Review of Long Term Food Storage and Minimum Recommended Amounts

As I peruse various recommendations for what food people should be storing in anticipation of collapse in the US, and really, around the whole world, I am dismayed to see how little attention is paid to the life-sustaining and most economical basics.  

Of course, it's also important to store what the family eats on a regular basis.  Unfortunately, what most families eat regularly--McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Burger King--isn't really compatible with long-term food storage.  It would be best if those families learned to incorporate basic food storage items into their everyday diet before it's forced upon them.  Wishful thinking on my part.

Bread (i.e., whole grains) really is the staff of life.  Beans provide so much fiber and other solid nutrition.  Add in milk, salt, sugar, and oil in the recommended ratios and you will meet all basic nutritional needs.  It's not terribly exciting, but people can survive on this. 

Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have counseled their members since at least the time of their arrival in the Salt Lake valley to store food.  Moses counseled the children of Israel to do the same.  It's what is known as an eternal principle.  God has always commanded His children to be self-reliant.  And because these church leaders have been counseling their members to store food, they've also made resources for acquiring much of this food economically and provided suggested amounts for meeting minimum caloric and nutritional requirements.  Following are two lists that have been offered over the years. 

• List A: 
• 300 lbs grains, 
• 75 lbs dry milk,
• 60 lbs dry beans and legumes, 
• 60 lbs sugar, 
• 20 lbs oil, 
• 8 lbs salt.
• List B: 
• 400 lbs grains, 
• 20 lbs dry milk, 
• 60 lbs dry beans and legumes, 
• 60 lbs sugar, 
• 20 lbs oil, 
• 10 lbs salt.

Both lists provide 2000 calories per day for one year.  List A is what the Church recommended for years.  They are both quite similar, with list A including much more milk and a little less salt.  List A was recommended for all people until just a few years ago.  However, it was observed that most people will not happily drink powdered milk, and dry milk really needs to be rotated.  It's also the most expensive item in long term storage.  So the lists were adjusted to still provide for all caloric and nutritional needs.  A little more salt was added to list B because more bread baking requires more salt for flavor.  List A is still what is advised for children and pregnant and nursing women who need the extra vitamins and calcium for proper development. Also, bear in mind that children under the age of six need only half the recommended amounts; children six through twelve need three-fourths of the recommended amounts. 

On a daily basis, this breaks down to the following amounts for List B:

Wheat         1.1 lbs         2 1/3 cups

Beans          2.6 oz         1/3 cup

Dry milk     0.7 oz          2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon

Oil              0.88 oz        2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon

Sugar          2.6 oz          1/3 cup

Salt             0.44 oz        2 teaspoons

Visually, this is what you get:

This is for all three meals for one day. 

 

Well, you think, that looks ok.  But, did you remember?  That is for all three meals for the whole day!

This is the most economical way to stockpile and begin your family food storage.  Is it really what you want to be limited to, each and every day, for a year?  Probably not.  But remember, it's your foundation.  You start with the economical basics and add in little bits of other items to create variety. 



Links to related posts:
Calories and Recommended Food Storage Amounts
Minnesota Starvation Experiment