Some Basics of Food Storage - Andrea L.

Most people are under the impression that Long-Term Food Storage is just that... Food purchased and Stored LONG TERM! (Or at least until you throw it away after a few years because you're sick of moving it or storing it or it has expired or all the kids have moved out!)

Here are a few tips that I have found helpful for long term food storage:
-If there's an item your family absolutely hates, don't buy it. Instead, substitute something similar or just buy more of a more familiar ingredient.
-If a family member is allergic to any of the basic food storage items, then don't purchase it. An emergency situation where you're hunkered down with 500 pounds of wheat is not the time to discover that someone in the family is allergic to gluten. So plan around food allergies now, while time is on your side.
-Begin incorporating recipes that contain these basic ingredients. There's no sense in stocking up on large bags of dried pinto beans, hoping your family will fall in love with them in a dire emergency, if they're not a part of your current diet. That's not the way it works, and if you've ever dealt with picky eaters, you know that!
-Take one basic staple, black beans, for example, that your family usually doesn't eat. Can you sneak a few of them in a bean dish you already make? If you make homemade refried beans, try using half black beans and half pinto. If you can slip one of these unfamiliar staples into a familiar dish, your family will become accustomed to the flavor and texture, and possibly discover a new favorite! Last fall we tried Cindy P.'s black bean brownies and other yummy black bean recipes.

Now, the secret of food storage pros is to have recipes that utilize these ingredients and begin incorporating them into your family's meals. Use up and replenish your food storage this way by writing down all the meals you enjoy for 1 or 2 weeks. Write down the ingredients you need to make those meals. Next time you go to the store, buy 2 of that meal. One to eat now, one to eat later. One sister I know of purchased a $25 bookcase from Walmart and put her 3 month's supply of food storage on that. You can store under beds, in back of closets, in baskets that sit on shelves, in footlockers, etc. You can stack your boxes from the Cannery four high, cover with fabric and you have a night stand. You can store like items together or you can store meal ingredients together.

The most important thing is to store what you and your family will eat.