Food Storage-General Info-Get Started

Detailed lists from various sources with notes, ideas and hints on all aspects of starting, organizing and using your food storage. Including Buckets, mylar bags, oxy absorbers, shelf life, packaging codes, storage solutions & MORE!
Post Reply
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Food Storage-General Info-Get Started

Post by Readymom »

Prepping: Getting Started-Food Pantry
An Original Post by ReadyMom

If You are reading this, you are probably considering on preparing your home for more than next’s week’s dinner. Most likely you are going to start with two-weeks of EXTRA food in your pantry (that means IN ADDITION to what you usually have on hand for your family!) Once you begin to store MORE than two weeks, you are going to start to need more space than your usual kitchen cabinets and pantry.

Some people have set aside a spare room to use as a large emergency pantry such as this:

Others are using spare closets, space under their beds. :!: :caution: Warning: A little ‘Spring Cleaning’ may be needed to prepare your storage space! Clearing out and Cleaning up will offer space that is currently filled with things you rarely, if ever use. Donate those items to charity or hold a yard sale and use the new cash for food or storage or other ‘prepping’ supplies.

Living in a small space such as an apartment or mobile home will offer its own challenges. Getting creative is going to be a pass-time in home emergency storage! Three simple ideas include:

Living in a small space such as an apartment or mobile home will offer its own challenges. Getting creative is going to be a pass-time in home emergency storage! Three simple ideas include:

• Use the back of bookshelves after you pull the books forward.
• Under beds Food Storage-General Information 072508-self3
• Filled Rubbermaid Totes that are stacked and covered to make tables.

A lot more ideas and information on storage in small spaces can be found at Apartments & Other Small Living Areas Storage Suggestions.

There are yet other folks who are prepping on a larger scale. These people are prepping for many months to a year or more. Then there are those who are preparing a second 'bug-out-location' (a second place where they will flee, to live during a serious, extended emergency/disaster). These folks may be storing some basic supply items at their primary residence and additional items at that secondary residence.

No amount of preparations is the 'right' way or the 'wrong' way. You prepare to the extent that it fits for your family, your beliefs, your expectations of anticipated needs and your own financial ability. The important thing is that you do put preparations in place and are aware that those preparations will include additional emergency supplies that most likely will require the need for adjusted or additional storage solutions in your everyday household storage.

Again, not wanting to ‘reinvent the wheel’, here are some guidelines From Food: Getting Started-GetPandemicReady.org site:
Guidelines when storing food products will help you avoid many potential problems.

• Do not put exposed food on shelves. Place it in containers with tight fitting lids (plastic bags are not adequate).

• Regularly clean shelves, bins and all other locations where there is any possibility of flour or other food particles accumulating. Certain pests need only small amounts of food to live and breed. Soap and water is great for cleaning flat areas, and vacuuming with a crevice attachment will help clean cracks, edges, and corners.

• Do not mix old and new lots of foodstuffs. If the old material is infested, the pest will quickly invade the new.

• Clean old containers before filling them with fresh food. They may be contaminated and cause a new infestation.

• Do not purchase broken or damaged packages of food materials. They are more likely to become infested.

• Construct storage units so that they are tight and can be cleaned easily.

• Store bulk materials, such as pet foods, in containers with tight fitting lids.

• Keep storage unites dry. This is important because moisture favors the development of pantry pests; dryness discourages them.

• Some pantry insects breed in the nests of rodents and insects and may migrate from these (nests) into homes. Eliminate any nests found in or near the home.

• Pantry pests can also breed in rodent baits. Be sure to frequently check and discard infested baits.
Some further suggestions from Live Ready , ReadyMoms Alliance include:

• Food packaged for storage lasts longest in a dark, cool, dry place with good air circulation. Avoid storage areas that experience wide temperature swings or dampness.

• Store shelf-stable food for the long term in food grade buckets and mylar bags, using oxygen absorbers.

• Store items that aren’t temperature sensitive, such as paper products and trash bags, in closed bins in the garage
Remember, the key to good food storage is Container, Storage Location, Temperature, and Dryness. Don’t forget creativity!
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Food: Things You are Not Storing But Should Be

Post by Readymom »

Image

Building and stocking your pantry
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/clay125.html

By Jackie Clay

At the turn of the 19th century, most country homes had a walk-in pantry, as well as a root cellar for keeping vegetables and fruits. This pantry contained the essentials for daily meals. Today we have walk-in closets to hang all our clothes, but no pantry. How times have changed!

Everyone should have a pantry containing a good supply of the foods they use most frequently. A well-stocked pantry is not only the foundation for a good kitchen, but it is essential to a family's well-being, should some unforeseen calamity pop up. I have two years' worth of food stashed away in my basement pantry. All that food sure came in handy the first year we were here on our new homestead. Not only did my small garden freeze out on July 27th, but suddenly Mom and Dad came to live with us in "camping" conditions, doubling our food consumption when we were all broke.

Convenience is another very good reason to keep a well-stocked pantry. I seldom need to run to the store to buy an ingredient for a meal. Everything I need is already handy at home. Just think of all the gas and time I save. --- Continued at link, above ---

Includes:
  • Where do I put a pantry in a house with none?
    Building pantry shelves
    What should be in my pantry anyway?
    Keeping your pantry foods safe and tasty
    What we use to store various foods
    Rotating your foods to keep them from growing old
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Food Storage-General Information

Post by Readymom »

Image

Food Storage Packing - Do-it-yourself Facts & Myths
http://learntoprepare.com/food-storage-packing-do-it-yourself-facts-myths/

Image The purpose of this article is to present specific details and recommendations for packing your own shelf stable foods for food storage, including what works and what doesn’t in creating an oxygen free atmosphere for long term food storage, and the common misconceptions of how to do your own packing will be covered. While there are many different types of dried foods that can be stored for extended periods of time, most folks are interested in how best to store grain and bean products.

Some material will be repeated in this article that has been covered in previous articles concerning the use of oxygen absorbers, storage conditions, and 30 year shelf life claims. ......

Some of the material presented here will contradict and challenge information available on the web or in some do-it-yourself circles. ......

Includes:
  • Basics
  • Methods of reducing residual oxygen levels when you pack your own
  • Containers
  • Personal recommendations and tips for long term pack your own food storage
  • Storage Conditions
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Preparation Guidelines

Post by Readymom »

Image

The Survival Guide To Long Term Food Storage: Part 5
http://hallicino.hubpages.com/hub/The-Survival-Guide-To-Long-Term-Food-Storage-Part-5

It would be many times better to build some kind of underground room to store your long term food stash than to actually bury your buckets. Many buckets would permit small amounts of moisture into the bucket over many months or years. It actually wouldn't take a lot of moisture to make your dry packed food unusable.

Some folks --- CONTINUED at LINK, above ---
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-General Information

Post by Readymom »

Image

Food Storage: The Prepper’s Three Layer Plan
https://www.theorganicprepper.com/three-layer-food-storage/

Three is the luckiest number when it comes to prepping. There’s the old saying, “One is none, two is one, three is better.” There’s the Survival Rule of Three which is that you can hang on for “3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food.” And then there’s the approach that in all things survival, you need a layer of three, including food storage.

(SNIP) ... The same is true with food. Every prepared family should have multiple layers in their food storage. Let’s take a look at the three layers of food storage. (Don’t forget to take your family’s dietary restrictions into account when building your supply.) ---CONTINUED---
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Prepping: Getting Started-Food Pantry

Post by Readymom »

Preparing to increase your home food storage is a critical part of preparedness.

An Original Post by ReadyMom

Read this from the American Trucking Associations:
When Trucks Stop America Stops
Significant shortages will occur in as little as three days, especially for perishable items following a national emergency and a ban on truck traffic. Minor shortages will occur within one to two days. At convenience stores and other small retailers with less inventory, shortages will occur much sooner.
Federal & Emergency agency recommendations are for a minimum of two (2) weeks. Read more: Food and Water in an Emergency. Consider the possible response time of federal response agencies, the type of emergency situation that you are preparing for, your financial situation. Then consider preparing for a MINIMUM of two (2) weeks and increasing your preparations as you are financially able.

The rule of thumb for food stocks is “Stock what you Eat. Eat what you Stock.” This will ensure that you are rotating foods that have a shorter shelf life than other foods in your storage. It will also help you maintain some semblence of ‘normal’ in a stressful situation.

Read this quote from the Get Pandemic Ready website: GetPandemicReady.org
How can I ever do this? NOW, but don’t defeat yourself.
Break the task of stockpiling down into stages. Getting your pantry stocked for two weeks is a good initial goal. Simply write down what you eat over a two-week period. Then add a few extra items on each shopping trip. Look for specials and bulk purchases. Remember to add lunches for children who are normally at school,
as well as infants and toddlers.

Once you’ve reached this goal, go for four weeks of food, then eight, and then twelve. In a few months, you will have a full pantry full of you kind of food.
Remember, the idea is NOT to always have gourmet meals, but to feed your family and keep them sustained as long as you possibly can, using the financial resources that you have available to you during the shopping you will be starting, now. So, where to start?

FIRST, to jump start your Emergency Food Pantry:

Consider ‘Stretching Staples’ for your first purchase in your basic emergency stockpile for your pantry. Include: rice, beans, noodles and canned soups. When you add these 'stretching staples' together (Rice & Beans, Soup & Noodles) or add them to other food prep items you will get through a longer period of time. Add noodle or rice to your cans of meat.

Then:

Canned goods store for a long, long time! Manufacture dates stamped on cans are a guide. They are not always set in stone for expiration. You can find out more HERE

Buy a Little at a Time. If you are in a financial bind, purchasing one or two of something each time you shop will help you faster than you think. It builds up quick.

USE Store COUPONS! Take advantage of 10/$10 deals (just get 1 or 2, if the sale allows). Get the 'BOGO' ('Buy One-Get One') specials. Look for specials & bulk dry goods.

Use the Dollar Store! There are a lot of great deals at the dollar store and food discount stores. If you are not familiar with a product. Buy one and try it first. Watch your prices, compare to local grocery prices to insure you’re getting a good deal.

Consider food allergies and dislikes. If your emergency situation is that you are unemployed and financially strapped, and you need to use your food preps, medical costs to treat an allergy may be out of the question. If it's a large scale emergency where getting to a doctor, pharmacy or medical facility is difficult or impossible, you don't want to be sick. When you are stressed you want foods you like, if you can get them.

Some basic guidance for starting your food supply preparations include (from ReadyMoms Alliance, Live-Ready" Handout):
  • • consider foods with a long shelf life (cooking time remains a consideration).

    • Experiment with meals that can be made from pantry items.

    • Buy canned food in sizes that make the most sense. Consider how much you will use at once. Does the leftover product have to be refrigerated? Will food go to waste if the power’s off?

    • (For Non-Food Items)Buy extra of ordinary items you use from week to week, so that you are not caught short - i.e., paper products, feminine hygiene products, baby needs, shaving cream, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.
One document that I have offered at community preparedness events is a guide to getting started over a six-week period of time. You can find it here: Handout-Basics in Six Weeks .

A great source of basic water information can be found in the water forum, on this site.

Pantry Preparation = Peace of Mind!
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-General Info-Get Started

Post by Readymom »

Image

Inventory Management for Survival Supplies
http://readynutrition.com/resources/inventory-management-for-survival-supplies_15022010/

February 15th, 2010

A successful prepper knows the importance of managing their survival supplies and keeping everything organized. Many businesses use an inventory management system to store their products because they know the importance of rotating products in a timely manner. Without having a proper organizational system, items will not be found, misplaced and expire past their shelf lives. --- Continued at link, above ---

Includes:

How To Organize Survival Supplies
Managing Your Inventory
Guidelines for Food Storage:
Use within 6 months:
Use Within 1 year:
May Be Stored Indefinitely (in proper containers and conditions):
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-General Info-Get Started

Post by Readymom »

Image

How To Get the Most Out of Your Emergency Food Storage
https://www.thereadystore.com/food-storage/249/most-out-of-food-storage/

(SNIP) ... Previous studies have shown that many fewer people are prepared with a long-term emergency food storage. And, among those, even fewer are properly cycling and updating that long-term food supply. So, what’s the difference between short-term and long-term food storage? And how can you get the most value from your emergency food storage? ---CONTINUED---
Readymom
Site Admin
Posts: 4658
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Food Storage-General Info-Get Started

Post by Readymom »

Hat Tip: Image to Violet, over at EHP-D

Image

Top 10 Food Storage Myths & What To Do Instead
https://thesurvivalmom.com/food-storage-myths/

The internet is full of websites that give information on survival topics, including food storage. There are dozens and dozens of books that will teach you “the right way” to store food and YouTube videos galore. Most contain valid, trustworthy information. Mixed in with them, though, are a number of food storage myths that many people accept without question.

Here are 10 that I take issue with and the reasons why. ---CONTINUED---
Post Reply

Return to “Food: Family Food Storage-Assorted Topic”