, crackers and other stuff that expires in a year too. My plan is to put some of that stuff in the freezer before it expires to extend the shelf life for foods we probably won’t rotate. I think it will work.
Then if the elctricity goes out, you just pull it out and use whenever you like.
I am not buying meats to put in the freezer special for this event because I think they will probably ruin when the power goes out. (We lose power often in the south due to our trees falling on our power lines.)
It’s a long thread, isn’t it? I read the first dozen or so, and skipped through it from there. I’ve been storing food for a few months now, as much as possible picking up a few extra things at the store. I’m unemployed right now, though, and we’re lucky to be able to get enough groceries at all, let alone to put aside. So it’s “on hold”…
I noticed a lot of people talking about storing things that last a long time, and are easy to prepare (like rice)….but the problem, I think, is that a lot of those long term storageable foods tend to be tough to digest. And if you’re fighting off a bug, you don’t want your body working hard to break down a bunch of nuts and grains. So I’ve also stocked a LOT of soups. Also, a bunch of bottles of Pediatric Electrolyte, and Gatorade, since those will help a great deal if you’re sick.
Also, I’m a vegetarian (ok, MOSTLY vegetarian, my wife and daughter are completely), so it’s been good not to have to try to store meat. Humans can survive just fine without it.
Two really good sites you can check out… The first is a food storage/preparedness site. www.beprepared.com It is full of all kind of long term food storage, including recipe books, lighting, water purification,etc. I use them frequently and they have great service. It will also help give you ideas for things you may have overlooked, like powdered tomato paste. The second is www.lehmans.com It is a non-electric catalog, the store in Ohio originally opened to offer the Amish a place to buy the goods that they needed. Did you know for instance, that you can make cheese out of powdered milk if you have the right cultures to begin? I definitely recommend getting the Lehmans catalog to peruse, as it is almost like stepping back into time and will teach you a lot about self sufficiency. Just the book selection is worth the time and effort. Many you can find no other place. And my number one recommendation is to buy the book, The Encycolpedia of Country Living, by Carla Emery. If you have ever had a question about, “I wonder how to do that”, chances are, it’s in there. Hope this helps.
I agree with soups, I have a lot stored as well, both store bought and home canned. I also have a couple of gallons of gatorade to replace electrolytes lost due to vomiting and diarrhea.
Satago - when you have a moment- please try to read through the whole thread- So many people have so many good ideas and suggestions- I jotted down a lot of notes and added some good things to my preps.
Hillbilly Bill- An ORS formula (Oral IV fluid) for you for caring for someone who is ill and to keep them hydrated is: 4 cups water 3 TBS sugar 1 tsp salt Be sure to administer 2–3 quarts a day
Snowhound1 - Thanks! That is definitely a “printout and keep” post!
Something to add to the list could be also stocking up on seeds for growing sprouts (at home, not outside). This is quite easy accomplished also by non-gardeners and sprouts add a lot of valuable fresh nutrients. If you are not familiar with how to grow them, just do a quick Google-search “growing sprouts” and you’ll find all the answers.
Anam
Kathy in Fl- Thanks for your tips- Good Idea about dating the bags, hadn’t thought of that. I’m going to research more and see if a site has any recipe ideas. I’ll let you know what I find.
I got food grade storage buckets free for the asking at the Safeway bakery dept. The #2 or whatever number on the bottom in the arrow triangles refers to the recycling code, not necessarily a food code.
To be sure of getting food grade bucketsthat need no other materials for storage, it’s best to get used ones that were used for that purpose. And they are free. They also come with lids that seal beautifully. Things like my rice, flour, pasta, grains and beans are going in.
I was surfing the net and came across “Bread in jars” according to the recipe you can store up to a year, the site I found was : fhttp://www.realfood4realpeople.com/jars.htm I’m going to try it.
I just tried to go to site from my posting and it did not work so I went to google and typed in cakes baked in jars and then the first site listed was it. Sorry about that.
I love the idea of cakes baked in jars, but it seems that several “official” type info source argues against the safety of such preservation of moist cakes and the potential for botulism. Example: http://tinyurl.com/q3naz Does anybody have a source of info where the cakes baked in jars as described in these recipes have been tested over the long term for safety?
Anam-
I’ve used these guys for quite some time and am very happy with their product quality, selection, equipment choices and quality.
They even have great advice on sprouting.
They have blends I’d never thought of trying….this Link will be checked out thoroughly :)
I know that the USDA and several home canning specialists at major universites say NEVER can breads or cakes. If you cook in a jar, you have to keep them in the fridge and use withing a month (or less). They are not shelf stable. So you can use the jar as a cooking vessel but not for “canning” them so they can sit on a shelf. Botulism can kill and if medical care is not available anymore, it would be very sad to have your preps kill you!
Can I just pour my dry goods into a food grade bucket or does it need to be lined…. Thanks…
Quoth the Raven – at 07:42
Stay away from cakes baked in jars. Big, bad no no!
I’ve been canning for years and also belong to several canning groups via Yahoo. All the even more experienced folks than I … those that have even acutally tried this … say it is bad.
They were a cute-y fad that turned out bad.
You would be better off pulling a “gifts-in-a-jar” type thing and then just keeping the extra “wet” ingredients on hand to make the stuff up later. That’s what I do. Create my own convenience mixes and use them as I need them.
I’ve placed some for soups (just add water or a can of tomatoes, etc.) in the thread of canned and dry goods only recipes.
There are also plenty out there for cookies and cakes.
I’m storing some stuff for sweets … but I’d rather save my powdered eggs for breads and breakfast.
Now, there are some “US Civil War” type recipes that don’t require eggs and milk. They were developed in the south during hard times. There are also some Depression era recipes of the same type. I’ll be happy to share on the other thread if you are interested.
My dad has a heart/high-cholesterol condition. I make him this type of stuff all the time and he loves it.
mom11 - when you made your 16 meatloaves to freeze did you make the complete recipe with the egg, bread etc and now it’s all ready to go when you take it out of the freezer? I bought a whole bunch of meat and would like to make the entire recipe, freeze the loaf and then just take it out to thaw and bake. Thanks!
Malachi … some people like the liners and some folks say they are unnessary. The ONLY liner I would consider using is a mylar type bag although the Food Saver type bags would probably do as well.
Any other kind of plastic bag might leach chemicals into your stored item(s).
The only thing I’ve ever really worried about was making sure that I threw in a couple of bay leaves to keep the weevils out. They are the bane of my existence. <grin> They get into everything they can … and will come into your home from the grocery.
I’ve “bugged proof” my pantry so that I worry less about my dry goods … flours, rice, pasta, etc. That includes strongly aromatic spices and seasonings … I prefer bay leaves and other “natural” bug repellents. I live in Florida so this is mostly a way of life for me. Our cold weather just isn’t cold enough to kill the varmints and an infestation can quickly get out of hand.
Good information here! Very helpful for an amateur like myself. However, I have noticed one thing that concerns me. A lot of people are saying to stock up on rice, flour, yeast, etc. One of the things I have read elsewhere is that in the event of a situation like this, we may not have enough purified water, thus the need for one gallon per person, per day for drinking purposes. But that would not take into account water you need to cook with. I would err on the side of stocking up on foods that don’t need water to prepare, as water may become a very precious and scarce resource for drinking. The purification chemicals that come from all over the world, may not be able to be transported.
Food for thought…pun intended.
Pun … One gallon is for cooking AND drinking. And that can be added to by using the liquids in the canned goods instead of just draining it away. That stuff is way good for soup stocks.
I do understand your water concern. I have a family of seven and potable water is one of my biggest concerns. Collapseable water jugs and recycled 2 liter soda bottles are good economical ways to store water because they can be filled from you own tap at the last minute.
Thanks. Good idea. I didn’t realize that included cooking water too. By the way, I’ve followed your posts for a while and identify with a lot of what you’ve said. I have a 5 year old and an 18 month old. If I was alone and didn’t have kids, I’d think I could survive by any means necessary. But with little ones, I’m terrified that I won’t be able to protect them! I’m trying not to let it get to me, but at the same time I just can’t ignore this thing. My husband thinks I’m a little “dooms day” focused. I bet a bunch of people here get that too. But if I am going to be the only one who steps up and preserves my family, I will let him poke fun at me all he wants. The food can be eaten, the water can be drunk whether there is an outbreak or not. But if there is one, I’d be proud to say I had the foresight to protect my family.
I appreciate the support here.
Pun Intended
purification chemicals …… as part of my water back up system I have a “Katadyn Drip Filter” (it fits my counter top, but other similar items are out there - check camping supplies). It uses no chemicals and has a ceramic filler that can be cleaned and reused and is gravity feed. It filters 100% of the bacteria. I am lucky in that I can get water with a hand pump if really needed so the water storage is easier. But the point here, is that you may want to have a way to filter water that is independent of your “supply lines” and chemical availablity.
Here is the government’s site which includes what they say we should have on hand. Most of you have probably already seen it, but if you haven’t, enjoy!
Pun Intended:
My husband things I’m a bit looney as well. :) He believes me that the BF is going to hit here in the U.S., but thinks that there’s just not one darn thing we can do about it. However, I agree with you; I take my family’s survival very seriously, and as long as I am responsible for my kids, I will do what it takes in order to keep them alive.
And you’re right. The water & food can be used up no matter what, so what harm is done? Also, things like crank radios & flashlights can be used if there is a power outage, so I really don’t see what the problem is!!
A few random notes:
OK, I just got back from Costco and spent a small fortune. I reviewed the expiration dates before buying everything. It looks like most of them are good for about a year. So, I guess I will start using them after about 6 months and replace them. I bought dried fruits, canned veggies, canned meats (turkey, tuna, chicken, etc.), a big thing of Bisquick, crackers, granola and dried cereals, etc. I just bought one flat of bottled water. It’s so darn heavy, I plan on just picking up one or two each time I go to the store.
I felt kind of rushed. If this ABC news thing tonight causes a bit of a panic, I wanted to get a few things stocked away so I wasn’t compelled to panic along with everyone else. I do feel better. But when I got done, I felt like I didn’t have much. I’ve heard to be prepared for 30 days. I’ve also heard be prepared for 3 months and also 6 months. I just don’t know what to believe and to prepare for. I don’t want to go overboard, but I want to have SOMETHING prepared.
Do you think 30 days is enough for now until it becomes more immenent? I’m so clueless!!! And I don’t cook, so I can’t exactly cook meals and freeze them. I’d probably kill my family before the pandemic hit! Morbid joke, sorry. But unfortunately there is a little element of truth there.
Pun Intended - When I first started, I thought a month would be good enough. Then I moved up to two and now I am at three months of supplies. It all depends on your comfort level. No one can do this all at once. What I found was that by having a good supply of food at home, I was running out to the store less often, (“What’s that honey? Out of peanut butter? No problem, I have some on the shelf in the basement.”) and therefore spending less on impulse shopping. I just keep filling in and rotating the oldest stock up to the pantry in the kitchen.
Thanks! Yep, two large jars of peanut butter were among my purchases. Since I don’t make bread, I’m assuming crackers will be more applicable to my family’s situation.
Of all things, I just realized I forgot batteries! Jeez! You can probably tell I’m totally new at this stockpiling thing. I’m not so much the outdoorsy type. So I have a lot to learn. I’d like to hear from any others that are like me. I don’t have a generator and don’t plan on getting one. I don’t cook from scratch. I don’t know how to start a fire without a lighter. I’m pretty pathetic…I admit.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a hopeless non-domestic goddess? Prepackaged meals that don’t require electricity or gas to prepare in case we are without power for a long time…things like that?
Take a trip to Trader Joe’s in St. Louis (Chesterfield). They have some of the Tasty something or other (someone else please help me out here) Indian meals that many on this list say are pre-cooked and quite tasty. Trader Joe’s is so worth a trip…add in a game or a show downtown, go up in the Arch and pee yourself and you have a whole weekend of fun!!
HBB, I love not running out of things now,-no coffee? no problem, no milk?- use canned until I get a chance to go to the store. I have upwards of 8 weeks, I’d do more, but space is gone and hubby thinks 8 weeks is OK. My daughter’s home has a months’ worth+ at all times, so we should be OK. Haven’t even counted what I have in the freezer and kitchen.
Grace - same here, I love not having to go to the store on a minutes notice. I don’t count what’s upstairs in the kitchen, just what I have downstairs in the basement. An added bonus is not having to lug the groceries upstairs when we go shopping. Now 90% of what we buy goes on the shelves downstairs. My wife loves it because I end up putting the majority of the groceries away because I have my own dating and stocking system.
Why with all this food in the house, does my 17 year old still stand in front of the open refrigerator and whine ‘there’s nothing to eat!’ What he means is that he wants to open the refrigerator and see a cheeseburger waiting for him on the plate. He knows how to cook (quite well as a mater of fact) but he suffers from ‘easy food’ syndrome. We are so used to having easy to cook foods, just open and heat, that we get lazy and don’t want to really cook. I have to admit I suffer from that also now and again. That’s when I reach for the Special K! Please put plenty of easy food in your stash. If we suffer from that disease now (easy food syndrome) then imagine how bad it might get if we or someone in our families is ill. Try to save the easy heat foods for when you really don’t have the energy to make other foods, though— don’t eat them first rattle out of the bag when h2h happens. (ie hide them from husbands and kids!)
Greetings. I’m a newbie here. I’m creating a one-month food & supply stash. I currently have about two weeks’ worth of food in canned and dry products. The main problem is that I live in an apartment and don’t have much space to store stuff in. Also, I don’t have the money to rent a place or anything like that. I have some closets and cupboards, but they’re limited.
Ideas as to how to maximize my current storage space would be appreciated. I’ve got a large empty box or two and I’m planning on getting more Rubbermaid-type containers.
How about a decorative throw over a stack of canned goods in the living room? Guests will think it is a stylish coffee table.
Seriously, see if there is anything under the bed that can go to make some room.
If you have empty suitcases, purses, use them. Pockets and sleeves of winter coats.
Maybe hollow out the legs of some tables and chairs…..(no, I’m not serious)
Pun … when I got married nearly 18 years ago as savvy as I thought I was I couldn’t even make spaghetti. I didn’t know you had to let the water boil before you put in the pasta. <groan>
My hubby, Lord Bless Him, survived our first year of marriage on canned peas, canned corn, and mac-n-cheese. LOL!! I can laugh at it now, but I sure felt pathetic then.
My biggest problem that first year was that I got down about all the things I thought I knew and didn’t and then just told myself I couldn’t. Eventually I got over myself and just learned.
I still enjoy convenience foods, but they are alot more like treats now than staple meals for our family. <grin>
I don’t necessarily make yeast bread … unless its the frozen kind from the grocery store. <grin> Instead I make cornbread and quick breads. I’m gonna learn how to make sourdough … but I’m still getting up my nerve for that.
I have converted a bunch of recipes to canned and dry goods only type recipes. Most of the ones that I’ve posted on that thread, I’ve tried on my family and no one has had to go to the hospital yet. <grin>
Just convince yourself that you can and then just try it a little bit at a time. No one has to know that the original ingredients came out of a can or box. I’ve been amazed at how good some of the recipe results have actually been.
I know you can do it! I’ve had too many kids to look good in a cheerleader’s outfit <snicker> but I’ll still shake a couple of pompoms for you. LOL!
I know there is a very serious side to all of this, but we can still make the preps fun knowing that we come out ahead one way or the other.
EmilyH … the best hidey-hole idea someone gave me was to jack up a bed with four blocks of wood. Doesn’t have to be particularly high. And … shazaam … you have a place to store extra water, cans, equipment, what-have-you.
Okay, I will check under the bed to see what I can put under there. I’ll be getting a bit more variety than just canned milk and tuna, though. ;)
this is a great thread. I seem to move between that paralyzed inactivity due to fear and some progress. I’m trying to get organized, though, with preps. Do any of you keep koolaid or other mixes to go into the stored water? Do you keep your water in the house instead of in the garage or elsewhere? I am debating buying a flat of water a week (only 3+ gallons, but easily stacked and rationed) and getting some larger storage containers for the garage like those for camping. Anyone have good ideas on larger water storage? Thanks!
Pun, The Joy of Cooking is really good at explaining every detail. I like both the 1997 and 1964 editions (the older one tells how to cook various wild game,too). It takes a while to learn, but it’s rewarding. My first pancakes were kind of dark brown and chunky.<g> (Before I found Joy of Cooking).
I’ve read not to put the water in plastic containers on concrete floors because the plastic will degrade and the water will absorb various chemicals.
Hillbilly Bill. Look what Andy Warhols soup can art sells for. Astronomical. Why not a coffee table made of soup cans. When we were students bookshelves were bricks and boards. We used to go to a place called Brokenhouse (english translation ) for our furniture. I had a chaise lounge I covered in red silk with Napoleonic Bees. A little imagination goes a long way.
New birdie planner - Taking positive action helps drive away fear. So does education so keep reading, especially the Wiki part of fluwikie. Definitely have pre-sweeted drink mix powder on hand (Crystal light or whatever you like). Especially if you have sick people it makes rehydration solution easier to drink. Plus, it hardly takes any room to store. We store our water in gallon jugs in the basement, off the floor. I am going to get some 5 gallon containers.
There are no right answers, just what will work for you. There have been lots of good ideas for water storage on various threads, search for “aquatank” to find info on one option for large storage containers. Many on-line suppliers have 5 gallon, 15 gallon, or 55 gallon drums for water. Again, its what you can handle.
Buying a flat of water a week sounds like an excellent way to start.
I have saved SO MUCH $ in the past 6 months I’ve really been prepping heavily. I’m to the point now where I only buy sale items in the reg grocery store. BJ’s (like Sams)doesn’t really have sales. I get some things there, but not a lot You have to watch them - if you know your prices they are not always the best deal. It’s amazing how much less I spend since I stay away from the store except when I go in for the sale items, and so much nicer to have everything right here. BTW- Is everyone freezing milk? It’s another sure fire way to stay out of the store. They intentionally put the dairy in the back corner from the door so you have to walk by all the other stuff and get ideas to buy this and that.(I work for a supermarket- so I know how they do these things)Milk is one of the things I do buy at BJs as it’s cheaper than anywhere else and I buy 4 gallons and freeze 2. When 1 gallon gets emptied I bring up one of the frozen ones. By the time the 2nd one is done the frozen one is thawed- (don’t forget to shake it up real good) By that time I’ve gone to the store and bought 4 more. That way each time I buy milk, 1 gallon stays in the freezer so now I have a stock of frozen milk. If I’m not in the store every other day I’m not tempted to buy things I don’t really need and have more to spend on my sale/prep items. If you do freeze milk- you need to open it and pour out at least a cup or when it freezes and expands it’ll either burst the container- or “bubble” out the top and get on other stuff.
Sahara, I appreciate your helpful comments! I know that taking positive action will help with the fear, but sometimes the fear kicks back in for me. Thanks for the ideas. I will search for the aquatank thread. I knew of on-line suppliers for water barrels (saw one at nitro-pak, for example) but the shipping seems prohibitive.
I’ll keep making little steps and learn from all of you.
new birdie planner - Never think you are alone in this and that you are the only one who is afraid.
Cinda, “If you do freeze milk- you need to open it and pour out at least a cup or when it freezes and expands it’ll either burst the container- or “bubble” out the top and get on other stuff.”
I have a similar problem. I live up at 9000 feet and if I bring milk up the mountain it often pops it top. I just don’t know why milk companies do that.
new bridie planner - There was also a great idea about using garbage cans and food-safe plastic bags for water storage. The thread has been active today is is titled: StoringWater-Quiery. (sic)
I ran across an interesting site today “waltonfeed.com”. I don’t know if it has been brought up before or not. And, since I am new to this, I don’t really know if there prices are good or not. They had an excel spreadsheet you can download to figure the food needs of people for up to a year. Just my 2 cents worth
I will check out the spreadsheet, montana99 — thanks for the tip.
Sahara — thanks for the info on the water thread — I’ve been reading and asking ?s there as well.
Montana99 I have ordered from Walton Feed with great suscess---their prices are good. Their water barrels for example are a good price. I have ordered food also and was very pleased with turn around. The Internet Grocer-is also really cheap on a limited amount of things. good luck
In case you would like to know, this past weekend I had a test at home. Made some powdered milk for some friends and we ate some Mountain High freeze dried food the chicken a la king was great and so was the chicken and a chicken and rice dish, the beefstew was ok. I found that the freeze dried chicken is good. eggs- I baked a pound cake with the powdered eggs, now this is a receipe that is not food storage but I thought if it can rise a pound cake it would work on anything else. As you know that is a heavy batter mine call for butter and sourcream. It mixed fine and watching it rise it was a tall as the orginal receipe however when it cam out of the oven it fell more than usual the cake height was about half.As far as texture is was great and the taste was wonderful!! I am wondering if I used more of the egg powder if it would change the results? Next we had scramabled eggs and they were good,better than I expected. I will now order some of the Mountain High freeze D. food to add my food storage. In fact sometime I am at a loss for lunch and that stuff could hit the spot. I had a lot of fun with my test hope this helps you all.
Lugon: Commodity programs used to figur 70 pounds per person per month. Lots of it was grain. If you make all your own bread this is about right for people who are active and need everything. Elderly and more sedentary folks and just about everyone can do with less starch and more protein. But for survival planning, this is more than adequate. A good place to look is your county extension office which has brochures and facts on nutrition needs, and they use the new guidelines, which are less likely to cause obesity over the long haul. I’m thinking a little under a pound of meat, cheese or eggs per person per day and the the usual gallon of water. Grain should be whole grain sources if possible—no sense eating empty food! two servings vegies and one of fruit per day if possible. Add healthy sides like yogurt and use vitamin C enriched tang to put water to good use. I posted recipe for making your own boullion on the canned and dry goods site before I found this one. Serious planners and canners can look there for it.
30 - 50 gallon galvanized garbage cans are rodent and roach proof. You might get weevils in some dry goods supplies, but they can be winnowed out, or ground up so they won’t show and eaten for their extra protein (what the squeamish don’t know won’t hurt them). These big cans can also be used to cook large quantities of meat or vegies, which can then be mashed up or blended, then spread on cookie sheets and dried in the oven at around 130 degreesF. This dried stuff can be stored in plastic or cans for a very long time, at least a couple of months to a year, and this way you can take advantage of a windfall of crops or hunted or home-grown meat. Look around for older folks who need transportation or wood cut or something, in return for meat. In the country side, a lot of elderly old-timers grow beef or other meat on the hoof, or are hunters. If the power goes out, restaurants and grocery stores will have meat which will spoil anyways. If you have already hooked up with them, you may score meat for your whole neighborhood. Knowing how to jerk out a large quantity of meat may be your nutrition AND your bartering account.
As I said on the other thread, some butchers will give you beef knuckle bones which can be cracked, boiled and pressure canned for an excellent and free source of very nutritious broth to use for the sick, the very young, elderly, or for a base for any other vegies or starches you have to cook with.
Large juice cans can be used to cook bread in, if you clean off all the glue and prepare them in a hot oven (over350 F—I use 450 F) for an hour. Also you can fill them with beans or pasta or whatever, and cover them with shrink wrap. Before shrink wrap, I used plastic or waxed paper, or even butcher paper, secured it with a rubber band, and dipped the top covering into or painted it with melted parafin. Works good, if you keep it in the metal garbage can or a freezer or refrigerator your not using because the power is off. Plastic ice chests like you picnic or camp with are good storage containers, also. rodents and roaches will not be able to get into them, and they are stackable—Put some of everything in each, so you don’t have to sort through them, once filled they are very heavy.
new birdie planner -
The best deal I’ve seen anywhere for water storage is at Tractor Supply. They have an assortment of plastic water tanks up to 1500 gallons. I believe I’ll be getting one of their 350 gallon tanks - gallon for gallon it will much cheaper than ordering barrels and paying for shipping.
anonymous and others — Thanks for the tips on Tractor Supply. I can actually get to one of those. I assume these tanks are for animals, so the plastic is food grade? Did you put your tank on a pallet for storage? Thanks!
anonymous and others — Thanks for the tips on Tractor Supply. I can actually get to one of those. I assume these tanks are for animals, so the plastic is food grade? Did you put your tank on a pallet for storage? Thanks!
anonymous and others — Thanks for the tips on Tractor Supply. I can actually get to one of those. I assume these tanks are for animals, so the plastic is food grade? Did you put your tank on a pallet for storage? Thanks!
new birdie planner -
that last post was from me - I didn’t notice my handle was missing…
those tanks are made of nalgene (sp?) - and this material is used for food grade products. I have seen the larger tanks, 1000 gallon and up, used for the main water supply storage for homes. I would recommend not placing plastic directly on a concrete floor. Tractor Supply is actually a good resource for lots of stuff. Take some time to just walk through the store and use your imagination!
Nemo at 15:30
>Trader Joe’s…has some of the Tasty something or other (someone else >please help me out here) Indian meals that many on this list say are >pre-cooked and quite tasty.
Tasty Bites. EXCELLENT MRE-type food.
They have Indian and Thai food. They are shelf stable for 18 months. I keep them in my desk at work and eat them ~twice weekly. You can buy them online at http://www.tastybite.com/. I got a group of people together at work and got various discounts because of the bulk purchase.
Highly recommended.
Nemo at 15:30 Go to www.tastybite.com - Ironically my wife and I has some tonight….absolutely delicious, convenient to cook (or heat) with a two year shelf life. I bought a small amount to try and then after deciding that we liked the taste, I ordered about 100 boxes. Reasonable shipping costs and they’re quick!
Hi everyone…I think one good thing to have is a generator…at the onset of this thing I will fill up my gasoline tanks which will last me two months for electricity…we bought it for hurricane Wilma and it was a life saver as we were three weeks without electricity…boy, was that a worthwhile “learning” experience…we have learned to calculate how long to use the generator to keep our freezer storage cold….we have a large freezer..so while the mad rush for nonparashible foods starts I will mad rush for things to store in my freezer. Our plans is to have two months worth of frozen foods and then four months of non-parishable..once gasoline runs out we will go to our non-parishable items. All our nonparishable items are now bought and stored…thanks to all of you for giving me soooooooooo much info. during the last few months.
Nanita - I think we wasted a lot of gasoline trying to run a generator almost continuously following Katrina. Someone suggested that powering a freezer for one half hour every four hours was a good plan. What’s your experience, please?
I plan to charge batteries when I’m using the genset for the freezer. Then a power inverter can handle some light weight stuff like fans and small lights.
Good evening - I recently ordered - not yet received - a tri-fuel 2600watt generator. Propane-natural gas-gasoline. I have natural gas to my home and to my outside grill. I purchased 6 ea. 5 gallon gas cans (and Sta-Bil) and an 800watt inverter for my car(s) to run some comfort electric items. I am hopeful to be able to run two refrigerators (garage and kitchen), using perishable foods first and then the stored foods in the basement.
I would very much appreciate some guidance or suggestions regarding runtimes required for the typical fridge so that I don’t loose any food due to spoilage and bad judgement. I realize of course, that there are many variables, so give me a kick and I’ll be happy to listen.
Thank you!
mmmelody—where did you find the tri-fuel generator?
Hi Kate! 12:12 3/13
Sorry, I didn’t see your post until tongiht, there are so amny new ones!
I make the meatloaves completely, eggs, bread crumbs, etc. Then I put the tomato goop on top, (brown sugar and catsup) cover with plastic wrap, then foil. I let them thaw, overnight in the fridge and bake as usual. I buy the foil, 9 x 13 in. disposable pans, at Sams and put my meatloaves in these. I guess they aren’t really loaves anymore. I found, when making such a large one, 4lbs., that the meat cooks so much faster this way and cuts into nice squares. I actually, use these pans for all my, make ahead, casseroles.
Kathy in FL : you made me see the obvious ! I had been pondering the issue of storing enough water and had looked everywhere until I read your post about the bed… Our bed is an Indian-style antique poster bed that stands almost two feet high… That’s where I will keep at least twelve 20 liter new lidded plastic buckets of water. Thanks ! This is a great thread.
Albert - That’s a quarter ton of water…hope your floor is in good shape.
Tall in MS : the floor is reinforced concrete. It will be like a water bed but not exactly :) Thanks for the advice anyway !
For anyone concerned with cooking without power I’d suggest cans of Sterno. Sams sometimes has in in case lots. You can get little reflector stoves for them in places that sell camper supplies (Walmart for instance)
The Sterno cans come with lids so if you don’t use it all you can cap it off and use the rest later :)
John Va
If anyone is near a source of fresh water, lake, pond, stream, I would suggest a Berkey water filter. These are routinely used by missionaries overseas and by the military around the world.
They are gravity operated and the larger ones have a large capacity. I just got one this week from www.jamesfilter.com and I’m very happy with it! I have a pond.
John Va
Busy in Bama – at 22:34 They’re not cheap, but both have good names and of course the convenience of being tri-fuel. I ordered the Yamaha 2600w w/$49 delivery charge. The second link is to Winco tri-fuel generators with free delivery.
http://www.yamaha-propane-natural-gas-generators.com/ And
http://electricgeneratorsdirect.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=53_209_213&page=1&sort=4a
mmmelody---thank you
>30 - 50 gallon galvanized garbage cans are rodent and roach proof<
I would point out they’re almost certainly mouse and insect proof; but one should never underestimate the gnawing power of rats. If storing food in such cans in a place where rats might be around, you might want to put the cans up on blocks or a round, base fitting platform so they’ll have a hard enough time reaching the can they won’t have the leverage to gnaw through it.
Anybody know a good way to preserve “greens” like kale, romaine and what not?
Useful not only in emergency, but also through winter! ;-)
FeedMyFamily - Not that I know of, and my mom “put up” anything that would stand still long enough for her to get a bag or jar around it.
Best to switch to asperagus (sp) since it does well in many climates. They can be put up, unlike broccoli. I have freeze dried veggies, since we live in a cold climate.
Does anyone know what noodles are used in Pan-fried noodles at the Chinese rest? I would love to get some of that in my storage. Great break from spagetti. Twist my arm and make me buy 40 lbs - Yummy!
Rice Noodles, although not as much variety as other pastas they come in different shapes and sizes.
EOD - Thank you.
BTW, just wanted all to know that butter powder is not the best thing to use when making rice krispie treats. My dogs, however, loved them.
Hello! I have some food storage questions for all of you experts:
First, I need to store some canned/boxed goods in a place outside the kitchen cabinets (since they are full). We have space in a closet that is inside a bathroom. Will that be a problem, since it is a humid place? I am thinking/hoping it won’t be an issue, but wanted to ask.
Second, are you all storing your food in a central location or in many places in the house? It seems that it would be easier to find room here and there, but I think I will need to write down where I put everything that way. I saw those cool racks at (I think) foodstorageracks.com, but am not sure that I am ready to spend money on that when I have other things to buy. Anyway, just wondering.
Third, I know we must put plastic water containers on a pallet if on a concrete floor to keep them away from the concrete, but what of other flooring? Does one always use a pallet? And is a hard plastic poly water jug better than just buying gallons of water in the milk-jug style containers (which seem thinner)?
Fourth, I bought some powdered egg whites today (called Just Eggs, I think) and saw no expiriation date. Anyone know how long these last?
Thanks much!
Feed my family,
Make sauerkraut and pickles to get some greens into your canning. Squash also cans well.
New Birdie Prepper – at 23:14
1)Humid is ok if the storage is air tight, although temperature is an issue, like attics-too hot. You can get food grade 3–5 gallon buckets w/ lids at mkts w/ in-store bakeries, like Safeway. They give them away free where I live. Most of my stuff is in my home office-it has the most room, but I do keep eating the candy while I surf…
4)Depending on the container, powdered eggs/whites last 10 yrs unopened if in a can.
I will leave the other questions to others who may know more.
Ganygirl,
The chinese stir fry a number of different kinds of noodles. In addition to soba noodles, which you will find in many chinese restaurants, asian cooks also use rice noodles and cellophane noodles, all of which soak up flavors in a different way. Here’s a glossary of Asian noodles. The ones used the most often in chinese stir fry are called soba noodles and are easy to find in most grocery stores.
Feed My Family, why don’t you try drying them? According to my dehydration books, you can steam them until wilted, then put them in the dehydrator. I don’t think I would do romaine (yuck!), but I’m sure kale and spinach would work. I’ve dried shredded cabbage, as well; I am not going to be without egg rolls!
I have a question about dehydration for all the smart folks here, though. Has anybody successfully dehydrated grated cheese? I saw it in the Emergency Essentials catalog ($40 a can!) and tried it with paper towels on the tray as suggested by the dehydrator manual. I’m afraid all that happened was that the cheese fused to the paper towels! Any suggestins would be greatly appreciated.
STH -
I’ve never seen anyone successfully dehydrate cheese as we know it…cheese is a high fat content food and you cannot take the moisture outta fat.
Cheeses naturally dehydrate as they age, consequently those cheeses are more concentrated sources of calcium than softer ones. As cheeses age, they lose moisture, becoming denser in texture and more concentrated in flavor and calcium content.
A viable alternative, and one that I do, is to make my own cheeses. It’s really not as difficult as one thinks, and for those like me that really get into doing things from scratch, can be rewarding alternative.
Fankhauser’s Cheese making site is probably the most informative and easy to understand place online, with clear and concise directions on how to make many of your cheeses. He is a Professor of Biology and Chemistry at University of Cincinnati Clermont College and really knows his stuff. I’ve used his recipes to make many things, like sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt, etc.
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/CHEESE.HTML
Shad.
Thanks for the tip, shaddup. That’s a great idea, and I will definitely take a look at the site.
Thanks again for your help!
Great site for cheese, yogurt AND bread! Thanks so much!
STH, I’ve never tried dehydrating chees, I’d think it would only work with a very low-fat cheese but I could be wrong on that. Instead of paper towels, though, you might call Teflex sheets, which are like a very slick plastic used for drying fruit leathers and such. I think it would work better than paper towels.
STH, sorry, don’t CALL teflex sheets, USE Teflex sheets. Long day!
Emergency Essentials dehydrated cheese is actually FREEZE DRIED cheese. High fat items require the extra drying action of freeze drying as opposed to traditional dehydration processes.
new birdie prepper – at 23:14
Howdy! RE your questions…
1) Canned goods should be fine in humid (but not hot) places, boxed - especially cardboard boxed - goods need to be kept dry or wrapped (and maybe sealed with tape) in plastic to keep moisture from getting to them.
2) I’m storing food in lots of places; most of it in the pantry, but also in kitchen cabinets, under beds, in closets, etc. The freezer, too, not just for meat but also things like flour and brown rice that might go bad if kept at normal temperatures too long.
3) Pallets or some sort of insulation is suggested usually to reduce the chance of stored water freezing and breaking its container, as well as to try to keep rodents from bothering it. The problem with those milk jug type containers is that the plastic decays and turns brittle over time, possibly springing leaks unexpectedly. (In addition, you don’t want to reuse actual plastic milk jugs for water storage not only due to the plastic’s instability, but because it’s hard even with soap and hot water to clean all the milk that’s soaked into the pores and pits in the plastic out thoroughly enough so it won’t provide a breeding ground for bacteria…). Better to use soda pop bottles, which are made of a different sort of plastic and don’t decay so fast and can be cleaned easily.
4) I don’t think powdered eggs HAVE an expiration date. O_O
Good luck!
I am fairly new here, but have been reading posts for awhile. I have a family of six and not a whole lot of storage space, a bi-level house, so all the space is basically living space, except for a garage. No attic or basement or pantry, so I have had to get creative with storage. You would not believe how much food I was able to store in the space above my cupboards in the kitchen. For years I had fancy baskets and junk up there, but I took it all down, bought some square shaped plastic bins with lids( in a match the kitchen blue!) left the kids decorate them, and now have several weeks worth of supplies stored out of sight! We also have a couple of extra cars (my husband is in the auto repair business - sometimes a great car comes in at a great price (free)! and we don’t drive them much, and I have stored alot of paper goods in the trunks of them .
If you are lazy, Nutrisystem will mail deliver boxes with one month’s food for one person in them, minus milk, fruits, and vegetables. They are mostly TV dinners, with no refrigeration required, small microwavable containers of high protein soup, dehydrated hamburgers and cup-of-soups, etc. A lot of small high protein items such as soy chip snacks. A microwave or hot water is needed to prepare a lot of these, but on the plus side they are relatively compact, planned meals that store in their own box with no refrigeration. This might be a partial solution for people with limited storage space, or kids that are not up to a lot of baking and cooking. You might lose some weight too! ;)
Also, for the water or grain storage,try ‘vittle vaults” sold at Petsmart or Petco. They come in 15, 25, 30, 50, or 60 gallon size. They are ant proof, bug proof, airtight type 2 food grade plastic containers with a wide mouth that easily spins open and closed. Some are stackable.
What are the price range of the “Vittle Vaults?” The sound like a good solution for rice storage, especially if they will stack. This will then allow me to use my smaller containers for storing my seasoning envelopes and homemade mixes.
Are the opaque, clear, or dark?
go to www.petco.com and search on “vittle vault”. They start at $21.99 for a 15 lb container. They are opaque and a light greyish color. I bought some a couple of years ago that are shaped like covered open-mouthed pails with a wire handle. They are easy to move around and pretty sturdy - I think they may be double walled. Also, they have some at petsmart.com - a different brand I think. Or go in the store the next time you are in the neighborhood, they do stock some in house. One type they show on the petco.com site shows containers with an opening on the side, so you could leave them stacked and help yourself. Hope this helps!
Here’s a question for the home canners and jam makers. I make freezer jam every summer but would like to free up some freezer space. I’m not quite sure I’m ready to jump into canning, though. I read someplace that canning experts no longer recommend sealing jam by covering the top with wax, then putting the lid on. Any ideas about this? Is it now considered unsafe?
Still suppose to be a no-no. For the scientific reason, look up your local extension office or seek one out online. Utah’s is very good. Even being here in Florida I still use some of their info. Florida has a pretty good one also.
Has anyone given thought to stashing food and supplies away from your living quarters? Desparate, hungry people are going to be looking for food. We are trying to find a good place that’s not too far so we have easy access, but a clever place that would keep it safe.
Thanks, Kathy. Will do.
Tink – at 20:39
A lot of that will depend on whether you are willing to break isolation/social distancing.
If there is a storage facility close to home you could store some types of foods there, but you will need to remember not all foods store well in an uncontrolled environment like a storage locker. Not even canned veggies like unregulated heat or cold. You might be able to short term store some grains that way.
Personally, I’m keeping everything close to hand. I don’t want to have to do any more travelling than necessary … illness in the family, gas availability/price, and other factors may affect my ability to travel.
I stored mylar bagged in a box wine a couple of months ago, big mistake. Them mice chewed the bottom and the wine leaked out. 10 liters of wine in the basement. so…the message is clear, store glass.
billybob – at 08:12
And just how drunk were the mice? Lordy, I can see it now. Reminds me too much of a scene from the “Shrek” movies. <grin>
Tink, There has been info. here several times citing the executive orders during a pandemic or “national emergency” and confiscation of goods in public storage units/facilities is definitely one of those high on the list. I cannot imagine local authorities going thru storage units to find food, but then again, I haven’t lived thru anything like what we may experience in a pandemic. My thoughts are that if it is a law, then it may be enforced or acted upon…. The thing is, the govt. appears to have legal rights during same emergency executive orders to confiscate anything from your home, including your home, as well.
Tink and Mother of five —
I”m starting to get depressed and fearful now — if people think that someone will confiscate their food, then will there be less motivation to prep?
Anybody know how vacuum sealing dried beans will affect them in the long term? I usually freeze the bags from the store right away for a few days (house is warm, so I kill off weevil eggs first), let them thaw on the counter and then use my food saver to seal them in meal-size portions.
Since beans are still alive, would this effectively kill them and keep them from cooking up well later? A lot of long-term storage solutions remove the oxygen but replace it with another gas instead of creating a vacuum. Just wondering… I’m not talking 20 years, I was planning on a three year rotation due to the higher temps in our house (78–80 F in summer). Keeping our house cooler is insane in our climate. We have high ceilings and a large house. A/C bill would be too large (especially now). I would love to have a freezer just for long-term storage of dried goods, but it ain’t gonna happen anytime soon!
Perhaps vacuum sealing in glass jars would be better, but it still is technically a vacuum and I think the same problem would apply.
Thanks ahead of time!
BTW- it’s great to have the wiki back!!!!! I was a lost soul
FLgardenmom: Just a suggestion, but this may work for you. I have an old chest freezer in the basement that we don’t use although it does work. I have my flour, pasta, dry beans, etc. stored in there mainly to keep it safe from bugs and mice. I found that a couple of frozen 2 liter soda bottles of water kept the inside freezer temp about 60 F for two days. If you can find an old freezer that doesn’t work, or get a deal on one at a scratch and dent sale, you could have a storage space that stays cooler than your house. Just keep refreezing the bottles and switching them every day or so.
Tink, Mother & Birdie I would think thisgs would have to get VERY bad for the government to begin seaching storage facilities for food (and if it’s that bad, who will be doing that searching?), and any searching will most like be cursory & quick. Conceal the food in some larger wooden crates with lots of nails, mislabeled with something they would not be interested in, and then have that something else as a top layer in the crate. Something heavy, hard to lift and move would peobably be best as well.
Thanks Hillbilly Bill. I remember reading one of your older posts about that chest. I’ll keep that in mind. Perhaps I could get one through freecycle. Do the old freezers leak coolant or anything? I guess I could put some absorbant materieal underneath it.
we got one to keep feed in at our farm for $20 or so. Somebody ran into the side of it with a forklift…
Hillbilly Bill- That gave me a good chuckle although at the time I’m sure it wasn’t funny.
When we were putting in our raised garden beds, a landscaper lost control of their tractor and it climbed a 3′ concrete wall, broke it down, and busted through the neighbor’s 8′ wooden privacy fence. It was real embarrassing to have to knock on his front door and say, “umm, we just drove a tractor through your fence into your backyard, Sorry… We’ll get it fixed as soon as possible…” He is an insurance agent.
Tink, Mother, and Birdie … I think the confiscation of goods, etc. might be more applicable to local grocers and food warehouses where they would/could find things in bulk. Might also apply to charitable organizations stored goods.
If things really do get that bad, I would think that it would “cost” more for them to search out small stores of food than it would for them to simply confiscate large locations such as shipping facilities, grocery stores, etc. Not that they might have much left, but their effort would go further that way and minimize exposing their “search and seize” personnel to infected homes.
Found two interesting products at the grocery store while the wiki was down and am just now getting around to mentioning them. Found them at Super Wallyworld so figure they should be fairly widely available.
Falafel mix and hummus mix. I’m familiar with hummus, but never knew there was a powdered mix that you could store. Falafel rings a bell but I haven’t tried it yet.
The falafel is listed as cholesterol free and low sodium, all natural and vegetarian. All you have to do is take the mix, add cold water, and then form patties and fry (they recommend grapeseed oil).
The hummus is listed as cholesterol free and transfat free, all natural and vegetarian. This is a just add water type mix as well. You could serve it on homemade flatbread, etc.
Wasn’t expensive as far as specialty items go and would probably make a nice change up from rice dishes.
Kathy in FL – at 19:52 - I believe that Falafel is a Middle Eastern food that I used to buy, since it is delicious and reasonably priced. The humorous side…well you may not think it’s humorous….is that Falafel causes so much flatulence that you could probably bottle it, run your generator on it and sell the excess back to your power company!! It is tasty though.
mmmelody47 – at 20:07
Well, as long as everyone in the house is eating it I’m not too worried. <grin> But with beans and rice high on our storage inventory I’m thinking that maybe the falafel will not be the only potential culprit. <big grin>
Kathy in FL – at 20:15 - I couldn’t resist the background. <big grin too>
Dear storage sages: I just bought one of those vacuum sealer thingys as i suspect someof my dry goods may get bugs if i dont seal them up somehow. The leaflet says it will extend shelf life quite a lot but i’m a bit worried still. Anyone else have one of these things that can offer advice?
Woodstock – at 20:31 - I own a Foodsaver vacuum sealer that I used a couple of hours ago to pack away 20 lbs. of brown rice in smaller bags. May I suggest that you do as I did and perform a search on Google for “storing whatever food” that you wish to learn about for safe storage. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the amount of information on the Internet. BTW - my brown needs to be refrigerated for the longest shelf life with vacuum sealing.
Last night I remembered that Chorella, spirulina, blue-green algae are high in chlorophyll and protein and it also helps with your ph balance, has a lot of other good stuff in it too(supposedly if your body is at the right ph, we don’t get sick)you can get it at the health food stores. I’ve used it before during a health kick I was on. A good book “Healing with whole foods” I just dug it out and started reading it again.
Woodstock, just don’t use it to prolong the life of soft bread. it will flatted it and it won’t come back to it’s former self. i guess you could make some of those cute little pizza’s. gina
Hummous is easy to make from scratch (can of chickpeas, lemons, garlic, parsley, jar of tahini), but falafal is easier from a mix.
I was refering to hiding food not too far from where one lives. I do believe a lot of people who did not prepare will be desparate enough to go door to door and get food one way or another. I am asking if any one has thought about underground storage within easy access, or some other hiding place that wouldn’t damage supplies. Thanks.
Tink – at 14:48
Tink, in my area of Florida it really isn’t feasible due to water table and soil type. Farmers have for centuries used underground storage for root cellaring, etc. If you are serious, look into root cellaring directly beneath your home.
A lot will depend on what you can do in your area in that regard.
Anybody else have feedback on my questions from April 28 at 13:57?
I am still curious about any negative side effects of vacuum sealing beans for storage.
Thanks…
Woodstock ~
I own a vaccum sealer also and use it for a variety of things. Vaccum sealing things will extend the freshness of food, eliminate freezer burn, keep moist foods from drying out, protect dry foods like brown sugar from getting hard, keep foods high in fats and oils from going rancid (like nuts). I recently vaccum sealed my whole grains in 5 pound volumes to protect and extend its life.
It’s the oxygen and moisture in the air that cause foods to degrade over time and to lose flavor, texture and nutritional value. Vaccum sealing not only protects the foods inside the sealed bags from critters and such, but also retains it’s original flavor and freshness, and nutritional content up to 5 times longer. Freezing soft products, bakery goods, etc., before vaccum sealing will prevent the softer items from being squished in the sealing process.
Enjoy your sealer, you’ll see as time passes that it was an investment well worth it.
Shad.
Thankyou all for your help. I confess i bought the sealer after a siren at the dept store sang her song and convinced me. Been wondering if i made a mistake…but now i shallmake good use of it!
Flgardenmom, I have vaccum sealer, I have done beans and tons of other stuff. I have cooked beans after a year sealed and under the bed they tasted great. And I might add that I have never soaked my beans before cooking. But I have read that if your beans are old that soaking is a good idea.
Woodstock - I really like my food sealer, but I found that the sealed bags are hard to store. I have a very small pantry, and a plastic tote holds lots more squishy, easy to smash together bags of rice and beans that these big bricks with the pointy corners. Half of my goods are sealed, but I have decided not to do this anymore and just use everything within 2 years. Just my experience. I think I would use it more if I had a big freezer - I can see that it would make a lot of sense in that situation.
Love Texas, thanks… It is good to hear from someone who has field tested this. I have vacuum-sealed them, but only for a few months at a time. I have been sorting and making bean soup mixes (just the beans) and wanted to seal them to keep the bugs out. I had a pantry moth problem a year ago and the only things that went untouched other than glass jars, were the items in the vacuum bags.
A trick that I learned is to put a book or a piece of wood in front of the sealer so the bag sits a little higher start your vacum and stop before all the air is out and then smooth the rice or whatever and then continue and you will have a flat bag. Works great.
I second the comment about providentliving.org. As my core prep for food I ordered a 1 year supply for one person from this site that I indend to break down into 3 months for 4 people should the need arise. They have very reasonable prices, and shipping rates, an excellent product line and are friendly to deal with on the phone, accomodating to order adds and changes. I highly recommend these folks. I went their initially because I figured the Mormons have a lot of experience with food storage and also I liked their mission statement, which had to do with service and integrity. They have a number of excellent books that advise on how to cook with storage (recipes) and live sustainably, etc. They are obviously clued in about the special needs of bird flu prep because they are carrying N95 respirator masks, gloves and other materials needed. Check it out.
How do you orfer from the providentliving.org site?? I’ve used their site for info, but visited just now & didn’t see a link for internet orders—please, how’d you do it??
Okay, I have just rec’d 2 buckets with gamma lids and some oxygen absorbers. I need a linky or simple explanation as to how to pack these buckets. I don’t plan to keep them forever, but I have purchased some rice, beans, pasta, etc. from the grocery that I thought I would put in the buckets since (see above for the help I rec’d already with thanks) I am keeping extra stuff in a closet in the bathroom. Should I freeze the rice and beans first? Take them out of the store bags? I thought I’d take the pasta out of the boxes just to save space and bag it up.
Thanks, y’all.
NBP-I think that info would be on the site for Walton Feed. They have a lot of info.
Thanks, Love Texas! :) Should have thought of that — I just think of the wiki for everything.
I’m-working-on-it – at 09:29
…I think Watching and Learning was thinking of providentliving.com, not the LDS site at providentliving.org.
Closed for length. Part Two can be found here.