Posted By Victory Garden Man on January 9, 2010
Your Victory Garden Man
Tips about long term emergency food storage
Some people get overwhelmed with the thought of starting their long-term food storage supply. Let’s face it, the thought of storing food for emergencies, such as natural disasters or the loss of a job, can be quite a downer.
The thought of having to get a year or two of food storage together, all at once, is enough to cause even the wealthiest of individuals to procrastinate. However, starting small and working your way up is really the best way to go and as your stockpile gets larger, the size of the task will start to get smaller.
Before you start stockpiling food, however, you must first find a place in a cool, dry area of the house (best place would be a basement) to make your long-term food pantry. This area should be fitted with shelving or at least some type of palates to keep your food off of the floor. Keeping your food supply off of the ground is imperative to the prevention of damage (eg. flooding, molds etc…).
Note: Keeping a long-term food storage supply in an attic is not recommended because the last thing you want is for your food to spoil due to excessive heat.
I suggest beginning with the basics and stocking up on the kinds of food you and your family truly like to eat. There is no sense in stocking items you don’t eat in your everyday life because eating things that you don’t really care for on a long-term basis will create food fatigue.
Obviously, you want to stick to items that have a long shelf-life. When items you like go on sale, buy as many as you can at that point in time to put away into your long-term food pantry. Designating a certain amount of money every week to your shopping trip for the sole purpose of buying the goods you plan on storing for the long-term is a good idea.
Another trick I use is to cut coupons. I know this might sound a little hokey to some, but if you can combine coupons with items that are already on sale, your dollars will go a lot further. There are whole entire websites dedicated to the topic of maximizing coupon usage, which are extremely helpful (ex. Slickdeals.net). I can’t tell you how many times that we have been able to stockpile foods we enjoy for practically nothing by using this one technique.
You will be amazed how fast your supplies will grow once you start, but you must start sometime soon. Set a short-term goal, such as getting a one-month food supply for one person in your family, then for two people and so on. You will develop a mindset and an eye for the kinds of foods you will need to accumulate in order to create balanced meals for your long-term plan.
These are very simple food storage tips, but they are very effective for stockpiling your food even if you are on a tight budget. These tips are only the beginning, however, and focusing on the distant future is the goal.
Starting at the local supermarket is a good idea, but there are different types of foods that you can buy in bulk to jar (mason jars) or preserve in order to maintain your emergency food supplies. Various food storage containers (other than mason jars) can also be used for this purpose as well.
However, these techniques require some canning equipment and supplies in order to do it right. Using these techniques will also come in handy when preserving the foods you have grown yourself.
I will be getting into this in more detail in my next blog, but I don’t want to get too far ahead. My goal is to educate and help you prepare your home food storage, while creating as little anxiety as possible. Our tendency is to ignore what has been presented to us if the task seems too great.
However, time is of the essence, in this day and age, and a long winter is quickly approaching. If you have had your eyes open these past few years, then you know what I am talking about, so we do need to act as swiftly as we can.
Homework
On your next shopping trip, designate $5…$10…$15 (as much as you can) or so dollars to buying some type of food you like that has a long shelf-life, such as canned soups or vegetables, pasta, rice and beans. It does not take a whole lot of money to get started, so even those who have to operate on a limited budget should be able to get this done.
Just remember to focus on the stuff that is on sale and check for coupons before going to the supermarket, especially if funds are tight. Heck, you might even start to have a little fun in the process. Sounds pretty painless if you ask me!
Plan this year to make food storage a priority for your family. Make it a goal to see how much you can accomplish by the end of 2010.
Categories: emergency food storage, long term food storage
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About The Author
Mike The Victory Garden Man
This is certainly one of the better posts I have found on this topic. I would like to know if you have you though about the opposite side of the topic of gardening? To be candid, I think a decent case could be made either way, but please let me know if you know of more sites or articles on the Web that back up what you are saying.
I enjoyed the information. I’d enjoy even more details such as how to design your storage area? and combine the three-month-pantry supply with long-term storage to that it can be readily gotten to and used over a long period of time.
Interesting blog, not like the others!
this subject is a very interesting subject to learn about!
I forgot to add this to my other question. . .what about organic rice instead of white rice.
I am new to long-term storage. I bought four dozen quart mason jars and ordered 50 cc oxygen absorbers. I am just starting out. Thank you for this wonderful site. I read “Aftershock” about the bubble economy and started on the same trail as you. You are a few leaps ahead of me. . .safer for both of us. ha ha. I am an attorney who is trying to gently warn my aging clientele to prepare.
Thanks again.
Mark
Mark…There should be no difference with the rice either. Another great resource to determine how long different foods will stay good on the shelf is a site called stilltasty.com. Also, if you want to can a bunch of foods with a little more guidance, check out the providentliving.org site on my home page to find a local cannery near you. They are Mormon based but open to the general public. You can buy bulk foods right from them and can them on the premises with their equipment. Check them out. I have not read aftershock but heard good stuff about it. I will have to pick that one up.
Do you know a resource where we can look to see which food prices will likely rise the soonest, which will rise the most, which will likely remain stable, etc. I don’t want to stock up on things that will be plentiful. I have begun with flour, sugar and corn. These seem to be mentioned everywhere I search online. I am also using the ’stilltasty.com’ website you suggested to help determine what I can stock up on without having to repackage it (like red sauces or other pre-packaged foods).
My fledgling efforts at food storage are being met with “That sounds crazy” and “I should do that, too” and everything in between. I have already nearly filled a small cabinet with my store of filled mason jars. I continue to buy mason jars at yard sales, etc. Never pay retail. The oxygen absorbers are great, too. These are so easy to use, even a lawyer like me can do it. ha ha.
Thank you again for all your help.
Mark A. Mateya, Esq.
I really don’t have a source to tell me which types of food will rise or fall. However, to focus on the staples (sugar, wheat, rice) is the best bet but it is equally important to stock things that you like and use now. There is no point in stocking something just because it is common (rice) if you really don’t like rice. Also, start to think about balanced meals as well. If you have a ton of rice, a ton of sugar and a ton of wheat and nothing more then you will not go very far. Another good resource for this type of thing is efoodsdirect.com. They sell such things as one year supplies of food for individuals that are packaged in a way that you get three balanced meals per day.
As far as others thinking you are “crazy”…I know how that feels and it can be frustrating. I find that I am associating more and more with people who see what is happening around us as opposed to trying to convince those who appear to be content living in ignorance. I figured a forum like this can be a good outlet. Anyway, hope this helps.
VGM —
Another question — I’m beginning to fire on more cylinders with my food storage. Your suggestions have been great — Thanks. Two questions: First, Baking soda and baking powder… can I store them as I would other dry goods (ie, in a smaller mason Jar w a 50cc Oxygen Absorber)? Second: Do you know an easy way to make my own yeast? Till now, I always used the little “Red Star” three packs of yeast, but I know their shelf life is pretty limited. I’m not sure if its possible to store yeast, long term. It might be easier to learn how to make it.
Also — efoodsdirect.com — Great food! Buying more.
Mark Mateya, Esq.
Mark,
Great questions but the best I can tell you on the baking soda is that it will last in an unopened container for about two years. As far as putting them in mason with the oxygen absorbers, I would imagine that it would not hurt. However, I could not find anyplace on the net that can confirm it. Baking soda is not something I currently have stored but I know it is something I will be getting together soon. I do not know how to make yeast and yes it would be better to learn how to make it rather than trying to store it long term. I am glad you like the efoodsdirect.com site. Sorry that I could not be of more help in the baking soda dept. but if I run into anything, I will pass it along. Hope all is well.
The Victory Garden Man
VGM,
With your help, I continue on my way journey in preparedness. I am investigating dehydrating fruit. It appears that there are small fruit dehyrdaters available for very reasonable prices. I live in an area where apples are plentiful (and therefore inexpensive). My thought is to start with apples and see how it goes.
My question for you is this: how soon after I remove my fruit from the dehydrater can I place it in a mason jar, with an oxygen absorber, for long-term storage?
Your advice, as always, is much appreciated.
Mark
Man, I am not sure why I am not getting my messages but looks like I still need to fix a few things on my site. Sorry for the delay in response. Anyway, I am glad you are getting some help from my site : ) As far as how long you should wait to jar your dehydrated fruit….I would just wait until it cools. At the same time, don’t wait too long either especially on a humid day. You don’t want moisture to build up again in the dried product. Hope this helps.