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WHY FOOD FOOD STORAGE?
Why do you need to have FOOD STORAGE? A disaster such as a flood, an earthquake, or a snowstorm could hit a city or an entire region, cutting off roads and making it impossible for FOOD and other items to be transported to the markets. Political unrest or strikes by truckers, shippers, or rail workers could interfere with the transport of FOODS. Other types of disasters, such as famine resulting from drought, hurricanes, floods, and even wars, have occurred in many countries and could occur again.
When such disasters affect the entire community, FOOD and other supplies often cannot be obtained, even if money is available. A family can also experience an emergency in the form of illness or unemployment that results in a lack of income, making it necessary to rely on home FOOD STORAGE.
Here are several FOOD STORAGE IDEAS:
- START with the basics: wheat or other grains, dry beans, salt, sugar or honey, shortening , oil, and dry milk. They are nutritious, space efficient, relatively inexpensive, and store fairly well. Oil and dry milk need to be rotated more frequently.
- LEARN to cook with your FOOD STORAGE. In our fast-paced world, many people are becoming so reliant on convenience FOODS that they have little experience with cooking. Try recipes using basic commodities and incorporate them into your diet. Be creative in using your FOOD STORAGE. For example, a few spoonfuls of powdered milk mixed with spaghetti sauce while cooking is a fair substitute for Parmesan cheese When making mashed potatoes, add in some-instant potatoes to soak up the excess water.
- STORE FOODS properly. Quality is best maintained by minimal exposure to light, heat, moisture and air. FOOD stored in a basement will last much longer than FOOD stored in an attic or garage. Do not store FOOD next to products that may impart an odor.(i.e. laundry detergent, fuel).
- AFTER storing the basics, expand your STORAGE and store the items you eat. Find recipes that make your basic STORAGE taste good, and plan your expanded STORAGE based on those recipes. Store a variety of FOODS for balanced nutrition and greater flexibility in cooking. Expanded STORAGE may include FOODS such as pasta, flour, canned goods, dehydrated FOODS, yeast, baking soda, baking powder and spices.
- DEVELOP a plan to meet your needs. Write dates on everything: use older FOOD first. Eating FOOD STORAGE two days per week allows complete rotation of a year's supply every three years and helps us become accustomed to eating our FOOD STORAGE.
- STORE water (at least 14 gallons per person for a 2-week supply). Soda/juice bottles will work for water STORAGE or larger FOOD grade plastic containers may also be used. 5, 15, 30 or 55 gallon water barrels will work as long as they are FOOD grade quality. Water needs to be treated prior to STORAGE. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends 4 drops of bleach per-quart of water (see http://www.fema.gov/pte/emfdwtr.htm). Water should be replace yearly to maintain freshness.
- STORE non-FOOD items such as toiletries, soap, cleaning supplies, paper products and laundry detergent.
- DO not go into debt for FOOD STORAGE. Set up a budget to acquire your FOOD STORAGE in an orderly manner. Buy in bulk: FOOD is usually cheaper if purchased in larger quantities. When an item you use is on sale, stock up on it.
- GROW a garden so you can have fresh produce. Store and rotate seeds.
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