How to Calculate Food Storage
Ranging from job loss to natural disasters, emergency situations strike without warning and may leave your family short on food and water. Calculating your food and water requirements before hand ensures you and your family have the basic items you need to stay healthy. It only takes a few minutes to calculate how much food you need to save up, but those few minutes make all the difference if a crisis strikes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Write down the number of people you want to store food for. Two parents with three children would write down five people. Small children who eat less won't need as much, while hearty eaters may need more than the average person. Consider preparing for one extra person in your calculations to take these factors into account.
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Multiply the total number of people by the number of months you want the stored food to cover. Take the answer and multiply first by 25 and then by five. Your answer when multiplying by 25 is how many pounds of grain to store, such as rice and corn. The answer when multiplied by five is the amount of legumes, such as beans, you'll want to store.
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Multiply the number of people by the total number of months you want to store food for and multiply by two. This number represents the pounds of dairy products in non-perishable forms such as powdered milk or canned cheese you should store.
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Add 28 gallons of water to your list of items. Deep Creek Survival recommends this amount -- equal to two weeks worth of water -- and a good water filter regardless of how many months you're preparing for since it is rarely necessary to keep more.
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Try different online food storage calculators for detailed estimates of the foods you need to store. Compare the estimates and find an average you feel best fits the size and eating habits of your family.
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