After learning the basics for canning you can begin to stock your two year food supply using these simple steps. If you are unable to can your own food simply purchase the necessary items from bulk food stores. In addition, you can purchase bulk two year food storage supplies like the Wise Company Food Supply (on the right) with a relatively low investment. Keep your food storage supply diverse with food catered to your family’s needs. Freeze-dried foods like Wise Company’s are considered an ‘easy fix’ to food storage. While freeze-dried foods are great additions to your bunker, you shouldn’t rely on them every day! That would be like going to the same school cafeteria, remembering beef stroganoff is served every Tuesday and so on. So, keep your food storage supplies versatile using these simple steps:
- Each person in your group requires a minimum of 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day. Use a food storage calculator to get your family’s requirements.
- There are 23 critical items for food storage that are essential to any prepper’s bunker. These items are the building-blocks of a diverse menu, providing your family a new meal every day will assist in overall morale. Curious why these are required?
- Honey, sugar, water, salt, oil, powdered milk and wheat will make; popped wheat, steamed wheat, tortillas and etc.
- Wheat, oil, salt, powdered milk, powdered eggs and baking soda make; custard, pancakes, crepes, egg noodles, pasta, bread, biscuits, mayo, crackers and etc.
- Powdered butter, tomatoes and powdered cheese make; cream sauces, meatless casseroles and dinners
- Unflavored gelatin, canned milk and fruits make; Jell-O salads, whipped cream desserts, baby formula and fruit dishes
- Dehydrated meats are a good addition to your food cache that require minimal rotation while providing tasty nutrition. Dehydrated produce requires a little more attention to expiration dates and should be canned or freeze-dried.
- Canned and frozen meat can be a bit on the expensive side, if you’re not hunting game store canned meat instead of frozen meat to avoid too steep an investment.
- With diversity being the target of your food storage efforts try to include common kitchen items such as; oats, raisins, nuts, peanut butter, juices, soup mix, spices and flavoring, lemon juice and etc.
- Never let food go to waste! Rotate your food often by its expiration date, while compensating for consumption time i.e. the amount of time it takes your family to consume one jar of peanut butter, be generous when making your estimates.
- Make a list of the food your family eats on a regular basis and store your food with that list in mind.
- Keep an eye open for sales at bulk food stores like Costco, and gradually build up your food supply.
Source: uscrow.org