Managing Your Food Storage Successfully
- By Tom Selwick
- Published 03/25/2011
- Food and Drink
- Unrated
A food storage is an incredibly important thing to have, especially in this day and age when natural disasters are become more and more common. People are also laid off on a daily basis in this economy, and you may find that you need to rely on some food reserves for a while, as you budget your money.
Some of the biggest and more important things that you must consider with your storage are variety, vitamins, quick and easy psychological foods, balance, extended staples, and the containers you are going to use. You also need to be sure that you are regularly using your storage, and replenishing it to stay ahead of expiration dates.
There are a few things for you to consider. Think about exactly how much room you have to dedicate to your storage, and how long you will be able to keep things.
Think about the size of your family, and exactly how much you will need to cover them for at least three months at a time. If you have the space, you may want to consider a yearlong storage-only you know what your space is capable of holding.
Make sure that you are storing your things off of the ground, and in a cool, dry place. The garage is usually fine, as long as your containers are a couple inches off the ground, to avoid water damage and bugs.
Remember that not everyone lives in a house located on a large piece of property miles away from the nearest city. With America being a much more cosmopolitan place than ever before, a lot of us do not have a lot of room to work with.
Fortunately, you do not need a lot of room-just do some considering, and planning. If you have a finished basement, then that area of your home is the logical place to set up a food storage area.
Keep your food in air tight containers, to keep them free of bugs. Make sure that everything is properly labeled to show what it is, when it was first shelved, and when it will expire.
This will help you to circulate through it easily, without allowing anything to expire and be wasted. Keep the room as dry as possible, and free from moisture and humidity.
You may want to consider converting a pantry, a section of the kitchen area, or a closet for food storage. Any packaged item not in a sealed container is almost always vulnerable to the elements.
Many experts recommend transferring foods to a #10 tin can, which means that you will need to invest in a flywheel can sealer to do the job yourself. Make sure that you rotate through your stored foods on a regular basis.
If you have invested in equipment to do canning or sealing yourself, then you know that some items can last for many years, not months. For everyone else, following recommended expiration dates will ensure that the item you bought last year will still look and taste good next Sunday.
Your local bulk store may have a great price on wheat, flour, and dried fruit, but you will want to make sure that there is a good amount of variety in what you store. Some people like to draw down their food storage on occasion, spending several months feasting on what they have put aside.
Unless you like pasta seven days a week, or pancakes and waffles for each and every breakfast, you are likely to get tired of eating the same things over and over again. Children especially want something different, so make sure that some treats are stored safely for them.
Consider getting their favorite candies, or comfort foods such as macaroni and mashed potatoes. As you buy more and more items, you may find that your budget is getting more tight.
Allow yourself to start small, and be patient as you grow your reserve slowly. You do not need to have it all at once.
Try splitting bulk items with family and friends, to cut down on the cost, while still meeting your goal. See where you can start today, and begin making progress toward your future-you will be able to sleep soundly at night, knowing that you and your family are ready for any emergency.
Some of the biggest and more important things that you must consider with your storage are variety, vitamins, quick and easy psychological foods, balance, extended staples, and the containers you are going to use. You also need to be sure that you are regularly using your storage, and replenishing it to stay ahead of expiration dates.
There are a few things for you to consider. Think about exactly how much room you have to dedicate to your storage, and how long you will be able to keep things.
Think about the size of your family, and exactly how much you will need to cover them for at least three months at a time. If you have the space, you may want to consider a yearlong storage-only you know what your space is capable of holding.
Make sure that you are storing your things off of the ground, and in a cool, dry place. The garage is usually fine, as long as your containers are a couple inches off the ground, to avoid water damage and bugs.
Remember that not everyone lives in a house located on a large piece of property miles away from the nearest city. With America being a much more cosmopolitan place than ever before, a lot of us do not have a lot of room to work with.
Fortunately, you do not need a lot of room-just do some considering, and planning. If you have a finished basement, then that area of your home is the logical place to set up a food storage area.
Keep your food in air tight containers, to keep them free of bugs. Make sure that everything is properly labeled to show what it is, when it was first shelved, and when it will expire.
You may want to consider converting a pantry, a section of the kitchen area, or a closet for food storage. Any packaged item not in a sealed container is almost always vulnerable to the elements.
Many experts recommend transferring foods to a #10 tin can, which means that you will need to invest in a flywheel can sealer to do the job yourself. Make sure that you rotate through your stored foods on a regular basis.
If you have invested in equipment to do canning or sealing yourself, then you know that some items can last for many years, not months. For everyone else, following recommended expiration dates will ensure that the item you bought last year will still look and taste good next Sunday.
Your local bulk store may have a great price on wheat, flour, and dried fruit, but you will want to make sure that there is a good amount of variety in what you store. Some people like to draw down their food storage on occasion, spending several months feasting on what they have put aside.
Unless you like pasta seven days a week, or pancakes and waffles for each and every breakfast, you are likely to get tired of eating the same things over and over again. Children especially want something different, so make sure that some treats are stored safely for them.
Consider getting their favorite candies, or comfort foods such as macaroni and mashed potatoes. As you buy more and more items, you may find that your budget is getting more tight.
Allow yourself to start small, and be patient as you grow your reserve slowly. You do not need to have it all at once.
Try splitting bulk items with family and friends, to cut down on the cost, while still meeting your goal. See where you can start today, and begin making progress toward your future-you will be able to sleep soundly at night, knowing that you and your family are ready for any emergency.
Tom Selwick
Tom Selwick has worked the past 21 years in the food storage industry. He suggests buyingfreeze dried food storage from a quality company so you know your food will last. Contact Info: Tom Selwick TomSelwick09@gmail.com http://www.dailybread.com
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