Many of my readers have told me they enjoy using my Monthly Food Storage Shopping lists. I am so pleased! So, I am putting together a book called The Food Storage Organizer. But I need your input on what you want this book to become. I am focusing on buying food storage throughout the year.
If you are willing to share your comments and ideas, you will be entered in my newest giveaway. I will be giving my book away to 4 lucky winners! See the entry at the end of this post.
Here is a preview of the introduction. Definitely a rough draft with typos, but it will get you thinking.
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Introduction
I began this book in 2009, but struggled to finish it because I kept thinking I had to learn more. Until I finally figured out there will always be more to learn and imperfect people can write good books. Besides, I needed this book now too, so I could move forward with my own food storage.
Of all of the books I wanted to find in a bookstore, this is the one I most wanted. I’m not bragging, but telling you the truth. I really wanted a book that simplified food storage. And I kept looking for it, hoping someone had written it. A book that doesn’t make me feel guilty if everything wasn’t made from scratch. A book for normal people that sometimes use jarred spaghetti sauce and eat cold cereal. A book that helps me shop for food storage without overwhelming me. Could I actually be put on autopilot while shopping for food storage?
The Food Storage Organizer is simply a month-to-month organizer with weekly shopping suggestions from my studies of what is available seasonally in grocery stores across the country. And it’s adaptable for anyone. So you get a year’s worth of carefully researched suggestions that you can repeat again next year.
Why seasonal? Because you can get some of the best food prices when you shop seasonally.
Why different foods each month? So you don’t buy things you don’t need. You don’t want to end up with 24 cans of green beans and only two boxes of cereal.
The organizer focuses on buying everyday shelf-stable foods until you accumulate a 3-month food storage supply, a 2-week water supply, and a rainy day fund. You just repeat the process over and over again so you will rotate your food storage. And then if you have space and finances, you add long-term foods like wheat, dry beans, etc. And don’t feel guilty.
I borrowed this idea from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; the experts on food storage. In 2007 they revised their food storage plan calling it the “Four-Step Approach to Home Storage” which I’ll paraphrase here:
Step 1 – Gather a 3-month supply of shelf-stable foods your family usually eats
Step 2 – Gather drinking water
Step 3 – Establish a financial reserve
Step 4 – After doing the first 3 steps, gather long-term foods.
Can you imagine how much better prepared you will be for unexpected job loss or a disaster with a 3-month supply of food put aside? Foods your kids will eat. Of course you can add a small supply of long-term foods in your 3-month supply, but you don’t have to.
Even though I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints you don’t have to be a Mormon to benefit from this organizer. People of all faiths know that gathering food storage to prepare for life’s difficulties is crucial. However, you probably won’t see coffee, tea, or alcohol on my lists. So I hope you will let that slide.
And guess what? I’m giving you permission to not do everything on my lists. I can’t do them all either. If you have a busy week or two, no one will ever know you skipped week 36. However, you are not allowed to gather what you cannot afford. No one should go into debt for food storage. It doesn’t make sense.
Once you start gathering, you will begin to make a dent in that huge abyss of personal preparedness. Any step forward, is a step forward, so don’t get hung up on the details. This book will help you naturally gather food storage (and emergency items if you with) each month while you grocery shop, so you will use it and buy some more. The amounts listed are for a 3-month supply. But you can always multiply that by 4 to come up with a year’s supply. However, not all foods have a one year shelf life.
The suggested items and amounts should be adapted by you. You will do a little math to figure out how much is best for your family. And you will find along the way that you will need to increase or decrease those amounts as the size, ages and tastes of your family change. Please consider food allergies, ages of children, and the medical needs of your family, so The Food Storage Organizer becomes uniquely yours.
This organizer does not suggest refrigerator or freezer foods because most people will lose those items in an power outage. My focus is shelf stable foods: foods which are canned, packaged or boxed and will not expire for several months to a year. However, continue to purchase perishable foods like you normally do.
Each month you’ll see tips that will help you save money. The more money you save, the more money you have for food storage. And you will learn how to take a mini weekly inventory of a few suggested items.
I will do my best to help you not feel guilty, and succeed. I hope you enjoy gathering food storage and becoming better prepared.
Best wishes!
Valerie
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To Enter:
First, comment here at the bottom of this post what you want in this book. You’ve read my ideas above, but I want to hear from you! What do you need this book to be?
Next, for a second entry, Like PreparedLDSFamily.blogspot.com on Facebook. If you’ve already done it, let me know in your email.
Last, but very important, EMAL ME that you commented and/or Liked my blog. Put “Free Book” in the subject line. I will respond to your email within two days.
Open to:
Everyone! This is a worldwide giveaway from me to you.
Last Day to Enter:
Saturday, August 31st.
Winners announced Monday, September 10th, 2012
Good luck!