home storage centers

This article appeared yesterday in the Mormon Times, a subsidiary of Deseret News: Church Works to Meet Increased Canning Demand. (Parenthesis added)

Here is a segment:

Long-term food storage, however, is just one of four directives found in "All is Safely Gathered In," a pamphlet distributed throughout the church last year that outlines the "basics of family home storage." The counsel includes building a three-month supply of "food that is part of your normal, daily diet," storing drinking water and developing a financial reserve in addition to a longer-term supply of food.

Using the home storage center is helpful in meeting one of those directives for those who live in proximity to a facility, but all four must be balanced, Nield said (Kevin Nield, director of bishop's storehouse services for the welfare department of the LDS Church). Long-term storage is also less applicable in areas of the world where such endeavors might not be possible.

"People have more opportunities now than ever before to use the church as a place to help get some reserves, but these kinds of reserves, the three-month (supply) or the water or the money, they don't come from a home storage center," Nield said. "And that's the more immediately accessible element and that's the more worldwide church element.

"Following the guidelines of the First Presidency is about "the spirit of preparation" and the "idea of being strong and self-reliant," Nield said. It's not about fear.

"All is Safely Gathered In" discourages church members from going "to extremes" and incurring debt to establish a food storage. "With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply," it reads.

I have a friend who is a manager at a large local grocery store. He said that anytime food storage or signs-of-the-times are mentioned in general conference, there is always a run on food storage products. Individuals will go "to extremes" and fill several carts and put thousands of dollars on their credit cards.

Like Kevin Nield says above, home storage is about preparation and being self-reliant. Fear can drive you to make large, expensive one-time home storage purchases. But when you really understand the purposes of home storage, you're more likely to make gathering your supply and consequently becoming "strong and self-reliant" an ongoing effort.

advantages of a three-month supply

Who knew that a three-month supply could bless us in many unanticipated ways. I've discovered several advantages that come from having a good three-month supply:

I can cook almost anything!
To add versatility to my three-month supply, I always keep items that I use regularly in cooking on hand. For example, I have two packages of yeast, baking soda, sour cream in my freezer, 1 or 2 cans of water chestnuts, and several cans of green chilies. By having a few extra of everything, I can basically shop from my pantry. If I decide to make honey chicken on a whim, I'll have everything I need. Need a quick batch of cookies? Well, I've got oatmeal and raisins stored for my breakfast menu. Funny thing - my neighbors are always borrowing food from me. Guess why?

We save money.
Because I have a good stock of food supplies on hand, I almost never have to buy items at full price. If you keep a list of your three-month supply items, you can stock up whenever you see a good sale.

I go to the store less.
This not only saves gas and shopping money but also saves time. I already have most ingredients on hand. Rather than running to the store every few days to put together a meal, I only go when I want fresh milk (which works out to be about twice a month). If circumstances demanded it, I could go a lot longer without going to store at all.

We eat better.
Because I have considered and planned for food supplies ahead of time, I am more likely to prepare wholesome meals. Isn't it interesting that the foods that store best are often in their most natural form? Because those are the foods that I typically store, I'm motivated to learn new recipes and techniques for cooking with those whole foods.

We're prepared for emergencies.
This might seem like a "duh" category, but I couldn't leave it out. Because of our food supply, we're better prepared to face many potential problems. Having a good three-month supply would certainly reduce family stress in times of belt-tightening, job loss, economic crisis, natural disasters, pandemics or whatever.

We have peace instead of fear.
There is a scripture that says, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." (Doctrine & Covenants 38:30) Having a three-month supply, as the prophets have asked us to, gives me confidence and peace which replaces any fears of the future.

What other advantages have you found?

economic crisis

What does the current economic crisis have to do with home storage? Everything! Families are blessed in myriads of hard times by having their home storage, which includes a financial reserve. We recently saw families in the Houston area that relied upon their home storage during a natural disaster. Many families in our area are using their home storage to survive gaps between jobs. Now, most of us are contemplating rising food prices and reduced income. Having stored food in a situation like this is a sure bet! In inflationary times, money can become worthless, supplies can dwindle, and the prices of food can become outrageous. But your family will not go hungry when your pantry is already full of food.

buying in bulk

As I shop for items on my three-month supply list, I always find myself with the dilemma of whether or not to buy in bulk. Typically buying in bulk will save money. But you have to be smart about it -- if you don't know comparison prices, you might find yourself unwittingly spending more. It's easy to just assume bulk store prices are lower, when in fact they are similar or even more. With a little searching on the internet, you can usually get an idea of what a good price per ounce/pound is.

I also have to remember to pay attention to the container sizes. It doesn't do me any good to save a bunch of money by buying a gallon of mayonnaise, only to have it go bad before we've used half of it. With mayonnaise, for example, I try to find the best price on the smallest possible container. Some bulk items come in large package sizes, but can be redistributed to make smaller servings and reduce waste. I do this with ground beef and shredded cheese (neither item is on my three-month supply list) that I buy at a bulk store. I just repackage into smaller containers before I put them into my freezer.

If you plan your three-month menu trying not to rely on refrigeration like I am, then you also have to consider how quickly your family will consume the menu items. Some products can sit on a shelf unopened for quite a while, but once they are opened, they need refrigeration. Pasta sauce or canned chili are good examples of this. Both require refrigeration once opened. It would be better for me to buy meal-sized jars of pasta sauce and chili rather than gallon-sized cans.

powdered milk

Unless you have a cow, powdered milk might be a product on your three-month supply breakfast menus and shopping lists. Yesterday, Gracie (http://urbanprairieliving-gracie.blogspot.com/) asked about powdered milk. So, today I'll write some thoughts on powdered milk.

Recently, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints changed their powdered milk shelf-life estimates. Recent scientific studies showed that powdered milk can be stored for up to 20 years (depending upon storage and packaging conditions as well as the quality of milk). 20 years gives you a long time to rotate through your powdered milk.

There are a lot of different companies that make powdered milk. Most stores even offer in-house brands, though these are usually sold in boxes. I would strongly suggest that you buy powdered milk in #10 cans rather than in cardboard boxes, which are poor containers for storage. If you like a brand that comes in a box, make arrangements to use a canner and transfer the milk into #10 cans.

Some common brand names of powdered milk are Provident Pantry, LDS Cannery (not really a brand name), Morning Moo, Carnation, Country Cream, and Country Milk. The prices vary widely from around $8 to $18 per #10 can. It's important to taste the milk you're storing. Brand preference seems to vary widely. Which milk you prefer will likely depend a lot on the kind of milk you normally drink. To save yourself from buying a lot of milk, only to discover that you hate it, share samples with your neighbors or start by buying only one can (small if possible) of any brand of milk.

I've tasted most of these brands and personally found Country Cream to be most similar to the 1% milk that we drink. Country Cream is more expensive than most powdered milks. I buy it, though, because I know that my kids will drink it. I don't like the cannery milk, but know some that really like it. You're lucky if you fall into that category, because cannery milk is also one of the cheapest powdered milks. If you find that you like Morning Moo, you need to be aware that it is a milk ALTERNATIVE. They've added sugar and partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans-fats) to it as well. I like the taste of Morning Moo, but would hesitate to cook with it.

You can also store evaporated milk or shelf-stable milk to supply your milk. These are both more expensive alternatives.

If your family doesn't normally drink powdered milk, but you want to use it for your three-month supply, you can mix some and add it to your regular milk. You might start with proportions like 1/2 regular milk and 1/2 reconstituted powder milk. If you gradually increase the proportion of powdered milk over time, it may help your family to get used to a different milk taste. Powdered milk can also be added to basic baking recipes like bread, pancakes, oatmeal and sauces. Because of the longer shelf-life and by using powdered milk regularly, you should easily be able to rotate your powdered milk.

do I wait for a sale?

What a hard question! This is such a personal question. Each of our situations and especially our finances are different. Only you can determine how you should proceed with this question.

Today, I purchased a few extra boxes of cold cereal for my three-month supply breakfast menu. The cereal wasn't on sale. I bought it anyway. I'm eager to complete my three-month supply and have the peace/confidence that comes from know that it's complete. On the other hand, when finances are tight, sales can make getting your storage affordable. You should not go into debt to get your storage! Nor should you buy things faster than you can afford them.

I have a budget for home storage. So, I usually look for sales. But, if I can't find a good price after a month or so, I might purchase my items anyway. I'll only buy a minimum amount. Or, if I have items to buy in a different category that are on sale, I may spend my food storage budget on those things and wait to buy others. Once you get a pretty good basic supply, then you have time to wait for the sales. You'll also figure out pretty quickly when and if certain items go on sale.

goal 2(c) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Making a shopping list for your breakfast menu.

Now:
Start shopping.

Unless you have saved the money, this won't be a single shopping trip. When you go to the store, pick up an extra package of pancake mix or an extra box or two of cereal. Remember what President Hinckley said, "We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. Begin in a small way, . . . and gradually build toward a reasonable objective."

breakfast inventory/shopping list (example)

This is how my inventory/shopping sheets look. I save a word file with this exact list. Then, each time I do inventory, I delete the old inventory, recount and edit what I have and what I need.

Three-Month Supply:

Breakfast Menu:
1 - Oatmeal and juice (155 servings)
2 - Cold Cereal and milk (155 servings)
3 - Pancakes and milk (155 servings)

Breakfast Item List:
A - Oatmeal (5 - 3lb cans of quick oats)
B - Powdered milk - used for all three meals (6 - #10 cans of powdered milk)
C - Salt (1 container of salt)
D - Sugar (2 - 2lb bags of brown sugar)
E - Cinnamon (1 large container of cinnamon)
F - Cold cereal (16 boxes)
G - Pancake mix (2 - 10lb packages of pancake mix)
H - Syrup (4 - 2qt jugs)
I - Juice (31 jars)
J - Fruit (freeze dried, dehydrated, canned to add to oatmeal/pancakes as desired)
K - Water

Inventory
A - Oatmeal (5 - 3lb cans of quick oats)
3 – 3lb cans of quick oats (93 servings)
120 Oatmeal packets (85 servings)
DONE!
B - Powdered milk - used for all three meals (6 - #10 cans of powdered milk)
6+ #10 cans of dry milk
DONE!
C - Salt (1 container of salt)
1+ containers of salt
DONE!
D - Sugar (2 - 2lb bags of brown sugar)
2+ bags of brown sugar
DONE!
E - Cinnamon (1 large container of cinnamon)
DONE!
F - Cold cereal (16 boxes)
3 boxes of cold cereal (all currently opened)
NEED – 16 boxes of cereal
G - Pancake mix (2 - 10lb packages of pancake mix)
2 – 10 & 8 lb packages of pancake mix
Flour and all ingredients to make from scratch
DONE!
H - Syrup (4 - 2qt jugs)
2 – 2qt jugs
NEED – 2 -2qt jugs (would like to also store maple flavoring)
I - Juice (31 jars)
17 jars
NEED – 14 jars/cans of juice
J - Fruit (freeze dried, dehydrated, canned to add to oatmeal/pancakes as desired)
3 packages of raisins
1 #10 can of freeze-dried strawberries
6 #10 packages of dehydrated apples
DONE!

Shopping List
16 boxes of cereal
2 - 2 quart jugs of maple syrup (Costco)
Maple flavoring
14 cans/jar of juice (6 or 9 to be bottled this weekend)

goal 2(b) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Create a breakfast menu.

Now:
Making a shopping list for your breakfast menu.
[Remember to adapt your menu for three months.]

I previously created the following full breakfast menu:
1 - Oatmeal and juice
2 - Cold Cereal and milk
3 - Pancakes and milk

Three months = 93 days.
[You can round this number to 100 if it's easier to remember]
I need to feed a family of five for 93 days. That means I need to have 465 breakfast servings (93 multiplied by 5). There are three meals on the breakfast menu, so I divide the 465 breakfast servings by 3 meals (465 divided by 3). So, I need 155 servings of each breakfast menu item.

Want an algebra equation?
f=number of family members,
m=number of meals in your menu,
s=how many servings you need of each meal
(f x 93)/m =s

Here is my resulting shopping list (155 servings each)
A - Oatmeal (5 - 3lb cans of quick oats)
B - Powdered milk - used for all three meals (6 - #10 cans of powdered milk)
C - Salt (1 container of salt)
D - Sugar (2 - 2lb bags of brown sugar)
E - Cinnamon (1 large container of cinnamon)
F - Fruit (freeze dried, dehydrated, canned to add to oatmeal/pancakes as desired)
G - Water (already stored)
H - Cold cereal (16 boxes)
I - Pancake mix (2 - 10lb packages of pancake mix)
J - Syrup (4 - 2qt jugs)
K - Juice (31 jars)

It's a good idea to make a master copy of this list. Not only can you use it for a shopping list, but also as an inventory list (I'll post an example tomorrow).

more three-month supply alternatives

Sara R at The Pantry Panel commented on the original three-month alternatives post (last Friday) and said that she inventories and plans her three-month supply annually, which allows her to include preserving garden vegetables in her plan. She indicated that she thinks through her three-month supply and longer-term supply simultaneously as an overall one-year's supply.

She wrote, "I made up a master list of ingredients and typed it on the computer. I started out with the ingredients I already had in my storage, and what I wanted to get. I looked at my recipes (we have a family cookbook of our favorite recipes) and added any "storable" ingredient. I also looked at other people's lists got some ideas from them.I guessed how much of each item to store. Sometimes I figured out how many cans of tomato sauce I would use in a week; other times I just guessed how much I would need. If I wasn't sure, I buy more than I think I need. Most items store longer than a year if you don't use it all.

"Once a year I walk around the pantry with my master list (printed from the computer) and count everything. I make a shopping list of the items that need replacing, and I place that in my household notebook. I look for those items over the next few months, trying to get a low price. But some items never go on sale, and eventually I give in and buy them. We aren't on a strict budget and we have a small savings account, so this works. We would have to figure out another method if we needed to be careful about spending even amounts each week."

Thanks for the great thoughts, Sara.