3-month supply: Water

Water is ESSENTIAL no matter what your level of preparedness.

It is recommended to have one gallon of water, per person, per day, for drinking and sanitation purposes.

Don't stress. Start small.

It is recommended to store a 2 weeks supply of water. That's 14 gallons per person.

For drinking water, you want to store your water in food-grade plastic containers. There are a lot of options out there from containers that hold a few gallons of water to 30 gallons.

 

Water bottles are a great way to store drinking water too.

 

For washing water you don't have to be as picky. I refill plastic soda bottles and old laundry soap jugs. These need to be rotated more often that the food-grade plastic but making a habit of refilling these bottles will make it easy to increase your water supply without a lot of extra thought and expense.

With my water storage, I separate what is stored for home use and what I would need if we had to leave home.

 

It's a great idea to keep a pack of water bottles in the car at all times. Not only will you have some water in case of an emergency, but they are convenient to have for trips or even just to cool off after playing at the park.

 

When thinking of water storage, you will also want to remember including water in your 72-hour kit. I also have a small, rolling suitcase filled with water bottles which is stored with my 72-hour kit bags. It's heavy but I could fit it in the car or roll it behind me, depending on which mode of transportation I would be using in an emergency.

 

 

A light addition for your 72-hour kits could be a water purifier bottle. It may not be realistic to have 3 gallons of water in each person's kit if you have to leave your car and go somewhere on foot. These may seem a little pricey, but most can filter just about everything out of the water and will sometimes safely filter 20-30 gallons of water before the filter needs to be thrown out.

Another item that you might want to store when thinking of water storage is BLEACH. Adding a tiny bit of bleach to some questionable water will help kill off bacteria that might be growing. Boiling water is another way to clean questionable water, but in some emergencies you may not have a way to boil your water.

 

 

Important: Keep water containers away from heat sources and direct sunlight. Do not store plastic on cement.

Here's a great link to FEMA for more information: Water

Good post from PreparedLDSFamily: How to Store Emergency Drinking Water

And LDS.org: Drinking Water Guidelines

This is step 1 on the PLAN 9 pamphlet put together by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.

3-month supply: Paper goods

It's been almost a year and a half and we are finally on the last category for building our 3-month supply!!

 

Don't worry, we're going to start over again. We always need reminders and new ideas. Plus, who has been able to collect their entire 3-month supply in the last year??

 

Anyone?

 

Not me.

 

I am a lot closer than I was before I started this blog, but I still have lots to do.

 

For example: I need LOTS more meat and I am planning on canning some chicken very soon, but I am due with baby #5 on May 16th, so it doesn't really sound fun to spend hours in the kitchen with a pressure cooker. My mom may come hang out with us next week so maybe we'll do it then. If not, I will have lots of frozen chicken for a while.

 

Another thing I am dealing with is space. I need to put a few shelves up in my storage room, which shouldn't be hard, but again, I am WAY prego and although I want it done it's not a top priority. I mainly need room for toilet paper. Sounds funny, I know, but I don't want to store TP on my heavy-duty shelves and I have been stocking up on TP a lot lately. There have been some great deals on Amazon lately...plus, I have 3 boys who don't seem to understand how precious that roll of paper is and it seems like we go through a roll a day!!!

 

I'm rambling.

 

Let's talk about our 3-month supply of PAPER GOODS!!!

 

Like a few other things we've talked about, this area is not the most crucial, so I wouldn't go out and buy a ton of paper goods if you don't have your basics. BUT, paper goods can make life SO much easy. Accumulating a little at a time and watching for sales can help you to eventually have quite a supply.

 

First, you make a list of what you use. Here's my list:

 

Paper towels

Paper plates

Paper bowls

Paper cups

Napkins

Plastic utensils

Freezer bags

Plastic wrap

Aluminum foil

Wax paper

Parchment paper (a splurge, but way nice for baking)

Freezer paper (I wrap all of my beef in freezer paper! One roll has lasted more than a year!)

 

 

Then, you decide how much to store of each item.

 

As a general rule with most things I want to store, I plan on having ONE extra on hand. That means one unopened box or container. Once I need to open it, I try to replace it with a new EXTRA. This way I always have one available.

 

This rule is good for most paper goods. I try to have one extra of all of the above. (Obviously, this doesn't mean one extra roll of paper towels, but a PACK of paper towels.

 

As far as prices go, these kind of items are hand to compare. There are so many types and you may prefer a particular brand. I usually go generic and buy the cheapest thing at Wal-Mart or one of the big warehouse stores. These stores are almost always cheaper than local grocery stores when it comes to paper goods. But buy what you will use, because this storage is not only for emergencies, but mainly for your every day use.

 

Remember:

 

Make a list

Decide how much you need

Watch for deals

Rotate!

 

3-month supply: Baking Items & Spices

Let's talk about a 3-month supply of baking items and spices!!!

 

 

If you've read many of my previous posts, you know that I love having extras on hand. Even if I weren't trying to slowly build up my own 3-month supply, I think would have extras on hand when possible.

 

Here's an example of when I failed.

 

In February, my mother-in-law came to visit. We only see her a couple of times a year so these visits are extra special. We try to make yummy food or take her out to local places we love. We also eat a lot of desserts when she's here. (OK, I kinda like to bake so I have desserts at my house a lot.)

 

One day during her visit we decided to try a molten chocolate cake concoction. We were planning on making two square pans, but I only had enough baking cocoa for one. BUMMER!

 

Actually, one pan was PLENTY so it was OK, but the point of my story is that we couldn't do what we wanted to do without making a visit to the store...and I hate going to the store for only one item. Having an extra container of cocoa on hand would have been the most convenient solution.

 

OK, so....what are some of the baking items you use? Remember that oils, flour and sugars are included elsewhere in your 3-month supply.

 

So the first step is to make a LIST of what you use. Here's my list:

 

Salt

Baking powder

Baking soda

Yeast

Vanilla

Cooking spray

Cornstarch

Baking cocoa

Chocolate chips

Lemon juice

Vinegar

 

The next step is to decide HOW MUCH to store. The best way to start is to simply have one extra container on hand at all times. When you open that one, make sure to replace it with a new one. This is a good way to keep variety in your storage. Once you have that habit established, you can move on to storing more.

 

Here's some more information on each item to help you decide how much to store for your family:

 

Salt- The basic 26 oz. container is good for 4 people for 3-months. Unopened salt canisters have an indefinite shelf life AND salt is CHEAP. You can get a 26 oz. canister for less than $.50!!

Baking powder- The standard 8 oz. is probably enough for 2 people for 3-months. As far as shelf life, baking powder is usually good for 18 months (although I have a large canister that I've had for a couple of years and it's still good). A good price for an 8 oz. container is about $1.25.

Baking soda- A 16 oz. box is good for 4 people for 3-months. You can also purchase baking soda is large bags. (And remember, it's not only for baking. Click HERE.) Soda's shelf life is about 2 years. A good price for a 16 oz. box is about $.70.

Yeast- 3 oz. per person. Yeast is good on the shelf for about one year, but can last up to 5 years in the freezer. At a warehouse type store you can get 16 ounces of yeast for about $2.

Vanilla- About 4 oz. per person. That's 4 of the small containers. REAL vanilla has an indefinite shelf life, while imitation vanilla stores for about 4 years. At a warehouse store, you can get vanilla for about $.44 per oz. WAY better than any prices at the grocery store.

Cooking spray- Bottles are usually 6-8 oz. That's good for 2 people for 3-months. Cooking spray lasts from 12-18 months. A good price for spray is about $3.50 per can.

Cornstarch- The standard 16 oz. box is good for 4 people. Cornstarch also has an indefinite shelf life. You can find a 16 oz. box for about $1.30.

Baking cocoa- The standard 8 oz. container is good for 2 people for 3-months. Unopened cocoa can store indefinitely. A good price for cocoa is about $.26 per oz.

Chocolate chips- One 12 oz. pack for each person. These can be frozen to extend their shelf life and run about $3 each lately, about $.25 per oz. The big packs at the warehouse stores are definitely the best options, price wise, at about $.15 per oz but watch for sales at your local grocery store. (One magical day YEARS AGO I got packs for $.50 each!)

Lemon juice and vinegar are not really baking items, but more like cooking items. However, this is the list I included them on for some reason. Both can be used for many other purposes, like cleaning, so you might want to buy the big bottles. Lemon juice is good for about 18 months unopened and about 6 months opened in the fridge. Vinegar lasts indefinitely if stored properly! Both are cheapest at the warehouse stores.

 

And here's my list of herbs & spices that I use often:

 

CINNAMON

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Oregano

Basil

Chili powder

Black pepper

 

The thing about herbs & spices is that they lose potency over time, so you don't want to store them for TOO long. In fact, I don't store extras of these spices, but I do try to get a new container when I have about half a container's worth. (Except for cinnamon. I either have a big one from Sam's Club or several smaller ones on hand.) Does that make sense?

 

 

As you can see from the prices and the shelf life, baking items can actually be a pretty easy area to store. $10-20 will go A LONG WAY with these items! (Herbs and spices, not so much.)

 

Remember:

 

Make a list

Decide how much

Watch for deals

Rotate!

 

 

3-month supply: Cleaning supplies

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

 

Let's talk about a 3-month supply of CLEANING SUPPLIES!!

 

OK, first of all...why store extra cleaning supplies? If you remember my post from earlier this year titled, "Why I Prepare," you'll have the answers.

 

Here's a summary. With food, hygiene products, cleaning supplies, etc., it is always CONVENIENT to have extras on hand. Even someone who plans ahead might reach for the window cleaner and find that it's almost gone. I don't know about you, but I don't go to the store for ONE product. I try to wait until I absolutely HAVE to go. But because I have extras on hand, most of the time that works out for me.

 

Also, you cannot plan for a natural disaster or economic hardship to come along. If you stock up on cleaners that you use most commonly and have a month of unexpected expenses, you may not have to worry about spending precious resources on a box of laundry soap.

 

A personal example with convenience as well as something unexpected: A while back, our church building was vandalized. There was paint and other things all over the walls in the hallway as well as in many of the rooms. The damage was pretty extensive. Several members of our church were asked or volunteered to go in and do some initial cleaning before the professionals came in to clean, repair and replace. With little kids at home, I wasn't able to help, but a friend who was helping there called and asked if I happened to have any if those cleaning pads that "erase" marks on walls. I had 3 or 4 from a box I had purchased on Amazon, so I was able to contribute those to the clean-up effort. It wasn't inconvenient for me to give my extras away and no one had to run to the store to grab some.

 

In addition, if you watch sales, you can purchase several of one product at a lower cost than going out and buying the product every month.

 

So WHAT kind of products should you store?? Every household will be different, depending on the preferences of those doing the cleaning. Here's my list:

 

Laundry soap*

Stain removers, dryer sheets, and other laundry items

Glass cleaner*

All-purpose cleaner

Toilet bowl cleaner

Disinfectant wipes

Dish soap

Dishwasher detergent

Bleach

Vinegar

Rubbing Alcohol

 

*You may want to make your own cleaners, so you would need to store the products necessary to make them. I will post more about homemade cleaners soon.

 

Once you have determined WHAT you want to store, you can decided HOW MUCH of each items to store. The best way to get started is to simply have ONE extra of each item. From there, you may find that you need more than that for a 3-month time period.

 

Remember, keep it simple! Do what works for you.

 

3-month supply: Toiletries

Let's talk about building a 3-month supply of toiletries!!

First of all, what in the world is a toiletry??? A toiletry is any product used for grooming and personal hygiene. This includes the following:

Hand soap

Toilet paper

Facial tissue

Toothbrushes

Toothpaste

Body wash

Shampoo

Conditioner

Deodorant and Anti-Perspirant

Feminine products

Hair spray, gel, and other hair products

Make-up

Lotion

And so on...

Also, the following are important items to store, even though we may not think of them immediately when thinking of toiletries:

 

Diapers

Wipes

Medicine (including over-the-counter and prescription)

 

Some toiletries are more important than others. For example, it is more important to have a storage of hand soap before you stock-up on eye liner. Similarly, feminine products are much more important than hair spray.

That being said, the first thing to do is make a list starting with the most important items. (The list above is roughly in order of what I feel is most important.

Next you need to decide how much you want to store. Here's my list and amounts for my 3-month supply:

Hand soap- One bar of soap per person AND one 48-64 oz. container of liquid hand soap.

Toilet paper- 90 rolls (one per day). 

Facial tissue- One box per person.

Toothbrushes- One extra per person. (I count my 72-hour kit toothbrushes for this.)

Toothpaste- One tube per person. (Again, these are in my 72-hour kits.)

Body wash- One extra bottle per person.

Shampoo- 1/2 bottle per person.

Conditioner- 1/2 bottle per person.

Deodorant and Anti-Perspirant- 2 for each adult.

Feminine products- 100 count of your product of choice.

Hair spray- One extra.

Gel- 3 bottles.

Make-up- One extra of most used items.

Lotion- One large bottle or several small ones.

Diapers- The number of diapers you use usually gets a little smaller as your child gets older. If you are honestly wanting a 3-month supply, you will want to store about 360 diapers for toddlers and about 500 diapers for infants. These numbers are even a little high for me. Maybe just having two extra packs or boxes on hand would be a good start. Because of size issues, you won't want to store just one size.

Wipes- One extra box (about 10 packs) is good. My goal is to have 3 boxes on hand soon. (I will have two in diapers for a while.)

Medicine- In my 72-hour kits, I try to always have one, unopened adult Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen  as well as one of each of these for children. If you have an infant, you may want to store an extra one of each of these as well. Although these are in my 72-hour kit, they will last me for several months if I can't get to the store so they work for my 3-month supply as well. As far as presciption meds, I only have about a week's worth in my 72-hour kit. Depending on your needs, you may be able to get an extra presciption or two to have extra on hand.

Many of these products are generally low priced at a place like Wal-Mart or Costco and Sam's Club, but there are a few that you can watch for deals on Amazon or at your local grocery stores. Smith's will often have deals on toothbrushes and toothpaste. Amazon sometimes sells large amounts of toilet paper and facial tissues for good prices.

Here's a price list:

Hand soap- Bar- $.13/oz or about $.50 per bar. Liquid- abt $.70/oz.

Toilet paper- Around $.20 per single roll.

Facial tissue- $.50- $1 per box.

Toothbrushes- Less than $2 per brush.

Toothpaste- Abt $.20/oz or about $1 a tube.

Body wash- $.10-.15 per oz.

Shampoo & Conditioner- Abt $.05/oz or less than $1 for a small bottle.

         (Suave and VO5 go on sale at my local grocery store about once a year.)

Deodorant and Anti-Perspirant- From $2-4 per bar, depending on brand.

Feminine products- From about $.15-.20 per item.

Hair spray- From $.15-.20 per oz.

Gel- Abt $1 per bottle. (My husband actually like the brand from the dollar store.)

Diapers & Wipes- See THIS post.

Medicines- prices vary.

 

3-month supply: Soups & Meals

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!! Hope you all had a great Christmas and are ready to take on 2013!!!

 

Let's talk about a 3-month supply of soups and meals.

 

How much??? You need to decide that depending on what your family eats.

 

Some ideas of soups and meals you can store are:

 

Broths, cream soups, tomato soup, chilis, stew, raviolis, ramen noddles, macaroni & cheese, Hamburger Helper, etc.

 

Even if you don't normally eat some of these pre-made meals, it can be handy to have them on hand in case of an emergency, or a night where you just don't want to cook.

 

You can also store frozen pizzas and meals. They may not be great for a power outage, but to have them on hand for those lazy nights or a week that you're out of grocery money can helpful.

 

 

You all know that I am pretty crazy about preparedness stuff. But I want you to realize that I am also realistic and I don't have a big budget for my food storage. Honestly, my goal this year is to spend $10 a paycheck on storage items. So this month, I will go to the store and buy $10 worth of mac & cheese or frozen pizza. For real.

 

My other food storage related goal is to take inventory each month of the specific area I talk about on the blog. So, I will look through my soups and meals in January to see what I have and what things I need most. This really helps because you only have to inventory a small amount of items instead of getting overwhelmed with counting all my storage.

 

So as you think of the goals you want to make this year, be easy on yourself and realistic. Don't stress, just do what you can.

3-month supply: Snacks

OK, so this one might sound a little bit silly at first but bear with me.

 

Several years ago, food storage was thought of as buckets of wheat and home-canned foods. While these are still necessary parts of food storage, in the last few years the ideas about food storage have changed.

 

One of the changes is that it is recommended that we store 3-months worth of food that our family eats on a daily basis. This often means items with a shorter shelf-life, but that's OK because we are going to rotate our food.

 

Having food storage is about being prepared for hard times. This might be a tight month financially or even just unexpected company. Having an extra bag of tortilla chips and a bottle of salsa in your storage could make those hard or unexpected times more enjoyable, right?

 

Another big part of storing food is shopping for deals. This is a big deal in the snack department...especially for a tight budget. I don't generally love buying snacks. They cost A LOT of food per ounce and they go SO fast. But, I have also realized that with kids in school needed snacks or even just being able to grab something quick, snacks can be handy.

 

So, first of all, you will want to make a little list of what snack items you use a lot. For our family it would look something like this:

 

Chips (mostly tortilla)

Butter crackers (like Ritz)

Saltines (good to have on hand for tummy aches)

Popcorn

Jerky or meat sticks

Peanuts

Raisins

Graham crackers

 

Once you have a list, you can decide how many of each thing you want to store. I would start with having one EXTRA of each. Once I open my extra, that item goes on my grocery list so that within a few days (theoretically) I again have an extra one.

 

Back to shopping... Around the holidays there are a lot of deals on snack items, so it might be a good time to stock up. Also, big warehouse stores have a serious amount of snacks that are usually priced better than regular grocery stores (although not always) so you may want to stock up that way.

 

Even though I think that it is good to "be prepared" and to have things on hand that you use, I do NOT recommend spending a lot of money stocking up on snacks if you basics like water, grains and meats are low. But, storing things like snack items which you know you kids (or spouse) will eat in the case of a minor set-back or emergency can be just as important as your long-term storage.

 

3-month supply: Condiments

Let's talk about CONDIMENTS!!!

 

I know, it sort of sounds silly, but bear with me. Most of us use condiments every day, making them as important to store as wheat and sugar. (OK, maybe not AS important...)

 

So, first of all, what is a condiment anyway?

 

A condiment is a food (usually a sauce) that you use to enhance or compliment a food or meal.

 

Next, you decide what condiments you use in your home. Here are some examples:

 

Ketchup

Mustard

Hot sauce

Mayonnaise

Salad Dressing

Steak sauce

BBQ sauce

Worcestshire sauce

Soy sauce

Chocolate syrup

Salsa

 

 

Once you've decided what you use, you can start tracking what you use, by writing the date you opened something and making a note of the day you used it up.

 

At this point, you will have a personalized amount for storage. OR, you can just grab one or two extra ketchup bottles the next time you are shopping or if they're on sale. I try to have one bottle of the above in my storage if I can. Many condiments have long enough shelf lives that they will not spoil if used regularly.

 

 

Here are some stock-up prices for condiments:

 

 

Ketchup: $.04/oz

BBQ sauce: $.05/oz

Mustard: $.05/oz

Chocolate syrup: $.07/oz

Mayo/Salad dressing: $.09/oz

Worcestershire: $.09/oz

Soy sauce: $.10/oz

Salsa: $.10/oz

Ranch dressing: $.10/oz

Steak sauce: $.21/oz

 

 

 

 

3-month supply: Veggies

From WikiCommons, by: Elina Mark

Let's talk about your 3-month supply of Vegetables!!!

How much? According to THIS spreadsheet, you need to store about 30 lbs per person. Since the fruit amount is 15 lbs, I am personally going with 15 lbs per person.

What? There are dozens of different vegetable products you can store. Here's a short list: Canned vegetables (peas, corn, green beans, carrots, potatoes, etc.), frozen vegetables, dried vegetables, potatoe flakes, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, pumpkin, pickles, and more.

The best thing to do is to think of what you use in your family. You may not want to store something that you never eat, although remember that VARIETY is so important.

Here are some prices. Keep in mind that these are low, stock-up prices and you may not see these often.

Canned corn, green beans, carrots and peas: $.03/oz which is $.49 per can.

Tomato sauce: $.03/oz.

Diced and stewed tomatoes: $.03/oz.

Spaghetti sauce: $.03/oz.

Canned potatoes, beets, and mixed vegetables: $.05/oz.

Frozen veggies like corn, peas, mixed: $.05/oz.

Tomato paste: $.07/oz.

Salsa: $.10/oz.

Potato flakes: $.11/oz.

Green chilies: $.12/oz.

Canned pumpkin: $.12/oz.

Canned mushrooms: $.13/oz.

Dried onion: $.17/oz.

Dried carrots: $.19/oz.

3-month supply: Fruit

Photo taken by: Abhijit Tembhekar

Let's talk about a 3-month supply of FRUIT!!!

How much? About 16 lbs per person

What? Apple slices, raisins, and other dried fruits, apple sauce, canned fruit (our favorites are pineapple, mandarin oranges and fruit cocktail), etc.

You can use THIS template from Prepared LDS Family to help you decide how much of each items to have in your supply.


PRICE LIST for some fruits:

Peaches and Pears, canned: $.03/oz.
Applesauce, canned: $.04/oz.
Mandarin oranges, canned: $.04/oz.
Fruit cocktail: $.05/oz.
Pineapple, canned: $.05/oz.
Fruit cups: $.39 per cup.
Raisins: $1.94/lb.
Apricots, dried: $3.50/ lb.
Banana slices: $3.76/lb.
Apple Slices: $4.84/lb is a GREAT deal!


Obviously dried fruit is quite expensive in comparison, but remember that having a VARIETY in your food storage is important.

One thing that I don't have priced out is FROZEN FRUIT. For a short term supply (like 1, 2 or 3 months) you could (and probably SHOULD) include some frozen fruit. Whether you buy a bag from the store or freeze your own, it can be a useful way to add more fruit to your diet and to your storage.

FREEZING food is one of my favorite things, whether it be fruit, veggies, meats, or even things like shredded cheese and bread.

CANNING is also a great way to store fruit. Depending on what grows where you live, you can often get bulk fruits during harvest time. Canning is more time consuming and a little complicated at first, but is a great way to add to your food supply.

Valerie at Prepared LDS Family wrote a great blog entry back in February called: "Are Canned Fruits and Vegetables Healthy For You?" It talks about how canned fruit is processed at its peak and can sometimes be even better for you nutritionally than fresh fruit that has sat on trucks or in the store for weeks. Obviously fresh fruit is normally best, it is important to have some stored and to use it regularly.

3-month supply: Legumes

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, User: Justinc.

How much? About 15 lbs.

What? Dried beans, canned beans, lentils, split peas, and black-eye peas are all legumes.

Legumes are the best plant source of protein. Besides protein, they contain calcium, iron, folate, dietary fiber and phytochemicals.


Beans are the most common legume, so we are going to talk about beans.

Canned beans, or wet-packed beans, are convenient and not too pricey. There are many varieties of canned beans available. Cans are labeled with expiration dates and usually have about a 1 year shelf life.

Dry beans, if packaged properly, have a shelf life of about 10 years. They are also inexpensive. For long-term storage purposes, dry beans are a great addition to your 3-month supply.

Dry beans take a little more attention and planning. For each cup of dry beans you can (there are 2 cups in each pound), soak OVERNIGHT with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. I use my crockpot (turned off). In the morning, drain the liquid and rinse beans. Not too hard, huh?

Other common varieties of beans are: refried beans (mashed beans with added oils and spices), pork and beans (beans stewed with pork and sometimes tomato sauce), and chili with beans.

Not matter what beans you prefer, adding beans to your diet is very healthy and adding beans to your 3-month supply is a necessity, especially if you don't store enough meat.


Prices:

Canned beans: About $.49 a can is good for canned beans. That's $.03/oz. (Note: this price may not reflect all varities of beans.)

Pork and Beans: $.03/oz is a great price for pork and beans.

Dry beans: The cheapest I found dry beans in about $.04/oz. At first I was suprised that it was a little more than canned beans, but with the expanding that happens during soaking (beans can double or triple when soaked and cooked) the dry beans are most likely a better deal.

Refried beans: A good price for refried beans is $.04/oz.

Chili with beans: $.06/oz.

Legumes, dry: $.08/oz.

Review

Wow! We're more than halfway through the year, summer's almost over, and we're moving right along with our food storage and emergency preparedness goals.

I just updated the POST from February where I outlined what we were going to talk about every month. In my excitement, I originally plans to combine some categories so that we could talk about everything by the end of the year.

As the year has progress, I have been trying to build my food storage and 72-hour kits along with my posts. Some months aren't too hard. Some are very hard. (Like MEAT! I don't have enough MEAT in my house! haha)

So I have updated the outline and we will be going into 2013 before we get through all our 3-month supply items. I think this is a good thing. It gives us (me) more time to really focus on specific items. For example, I originally was going to combine fruits and veggies into one month. Now we will talk about them in September and October, giving more time to inventory, organize and purchase needed items.

That leads me to the next item of business. I am hoping that others are doing the same thing as I am, but sometimes I assume that others understand me and I haven't actually explained myself. SO...here's a little bit about what I do every month to build my food storage.

#1- Inventory. I know. The word alone is scary. But you HAVE to know what you have in order to know what you NEED. So get a notebook, a piece of paper, etc. and count what you have.

If you have 5 pounds of meat in your house, don't be discouraged. At least you know what you have so you can stock up on that item.

#2 Organize! I am weird. I am really organized with some things and a total wreck with others. As far as food storage is concerned, I have a notebook with my inventory, which I write in every time I use one of my food storage items. Then I write on my shopping list what I need to replace.

For example, today I grabbed my last can of cranberry sauce. We have one recipe that we use cranberry sauce so I try to keep 3 on hand. For some reason, I haven't been keeping up but now I have written on my grocery list to pick up 3 cans of cranberry sauce. I can do that.

You may need to be creative in where you store your items, but do what works for you (even if it means putting canned food under your bed!).

As far as 72-hour kit stuff, I have MOST of my emergency items in one closet, except for a large suitcase that is in my garage. I also have notes in my food storage notebook about what I have and what I need.

#3 Purchase. Every 3-month supply post has information on good prices for food items. This is a good way to start getting to know what prices are good for specific items. It helps you know when something is low enough to really stock up!

Most of us can't go out and buy everything we need every month, but if you can spend $5-10 on that item in a month, you're that much closer to your goal.

Don't forget to purchase your 72-hour kit items as well!

#4 Restock! To keep your food storage supply up, replace items as you use them. I didn't do this with my cranberry sauce, that items isn't as crucial either. Items that are more necessary need to be replaced right away, if possible.

For me, I always want one extra container of olive oil on hand. I don't use it a TON so I don't store more than that. Today when I was making my cranberry recipe, I opened up my olive oil. Time to restock!

Depending on the item though, I want and restock when it's on sale.

For example, I have seem canned pineapple for 88 cents a can in the past, but lately anything less than $1 is good. But I don't really want to spend a dollar on each can. We go through pineapple so FAST at our house, so I don't restock it as fast as I should. I usually just wait until the next big sale.

Restocking implies ROTATION. Remember that it is important to rotate food so you won't have old, outdated items. This includes your 72-hour kit food and clothing items. Especially with kids, your emergency clothing needs to be rotated regularly.


Most of all, don't get stressed! Do what works for you and your budget. Do what makes you feel better and more prepared, but don't go crazy.

3-month supply: Meats

No Picture? Sorry. I love meat, but pictures of meat...yuck!

How much? About 24 lbs.

What? Canned meat (chicken, beef, tuna etc.), frozen meat, TVP, jerky, etc.

At first, when you think of having 24 lbs. of meat in your storage, it sounds hard. It really isn't hard...except for the expense. There are so many ways to store meat. Canned meat can last up to 5 years. Jerky is good for a while too, although it may get hard.

Plus, meat is a great source of protein and that will be crucial in an emergency.

I don't have experience with TVP but I have heard that the stuff that is coming out now is MUCH better than in years past.

As far as freezing meat, there are many ways you can package meat so it will taste fresh, even after a few months in the freezer. For example, I buy 10-20 lbs. of ground beef when there is a good sale (which hasn't happened much lately). I separate the meat into a little less than 1 lb. portions, wrap them tightly in freezer paper and put 4-5 of these packages in one gallon-sized freezer bag. My husband has a very sensitive palette and doesn't mine the taste of beef frozen this way.

There are also several products, like a FoodSaver that are awesome, but can be expensive. I have a little Handi-Vac from Reynolds that I picked up at Wal-Mart a few years ago for $15. It really like it but you have to buy the bags through the Home Shopping Network now. I haven't had to yet so I'll have to see.

Chicken, especially that has been frozen separately, stays good simply being placed in small freezer bags.

Good prices for meats:

Fresh or frozen chicken (boneless): Less than $1.50/lb is great lately. That's about $.09/oz.

Vienna Sausages: $.10/oz

Beef: Obviously, there are many varieties but $1.00/lb is great for beef, but I haven't seen it at this price since before the whole economy downturn. Anything less than $2.00/lb is good right now. That's about $.12/oz.

Pork: This seems to go on sale more than beef, but basically for boneless pork, less than $2.00/lb is good. ($.12/oz)

Canned Tuna: $.12/oz

Canned Chicken: $.15/oz

SPAM: $.17/oz

Canned Albacore Tuna: $.20/oz

TVP: $3.31/lb or $.21/oz.

Canned beef: Online I found some that are about $.36/oz. I think Costco carries them and it is probably cheaper.


At these prices it will cost from $40-55 for one person's 3-month supply. That sounds like a lot, but if you just take it slow, you'll be ok. Grab some extra cans of tuna or an extra bag of frozen chicken next time you're at the store. If you can get a little extra every time, within a few months you can had a good stockpile of meat.

If you are interested in canning meat, it is definitely a cheaper way to go, especially if you save your jars for the next batch. I have a post very soon on canning meat, so stay tuned!

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.

3-month supply: Other beverages

Obviously, water is the most important beverage to store, so if you haven't gotten your 2-week supply yet, read THIS post and make it a priority.

Once your water storage is complete, you can think about store some other beverages.

So, let's talk about your 3-month supply of beverages!!!

How much?? About 20 quarts which is 10 bottles of 64 ounces per person.

Using this 3-month supply worksheet created by Prepared LDS Family, you can calculate how much fruit drink mix (or Tang), hot chocolate and apple juice you may want to store.

Fruit drink mix or Tang- This powder can be stored for at least 2 years, unopened. For one person, store about 1.5 lbs. You will need to plan on using about 5 quarts of water for each pound of powder. You may want to store extra if you have room.

Hot cocoa- Store about 1.5 lbs per person. Canned hot cocoa can also last at least 2 years. Again, you will need to store about 5 quarts of water for each pound of powder.

Apple juice (or other fruit juice)- Store 3-64oz. bottles per person.

There are lots of other beverages that you can store like: Sports drinks, tomato and other vegetable juices or individually packaged drinks such as Capri Sun. These beverages are good to have on hand to help you and your kids stay hydrated when you're sick.

You may want to store some frozen concentrated juices as well.

Here's some information on pricing:

Tomato juice- $.02/oz.

Apple juice- Less than $2.00 per 64oz bottle is good (that's about $.03.oz). A couple of years ago, there was a case lot where the bottles were $.99 per bottle (or $.02/oz).

Sports drink- $.54 for a 20 oz bottle ($.03/oz).

Fruit drink mix- Tang at Costco has been about $1.29 per lb ($.08/oz) and the cannery mix is $1.39 per lb.

Hot cocoa- The LDS cannery price, $1.71 per lb, is definitely the cheapest around. At regular stores, the lowest price is about $2.00 per lb ($.13/oz).

Capri Sun- $.17 per drink.

3-month supply: Milk

Powdered milk is probably not the first thing you think of when you need a refreshing drink. In fact, if you've used it at all, you know that is doesn't really smell fabulous. BUT, in times of emergency, ESPECIALLY with children in the house, you need the protein and calcium provided in milk. So...

Let's talk about our 3-month supply of MILK!!!

Amount to store per person: 16 lbs.

Remember, you can use THIS great excel spreadsheet to figure your family's food storage needs, THIS food storage calculator, OR just estimate how much your family really uses in a given period of time. The first worksheet says 4 lbs per person, but I think it's a typo because then is says that you need 4 cans of 4 lbs each. Just FYI.

So here are some different milk products you can store:

Powdered milk, which includes Instant Nonfat and Regular.
Evaporated milk
Sweetened Condensed milk

Instant Nonfat powdered milk is a little bit smoother in texture because it has a little more air in it for easy mixing. Regular powdered milk, or non-instant is denser and can be harder to mix but is usually less expensive and more can fit into a can. Canned milk has at least a 5 year shelf life, although I bought a few cans a while back that are good for 30 years.

I have been using powdered milk for a while now, but only in my cooking. Simply stir 1/4 cup of powdered milk and 1 cup of water and you have a cup of milk for any recipe. (My husband has a "refined sense of taste" and he's never noticed when I use it.) This is not only a good way to get used to using powdered milk, it also helps me to rotate my food storage AND it's cheaper than fluid milk so using it saves me money.

Where to find powdered milk?

Powdered milk is available in a box at any grocery store, but this will not store long. For longer term storage, you want to purchase powdered milk in #10 cans. Some stores in Utah carry these, but here are some links for other options:

Self-Reliance
Augason Farms
Emergency Essentials
LDS Cannery- definitely the cheapest option, but you have to have access to a cannery.

Evaporated Milk is shelf-stable canned milk. This product is made by removing 60% of the water from fresh milk. It takes up half the space as fresh milk with the same nutrients. When mixed with the right amount of water, it becomes more like fresh milk.

Evaporated milk is often used in baking and cooking, but can be a great item to store. It have about a 15 month shelf-life, but comes in small cans that make rotating easy.

Sweetened condensed milk is also fresh milk with water removed from it, but has sugar added to it as well. Because of this, the shelf life is extended. This product is most commonly used in desserts.


Stock-up prices (lowest to highest):

Evaporated milk: $.05 per oz
Sweetened Condensed milk: $.10 per oz
Regular powdered milk: $2.10 per lb ($.13/oz)
Instant nonfat: $4.14 per lb ($.26/oz)


Check out Every Day Food Storage's post about powdered milk.

3-month supply: Sugar

Let's talk about a 3-month supply of SUGAR!!!

How much? 15 lbs. per person

What? White sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, honey, corn syrup, jam/jelly, gelatin, pudding, maple syrup, powdered fruit drink mixes, molasses, etc.

One of the best things about many of these foods is the shelf life.

White sugar and powdered sugar have indefinite shelf lives, meaning they really only need to be protected from moisture and bugs.

Brown sugar can dry out, but there is at least one company that sells canned brown sugar. Personally, I just buy 6 or 7 packages when the 2 lb. package is on sale. I put them in a Ziploc and don't really have a hard time with keeping the sugar moist. Although it dries out, brown sugar has a shelf life of 4-5 years.

Honey never goes bad, but is expensive. Honey will crystalize over time but you can put a container of honey in warm water when needed.

Corn syrup comes in light and dark varieties and is used to replace sugar, to make many candies, and more. Note that corn syrup is different from high-fructose corn syrup. Click HERE for a little more info.

Maple syrup- Pure maple syrup is a natural, unrefined sweetener and can be stored for up to 2 years. I use mapeline to make syrup, so as long as I have water and white sugar, I'm good.

Molasses is also natural and unrefined and contains a lot of iron. I don't know much about molasses except that it has a strong flavor and you can substitute 1 T molasses and 1 cup white sugar for 1 cup brown sugar.

So although you need to rotate your food, you can stock up when you see a good sale on any of these items without worrying if the food will go bad before you use it.

Here are some good prices for sugars, in cost order starting with the cheapest:

White sugar- $.47 per lb ($.03/oz) is great. Canned, about $.98 per lb and lasts 30 years!

Brown sugar & powdered sugar- $.68 per lb ($.04/oz).

Jams- $.05 per oz.

Maple syrup(not pure)- $.05 per oz.

Fruit drink mix (from LDS cannery)- $1.39 per lb ($.09/oz). Lasts for 2 years. Tang can be about $1.29 per lb if you buy it in bulk.

Corn syrup- $.10 per oz (about $1.68 for 16 oz bottle).

Honey- $2 per lb ($.13/oz) is amazing! Closer to $2.50 per lb is more common. Expensive, but honey lasts forever!

Gelatin- $.17 per oz for the brand name, about $.16 for generic.

Pudding- About $.18 per oz.

Molasses- $.21 per oz.


Please note that these prices reflect deals from the last several years in the state of Utah and may vary from state to state. Also, with the past few years of economic hardships, many prices may be constantly higher than the prices I have. Please only use these as a guide.

3-month supply: Grains

Let's talk more about our 3-month supply of GRAINS!!!

How much? 75 lbs per person

What? Wheat, flour, rice, oats, pasta, corn meal, and more!

Use this 3-month supply worksheet OR figure out what your family uses in ONE month and multiply it by 3. For some things, the latter is more realistic. For example, boxes of instant oatmeal and bisquick might be more realistic for you than regular oats or wheat. Either way, it is nice having a storage of food for you to "shop" with.

Here's the basics on some of the grains...

Many grains have LONG storage lives, but it depends on how they are stored.

WHEAT- Don't be scared. It's not that bad. First of all, wheat is relatively inexpensive. It also has a long shelf life. Wheat is very nutritious and some quality wheats can contain up to 18% protein.

There are two types of wheat: White and Red. White is lighter not only in color but also in texture. Red has a stronger color and flavor. That's about it.

To really be able to use wheat, you need a grinder. I got one a few years ago for my birthday and have loved having it. I don't use wheat a ton (I need to use it more) so I grind 5 or 6 cups at a time. I just add a cup or two to breads or goodies I'm making and there is not a significant taste difference.

FLOUR- Doesn't have a lot of nutritious value but is more for calories and bulk. One thing I have learned about flour (and it may be the same with wheat) is that it takes on the flavor of metal cans but if you dump it into a plastic container and leave it for a few days, the smell and metal flavor will be gone.

RICE- A great grain to store. It contains complex carbohydrates, fiber and more. Rice is a great thing to have when you have a young family because babies can digest rice before other grains.

OATS- Another nutritous grain which is usually well-liked by the whole family. Oats contain fiber, iron and many other vitamins.

There are two kinds of oats: Quick and Regular (also known as Rolled). Nutritionally, regular oats are less processed and thus contain more nutrients, but both are a good addition to your food storage and daily use.

PASTA- With this grain there are LOTS of choices and pasta can be stored for a long time. Pasta, like flour, is mostly for calories and carbohydrates. This might not sound the greatest, but we do need calories and carbs in times of emergency.

CORNMEAL...or popcorn. You can grind popcorn into cornmeal or just store popcorn for popcorn. Popcorn is a whole grain and contains fiber.


Remember, variety is the key to having a balanced, nutritious grain storage.


Here are some prices that might help as you start looking at grains. (Remember that it is cheaper per pound to buy the regular items in the store, like a bag of flour, than it is to buy flour that is canned. BUT if you want to build up your long-term supply, the canned stuff is a good investment.)

From lowest to highest:

Flour: $.23-.25/lb. is a great price. That's about $1.25 for a 5 lb. bag.
Canned flour is about $.71/lb.

Rice: Less than $.40/lb. is great. (Look at Costco or Sam's.) Canned= Abt. $.70/lb.

Wheat: $.46/lb. is a good price. That's $11.45 for 25 lbs. Canned wheat might be closer to $.60/lb.

Oats: Less than $.70/lb is great. Canned= Abt $.93/lb.

Pasta: Less than $.80/lb is good. Sometimes Smith's has pasta on sale for $.50 each package and they are usually abt a pound. Canned= Abt $1.15/lb.

Cornmeal: Around $1.16/lb. Less than $.74/lb for popcorn.

If you get around these prices, you could get your 75 lbs for less than $40. Keep a look out!

Why should I have a 3-month supply of food?

What are some reasons to have food, water and other items stored in your home? It is an added expense and takes up room, right? Plus, you feel guilty for not having what you think you need. Maybe even this blog, which is supposed to help make this aspect of your life a little easier, is causing some extra stress right now. I hope not, but getting initally organized can be overwhelming.

That being said, let's talk about some benefits of storing.

1. We have been encouraged to do it. I am LDS and our church leaders have, for years, been telling us to become more prepared temporally. LDS.org states:

"Build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a few extra items each week to build a one-week supply of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply until it is sufficient for three months. These items should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage." (Click HERE for more info.)

2. To save money, in the long run. When you buy in bulk or by the case, you can usually get food and household items for less than buying them one at a time. The downside is that you have to fork out more money initially.

It can also save you gas money. If you have enough food stored that you won't have to go to the grocery store several times in one week, you will save on gas, plus whatever else you may have decided to grab while you were out.

3. Security. It definitely gives me some peace knowing that I have 30 rolls of toilet paper in the basement and two boxes of diapers. Sounds dumb, but I like to know that I have enough right now.

4. Unexpected circumstances...job loss, natural diaster, maybe even an added expense you weren't planning like new tires. We don't like to think about these things, but sometimes we need to suck it up and be realistic.

I'm sure you can think of some more reasons. In fact, I hope you do. I hope your counting your storage is going well. I'd love to hear from you about it!

If this is not up your alley, we'll have lots of other important things to discuss soon, so don't give up in being more independent...more self-reliant!

NEXT POST: Financial Self-reliance

Where to start...

So you want to be more self-reliant? More prepared?

Well, this is where we're going to start. First we are going to see what we already have. Inventory!!!

Click HERE for a great worksheet I found on my favorite preparedness blog, Prepared LDS Family. You can download your own to use on Excel.

You can also click HERE for a food storage calculator. (It calculates for one year, I know, but it can still give you the general idea.)

At first is seems like a lot and you may not have much but it is always best to start with what you know. For example, if you have some grains but no sugars, then you can watch for the next sale on sugar. Makes sense, right?

DON'T GET DISCOURAGED! And start small. Even if you have 4 or 6 people in your family, enter in one person and see if it is realistic for you to start building up a small supply of food, water and other items.

Another thing, don't worry about storing items that you don't use. If you have never used wheat, don't worry about that. Maybe you want to learn about it and use it in the future, but for now think of storing what you use. For example, I do not like pancake mixes anymore. I would rather make pancakes from scratch. So I just ignore that. Simple. Also, I have never used corn meal. I should and I want to, but I haven't so I am not storing it right now. Simple.