Where Do I Begin? What Exactly Should I Store?

When I began writing this blog, it was never with the intention of writing about beginning food storage.  There were already hundreds of blogs that did that, offering general information and not a lot in the way of practical specifics.  However, there are a lot of people waking up now, either to the need to start preparing, or to the idea of storing more than a few weeks' worth of convenience foods.  Today's post is for that audience.

When some people first recognize the need to prepare, to begin a long-term food storage program, it’s usually because something has happened in society to raise a red flag of warning.  And when someone suddenly wakes up to our awful situation, s/he is often overcome with the need to acquire everything at once.  People don’t know where to turn for guidance or how to store food properly.  But because society may be collapsing tomorrow, or maybe next week, they want to get everything they need right now.  They don’t have time to research.  They just want to go shopping with someone else’s previously prepared shopping list. 

Below is one of those lists issued last year by the fine folks at the BYU Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science.  It’s not the one I follow, but it is a good one for beginners who want to get everything right now.[1]

With about 250 pounds of grains per year, it is far less than the 400 pounds that other popular lists have.  However, this list also includes apples, carrots, potatoes, and onions—items often not included in a lot of lists—and more oils and sugars.  Because there is a greater variety of foods, and especially foods that newcomers will be more familiar with and more easily purchased, I think this list looks a little less overwhelming. 

The list provides foods and storage amounts for one adult for one year.  It will provide approximately 2,000 calories per day.  Emphasized at the top of the page is the importance of adjusting the kinds and amounts of food based on personal preference and needs, and experimenting with recipes now.  It’s a good place to start.

Whatever you do, do not go to five different sources and select the minimum storage amounts from each one.  If you select the minimums from various sources, you’ll be storing fewer calories and less balanced nutrition. 

Most people reading this blog are not newbies at this.  However, as more and more people wake up to our awful situation in this country, we’re likely to run into a couple of people looking for guidance.  Just pointing people to this blog might overwhelm them.  This simple list from BYU provides an easy place to begin that you can share with others who are just getting started.  While I personally think things could fall apart any moment now, perhaps it isn’t too late to get started. 

 

An Approach to Longer Term Food Storage

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science, Brigham Young University

Revised September 2019

The amounts of food listed below provide adequate calories and protein for an adult for one year.  However, there are many other possibilities.  Adjust the kinds and amount of food stored based on personal needs and preferences, and by experimenting with recipes. 

·       Water is a critical storage item.  A common recommendation is to store 14 gallons per person for a two-week supply and to rotate the water periodically.  Because it is difficult to store large amounts, a means of water purification is needed.

·       Shelf life:  Long-term food items (most packaged in low oxygen) will generally have an acceptable taste for at least 30 years (except as noted) when stored at room temperature or below (but not freezing); however, some nutritional losses will occur.  Foods stored at higher temperatures (e.g., in attics, garages) will have a much shorter shelf life.

·       Short-term food items that must be rotated faster than used could be donated to a food bank before their expiration date.

·       Bolded items are available at Home Storage Centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and through the on-line store at store.churchofJesusChrist.org.  (Approximate weights are calculated from weights listed under “Prepackaged Items” shown on the “Home Storage Center Order Form.”)

Long-Term Food Items—at least 30 year shelf life	Per Person Amount Per Year	# Cases (6 cans per case)	Approx. Weight (lbs)
Grains (types are somewhat interchangeable based on individual preferences)
Wheat	24 #10 cans	4	132
Rice, white	12 #10 cans	2	65
Oats, rolled	12 #10 cans	2	29
Pasta (Macaroni or Spaghetti)	6 #10 cans	1	21
Legumes (Beans, Split Peas, Lentils)	12 #10 cans	2	62
Milk, nonfat dry (15 year shelf life)	12 #10 cans	2	49 (or 28 pouches)
Sugar (or other sweeteners—see below)	12 #10 cans	2	70
Apple Slices, dried	6 #10 cans	1	6
Potato Flakes	12 #10 cans	2	22
Carrots, dried (10 year shelf life)	3 #10 cans	--	8
Onions, dried	1 #10 can	--	2
Salt, iodized	8 lbs
Baking soda (for baking and to soften old beans)	1 lb
Baking powder	4 lbs
Vitamin C tablets (90 mg)	365 tablets
Short-term Food Items	Approx. unopened shelf life (years)	Per Person Amount Per Year
Fats and Oils (types are interchangeable based on individual preferences; storing a variety of fats/oils helps with rotation
Cooking/Salad Oils (e.g., soy, olive)	1+	2 gallons
Shortening/Frying Oils	1+	3 cans of 3 lbs each
Butter/Margarine (stored in freezer)	1	6 lbs
Mayonnaise/Salad Dressings	1	3 quarts
Peanut Butter/other butters	1+	6 lbs
Fruit Drink Mix (or bottled multi-vitamins)	2	3 #10 cans (or 8 pouches)
Spices/Flavorings/Bouillon/Condiments	2+	--
Eggs, dried (for baking, not frying)	3+	2 #10 cans
Yeast	5+	2 lbs
Other sweeteners (e.g., honey, molasses, brown sugar, jams, jellies, syrups)
Storing other canned or dried fruits, vegetables, meats, etc. will increase variety and nutritional value
Nonfood items
Can opener
Grain grinder
Recipes that use only stored ingredients

Links to related posts:

Calories and Recommended Food Storage Amounts

References:

https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/b1/4d/75fc449e4ce9843daa701f69faa4/an-approach-to-longer-term-food-storage.SEPT2019.pdf

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[1] This list is not perfect.  One mistake to note is where it states that grain “types are interchangeable based on individual preferences, e.g., 1 case of rice for 1 case of wheat”.  This is not completely true; a case of oats does not have the same number of calories as a case of wheat.  A case of oats weighs about 12 pounds.  A case of wheat weighs about 33 pounds.  Pasta is also not interchangeable.  While spaghetti packs densely in a can, macaroni and other pasta shapes have a lot more air.