Food Storage 101

When I speak to people about becoming an Awakened Prepper; providing they know what that is, the conversation always begins with food storage.  In fact, for most individuals, food storage is what they think of when they hear Prepping.  This is actually a bit of a problem, because food storage is only one aspect out of ten areas of readiness.  And yet not only do many feel that it’s the primary area of focus, but they are completely overwhelmed with the requirements to be ready.  Food storage is actually one of the simplest.

Before you think that I may be hitting the hard stuff and thus a little off my rocker, let me assure you that I’ve heard (and personally experienced) every possible reason for people avoiding the task of food storage.

• I can’t afford it
• I don’t have room for it
• I don’t know how to cook my “food storage”
• I believe there’s really a need for “food storage”
• It’s too overwhelming
• My spouse won’t let me.  He/She thinks I’m crazy
• I don’t know what to store

Do any of these responses sound familiar?  I can tell you that with little exception I’ve personally traveled through each of these excuses at some point in my life.  But, standing where I am now, I’m happy to tell you that they can ALL be overcome.  Even the one with the spouse. My hubby is 100% on aboard. If you’re not sure, just let a little thing like loosing power for a day help your family rethink life in a nutshell.

The reason it’s important to me to share all of this with you is primarily so that you won’t be overwhelmed with food storage.  There are some other more critical areas of preparedness that you do need to focus on, and being distracted with an EASY component of preparedness is obviously unproductive.  So, my goal is to make the food storage aspect of emergency preparedness a “no brainer” for you and get you to the point that you’re actually great with food storage.  This way you can expend your energies on the more important aspects of preparedness.

Let me answer your questions before you ask them.

1. Yes you can afford it even if you are on food stamps, you can not only afford scrumptious meals for your family that would make any nutritionists pleased, but you can have plenty left over to store away for a “rainy day.”

1. Yes, you do have room for it. I’ve even assisted folks who live in a tiny studio apartment.  Being prepared is not wise counsel only to those who live in 5,000 square foot homes.  You may just be trying to find room for the wrong items.

1. Not only can you cook your food storage, but you can cook it in only a few precious minutes.  I work a very long day, everyday.  The last think I feel like doing is making something extravagant or time consuming.  I like to say that my “cooking of stored food” ideas are simple enough that even a bachelor can do them.

1. Not to sound too alarming, but not only is there a NEED for food storage, time is actually of the essence.  There is indeed a food shortage headed our way. With hyperinflation, the recent blight on wheat and many other factors we will discuss later, now is the time.

1. Food storage is only overwhelming when there’s an absence of knowledge.  When I was little I wanted to ride a bicycle in the worst way. I was the youngest girl in my family and my older sisters were always “flying” off somewhere on those two wheels and I wanted that freedom. I had no patience when someone held the back of the bike, certain that speed was the answer. After many a scraped knee, torn tennis shoes and a few head bumps I made it.  I’ve discovered it’s not what you know; it’s having the patience to learn it.

1. Not only will your family and friends support you they may actually get ADDICTED to the concept as well. Because not only will you save money you will be providing your family some security as well.

1. Yes you can easily learn how to store by starting with what is the best for you in your situation. Together we will search what works best for your family and where to begin or how to expand what you are already doing. The truth is you may just simply need to know HOW to store it.

So let’s get started shall we?

To begin with let’s tackle the financial side of food storage. Money is usually the number one reason why food storage is ignored. The minute you go out and put a bunch of money on a credit card to obtain some emergency preparedness supplies, you’ve created a valid barrier to thinking smart. An Awakened Prepper knows that this is not an acceptable action. It goes against the entire pretense of what we are doing.  Be just as prudent in acquiring your supplies as you are in the fact that you DO prepare for a rainy day.  I assure you that when you come home with a couple bags of emergency preparedness supplies and are able to prove that you actually saved a bundle by buying them, you will have successfully taken down one of their most strident fears of saving food.  Just as many divorces ultimately end as the result of a disagreement about finances, emergency preparedness efforts are thwarted the same way.  If you are prudent and consistent in your preparedness efforts, you’ll be able to prepare without causing any financial burden to your family.

Next begin by using items that you are familiar with. Don’t buy equipment that you don’t know how to use or agree to use as family. A relatively large or significant investment such as a solar oven, a pressure cooker, or commercial sized dehydrator may not be the right tool for you at first.   No purchase you make for emergency preparedness should be disconnected or “foreign” to you.  You should incorporate it in your life on a regular basis.  It’s really not so much about “emergency preparedness” as it is just plain “preparedness.”  For example I have heard stories of folks who bought a solar oven and never knew how to use it.  Obviously they bought it “for emergencies.”  Argh!  That makes me cringe.  I have to wonder how they’ve been feeling about tripping over this big lug of inconvenience that was purchased “just in case the aliens attack.”  If you don’t use it folks, its no help to you and it doesn’t help in an emergency because you won’t know HOW to use it. However, if you do own a great piece of equipment and can present a delicious meal that was prepared in your pressure cooker, for example, or eat a rehydrated stew that you dried in your dehydrators then you’ve made progress.  If you’re committed enough to use money out of your family budget to acquire tools for your food storage or food preparedness then have the common sense to familiarize yourself on how to use them.

Use every opportunity to educate yourself and your family, know what to do and then practice doing it. For example, make a scrumptious casserole or brisket in your Crockpot that you had previously dried.  When you present it to your spouse and family for dinner, tell them how easy it was and how it didn’t require any refrigeration and that all the ingredients were stored in the cupboard..  You don’t even need to mention the word “preparedness.”  The dots will get connected eventually so that you don’t have to translate everything into plans for an emergency.  If you aren’t able to spend the money on something, then borrow someone else’s and familiarize yourself while you are saving the money.

Next we will discuss how to start by keeping things simple.