Shelf Life website

I recently found this awesome website called Still Tasty. On this site you can search different foods and it will tell you how long this food will last on the shelf, in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Manufacturer's expiration dates are very conservative and you can almost always use food items after their printed dates. This website often mentions this and I can say for a fact that I have used "expired" items dozens of times without any issues.

For example, I searched "eggs" on the site. First it comes up with all kinds of options such as "eggs-cooked, hard boiled" or "eggs: scrambled, poached, fried, omelets, frittatas-cooked leftovers."

I selected: "eggs: fresh, raw, in the shell." It states that eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 weeks. It also recommends storing eggs in the carton from the store and not in the door, which is warmer than the main part of the fridge.

The site also states that you can freeze eggs for up to a year, but first you crack the eggs, mix them with a little salt or sugar (depending on what you plan to use them for) and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Interesting stuff, huh? So this site might be my new best friend...or at least a great resource when it comes to storing food for short- or long-term use.

This site can also be a great resource with your meal planning because you can check on the shelf life of foods you might be using in the next few weeks and decide how much of one item you might want to buy at once. I love buying things on sale or in bulk, so knowing the right way to store extra food is very valuable to me.

Why I Prepare

In the last few years, it seems that more and more people around me have become interested in food storage and emergency preparedness. Being LDS, I have heard Church leaders counsel for years about being prepared. In fact, since the late 1800s, after the Mormons settled Utah, they were advised by their leaders to store food. Back then, it wasn't really necessary to remind people to be self-reliant because for the most part they had to farm or ranch to make their own living.

It is easy for you and I to go to the grocery store and grab a can of fruit any time. We can see, however, examples of why this may not always be the case.

So these are some of MY reasons for being prepared:

1. It's what the Lord wants me to do. I believe that the leaders of my church, specifically the President of the Church who were believe to be the Lord's prophet on the Earth, are called of God and that their counsel and advise is from a loving Heavenly Father who only wants the best for me.

2. Natural disasters. We have seen examples of this time and again with hurricanes, earthquakes and more. We can learn from these experiences that it CAN happen to us and there are things we can do to be more prepared for these disasters.

3. Economic hardship. Over the last few years, we have all seen so many of our friends and family members without sufficient work. When I think of those around me that have lost jobs, I can see that the ones that had savings and food storage have had a more positive outlook, and have been able to get through the hard time without a lot of outside help. I have seen others who have had to completely rely on government or church assistance and help from family members. (I am NOT saying that any of these things are bad. There is a time and a place for each of them. I do believe, however, that we feel better about ourselves when we can be more self-reliant. I think that when parents are the primary providers for their own families, they take more satisfaction in what they have.)

4. Convenience. This one might sound funny at first, but I have found that having a few extra items at home in case of an emergency has been helpful when I have times when I do not want to run to the store. I love being able to ask my kids to go grab another ketchup out of the storage room and simply making a note that I need another one, rather than rushing to the store or bothering neighbors. I understand, however, that it takes time and money to reach the point where you feel it's convenient. When you're just getting started, it can feel anything BUT convenient. Just keep working at it!!

5. Peace of mind.  Along with convenience, once you have a little bit of food and money set aside, there is a peace that comes. Being prepared helps you feel like you can still have control in a situation that may be out of your control.

Whatever YOUR reasons, remember them as you get frustrated and annoyed. Understand that you can't have everything stored right away, just work at it little by little. Talk to your kids about it. Help them to take responsibility for the things they have so that they can grow to be more self-reliant individuals.

Most of all, keep it simple! You can do it!

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.

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!

Water Storage

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.

I have two weeks worth in food-grade, 5 gallon jugs like the one below. This is our drinking supply. For my washing water, I refill soft drink and juice bottles with water. I also refill old laundry soap and hand soap containers. 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. I have a pack of water bottles in the car. I also have a small, rolling suitcase filled with water bottles in my hall closet. 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.


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

Recent 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.

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.