Food Storage High

I'm pretty much addicted to getting food storage. I can't remember exactly what spurred this big push--I think it was a lot of things all at once: friends doing theirs, reading about it on someone's blog, hearing about the price of wheat rising again and again, the increase in gas prices, and a weird dream I had about a lady selling a wheat grinder and a recipe book full of recipes using wheat. Not to mention that we've been hearing for a long time that we need to do it, and we have been feeling the urgency more and more lately.

It's been hard to come up with the money to buy it, so we decided to use the money we get from the government in a couple months here. We decided that if the gov. is giving us money to help bolster the economy at the start of a recession, the smart thing to do with that money would be to get more prepared for times of economic turmoil.

I was telling my neighbor the other day that I just want to see other people's food storage, so I can get more and more ideas of what to get and how to store it. So, here's my request: If you have food storage, would you mind showing me a picture, and telling me at least one of the best things you've learned by doing it? In return, I'll show a few pictures of ours.

Most of our three-month supply--it's all stored in our unfinished basement bathroom that conveniently stays fairly cool all year long.


These buckets from the BYU Creamery are only $ .50, as opposed to the $5.00 white ones. Although these aren't as thick, we think they will still work to keep out bugs, rats, and children.

Our one-year supply of essentials. We've stacked boxes all along one wall, about 5 feet high. We use the top as a shelf for more cans of our 3-month supply.



And here are a few things I've discovered:

1. I like to stock up on the items for our 3-month supply (of foods we eat regularly) when they are on sale and during case lot sales. I won't pay more than $1.50 for a box of cereal, and I buy oatmeal when it's $1.00. Then I just keep a list of things we are running out of, and I watch for them to be on sale, so I can stock up a little here and a little there.
   
2. It's really fun to go to the cannery to do dry-pack. At Welfare Square in Salt Lake, they are pretty relaxed and easy to work with. They let you just walk in (in small family groups) without an appointment, and work as long or as short as you'd like, and buy other items that are already canned. But remember--you can't buy food there on a credit card, so bring a check or cash. The Brethren don't want saints to go into debt to get food storage.
   
3. There's been a little bit of a wheat "frenzy" here in Utah--especially Utah County. But they've reassured us at WS that there is not shortage of red wheat. And now, it is available in prepacked boxes to either pick up or have mailed to you (you can also get rice, & beans) for a reasonable cost. So far, the rising prices of wheat haven't changed the price at WS.
   
4. White wheat is either gone or almost gone from Welfare Square, but you can still buy it other places, it's just way cheaper from the Church. Although some argue that you need white wheat to supplement your red wheat since it's not as hard on your digestive system, my mom has been making homemade bread with red wheat and white flour, and it's been delicious! I have renewed hope in our red wheat!
5. Even if you do nothing else, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE WATER! It's the most essential thing you could store, and the cheapest too. Here's my theory: start today to get the minimum water amount (14 gallons per person) by using milk and juice cartons. Milk cartons aren't good for long-term, but if disaster struck next week, you'd be glad to have water in milk cartons. We started with milk cartons, and are working to gradually replace them with juice cartons and a big barrel.
   
6. If you need more info on what to store, see http://www.providentliving.org
7. And last, but certainly not least...we have found that the Lord sends His Spirit in great abundance when we obey our prophets and get prepared with food storage. We noticed it the very first time we went shopping for food storage. We returned home totally shocked to feel such a strong spirit of peace and happiness--it was so easy to recognize.

OK, way more info than you wanted, but I expect you to give me your best info too!

P.S. My mom helped us SO much with this, so she deserves a lot of the credit. Thanks Mom!