Food Storage For Your Home
http://www.foodndrinks.net/articles/6568/1/Food-Storage-For-Your-Home/Page1.html
Jack Landry
Jack R. Landry is an accomplished expert in family preparedness and has been giving seminars for over 15 years. He recommends that everyone have on hand an emergency food supply in case of any emergency or disaster.
Contact Info:
Jack R. Landry
JackRLandry@gmail.com
(http://www.foodinsurance.com) By Jack Landry
Published on 09/2/2010
Many people have a pantry and refrigerator full of food, but when it comes to food that can last be edible without much preparation, there is a shortage. This is why people should find the information necessary to build up their own food storage supply in their own home.
Most people do not know where to store their emergency supplies because space is limited in their home. Food storage should be placed in an area of the home with little to no moisture and where the temperature is steady year-round.
Places like a garage fluctuate temperature drastically during the summer and winter months, making the food not be able to last as long. Also, the garage is not typically an easily accessible space in emergency situations.
Places like the basement, however, are easily accessible, the temperature is stable, and people like how it is out of the way and not taking up living space. It is also a safe place to gather in situations like a tornado.
After finding a place to store your emergency food, you can start building up your supply little by little. While putting food in your storage room, remember that the supply is not to be put in there and forgotten about until an emergency happens. Instead, the food should be rotated regularly.
Rotating means that you use some of your supply, starting with the oldest, and then replace it with new food. Always continue to do this to make sure your food is always current and edible.
The most important thing to include in your storage supply is water; lots and lots of water. This is the most essential supply you should build up in your food storage area, because water can not only be used as a drink to hydrate, but it is necessary to prepare dry-food to make it edible.
Your water should supply should contain enough water for each person to use one gallon everyday for at least least 10 days. If at all possible, that supply should be increased to a 30 day supply. This means that a family of four should have a minimum of 40 gallons of water stored in their house in case of an emergency.
The water can be housed in plastic or glass containers so that it stays cleans and drinkable at all times. It should not be next to any gasoline, pesticides, or any other harmful substances.
The next thing to get for you emergency needs is dry and canned food. These things include canned soup, vegetables, fruit, and any other things that come in a can and can be stored and last potentially for years.
Dry foods can include rice, dehydrated beans, noodles, wheat, flour, sugar. This is supplies that can be used for many different meals, and typically only need water to prepare in things like rice, noodles, and beans.
The dry and canned storage supply can used for a variety of different meals, and are easy to incorporate in your everyday meals so you can rotate you supply often. A good amount to have on hand is about one year's worth of food to sustain every member of your family.
More important things to have stored in you home is an emergency first-aid kit. This should include bandages, gauze, sanitary supplies, eye drops, ace bandages, triple anti-biotics, and over-the-counter pain and cold medication. Though these will not be able to procure any major illnesses or injuries, they are essentials that will provide for you and your family's basic first-aid needs in case of an emergency.
Other basic things to include in your emergency storage are flashlights, a propane stove with a supply of propane, clothes, a crankable radio, and any other essentials that your family may need.
Flashlights are always useful, and if an emergency leaves you without power in you home, you can use them do see what you are doing and where you are going. A propane stove will allow you to cook warm meals for you family, and even boil water to sanitize it.
Extra clothes can be used to stay clean or to keep warm, and a crankable radio can be used without the use of electricity. This will allow you to hear any broadcasting station, and receive any messages on the state of the emergency.
If your family has any special needs that need to be accounted for, like a child with an illness that requires special supplies like an inhaler or an insulin pump; or if there is a baby, diapers, wipes, and special foods; these needs should be stored as well.
Make sure that your emergency supplies is up to date and has enough food, water, and first-aid materials to provide for every member of your family for an ample amount of time.
Places like a garage fluctuate temperature drastically during the summer and winter months, making the food not be able to last as long. Also, the garage is not typically an easily accessible space in emergency situations.
Places like the basement, however, are easily accessible, the temperature is stable, and people like how it is out of the way and not taking up living space. It is also a safe place to gather in situations like a tornado.
After finding a place to store your emergency food, you can start building up your supply little by little. While putting food in your storage room, remember that the supply is not to be put in there and forgotten about until an emergency happens. Instead, the food should be rotated regularly.
Rotating means that you use some of your supply, starting with the oldest, and then replace it with new food. Always continue to do this to make sure your food is always current and edible.
The most important thing to include in your storage supply is water; lots and lots of water. This is the most essential supply you should build up in your food storage area, because water can not only be used as a drink to hydrate, but it is necessary to prepare dry-food to make it edible.
Your water should supply should contain enough water for each person to use one gallon everyday for at least least 10 days. If at all possible, that supply should be increased to a 30 day supply. This means that a family of four should have a minimum of 40 gallons of water stored in their house in case of an emergency.
The water can be housed in plastic or glass containers so that it stays cleans and drinkable at all times. It should not be next to any gasoline, pesticides, or any other harmful substances.
The next thing to get for you emergency needs is dry and canned food. These things include canned soup, vegetables, fruit, and any other things that come in a can and can be stored and last potentially for years.
Dry foods can include rice, dehydrated beans, noodles, wheat, flour, sugar. This is supplies that can be used for many different meals, and typically only need water to prepare in things like rice, noodles, and beans.
The dry and canned storage supply can used for a variety of different meals, and are easy to incorporate in your everyday meals so you can rotate you supply often. A good amount to have on hand is about one year's worth of food to sustain every member of your family.
More important things to have stored in you home is an emergency first-aid kit. This should include bandages, gauze, sanitary supplies, eye drops, ace bandages, triple anti-biotics, and over-the-counter pain and cold medication. Though these will not be able to procure any major illnesses or injuries, they are essentials that will provide for you and your family's basic first-aid needs in case of an emergency.
Other basic things to include in your emergency storage are flashlights, a propane stove with a supply of propane, clothes, a crankable radio, and any other essentials that your family may need.
Flashlights are always useful, and if an emergency leaves you without power in you home, you can use them do see what you are doing and where you are going. A propane stove will allow you to cook warm meals for you family, and even boil water to sanitize it.
Extra clothes can be used to stay clean or to keep warm, and a crankable radio can be used without the use of electricity. This will allow you to hear any broadcasting station, and receive any messages on the state of the emergency.
If your family has any special needs that need to be accounted for, like a child with an illness that requires special supplies like an inhaler or an insulin pump; or if there is a baby, diapers, wipes, and special foods; these needs should be stored as well.
Make sure that your emergency supplies is up to date and has enough food, water, and first-aid materials to provide for every member of your family for an ample amount of time.