Sunday, August 26, 2012

Top 10 items to have in your food storage!

1. Water- Having enough water in your long term food storage is very important. Water is not only for drinking but cooking and personal hygiene as well. Make sure you have plenty of water for everyone in your family and your animals as well. Bleach bottles are a great place to store water, just a little bit of bleach will keep your water safe for use much longer than storing water alone.

2. Grains- Items such as wheat, flour, rice, and pasta are great items to store. Some of these items, if stored properly, can last up to 30 years! These are staples in most daily diets so it only makes sense to have them in your food storage as well. Make sure you store the same types of food you eat on a regular basis; this will assist you in not getting sick from eating things you aren’t used to eating.

3. Fats- Don’t let the name fool you; these are an important part of your diet and are necessary for your long term food storage. What you choose to store from this list may vary but here are some ideas, peanut butter, salad dressing (great for adding flavor to anything you are cooking not just salads), shortening, vegetable oil, and mayonnaise. All these items on the list are great for cooking and changing up your everyday recipes. Try using them in some of your meals now so you will know how to use them in your food storage.

4. Drink mixes- Get a variety of mixes so that you can have a variety of drinks. Mixing up what you have to drink will allow you to not get bored of plain old water. If you are a coffee drinker store some instant coffee that you can mix with some hot water.

5. Spices and seasonings- Don’t forget your spices! Adding different spices to your meals will give you the ability to change things up. No one wants to eat plain oatmeal for breakfast EVERY day, add brown sugar one day and cinnamon the next. Having a variety of items to “spice” up the mundane will keep everyone happy, even the kids!

6. Candy- Just because you are storing food in case of emergency doesn’t mean you should forget the comfort foods. Children will love you if you keep some sweets around and you know that it’s a must for you too. Hard candy is a great item to store but look into canning some of your extra Halloween candy.

7. Legumes- That’s right, you may not love beans and peas but having them in your food storage will allow you to have a well balanced diet. These can give you protein when you don’t have enough meat and also provide fiber for your diet.

8. Cooking essentials- Don’t forget some of the items you may take for granted like sugar, salt, baking powder and canned milk. These are all items you will need to have on hand for turning that flour you are storing into something your family will eat. While you are at it don’t forget powdered milk! It’s a must for food storage! Think about that oatmeal with just water on it! Even in emergencies you don’t have to live without your comforts, just plan ahead!

9. Multi-Vitamins- Even if you make sure to store the best foods and you make sure you are eating a balanced diet having multi- vitamins around will allow you to make sure your body is getting the nutrients you need.

10. Cooking supplies- Let’s say you are in an emergency and you lose power, how are you going to cook all this amazing food you have in storage? Make sure you have cooking supplies like a camp stove with extra fuel and some matches. Also think about pots and pans, even if you grab them from your kitchen make sure you have some available to you for cooking. Think about silverware and the other utensils you use every day when you are cooking and keep some of those with your food storage.


Happy for week of school!  Have a great week!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

The Importance of Food Storage

The Importance of Food Storage

by Miriam Caldwell

How long could you last without a trip to the grocery store? What if you didn't count buying fresh milk? If there was a particular reason that you couldn't travel would you and your family be okay? As winter weather comes, you may not be able to make it to the store for two or three days and they may be low on food due to an ice storm and a run on the groceries.
In addition to surviving an ice storm or a blizzard do you have enough food to last you longer than that? If you do have enough food to avoid the grocery store for a month or two what types of food would your family be eating? Would they quickly become tired of canned tuna and peas? These questions may make you step back and look at how prepared you really are.
One part of becoming self-sufficient is planning for the needs of your family. One large area is planning for the daily needs of food and shelter. This is just one reason that food storage is so important to have on hand. For many people a year's supply of food is the magic number. Others consider a few months worth of food a good supply. It really is up to you.
When you are planning your food storage you need to store foods that your family will eat. You also need to store a variety of foods. There may be a great sale on peanut butter, and so you stock up on that. Your family will protest if they have peanut butter every day or for every meal. You can plan by having a monthly menu that you follow or you may choose to stock up by what you need to make a specific meal.

It is important that you rotate and use your food storage. You really should store what you eat and eat what you store. This will make the transition easier if you are every forced to rely solely on food storage. You can also save money because once you have a stockpile you only need to purchase the item when it is on sale.

If you do not have any food storage you should begin with at least one week's supply of food. This supply should be easy to fix and easy to move. You can store it in your emergency kit. It is nice to know that you have enough to last your family at least one week.

The past few weeks I have posted articles about the importance of food storage.  It is my hope that it will encourage those that don't have their food storage to begin it.  For those of us that do have food storage I am hopeful this will continue to add to the importance of having food storage.  Have a great week.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Why have food storage?

America is the land of plenty; a place of security and shelter for its citizens. Would we ever really need to use food storage here? Besides, I live in an area where we would never have a disaster where I would need to use Food Storage, Right? These are thought-provoking questions. Research shows that the average American household has less than a week’s supply of food on hand. This same statistic applies to most American supermarkets. Without being paranoid or panicked, there are many valid reasons to put extra food away that you might not have thought about. We are all somewhat vulnerable to events beyond our control. But most situations are probably closer to home: loss of power, unexpected or unplanned interruptions of life such as unemployment, loss of income due to illness or injury, or high medical bills due to an accident. Food storage is a form of insurance protecting your family from the unexpected.

Why is Food Storage a Wise Investment?

Food storage becomes a wise investment for future stability and an even wiser investment if you practice storing what you use and using what you store. No one knows when some type of emergency will happen, whether it be man-made or natural. However, when these emergencies strike, the time to prepare has passed. Making food storage a life-style food storage, rather than a make-do food storage will help you maintain your investment. Food storage that matches your family’s lifestyle is food that more likely will be used. Using and rotating your food storage on a regular basis maintains the original investment and prevents it from being wasted.
Because Food Storage is an Investment, our goal at YourFoodStorage.com is to make Food Storage Affordable for everyone! To that end we have a Financing program that will allow you to buy today and make small monthly payments. To take advantage of our Financing Program today or read more information about how it works, click here.

The Basics

Always start with storing the basics. Grains, legumes, dehydrated milk, sugar, salt, oil, and garden seeds have come to be known as the "basics." Do not underestimate the power these foods have, as they have been shown throughout history to sustain life. It is important to know how to prepare and use the basics, especially ways that your family will enjoy. If you are familiar with the food you have stored, you will be better prepared to use it during times of emergency.

Confidence and Security

Having your food storage can help you have a greater degree of confidence and security. It is important to do your best to prepare your family to be able to eat no matter what happens to the national economy or your job in particular. This confidence in times of crisis can be a most precious commodity. An adequate food supply for your family is a major part of economic security, and possibly the key to survival.

Self-Reliance and Interdependence

Food storage helps you become self-reliant as in the case of the first three days of an emergency or providing for your family when you lose your employment. It also helps you to be interdependent with others as you share during a crisis. Communities weather storms best when they share and work together. With food storage you are better prepared to endure times of adversity without becoming dependent upon the government. Your family’s way of life may be preserved with proper preparation. Self-reliance is often contingent upon a willingness to work. Work can become a source of happiness, and self-esteem, as well as prosperity. Storing, using and knowing how to produce and prepare food and other items that are essential for life create security and stability for you and your family. If a disaster does occur, and you were forced to temporarily change your normal life style, you could do so with minimum discomfort.

Relief Organizations

Some people are apathetic about preparedness, often because they aren’t sure what to do or where to begin. They may become overwhelmed at the prospect of a crisis and the responsibility of self-reliance and become discouraged before they begin. Others are frustrated by contradictory advice, not sure whose ideas to follow. Still others do nothing, figuring that if trouble comes, an emergency disaster organization will rush to their rescue. A common misconception that can be refuted is that the government will immediately come to the rescue. Federal and state organizations perform marvelous service, but when a large population is relying solely upon them, it is virtually impossible to provide for specific or individual needs of everyone. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) advises, "If a disaster threatens your community, local government and disaster-relief organizations will try to help you. But you need to be prepared as well. Local officials may be overwhelmed after a major disaster, and emergency response personnel may not be able to reach you right away. What you do to prepare can make a difference."
Most local relief organizations will take approximately three days (72 hours) to get back on their feet to be able to help you. An emergency kit is a big step in the right direction. Doing your part by having food, water, and supplies for three days will help alleviate the pressure on relief agencies as well as minimize your own discomfort.
Preparedness is everyone's job. Not just government agencies, but all sectors of society--service providers, businesses, civic and volunteer groups, industry associations and neighborhood associations, as well as every individual citizen--should plan ahead for disasters.
Being prepared for the unexpected is wise. It provides confidence knowing your family is better prepared to be safe and secure. Families who are prepared can reduce fear, inconvenience, and losses that surround a family crisis or a natural disaster.
Eat what you store, store what you eat"--it seems like such a simple concept, but when planning your food storage, it’s difficult to remember this, and even more difficult to apply it on a day-to-day basis.

Eat What You Store

Having food storage is one thing, but using it is a completely different aspect. It’s easy to put food away in your cupboards and storage rooms, but the question is, can you use it? Do you know how to grind wheat into flour? Do you know how much Textured Vegetable Protein to use as a substitute for meat? Do you know how to incorporate dehydrated carrots into your favorite recipes? Do you know when to use whole egg mix or scrambled egg mix in your cooking? These are all questions we must learn the answers to by reading, asking people who have experience, and practice, practice, practice! You don’t want to wait until an emergency arises to learn how to use your food storage.
Rotation is the key to a successful food storage program. There are several reasons you want to rotate your food storage:
  1. To prevent food spoiling.
  2. To minimize the deterioration of nutritive value and quality.
  3. To make the most of your money.
  4. To learn how to use your stored food so the lack of knowledge does not add to a stressful situation during an emergency.
  5. To adapt your body to your food storage.
A common misconception about food storage is that it will last forever. Just like any other food, food storage will lose nutritional value over time. It is a waste of money and food if you never use it. When you make a conscious effort to use your food storage, it will eventually become a habit to incorporate your food storage into your daily meals and you will not be wasting your food or money.
All foods are subject to deterioration as time passes especially if they are subjected to heat. Chemical changes occur and cause foods to alter in texture, color, taste, and have a loss of vitamins and minerals. This is why it is so important to rotate regularly. All food is best used in five years. Minerals and carbohydrates can last indefinitely and can have crucial value in an emergency. Therefore, never throw old food storage out unless you have something to replace it.
If you buy food storage and do not intend to use it except during an emergency, you may not be using your money wisely. When you use your food storage it becomes an economical and practical way to grocery shop. Buying in bulk is less expensive than buying smaller quantities. For example, buying a 25 pound bag of sugar versus a 5 pound bag is cheaper per pound. Another way food storage is more economical is by buying wheat. Wheat is substantially less expensive than flour, and will store much longer.
Using your food storage takes knowledge and practice. You will want to learn what recipes work, which ones taste better, and work on making them before an emergency occurs. Challenge yourself to use your food storage weekly or daily. The more you use it, the more skilled you will become.

Store What You Eat

It is important to store the types of foods your family eats on a regular basis and the types of foods they enjoy. But maybe your family really enjoys lasagna or spaghetti so you may want to buy a lot of tomato powder. If your family likes to eat treats regularly you will want to be sure to store things such as baking chocolate, pudding, cake or brownie mixes, jello, and dried fruit so their diet will be normal when you have to exclusively use your food storage. On the other hand, if your family does not eat a lot of treats, you do not have to worry about storing as many of these things.
Food storage "technology" has come a long way. Now we enjoy scrambled eggs with bacon, that taste just like the real thing, and food storage can become enjoyable to eat and even easy to prepare. Just remember to always keep in mind the age-old philosophy "eat what you store, store what you eat" and your food storage will not only taste good in a crisis, but everyday too.
Make a list of the meals your family enjoys and purchase the freeze dried products that you will use to make those meals. For example, if your family eats potatoes regularly then you may want to prepare them as a potato casserole that is made with your food storage. Another, say your family likes cheese and broccoli, again periodically try a recipe (cheesy broccoli soup) using your food storage

This article is from FoodStorage.com  I hope it helps to show the importance of having food storage.
Have a good week!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Why have food storage?

Why Food Storage?

Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness

From , former About.com Guide


Latter-day prophets have counseled us to build up a food storage and be prepared for emergencies, but why? Here are a few of the main reasons why we should have a food storage program.

1. Commandment from God

Through His prophets and apostles, God has commanded us to have a year's supply of food and other essentials in our food storage. Joseph Smith, the first prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recorded the following in the Doctrine and Covenants:

"The Church and its members are commanded by the Lord to be self-reliant and independent" (D&C 78:13-14).
Spencer W. Kimball, 12th prophet, taught:
"The responsibility for each person's social, emotional, spiritual, physical, or economic well-being rests first upon himself, second upon his family, and third upon the Church if he is a faithful member thereof" ("Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action," General Conference, Oct. 1977, 76).
L. Tom Perry said:
"Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. Obtain clothing and build a savings account on a sensible, well-planned basis that can serve well in times of emergency. As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year’s supply of necessities. I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness" ("'If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear'" Ensign, Nov 1995, 35.)
2. Necessary during Emergencies and Natural Disasters

Having a supply of essential foods, clothing, fuel, and water will help us during times of personal and natural disasters. We must be prepared for calamities that may come our way. Ezra Taft Benson, the 13th prophet, said:
"In section 1 of the great Doctrine and Covenants, a volume of modern scripture, we read these words: 'Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come...' (D&C 1:12) Further in this same revelation are these warning words: 'I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth....' (D&C 1:17)

"What are some of the calamities for which we are to prepare? In section 29 the Lord warns us of 'a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.' (D&C 29:16) In section 45 we read of 'an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.' (D&C 45:31) In section 63 the Lord declares he has 'decreed wars upon the face of the earth....' (D&C 63:33)

"In Matthew, chapter 24, we learn of 'famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes....' (Matt. 24:7) The Lord declared that these and other calamities shall occur. These particular prophecies seem not to be conditional. The Lord, with his foreknowledge, knows that they will happen. Some will come about through man’s manipulations; others through the forces of nature and nature’s God, but that they will come seems certain. Prophecy is but history in reverse—a divine disclosure of future events" ("Prepare Ye," Ensign, Jan. 1974, 68).
3. Gives Us Peace

When we are prepared we don't have to worry about "what if's" because we'll have our food storage and emergency preparedness ready. The Lord said:
"If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30).
Having what we need and knowing what to do in the event of an emergency or other calamity can bring us peace and help us overcome fear.

4. Teaches us Basic Food Preparation

Building up a food storage helps us learn how to prepare and use basic foods. Because many items in a food storage only last a certain amount of time it is important to rotate the food by using older items and replacing those items with new ones. When we do this we can learn to use our food storage which in turn will prepare us to know how to use our food storage in the case of an emergency.

Spiked Watermelon Salad  (gluten free!)

Spiked Watermelon Salad

This is an adults-only dessert (unless your kids are over the drinking age!)

Ingredients:
1 medium watermelon, cut into 1" cubes
1 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vodka
6 Tbsp fruity liquer (ie. pomegranate, crème de cassis, melon)
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Candied Pecans
1/2 cup pecans
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil


Directions:
In a large bowl mix lemon and sugar together until dissolved. Add in alchohol, then watermelon cubes. Light toss, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (anything longer than 2 hrs and the melon will soak up too much alcohol).

To make candied pecans; in a skillet toast pecans until just before browned. Add oil and sugar, and stir continuously until sugar is dissolved (about 3-5 minutes). Let cool.

To assemble; drain watermelon and put into serving dishes. Top with mint and pecans.




Potato and Bacon Strata
(Gluten Free)


Potato and Bacon Strata

This dish is great as a side dish or a main dish when served with salad.

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes, thinly sliced
2 large onions, thinly sliced
6 slices bacon
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Fresh Italian Parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grate sharp cheddar cheese


Directions:
Slice potatoes using a mandolin (1/8-1/4" thick), and soak in water for 15-30 minutes to remove a lot of the starch (drain and refill with water once). After soaking (takes the 'gumminess' out of them), drain well.

Slice bacon into 1/4" pieces and cook until crisp. Slice onions using a mandolin (1/8-1/4" thick) and fry with 2 Tbsp oil until carmelized (turns golden).

Grease a 10 inch pie plate or casserole dish. Spread a layer of potatoes, then onions, bacon and some leaves of the parsley, then season with salt and pepper. Repeat layers 2 more times or until all ingredients are used up (make sure the last layer is a potato).

Whisk together the egg and milk and pour mixture over potatoes. Cover and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes (remove cover for last 10 minutes of baking). Remove, add grated cheese and broil until cheese is melted.