This week our food storage focus is pancake mix & pancake syrup.
My son comes home from his mission in 17 days 🙂 and my daughter just started her mission papers. You may not hear much from me over the next few weeks, but I will try to get some posts out as I can.
Remember, your food storage should consist of shelf-stable foods. What we store in our 3-month supply (STEP 1) is everyday foods or short-term storage foods which have an approximate range of 3 month – 10 year shelf-life. What we store in our long-term supply are foods that have a 20 to 30 year shelf life. Don’t consider what’s in your refrigerator or freezer as this type of storage, because it could be gone quickly with a 24-hour power outage. However, we all buy perishable foods and can continue to purchase them and inventory them. Hope that all made sense.
STEP 1: 3-Month Supply (per adult) – Pancake mix: 2 lbs. AND Pancake syrup: 32 oz.
Why?: Pancake mix and syrup are an easy prep meal. Definitely convenience foods for those who don’t make them from scratch. If you do make pancakes from scratch, store an equivalent amount of ingredients. You could also store real maple syrup or agave nectar. The choice is always yours.
Tip: Costco sells 10 lb. Krusteaz pancake mix for $6.40 and Sam’s Club sells 10 lb. Daily Chef pancake mix for $6.00. I picked up 2 bags of pancake mix and 2 containers of syrup last week.
Shelf Life: both have a 1 year
STEP 2: Drinking Water – 14 gallons (FEMA) or about 4×24 ct. cases of bottled water
(Skip this step if you’ve already got it.)
Tip: Stock up this month! It’s everywhere today, but it may not be tomorrow. Buy more to replenish what you use. Small bottles are for short-term storage because you periodically use them. More durable containers are for long-term storage and need to be refilled every 6 months.
Shelf Life: small bottles see Still Tasty.com
STEP 3: Financial Reserve (per person) – $2.00 +/- per week
(Skip this if you’ve already accumulated your goal.)
Tip: Start your fund this month! Decide on an amount you want for emergencies and put aside weekly amounts until you build up your reserve. Keep some in the bank and some cash at home.
STEP 4: Longer-Term Supply (per adult) – None this week.
Home Storage: Toiletries Group 2 (per adult) – Dental floss 3 ea.
Tip: Use your best judgement to figure out how much to stock up on for your family.
Preparedness Goal – Collect 7 breakfast recipes
How: Gather a few family favorite recipes, type them up and store in a binder or recipe card file. Focus on those recipes that use as much shelf-stable ingredients as possible such as pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, granola, muffins, sweet rolls, and crepes. Look for ideas at My Food Storage Cookbook, The Prudent Homemaker or just about any of your favorite sites.
Equipment Goal – NOAA AM/FM weather radio or app
Tip: NOAA radios continually broadcast “weather service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” NOAA stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I have one of the buttons on my car radio always set for the station in my area. For a list of stations, go here. Do not rely on the internet to receive watches and warnings unless you have a backup power source. A radio costs about $30. Check out some of the new apps as well.
Weekly Inventory – Beans, Meat, Soups
How: Go through your supply of these items. Count, organize, and use those close to their expiration date. Toss dented or torn container items. Mark what you have on your inventory list.
Good luck on your weekly goals. You CAN do it! Here is the printout of the February 2013 Food Storage list.
Instructions:
Each week, I post various food storage and emergency items to gather. By stocking up year round, you build up your supplies economically, use some, leave some on the shelf, and buy some more. Cycling keeps your items fresh and integrated into your everyday diet. I’ve incorporated the LDS 4-Step Approach to Home Storage, but with my suggested items to gather.
Work on STEP 1, 2 and 3, before moving to STEP 4: Long-Term Food Supply. It may take you awhile to gather your 3-Month Supply, water and a financial reserve. As long as you are moving forward, that’s what matters most. Only gather what you can afford, will eat, and choose goals you have time for. Substitute other foods that work for your family.
Remember, design your food storage for your family, your way. Nothing cookie-cutter about this.