Three Month Supply Focus: June Week 4

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of June we will be focusing on Tomatoes/Pasta.

 Hopefully last week you were able to buy some pasta and mac'n'cheese.

For June Week 4:  buy 8 cans prepared pasta (raviolis/spaghettios) AND 12 pkg. ramen soup noodles  

Three Month Supply Focus: June Week 3

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of June we will be focusing on Tomatoes/Pasta.

 Hopefully last week you were able to buy some canned tomatoes and 1 jar of salsa.

For June Week 3:  buy 4 lbs. dry pasta AND 2 boxes of macaroni and cheese  

Three Month Supply Focus: June Week 2

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of June we will be focusing on Tomatoes/Pasta.

 Hopefully last week you were able to buy some tomato sauce and some tomato paste.

For June Week 2:  buy  6x15 oz. canned tomatoes AND 1 jar of salsa

Three Month Supply Focus: June Week 1

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of June we will be focusing on Tomatoes/Pasta.


For June Week 1:  buy 12x8oz. tomato sauce AND 6x6 oz. tomato paste

Three Month Supply Focus: May Week 5

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of May we will be focusing on Beverages.

Hopefully, last week you were able to buy some non fat dry milk.

For May Week 5:  buy 3x64 oz. bottled juice

Three Month Supply Focus: May Week 4

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of May we will be focusing on Beverages.

Hopefully, last week you were able to buy fruit drink mix or tang.

For May Week 4:  buy 4 lbs or 1 #10 can non-fat dry milk

Three Month Supply Focus: May Week 3

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of May we will be focusing on Beverages.

Hopefully, last week you were able to buy some hot cocoa drink mix.

For May Week 3:  buy 24 oz.  or 1/4 #10 can fruit drink mix or Tang  

Three Month Supply Focus: May Week 2

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of May we will be focusing on Beverages.

Hopefully, last week you were able to buy a few cans of evaporated milk.

For May Week 2:  buy 24 oz. or 1/4 #10 can hot cocoa drink mix 

Three Month Supply Focus: May Week 1

In working to slowly build our three month supplies of food, for the month of May we will be focusing on Water/Beverages.

For May Week 1:  buy 1 can of evaporated milk per person in your family

Three Month Supply Focus: April Week 4

To help with you 3 month supply, during the month of April we will be focusing on breakfast foods.

Last week, hopefully you were able to grab some pancake mix and syrup.

For April, week 4:  buy 8 oz. or 1/4 #10 can powdered eggs

3 Month Supply Focus: April Week 3

To help with you 3 month supply, during the month of April we will be focusing on breakfast foods.

Last week, hopefully you were able to grab some oats.

For April, week 3:  buy 2 lbs. pancake mix AND 32 oz. pancake syrup

3 Month Supply Focus: April week 2

To help with you 3 month supply, during the month of April we will be focusing on breakfast foods.

Last week, hopefully you were able to grab a few extra boxes of cereal.

For April, week 2:  buy 5 lbs or 2x42 oz. canisters or 2 #10 cans oats

3 Month Supply Focus: April week 1

If you need some help building your 3 month supply of food storage, each week I will be posting an idea of a little something extra to buy at your shopping trip for the week.  Slowly this will help build your supply.

This week:  Buy three extra boxes/bags of cereal

Why?: A useful everyday item as well as helpful during power outages as some can be eaten without milk. Consider the needs for your family. There are various types of cereals you could store including boxed or bagged breakfast cereal, instant oatmeal, granola, cream of wheat, etc. Your 3-Month Supply should include shelf-stable foods you normally eat. Adapt how much based on the eating habits of your family. The amount shown assumes you currently eat additional items for breakfast. This is an item you need to constantly replenish.

3 Month Supply of Food: Getting started

Here is what Provident Living Today suggested:

1. Pick out 2 weeks of recipes. Use easy meals your family eats now.



2. Convert each meal to “non-perishable” foods. If you use fresh chicken, use canned. Fresh or frozen corn, use canned. You get the idea.



3. Write each converted recipe on a 3 X 5 card. Run each card off 6 times.



4. Times each ingredient by 6 and write how much or how many you need on a shopping list. There you have it a 12 week supply of food.



5. Go shopping!!! Remember to take some help! You can do this in one big trip if you have the money, or gather the supplies over the next few months.
   
   
   Note: Use name brand labels.
   The metal is heavier and stores longer.
   
   
6. Take each recipe and all the ingredients and put them in a gallon freezer bag - right down to the spices and cup of rice.
7. Use Ziploc freezer bags, they hold up better. You can also buy the Jumbo size bags for a large family. Put the spices in a snack size bag. The ingredients like rice or a cup of biscuit mix can go into a sandwich size bag.
   Now put the recipe in and ZIP . . . It’s “ in the bag!” Store them in boxes under the bed or bins in the closet. You want them to be easily accessible.

Keep a few meals ready to eat in the pantry and use them on busy hectic days. Keep the recipe cards. When you have a few stacked up, go to the store and replace the ingredients. This is a great way to rotate your three-month supply of food. Start eating your food storage now and save money.

Forever Foods and Your Food Storage Pantry

Sugar – Regardless of whether your sugar is white, brown or powdered, it will never spoil because it doesn’t support bacterial growth. The challenge with sugar is to keep it from hardening into chunks. To keep sugar fresh, store it in an airtight container or seal it in a plastic bag. If your brown sugar is more like a brown rock, you can revive it with just a minute in the microwave on low heat.

Pure vanilla extract – If you have pure vanilla extract in the back of the cupboard, there’s no need to throw it out because it lasts forever. It may be more expensive than its imitation counterpart, but its shelf life certainly outweighs the extra cost. Keep that vanilla flavor at its best by sealing the bottle after each use and storing it in a cool, dark place.

Rice – White, wild, jasmine, arborio and basmati rice all keep forever so there’s no need to throw them out. Brown rice is the one exception because it has a higher oil content so store it in the refrigerator or freeze it to maximize its shelf life. Once you’ve opened a bag or box of rice, move it to an airtight container or resealable freezer bag to keep it fresh.

Corn starch – You can thicken gravies and sauces for years with just one box of corn starch because it keeps indefinitely. Store this kitchen staple in a cool, dry area and be sure to reseal it tightly after each use.

Honey – Whether you use it in your tea, on your toast or as an alternative sweetener, that jar of pure honey is good forever. It may get grainy or change color, but it’s still safe to eat — and delicious — because its antibiotic properties keep it from spoiling. You can help keep it fresh by storing it in a cool area, and you can improve the quality of crystallized honey by placing the jar in warm water and stirring it until the grainy parts dissolve.

Salt – The contents of your salt shaker will never spoil, regardless of whether it’s basic table salt or sea salt. Simply store it in a cool, dry place and salt will keep indefinitely.

Corn syrup – If you come across a years-old bottle of corn syrup in your pantry, don’t throw it out. This sweetener keeps indefinitely as long as you keep it sealed and store it in a cool, dry area.

Maple syrup -  What good are pancakes or waffles without maple syrup? Luckily, this flavorful syrup will never spoil if you refrigerate it or freeze it. For long-term storage, seal it in an airtight plastic container and freeze it.   “The freezer is such a useful tool that can really save you money because there are very few foods that don’t freeze well,” says Janice Revell of Still Tasty.

Distilled white vinegar – This wonder product can be used for everything, from making marinades and salad dressings to cleaning house and doing laundry. But the best thing about distilled white vinegar is that it lasts for years. Simply close it tightly after each use and store the bottle in a cool, dark place.

http://thesurvivalmom.com/2011/08/19/forever-foods-and-your-food-storage-pantry/

Simple Food Storage Meals for Tight Times: Stock up on three month's worth fast!

I love the ideas below.   (Original post found here.)  -Lisa


When a summertime monsoon storm is on the way, I quickly track down my kids, bring them indoors, and prepare to hunker down.   It’s a mom-instinct.  We  unplug the computers, make sure all the windows are securely closed and locked, and if my husband isn’t home, I call to make sure he’s okay.

A storm of a different kind is on its way to America and has already been wreaking havoc with family incomes and our sense of security.  No one knows what the extent of the damage will ultimately be, but moms everywhere are responding to their maternal instinct to gather everyone together.  Since food and meal preparation is part of our responsibility, food storage is a basic step to take in order to keep our families healthy.

Having enough groceries on hand for a period of three months is a good first goal, but if buying enough for three months is too daunting and not in the budget, start with buying enough to have a pantry fully stocked for one month.

If you’ve been losing sleep over the state of our economy or your own personal finances, there’s no time to waste.  Use coupons and grocery store sales to get the most bang for your buck, examine your budget for anything that can be cut (temporarily) until you’ve reached your food storage goals.

To get you started, here are some of the simplest ways to stock up.

1.  Stock up on ingredients to make 15 batches of soup.  That’s a little more than one batch of soup per week for three months. If you make a double batch, you’ll have leftovers for the next day. Buy high-quality bouillon in bulk, such as Shirley J’s chicken or beef bouillon.  I like this brand because you can buy it in larger quantities and it’s double-strength, so you use half of what a recipe calls for.  In addition to bouillon (and yes, you can always make your own stock), buy:

• 1-2 #10 dehydrated potato dices.  This will provide potatoes for both soups and chowders.
• 1 #10 can of each vegetable (dehydrated or freeze-dried) you typically use in soup: onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, corn (for chowders), mixed vegetables, etc.
• 1 #10 can tomato powder for tomato based soups.  You can also use this to make homemade pasta and enchilada sauces.
• 1 #10 can instant milk for chowders
• Rice, beans, and small pasta can be added for extra bulk, calories, and variety.

2.  Learn how to bake a loaf of homemade bread.  If you already know how to do this, stock up on enough ingredients to make a loaf of bread per day if you have more than four people in your family, or a loaf every other day for smaller family units or individuals.  Keep the recipe very simple, as your goal is to stock up quickly, using every penny and dollar wisely.  You’ll use bread for sandwiches, toast, garlic bread, French toast, bread crumbs, etc.  If you don’t have a grain mill for grinding wheat, buy enough flour for not only bread but other, occasional treats such as cookies.  Before storing the flour, place it in a container with a tight lid and freeze it for at least ten days.  This will kill off any microscopic insect eggs so there won’t be any nasty surprises when you’re ready to use the flour.

3.  Plan at least 15 pasta meals.  They can be inexpensive and pasta is very versatile.  You can buy 15 jars/cans of ready-made pasta sauce or buy enough ingredients to make 15 batches of homemade sauce.  Plan on eating a hot vegetable and slices of garlic bread with each meal.  This utilizes your homemade bread and hot veggies can either be from your stash of dehydrated/freeze-dried OR canned veggies from the grocery store.

4.  A batch of white sauce is easy to whip up with flour, some butter, and milk.  Add garlic, salt, and rehydrated vegetables for a meal of pasta primavera or served over egg noodles.  12 bags of egg noodles and a #2.5 can of butter powder, along with seasonings, is all you’ll need to add to the ingredients already listed here.  Buy a #10 can of sausage crumbles and make your own sausage gravy served over homemade biscuits.  If you’re stocked up on ingredients for bread, you’ll only need to add a can of shortening for this quick meal.

 

5.  Tuna casserole is a simple budget-friendly dinner.  Multiply the ingredients in your recipe times 12 in order to serve it once a week for three months.  Keep in mind that the tuna content has been decreasing, much like those containers of ice cream that keep getting smaller and smaller!  You might have to buy more cans of tuna in order to have the same amount of actual tuna. My recipe includes cream of mushroom soup, canned mushrooms, and sometimes cheese.  Buy 12 cans of the soup, 12 cans of sliced mushrooms (or use freeze-dried mushrooms), and splurge on a #10 can of freeze-dried jack or mozzarella cheese.

6.  The classic meal of beans and rice is versatile and the ingredients can be stored for years.

7.  For more simple dinner ideas, buy 100-day Pantry by Jan Jackson.  Choose a recipe, multiply the ingredients by 12, and start shopping!

8.  Your dinner menu will be complete with soup/chowder 1-2 times each week, a pasta meal or two each week, tuna casserole, white sauce with vegetables served over noodles, and a rice/beans dish.

9.  Oatmeal makes a healthy and filling breakfast and has the added advantage of being versatile.  It’s also inexpensive.  Some stories carry oatmeal in their self-serve bins, along with beans, cornmeal, etc.  Three pounds of oatmeal will provide 30 servings.  Figure out how much you need to buy in order to have an oatmeal breakfast 3-4 times per week, one serving per person, per day.  Buy extra if homemade granola, oatmeal cookies, and homemade granola bars sound good to you.  In addition, buy 6 pounds of brown sugar and/or 2 quarts of honey, extra cinnamon, raisins, and any other add-ins you and your family enjoy.

 

10.  Plan on eating pancakes, French toast, homemade muffins, gravy and biscuits, and eggs for the remaining breakfasts.  Leftovers are good, too.  Keep breakfast quick, easy, and filling.

11.  Cooking three meals from scratch will get old fast.  There’s nothing wrong with planning on canned ravioli, chili, tuna sandwiches, canned stew, peanut butter and jelly, and even Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (stock up on instant milk and butter powder).

12.  Freeze-dried cheese is pricey, but it can be used in quesadillas with homemade tortillas, sprinkled over a baked pasta dish, pizza, and so much more.  When it’s rehydrated, it melts and tastes just like real cheese.  In my opinion, it’s worth splurging on a can or two, and then using it as a luxury ingredient, sparingly.  I keep cheese in my freezer and have started waxing cheese to preserve it longer, but for long-term storage AND a quick way to reach your food storage goal, freeze-dried is a really good option.
Finally, make sure you have at least one alternative way to cook your food and heat up water.  If a Sun Oven is too pricey, many people make their own solar cookers.  Many moms on this blog have been using an energy efficient rocket stove, such as EcoZoom, and find them easy to use.  Should your power go out or energy rates skyrocket, cooking a few meals off the grid will be smart.

What the Church's Website Says

Here is what the church's website has to say about a three-month supply of food.

https://www.lds.org/family/family-well-being/emergency-preparedness?lang=eng

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Members of the Church have been counseled for many years to be prepared for adversity. Preparation, both spiritual and temporal, can dispel fear. With the guidance of Church leaders, individual members and families should prepare to be self-reliant in times of personal or widespread emergency.

Family Emergency Planning

Church members are encouraged to prepare a simple emergency plan. Items to consider may include:

• Three-month supply of food that is part of your normal daily diet.
• Drinking water.
• Financial reserves.
• Longer-term supply of basic food items.
• Medication and first aid supplies.
• Clothing and bedding.
• Important documents.
• Ways to communicate with family following a disaster.

Buying Enough Food for Three Months

3 month shelf stable food (shelf stable means it doesn't require refridgeration). Everything for every meal for 13 weeks.

“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.”

Gordon B. Hinckley, “To Men of the Priesthood,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2002, 58.October 2002

Here's an example of a way to build the three month supply for your family.  Food storage, especially the three month supply should be food that your family likes to eat.  To plan out the three month supply, you need to make a plan for 13 weeks.  First, collect the recipes of some dinners that your family likes.  Write down all the ingredients right down to the teaspoon of salt.  Decide how much you like that particular meal.  If you can eat it weekly, multiply the ingredients by 13.  If you want it every other week, multiply the ingredients by 6 or 7, etc.  Then you know you have all the ingredients to eat dinner for three months.

You can also do the same with breakfast meals, and ingredients for one loaf of bread a day.

Store what you eat. Eat what you store. Rotate, rotate, rotate.

The ladies on FoodStorageMadeEasy.net feel that it is okay to keep meat in the freezer for their 3 month supply. Some don't want to rely on the power grid though so they can their meat.

Canned goods can easily last 1-3 years, no problem.

Boxes can get bugs in them, rotate them quickly.

Here are some examples of meal plans for a three month supply that I found on some other websites.

Taco Soup. We can easily eat it twice a month. Twice a month for 3 months = 6 times. So I bought 6 bags of Fritos at Sam's, and all the cans of beans, corn, and tomato sauce, bought a big jar of Taco Seasoning Powder, and canned some ground beef. Now I have all the ingredients except lettuce, and we could eat it without lettuce if we had to. (If you don't want to can the beef, just keep it in your freezer.)

Spaghetti. Twice a month. Spaghetti noodles, spaghetti sauce, powdered Parmesan cheese, oil. Buy enough for 6 meals.

Canned Soup- I buy it on sale. We have lots and lots of this.

Hamburger Helper, Asian Helper. One can of chicken for 2 boxes. Oil. Powdered milk.

Snacks and desserts, not just main dishes. Cake mix, can of frosting, oil, powdered eggs.

Jellos and puddings- two per week for 3 months. Remember to store ALL the ingredients. Jello just needs water. I store evaporated milk or powdered milk to make the pudding.

Eat cold cereal half the days for 3 months-11 boxes for our family. I have the powdered milk stored just in case, but for now I'll buy the milk at the store.

Buying a Three Month Supply in Bulk

Tax return season often results in a chunck of money for some so what better place to spend it then preparing your family with a three month supply of food storage?

Click here for a great plan to buy your three month supply in bulk.