3-month supply: Fats & Oils

Let's talk about a 3-month supply of Fats and Oils!!!

How much? 6 lbs. per person

Check out this 3-month supply worksheet to see more information.

This food storage calculator says 13 pounds for one person, for one year. That would be a little over 3 lbs per person for a 3-month supply.

What?

Some common items are:Any of various edible oils made from a plant source, such as vegetables, nuts or seeds.

Vegetable oil is inexpensive and easy to use. The term "vegetable oil" actually includes any edible oil made from a plant including vegetables, nuts and seeds. It does not have a strong flavor on its own so it can be used in baked goods, sauces and other foods. Canola oil has the lowest saturated fat content of the common oils. Shelf life for an unopened bottle can be 18-24 months.

Olive oil comes from crushed olives and is a great source of monounsaturated fat, vitamin E and other antioxidants. Olive oil has a strong flavor and is best when used for savory breads, dressings, meats and vegetables. Shelf life for an unopened bottle can last up to 24 months if stored properly.

Shortening is a fat, because it is solid at room temperature. It is commonly used to make crumby pastries and other baked goods. Shelf life, 6-8 months.

Mayonnaise or salad dressing. Mayonnaise is a condiment which consists of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice. Salad dressing is also a condiment and is similar to mayo, but has more sugar, vinegar and water and less egg yolk that mayo. Both products can be used in sandwiches, pasta salads, and more. Shelf life, 3-4 months.

Peanut butter is a food paste made of mostly ground dry roasted peanuts. Peanute butter contains monounsatruated fats, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, floate, dietary fiber and is a good source of protein. Shelf life, from 6-24 months.

Butter is made by churning milk and is generally used as a condiment and spread but is also used in cooking and baking. There are several varieties of butter including fresh, powdered and canned. Fresh butter last several weeks in the fridge and can be frozen for several months at least. Powdered and canned milk can last several years.

Margarine is the term used for vegetable fat spreads. While butter comes from milk milk fat, margarine comes from plant oils and skimmed milk. Margarine can be used for the same purposed as butter. Margarine can be stored in the fridge for several weeks or frozen for several months.

Here's some pricing info:

Vegetable oil - $.05/oz.
Margarine- .05/oz.
Shortening-.08/oz.
Mayonnaise or salad dressing- About $.09/oz.
Peanut butter- $.09/oz is good but $.11/oz is normal right now.
Butter- $.11/oz for fresh and $.34/oz for powdered.
Olive oil- $.14/oz.

Because these products have short shelf lives, compared with other food storage items like grain, it's something that needs to be constantly rotated. For me, right now it works best for me to have one or two unopened items as storage which I rotate and replace as I go.

We use primarily margarine at our house so when it's cheap I'll have 5 or 6 boxes in the freezer. I also have several jars of peanut butter because we currently go through that food item quite quickly.

Basically, my theory is to have an extra one on hand so I am not having to run to the store every time I run out of oil or shortening. It makes life more manageable for me.