How to Use Basic Food Storage

Whether you are looking at long-term food storage or storing food for short-term emergencies, knowing how to maintain a food storage system is essential. A good food storage system includes the basics, such as wheat and beans, yet also has foods that your family likes to eat. By having a combination of food types, you can feed your family for extended periods of time.

Things You'll Need

• Food grade buckets, tubs and pail.

Instructions

1. Rotate the food you keep in storage. This means when you purchase food for the storage system, use the older food you already have stored before using the more recently purchased foods.

2. Stock a wide variety of foods. While the basics may keep you alive, they bore you after just a few days. This is especially true if you have children to consider.

3. Include vitamins in your food storage plan. A good once-a-day multi-vitamin for both children and adults will add to the nutritional value of your plan.

4. Invest in food-grade food buckets, pails and tubs in which to keep dry food goods, such as wheat, cereal, powdered milk and cheese, and other foodstuffs that can be ruined from moisture or bugs.

5. Prepare foods from your storage system often. Doing this helps your family get used to the tastes and textures of stored-food supplies.

Tips & Warnings

• Include cooking oils, yeast, lard or shortening and powdered eggs in your food storage plans. These items will be needed to create many dishes, such as breads and cakes.

• Invest in a good book that is specifically written for using stored foods for everyday eating. There are a number of books available for this purpose.

• Package items such as grains and other bulk purchases in smaller packaging and store in airtight containers. This allows you to use only what you need and keep the remainder from spoiling or turning rancid.

References

• Backwoods Home Magazine: 7 Mistakes of Food Storage
• North Dakota State University: Food Storage Guide