Showing posts with label Food Storage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Storage. Show all posts

Monday, April 21, 2014

Be Prepared: An Introduction to Food Storage


Be Prepared: An Introduction to Food Storage

In the age of the 24 hour supermarket, food storage may seem like a crazy concept. But economic forces are converging in such a way that skyrocketing food prices no longer seem like a impossibility, more and more they appear to be an impending certainty. While we could be wrong about inflation, there’s no harm in being prepared. Don’t be the person holding up a sign looking for help, be the person with a life raft. Look at the information on food storage and decide what’s best for you and your family.
        
 Reasons to Rely Upon Food Storage:
  • Natural Disaster
  • Terrorism 
  • Economic Depression
  • Drought
  • Crop Failure
  • Personal Tragedy
  • Civil Unrest
  • Unemployment
Hope this will get you started. Let me know your progress and we’ll keep you going in the right direction.
Depending on your budget for food storage you can either start with one at a time or a few of each.
First thing we are going to do is start with simple grocery store items. Once you have a two week supply we can add in some other items. Don’t worry about a menu, when we are done you will have your own grocery store!

BASIC FOOD ITEMS
  • Pasta sauces
  • Canned Tomatoes
  • Soups
  • Canned and dried beans
  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • Instant potatoes & canned potatoes
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned veggies
  • Dry milk
  • Oil
  • Mac and cheese
  • Peanut butter, jelly, honey
  • Flour
  • Corn meal
  • Sugar
  • Canned meats, Tuna, chicken, beef…
  • Oatmeal, cream of wheat…
  • Try to buy things that only need water to prepare, especially now.
 Quantity of Food Items
Just use good judgment; remember soon your food storage area will be your home store.

Sample: 2 to 4 people
4- Pasta servings
10- Fruit and Veggie cans
 5- Pounds of Rice and beans
15 –Cans of soup
12- Box’s of Mac & cheese
  4- Jars of peanut butter
15- Cans of meat

Double up for 6 to 8, Remember  this is a start, by the time you finish this two weeks you will have a real grip on Food storage, the two weeks will break the ice for you , and get you off and running.

WATER is Essential!
  • Easy way to store is by using cleaned out 2 liter soda bottles; you can easily clean out with hot water a drop of soap & rinse thoroughly. This type of plastic is safe for storage.  Store in a cool dark place when possible.
  • One gallon jugs are easy to start with and to store. You can put them under a bed in a closet, the attic, garage, shed so forth and so on. You can stack them easily buy putting a piece of shelving material on them and going about 3 high, depending on if small children are in the house. You can buy water as low as 69 cents a jug at Wal-Mart. Gallon jugs are also easy to handle. ( my favorite for getting started)
  • Water bricks are stack-able and store easily.
  • Portable water filter is always a good idea.
  • It is recommend to have minimum a 2 liter soda bottle / per person / per day for consumption and washing.
  • If a situation where water is an issue be sure to have stash of paper plates, napkins, plastic ware and moist wipes stored. Conserve your water supply; it will be your life line.
Depending on your finances this could take a few days or a few months. The important thing is that you start now. Pick a place in your home and when you shop purchase a few of these items for your storage. You’ll see it come together pretty fast and if you start like this you won’t feel the bite on your checkbook. Picking up a few extra Items every time you are out will be easy on you and your finances.

If your budget is as big as you would like, let me know and we will do a six month starter closet.

Please ask questions, I don’t know any details about you so I’m giving you the easy start. This is how I started. Don’t wait, start now. We tend to always think that can’t happen to me and then it does and the worst part is we could have been more prepared…

If you choose you can buy as healthy as possible, but remember these will be items used mostly in emergency situations, so any meal is better than no meal.

Once you have put up about a two week supply you can add some freeze dried products and specialty items this will give you more Variety and nutrition. Enjoy putting these things together, don’t over think it just start buying and adding to you Storage area.

We have both stored and have used them in combination with each other and make great meal.

Let’s stay focused on the food until you hit that two week mark, the rest will come soon!

THINGS TO CONSIDER
  •  No refrigeration, (Get Stocking a Food Storage Closet.
  • Water Source
  • Something to Cook on: BBQ, or a Camp Stove. Etc.
  • Heat source: Fire place, wood stove, extra Blankets, or layered clothing.
  • Batteries, Flash lights, Radio, Candles, Matches.
  • First Aid Kit
  • Closed stores
  • No Utilities
  • Protection
Consider a weekend with no utilities and using only what you have in your home now, then after some prepping time try it again. It’s a great eye opener! And will teach you allot…

Build around 4 categories of food

  • Grocery store goods:  Cans and Boxes. (Often inexpensive, but little to no nutritional value.)
  • Freeze dried foods:  lightweight and don’t take up much room, High nutrition value priced out per serving, its budget friendly. Freeze dried & dehydrated fruits and vegetables will be the backbone of your food storage and last up to 20-30 years.
  • Bulk dry food: Beans, Rice and dried pasta, flour, cornmeal, dried milk, etc. 
  • Pay attention to shelf life. Take a look at packaging. Can soup doesn’t need water and can store this for a few years.  Plastic bags and cardboard boxes – 1 yr max
STORAGE: 6 main enemies to storing food
  • Temperature:  Ideal is 40 degrees - 72 degrees.  (For every 18 degrees above 72, food will lose its’ nutritional value by half)
  • Humidity: Store food off the floor and away from outside walls
  • Pests: Keep food in air-tight containers clean up food particles on the shelves or floor
  • Oxygen: Use oxygen absorbers, rotate food, vacuum packing food to reduce oxidation
  • Light: Keep your pantry area dark.  If food is in clear containers, keep them in labeled boxes with lids.
  • Storage: Look for places where can you De-clutter. Try closets & under beds. More room for storage can be a Challenge, but think about the possible alternative. I recommend pieces of furniture that can double as storage. (i.e. Bench that opens up with a storage component – especially good for small homes)  
NON - FOOD ITEMS
Non-food items, purposefully 1-2 weeks supply (again a minimum)
  • Decent first aid kit
  • Prescription Meds
  • Items like toilet paper can be bulky but it can be stored in garage, attic, shed, etc.
  • Soap, shampoo, tooth paste, contact solution, etc. (Keeps easily and organized in buckets)
  • Give serious consideration to how your family will cope when power is down. Water, food, protection, communication, Kids entertainment Etc…
  • Pet care
  • Consider a small Generator
This is basic; you can personalize your list and add more or less. Just remember it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Food Preservation...

 Good information to know, 
found this really interesting... SRN

Let’s Talk Method

http://ruralspin.com/category/food-preservation/
Canning is just one of many food preservation methods. Other methods include food burial, pickling, smoking, candying, and more.

In our two-part series on food preservation basics, we talk about methods, which include the ingredients discussed in our,“Food Preservation, Let’s Talk Ingredients.”

Make sure you read that as well; it’s just as important to understand the food preservation ingredients at your disposal as it is important to understand methods.
This is an overview of all of the traditional food preservation methods that are available to the homeowner. People can be surprised when they learn about all of the available methods and how they work. It’s beneficial to know the landscape before planning how you’re going to preserve surplus food.




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Thursday, May 10, 2012

Canning Recipes

This is so impressive! SRN


Water Bath & Pressure Canning
Recipes


 By SB Canning
 http://www.sbcanning.com/p/recipe-listing.html

Check out the growing list of both water bath and pressure canning recipes that make up the bulk of my canning pantry. As a Master Food Preserver I strive to give you safe recipes from many trusted sources. As you can see there are hundreds of ingredients and recipes will contain pictures of the final food in jars. Click on any of the links and it will take you into the homemade world of canning so you can get started on your sustainable pantry. Enjoy!

Water Bath

Eggplant Appetizer (Caponata)
16 Bean Soup
Bean and Sausage 
BBQ Beans  
BBQ Beans (Renee's)
Black Eyed Peas 
Butternut squash (soup base) 
Chicken & Garbanzo Bean Soup
Clam Chowder Base
Condensed Tomato Soup
Corned Beef Hash
Pie Pumpkin (pressure canned)
Pinto Beans
Salmon (Miranda's)
Sauerbraten - Beef in vinegar marinade
Split Pea Soup
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Building a The Root Cellar – In Pictures

This is Great, Hard Work with an Awesome Payoff!

 By Survival Acres
Sustainable Living & Common Sense
 
Here’s what some of you might have been waiting for, the picture sequence of the root cellar (many images follow):


Starting here (my first picture) of this project:

To this:

to this:

to this:

to this:

to this:

to this:

to this:

to this:

to this:

to the final covering with a huge double-layered tarp:

to this:

Final picture of the front still coming, I literally forgot to take this shot!

It’s just a big pile of dirt now from the outside, but inside, it’s cold (49 degrees), roomy, dry and useful. Overall finished dimensions are 13 x 24, cost is about $1200 I think or a bit more. The green tarp was pretty expensive, but certainly worth it.

Things I learned:
a) dig a BIG hole, you will be needing it for room to work.

b) remove ALL organic debris as you go. Easier to remove it before you bury it in your waste pile and then dig it up again.

c) budget for more cost then you expect (at least double).

d) budget for more time then you expect (triple in my case).

e) getting holes and posts and logs square is hard to do, dimensional lumber is much easier, but work at it. When you then apply dimensional lumber over non-dimensional logs, it’s hard to get things to line up. Remember things like 4 feet, 8 feet and such like if you are going to use dimensional anything.

f) remove all the rocks you find as you go. Don’t put any around your posts either, you’ll invariably have to remove them when you try to fix a mistake, not fun.

g) trim your logs and remove all the stubs. You can do this after they are installed if you handy and safe on a ladder with a chainsaw (I did) or clean them up before installing, either method works, I didn’t find one method easier then the other.

h) grade ALL your lumber in advance, make sure you have enough and it’s up to the job you intend it to do. I ran out of roof trusses, and opted for tamarack instead of cedar, only 1/4 of the cellar trusses are cedar, although tamarack (larch) is far stronger and will still last a long time.

i) keep your work area clear — of everything. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve moved stuff around. Mostly, realize that you will need access to the entire outside area of the cellar, which I did not have. I hand dug and hand shoveled a great deal as a result, power equipment cannot move at all around stumps, boulders, trees and bushes (unless you like breaking things). This is probably one of the really big issues I’d emphasize, remember, you are going to need plenty of room to maneuver.

j) be prepared for some seriously hard work, there is a lot of sweat that goes into one of these things.

k) listen to your wife or spouse or whoever, they might have some good ideas, otherwise, tell ‘em to shut up and get back to work!

l) you really can do anything you want, there is no perfect way to do this. The pioneers had far less to work with then we do today and did everything the “hard way” (without petroleum or any of its downstream benefits like ice in your water bottle or a hot shower waiting for you at the end of the day).
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How to Preserve Food for Future Consumption Using Three Simple Old Fashioned Methods




by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.

Basic Food Safety Precautions

Fruit Mixture
  1. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling any type of food.
  2. Rinse the raw food thoroughly before processing and storing it.
  3. Use clean food processing equipment.
  4. Always wash the utensils before using them on a different food item to prevent a problem of cross-contamination.
  5. Use clean storage containers.
  6. Examine the food carefully and discard any food that has mold or bruises or slime or insects or other problems.
  7. The shelf life of the food will not be extended forever, but it can be increased by a few weeks to a few months (or longer depending on the food item and the preservation method).

The Three Traditional Food Preservation Methods

There are three simple ways to preserve food using traditional old fashioned procedures that do not require any special chemicals, or salt, or equipment:
  1. In the ground.
  2. In a root cellar.
  3. Drying.
Let's examine each of the above three methods one at a time.


In the Ground

 (Appropriate for Carrots and Radishes in the Fall)

Carrots Leave the vegetables in the original ground where they grew during the summer.

This technique works well with carrots and radishes.

Mulch the ground above the vegetables with a thick layer of straw.

However, if the weather has not yet turned cold and you leave radishes in the ground then they will go to seed.


In a Root Cellar

 (Appropriate for Some Vegetables and Some Fruits)

A root cellar is a cool dry dark place underground where the temperature remains between 40F to 60F (or 4C to 15C).
  1. The depth of the root cellar below ground will vary between 1 to 3 feet depending on the frost line in the area where you live. The frost line is how deep the ground freezes in winter.
  2. Humidity must be controlled.
  3. Insects and rodents must be kept out.
A simple root cellar can be made from a clean empty food grade 55 gallon drum. Plant the drum sideways below ground under at least 12 inches of dirt. Put the food in the drum and then attach the drum lid. Shovel some dirt against the lid to keep it cool inside the drum. The drum will stay cool and it will keep out the air and insects and rodents. Do not place the fruit or vegetables directly against the sides of the drum. Instead store the fruit or vegetables inside wood boxes inside the drum.

Apples, peaches, pears, plums, and tomatoes release ethylene gas while in storage and this gas will cause other foods to ripen and spoil more rapidly. Therefore they should be stored by themselves and not with other foods.

Apples: Store apples in crates no more than three apples high per crate. The crates should be stored on a high shelf in the root cellar.

Cabbage: Remove the roots and the exterior leaves. Store upside down one layer high loosely packed in crates. Cover the crate with a tarp or sheet of plastic.

Carrots: Cut off the crown. Rinse thoroughly. Stack upright in a plastic or wood box and cover with newspaper.

Corn, Stowells Heirloom Evergreen White Corn: Before the corn is fully ripe pull up the stalks with the roots still attached and store them upside down inside your root cellar. The corn will continue to ripen over several months. Therefore, you will be able to eat fresh corn-on-the-cob for between three to five more months. That is the reason it is called "evergreen corn." (Note: After the corn has fully ripened, if you will peel back the husks on one ear of corn on three or four different stalks and then allow the corn to dry on the cob you will have "corn seed" to plant in the spring. Twist the corn kernels off the cobs using your hands and discard the small kernels near the end of the ear. Save the bigger corn kernels and plant them to produce another fresh crop of corn.)

White Onion Onions: Allow them to dry thoroughly. Then tie them together in small bunches and hang them upside down from a string or a wire. White and yellow onions store well but red onions do not store well.

Pears: Pears are not ripe enough to eat until after they have been stored for at least a few weeks.

Potatoes: You may dig up the potatoes when the green vine above your potatoes dies, or you can leave the potatoes in the ground for a few more weeks. After digging your potatoes allow them to age in a shaded well-ventilated area for about two more weeks. Do not put them in the sun because the sun will turn them green and the green toxin that is created is harmful to pregnant women and nursing women and to babies. Remove any loose dirt clinging to the potatoes but do not wash the potatoes. A very thin layer of dirt will help to greatly extend the shelf life of the potatoes. After two weeks in the shade transfer the potatoes into the root cellar. Store them in a wood crate but not a plastic crate. Cover them with straw. They will stay fresh for up to six months.

Tomatoes: Pick while they are still green and before they are ripe. Wrap each tomato in a piece of paper. They will keep for approximately three months. Before using a tomato, remove it and expose it to some warm air and some light and it will finish ripening.


Drying

 (Appropriate for Meats, Fruits, and a few Vegetables)

Introduction to Drying:
  1. The food is placed on a tray or a screen and then dried using a good source of heat, such as the heat of the sun, or an oven at very low temperature, or near a wood-burning fireplace. The drying location must be well ventilated and it should not be in direct sunlight. The drying time will vary considerably depending on the outdoor temperature and the humidity in the air at the time of drying. The guidelines below are rough averages and you will need to check your food every day to determine if it is dry enough.
  2. Most vegetables cannot be dried because they lose too many nutrients and too much flavor.
  3. Dry fruit will feel leathery and it will not contain any moisture pockets. It should feel tough but it should not snap when bent.
  4. You must store dried foods in a moisture free and air-tight container such as glass jars, plastic freezer bags, or plastic food saver containers.
  5. Store the dried food in a cool dry dark place out of the light between 40F to 60F (or 4C to 15C).
  6. Dried fruit may be eaten as a snack, or it may be used in a granola recipe, or it may be re-hydrated by covering it with warm water for one-hour.
Sun Drying: Dry your food on a hot dry day when the humidity is relatively low. Sun drying requires several consecutive days of 100F (38C) dry weather. Dry the food in a shaded area and do not place the food in direct sunlight.

Oven Drying: Start at 175F (80C) for the first 30 minutes to kill any parasites or pathogens in the fruit. Then reduce the oven drying temperature to between 120F to 140F (50C to 60C) for fruits. You must frequently turn and rotate the food while it is drying.

How to Dry Meat:

Meat Trim all the fat off the meat. Then cut the lean meat into strips one-inch wide and 1/4-inch thick. Meat should be dried between 165F to 185F (74C to 85C) to kill all the potentially harmful microorganisms that might be in the meat. But the temperature should not be so hot that it cooks the meat. The objective is to dry the meat at a safe temperature and not cook it. When the meat snaps or cracks when it is bent then it is dry enough. (Note: Do not discard the fat if the fat is fresh. Instead you should render the fat and then use it strategically in your diet.)

How to Dry Vegetables and Fruit:

Vegetables and fruits that are to be used in a recipe can be processed following the instructions below. To eat the dried fruit, put the dried fruit in some boiling water for 1/2 hour or in some warm water for 1 hour.

Apples: Rinse thoroughly and then slice into thin pieces about 1/4-inch thick. Remove the core and the seeds but do not remove the outside peel. Soak the apples in a solution of water and lemon juice before drying. The drying time for thinly sliced apples is about 3 hours. For apples that have been quartered it takes about 2 or 3 days. The apple is dry when it does not feel moist or sticky.

Dried Beans Beans: Most beans, such as kidney beans and pinto beans, do not require any special effort to dry them for future consumption. Pick the bean pod when the beans are fully mature. Leave the beans inside the pods for about two weeks at normal room temperatures to give the beans a chance to harden and to protect them from a multitude of insects. Then remove the beans and discard the pods. The beans will continue to dry at normal room temperatures. (Note: The dried beans may be planted as seed in the spring to produce a fresh crop of beans.) If you would like some ideas on how to cook dried beans then please examine the bean recipes on my web site. Dried beans will remain fresh and easy to cook for at least two years. If you still have some dried beans left over after three years then they will probably require a really long soaking in a water bath and processing inside a pressure cooker to make them soft enough to eat. After four or five years you will probably discover that the dried beans have become too hard to eat and their only use will be add them to your compost pile to produce your own garden fertilizer.

Beets: Rinse thoroughly. Peel the beet and then slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Cook the beet pieces. Then drain the beet pieces and dry until they feel leathery.

Blueberries: Sort out any defective blueberries and any twigs or stems. Thoroughly rinse the good blueberries. Place in a single layer on a screen or tray. They will dry in about 5 or 6 days in a warm location or about 4 hours inside an oven at very low temperature (120F to 140F or 50C to 60C).

Cherries Cherries: Rinse thoroughly and then remove the pit. Place on a drying tray in a single layer where the cherries do not touch each other. They will dry in about 4 days outdoors. Or dry in an oven at 140F (60C) for about 6 hours. They should feel leathery and slightly sticky. Do not over-dry the cherries. However, it is better to have them a little too dry than not dry enough because if they aren't dry then mold will develop on the cherries. Store the dried cherries in an airtight container.

Corn, Reid's Heirloom Yellow Dent Corn: After this heirloom yellow corn has fully ripened you have two options:
  1. You can eat some of the corn fresh, and
  2. You can pull up some of the stalks with the corn still attached. Peel back the husks. Hang the corn on their stalks upside down in a well-ventilated area for four more weeks. Wait until the kernels are hard and dry. Twist off the full kernels of corn using your hands. Discard the small kernels near the end of the cob. As you need it, you may grind the dried corn into corn meal and use it in a corn meal recipe to make corn bread, hush puppies, nacho chips, taco shells, or corn batter for corn dogs (you can substitute canned Vienna sausages for the hot dogs). (Note: The dried corn kernels are also "corn seed" and you may plant them in the spring to produce another fresh crop of corn.)
Figs: Wash the figs. Boil some water and add two fig leaves. Then quickly dip each fig in the boiling water for three seconds and then immediately remove it. Cut the fig in half. Place them skin side down on a drying tray. Keep the figs separated and dry outdoors. Or dry in a 130F (54C) oven for about 5 hours.

Grapes Grapes: After the dew has dried off them but before midday you should harvest the grapes with about 3 inches of stem attached. The stem enhances the flavor during the drying process. Rinse thoroughly. Dip in boiling water for 30 seconds to crack the skins. Hang the grapes up by their stems and let them dry naturally in a warm room with no extra heat. They will turn into raisins. They are dry when the center of the raisin contains no moisture. Seedless grapes are best for making raisins.

Onions: Harvest the onions immediately after the tops die and fall over. Rinse thoroughly and then slice into round slices such as for a hamburger, or dice into small cubes. Place on a tray and dry using the heat of the sun. Or dry at 120F (50C) for about 24 hours, stirring the onions every 8 hours.

Peaches: Rinse thoroughly and then slice into quarter sections and remove the stone. Place on a drying tray. Turn the peach quarters over every four hours.

Pear Pears: Rinse thoroughly and then slice into halves. Place on a drying tray and cover with a cloth. Dry using the heat of the sun for about six days. Or cut the fresh pears into quarters and they will dry in about three days. Or dry near a wood stove for about two days.

Peppers (Sweet): Rinse thoroughly and then slice into pieces no more than one-inch wide. Remove the seeds. Allow them to dry slowly on a drying tray.

Potatoes: Rinse thoroughly. The skin may be left on or peeled off. Cut into 1/8-inch thick round slices. Put the sliced potatoes in boiling water for 8 minutes. Then transfer the potatoes to cool water or ice water for 15 minutes. Dry the potatoes with a paper towel or a clean cloth towel. Dry the potatoes using the heat of the sun, or an oven, or a wood-burning fireplace until the potato slices are dry and crisp.

Plums: Rinse thoroughly and then slice into halves and remove the pit. Place on a drying tray and cover with a cloth. Dry using the heat of the sun for about four days.

Spinach: Select clean fresh leaves and do not rinse them. Place them individually on a drying tray in a warm location. The leaf is dry enough when the leaf breaks easily when you bend it. To prepare for eating boil the dried leaves in water.

Strawberries Strawberries: Rinse thoroughly and then slice into halves. Place the cut side up on a tray and dry using the heat of the sun.

Tomatoes: Plum tomatoes, such as the Roma tomato, dry well. The Beefsteak tomato also dries well. Rinse thoroughly. Dip briefly in boiling water to loosen the skins. Remove the skins. Slice the tomato in half or quarters and remove all the seeds. (Note: Save the seeds and dry them on a piece of paper and then plant the dried seeds the following spring to produce a fresh crop of tomatoes.) Sprinkle some salt on a drying tray and place the tomato halves on the salted tray. Cover and dry in the sun. Turn the tomatoes over every four hours during the day. Bring the tomatoes indoors at night. Store in glass jars when dry. If you wish you may cover the tomatoes in oil inside the jar.

Turnips: Rinse thoroughly and then slice into 1/8-inch thick pieces. Push a thin wire or a string (attached to a needle) through each slice and then hang the slices so the slices cannot touch and dry in a warm area for 10 to 14 days. Then place the turnips on a cookie sheet and heat in a 160F (71C) oven for five minutes. Allow to cool and then store. This method will preserve the turnips for up to five years.


Special Footnote about Food Vacuum Sealers

Many dry foods, such as sugar, salt, peppercorns, corn starch, baking soda, white rice, oatmeal, grits, instant milk, instant potatoes, and pasta can be protected from insects, oxygen, and humidity by sealing them inside vacuum seal bags.

Vacuum sealing will also significantly extend the shelf life of many foods because you eliminate the oxygen and the humidity that can gradually destroy the food.

If you use vacuum sealed storage bags you will not need to purchase any of the "oxygen absorber packets" because the vacuum sealing process will remove all the oxygen from inside the specially designed bags.

Vacuum sealing is also highly, highly recommended for the long-term preservation of individually wrapped hard candies, such as miniature Tootsie Rolls, Caramels, Peppermints, Spearmint's, etc. Vacuum sealing hard candies will significantly extend their shelf lives and preserve their original natural smell and their original flavor.

A cheap good quality food vacuum sealer will cost about $40 and a two-roll box of vacuum seal bags will cost about $22.

If you buy the 11-inch wide rolls that are 16-feet long then you can cut individuals bags from the roll to the exact length you need.
Therefore there will be very little waste because:
  • You won't need to seal a small item inside a large bag, and
  • You can seal the foods in the quantities you think you will need so you can open one bag at a time and the rest of your food will remain fresh inside its own vacuum sealed bag.
Immediately after you vacuum seal an item inside a vacuum storage bag use a medium tip permanent black magic marker to write a brief description of the contents on the top of the bag and the date you sealed the bag, such as:
16 ounces Pure Salt, Sealed May 2010.
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Monday, April 30, 2012

Basic Food Storage List


 peaches

My bare bones list for food storage necessities for one adult male. For an average adult woman multiply the amounts by 0.75. For a child ages 1-3 multiply it by 0.3. For children 4-6 multiply by 0.5. Children 7-9 multiply by 0.75. I’ve listed the category along with the weight in food you need. Under each category are the basics this weight should be distributed into. It is up to you how you distribute it. In the space provided before each item write in the amount in pounds you have of each.


(This is figured as a 1 year supply)
Remember you can adjust things as you need to for your family's likes and dislikes. But I think Jessica did a really great job of giving everyone a starting point! SRN

Grains – 400lbs

____  Barley
____  Cereal
____  Cornmeal
____  Flour
____  Multigrain
____  Oats, Rolled Quick
____  Oats, Rolled Regular
____  Popcorn
____  Sprouting Seeds
____  Wheat
____  White Rice
____  Pasta Noodles

Milk/Dairy – 75lbs

____  Canned Milk
____  Canned Sour Cream
____  Cheese Spreads
____  Condensed Milk
____  Dried Cheese
____  Dried Eggs
____  Infant Formula
(If Applicable)
____  Powdered Milk
____  Powdered Cheese
____  Powdered Sour Cream

Juices/Beverages – 25lbs

____  Apple Juice
____  Baby Strained Juices
____  Cocoa Drink Mix
____  Cranberry Juice
____  Dried Juice Mix
____  Kool Aid
____  Grape Juice
____  Tomato Juice

Fats/Oils – 20lbs

____  Canned Butter
____  Cooking Oil
____  Margarine
____  Mayonnaise
____  Olive Oil
____  Peanut Butter
____  Powdered Butter
____  Salad Dressing
____  Shortening

Meats (Canned, Dehydrated or Freeze Dried) – 20lbs

____  Beef
____  Beef Jerky
____  Chicken
____  Fish (tuna, crab, shrimp)
____  Ham
____  Pepperoni
____  TVP (Textured Vegetable protein)
____  Pork

Fruits and Veggies – 90lbs Dried, 370qts Canned

____  Apple Chips
____  Applesauce
____  Apricots
____  Peaches
____  Berries
____  Fruit Cocktail
____  Olives
____  Pears
____  Pineapple
____  Raisins
____  Tomatoes
____  Celery
____  Potatoes
____  Corn
____  Peas
____  Spinach
____  Carrots
____  Onions
____  Mushrooms
____  Peppers
____  Pickles
____  Asparagus
____  Yams

Beans & Legumes – 90lbs

____  Pinto
____  Pink
____  White
____  Kidney
____  Nuts
____  Sprouting Seeds

Sugars – 60lbs

____  Corn Syrup
____  Honey
____  Syrup
____  Brown Sugar
____  White Sugar
____  Powdered Sugar

Auxiliary Foods – As Needed

____  Baking Powder
____  Baking Soda
____  Cake Mixes
____  Vitamins
____  Cookies
____  Cornstarch
____  Crackers
____  Cream of Tartar
____  Roll/Bread Mixes
____  Instant Breakfast
____  Instant yeast
____  Muffin Mixes
____  Pancake Mix
____  Pectin
____  Pie Fillings
____  Gelatin
____  Salt
____  Survival Bars

Spices & Condiments – As Needed

____  Allspice
____  Basil
____  BBQ Sauce
____  Bouillon Cubs
____  Cayenne Pepper
____  Chili Powder
____  Chives
____  Chocolate Syrup
____  Cinnamon
____  Cloves
____  Coriander
____  Cumin
____  Curry
____  Dill Weed
____  Garlic Powder
____   Ginger
____  Gravy Mixes
____  Ketchup
____  Nutmeg
____  Onion Flakes
____  Oregano
____  Paprika
____  Pepper
____  Sage
____  Salad Dressing
____  Salt
____  Steak Sauce
____  Soy Sauce
____  Spaghetti Sauce
____  Thyme
____  Vanilla Extract
____  Vinegar
____  Worcestershire Sauce
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Sunday, March 18, 2012

My Family is Prepared...











It's like having a garden in you Pantry!



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Sunday, March 11, 2012

Long Term Food Storage Containers

 Posted by" Self Reliant Network

 

Thеrе аrе four main factors thаt determine the shelf life οf уουr long term food storage containers. If уου аrе looking tο ѕtаrt a food storage program fοr уουr family.

Thе four factors аrе аѕ follows:

Thе temperature οf the storage area, thе dampness content οf thе food, thе atmosphere іn thе storage container, аnd thе storage container itself. Lеt’s look аt each οf those factors.

1) Temperature οf thе Storage Area
Temperature hаѕ more tο dο wіth hοw long storable food wіll last thаn anything еlѕе. If уου аrе рlanning οn storing уουr food іn a warm environment, іt wіll οnlу last a fraction οf thе time іt wουld last іn a сοοl, dry рlасе. Sοmе feel thаt thе optimum temperature іѕ 40 degrees F οr less. Bυt, nοt everyone wіll bе аblе tο achieve thаt. Another factor іѕ thаt уου hаνе a рlасе whеrе thе temperature іѕ relatively constant. Frequent temperature changes саn аlѕο shorten thе life οf storable food.

2) Dampness Content οf thе Food
Foods wіth excess dampness саn spoil іn thеіr containers. Food chosen fοr long term food storage containers ѕhουld hаνе a dampness content οf 10% οr less. Thіѕ іѕ hard tο achieve bесаυѕе mοѕt people don’t hаνе access tο specialized equipment.

An alternative іѕ tο gеt freeze-dried food, whісh hаѕ bееn specially prepared fοr thіѕ purpose. Thе dampness content οf thеѕе foods hаѕ bееn taken care οf іn thе preparation process.

3) Atmosphere іn thе Storage Container
Oxygen oxidizes many οf thе compounds іn food, ѕο foods packed іn air іn long term food storage containers wіll nοt store аѕ well аѕ Nitrogen, whісh іѕ a well lονеd gas fοr storing food, аnd one thаt works very well.

Sοmе people υѕе oxygen absorber packets. Yου рlасе one іn thе long term food storage containers аnd seal. Whеn уου υѕе thеѕе, уου mυѕt hаνе a storage container thаt іѕ аblе tο survive ѕοmе vacuum sealing pressure. Thіѕ іѕ bесаυѕе thе absorber packet wіll mаkе a slight vacuum аѕ іt absorbs thе oxygen.

*Remember your oxygen absorbers only work the first time used.

If you want to reseal air tight again you need to vacuum seal or use another oxygen absorber. I prefer glass canning jars or bags. I prefer clear bags, that will depend on temperature and light in your long term storage area. We store from small bags to buckets of rice, beans and pasta's. This gives a bigger variety of use per each situation.

Mοѕt food units thаt аrе packaged аnd sold fοr long term food storage hаνе bееn packed wіth nitrogen іn thе #10 cans.

Oxygen absorbers fοr food storage аrе equipment thаt chemically аnѕwеr wіth oxygen іn thе environment thеу аrе іn, combining wіth thе oxygen аnd thus removing іt frοm thаt environment. Thе mοѕt frequently used material fοr absorbers іѕ iron іn thе forms οf iron powder οr iron carbonate. Both combine wіth oxygen very effectively.
Once oxygen absorbers fοr food storage аrе exposed tο oxygen thеу wіll continue tο аnѕwеr wіth іt until thе material іѕ fully “oxidized” meaning іt саn nοt absorb аnу more oxygen. Fοr thіѕ reason thеу need tο bе very carefully sealed аnd stored ѕο thаt thеу аrе nοt consumed before thеіr intended υѕе.

Thе application іn whісh oxygen absorbers аrе used fοr freeze dried food storage іѕ tο рlасе thеm іn thе саn οf food before іt іѕ vacuum sealed.

Thе thουght іѕ thаt аnу oxygen thаt leaks іntο thе sealed container over being οf storage wіll bе absorbed bу іt, rаthеr thаn thе oxygen reacting wіth thе freeze dried food аnd degrading іt.

4) Thе Storage Container
Storage containers ѕhουld hаνе a hermetic seal (air tight) tο gеt thе longest life out οf уουr stored foods. #10 Cans аnd sealable food-grade storage buckets work very well fοr thіѕ.

Yου mυѕt mаkе сеrtаіn thаt thе storage containers уου υѕе аrе food grade containers. #10 cans thаt аrе used fοr food storage regularly hаνе аn enamel lining fοr thіѕ purpose. Yου саn аlѕο bυу plastic food-grade 5 gallon buckets.

If уου сhοοѕе tο bυу plastic buckets, add thе food, аnd seal thеm yourself, уου wіll need tο rent a nitrogen cylinder tο fill thе airspace іn thе buckets. Whеn уου dο thіѕ, thе oxygen wіll bе displaced leaving οnlу thе nitrogen. Again, mаkе sure thаt уου bυу long term food storage containers. Thіѕ іѕ very vital.

There are many ways and many great ideas, do your research and use what will work best for the size of your family's needs.

Happy Storing...


Not so neat...











Nice and Neat...
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