11.03.2008

goal 2(d) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Shop for items on your breakfast menu.

Now:
Create a lunch menu.
[Determine which meals you regularly have for lunch. Decide which meals are compatible with a storage plan. Include any accompanying foods. Write down your menu.]


My Lunch Menu:
A - PB&J or honey sandwiches
B - Soup - Ravioli - Spaghettios
C - Chicken sandwiches
D - Mac & Cheese//Pasta & Tomato Sauce

Accompanying Foods:
Mandarin Oranges
Fresh Fruit (preserved or dried)
Dried Apples
Garden Veggies (fresh, preserved or dried)
Juice Mix

All of these meals will work fine for three-month storage. The one element that gives me pause are the chicken sandwiches. I really like my chicken salad sandwich to have Mayo or Miracle Whip. I already store both, but once they are opened they need refrigeration. I've thought of several possible solutions. I could buy single servings of mayo (expensive and hard to rotate). I could buy smaller jars (wasteful if there isn't refrigeration available). I could learn how to make my own mayonnaise. However, I think that it requires eggs. I'll look into these problems. In the meantime, I'll store a combination of single serving packets and jars. Garden veggies will work fine for my lunch menus because I plant carrots which can be left in the ground throughout the winter.

The assumption that I'm making for this storage plan is that I cannot get to the store (or the store has run out of supplies). I am assuming that I can cook. Even without electricity, I have access to a fire pit or a grill. I am not relying on refrigeration for any of these meals.

My Sister's Lunch Menu:
(Note: She does not separate lunch and dinner menus)
Chili and rice
Mac & Cheese
Raviolis or Spaghettios
Tuna, turkey & chicken sandwiches
PB& J sandwiches
Soup
Beans & Rice
Spaghetti
Mandarin oranges
Apple sauce
Green beans
Corn
Juice mix

2 comments:

Sara R said...

I'm reading that commercial mayonnaise is safe, even if it is unrefrigerated! Amazing, right? Here's a link from the Association of dressings and sauces: "Q. What happens if I leave mayonnaise unrefrigerated for a long period of time?

A. From a food safety standpoint, commercial mayonnaise and mayonnaise-type dressings are perfectly stable when stored at room temperature after opening. Quality, not safety, is the only reason the labels on these products suggest that they be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration ensures that the commercial mayonnaise keeps its fresh flavor for a longer period of time. Please review the product’s label for more information on storage and shelf life."

Of course, I keep mine in the fridge. It's convenient. But it's nice to know that if something happened and refrigeration wasn't available, it wouldn't kill us.

Wendy said...

Wow Sara. Thanks for the information. I had no idea! It is amazing. The link was very informative.