Tracking What You Use

There are lots of different lists and calculators that are helpful when you're trying to figure out what you need for your food storage. In fact, I use the 3-month Food Storage Template, created by Prepared LDS Family and this Food Storage Calculator.

But everyone uses different things at different rates. The last year or so I have been marking food items and cleaning supplies to see how long they last and then I can have a better idea of how much our family really needs for 3 months.

This has helped me a lot. For example, I started tracking how long my dishwasher soap lasted. I found that I used one bottle in two months. Now, I keep one extra in my storage room so that I have my 3 months worth all the time.

Another thing I have learned is that I don't have enough peanut butter. We can go through a jar a week sometimes. Holy cow! So now I know that I need to really watch for a good sale on peanut butter.

Items like oils might be a good idea to "track" due to their relatively short shelf-life.

Although it sometimes looks silly to have permanent marker on half of the items in my fridge, I have found some comfort (in my own nerdy way) in knowing how long certain things last at our house so that I can plan accordingly.

In addition to writing on the items themselves, I have a notebook that I use for keeping track of my food storage inventory. In this notebook, I also make notes about how long things last or what I need to stock up on. It isn't fancy...in fact, it's kind of a mess. But it helps me to easily figure what I have and what I need in my food storage.

Not matter what method works for you, having some way to track what you use and knowing what you have and need will help you reach your food storage goals much faster and easier.

Note: I didn't say fast and easy. Accumulating a 3-month supply of food and other items is neither of those things.

Happy tracking!

72-hour kit: Radio

In case of a natural disaster or other emergency in your area, the only way to get information may be through a radio.

There are many different types of radios, from battery-powered to hand-crack radios. Whichever you prefer, make sure you know how to use it and have extra batteries if necessary.

This is step 7 on the PLAN 9 pamphlet put together by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.

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!

Home organization: Getting family involved!

I don't know about you, but housework is NOT my favorite thing. I do it, because I don't like to have a messy house, but there are many other things I'd rather be doing than cleaning toilets and folding laundry.

The bigger our family gets, the more necessary it is for the rest of the family to chip in and do their part. It's good for my sanity and for my kids to learn responsiblilty.

Even if you don't have kids at home, share the responsibilities at home with those who live with you.

This takes some effort, especially at first, but don't get discourage. Give your kids (and your spouse) something to do. There are many different ways to do this.

There are about a million different job charts to choose from, even online job charts. We've tried several but what works best for us is a simple list.

Each of my kids has a list with their name and their daily jobs on the fridge. They each have 5-10 things based on their age and ability. My biggest boys can usually get through the jobs without even looking at the list.

We have some arguments about this still, but I just tell them that they are part of this family and they need to help. I think that it is SO important to teach our children about responsibility. This is a simple way to start while they are young. Older children need responsibilities too! They need to be expected to work.

Just last week, one of my favorite blogs, Prepared LDS Family, had a post on Summer Chore Lists. I was so glad to read it! I feel like so many parents are not taking charge and teaching their children hard work. When I was a teenager, I heard adults talking about this and was sometimes a little offended. Now I realize that they were mostly right. So many kids, and adults for that matter, think that others should do the hard work and they should benefit from it. Ranting. Sorry.

Bottom line: I want my kids to not only help out with keep our home looking decent, but I want them to learn the satisfaction of a "job well done."

72-hour kit: Can Opener

As far as 72-hour kits go, I try not to pack any food that requires a can opener, so I personally do not need a can opener in my kit.

However, I think that it is VERY important to have an extra can opener available. So much of what we store is canned food, so it seems only practical to have an extra opener around...maybe even two.

A few weeks ago, our can opener died. The gear thing bent and it was toast...and it was Sunday...and I was in the middle of making dinner...and I needed a can of pineapple.

So off to the neighbors I went. It only took 4 doors til I found one. It was totally embarrassing.

The next day we went out and bought TWO can openers.



This is step 6 on the PLAN 9 pamphlet put together by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.

See right side of blog for additional steps.

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.

Be Smart

When you think of the word education what comes to mind?

Do you think of your kids, politics, or taxes?

Do you get butterflies in your stomach thinking of how you wish you would have finished your degree?

I think sometimes the word education has a negative connotation, but being educated doesn't always mean going to school and getting a diploma.

Having knowledge is a great step to being more self-reliant. The more you know the easier it is for you to take care of yourself! You always will be able to discern truth from error and being a contributing member of society.

Gordon B. Hinckley said: “We live in a world where knowledge is developing at an ever-accelerating rate. Drink deeply from this ever-springing well of wisdom and human experience.”

It's true. We have so many resources available to us. Years ago you would have had to go to a library or taken a formal class to learn a new skill. Or perhaps you'd be able to find someone to teach you. Now, with the Internet, you can search one subject and find thousands of sources. You can watch a video on how to cook fried chicken or how to install a toilet. There is basically nothing that you can't find online.

There are lots of ways we can obtain knowledge. Here are some examples:

*Read and study books, articles, and textbooks
*Learning to communicate with others
*Learning to public speak
*Learn a practical skill such as sewing, canning, gardening, home repair, etc.

And of course, we can't dismiss formal education. In this competitive work world, there is definitely an advantage to having a college degree.

So instead of feeling guilty or thinking of taxes, think of what you want to KNOW and go from there. Make a goal to gain more understanding in some area that will help you and your family become more self-reliant.