Comments on: Food Storage by the Numbers http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/ Survival is a Mom's Job!™ Sun, 20 May 2012 19:19:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: TheSurvivalMom http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-223245 TheSurvivalMom Sat, 06 Aug 2011 23:14:13 +0000 http://thesurvivalmom.com/?p=1619#comment-223245 Brandi, let me work on a blog post and possibly a form to fill out. For starters, make a list of 7 or 8 very simple dinners, list the ingredients for each,and then see how many times you could make each meal. Example: veggie/pasta soup. You\'ll need the veggies, the elbow pasta, bouillon/broth, and seasonings. If you want to make the soup once a week for three months, multiply the ingredient amounts by 12, and start shopping! It will be a lot of food,but at least you\'ll have a goal and will know when you reach it. Keep meals simple, keep breakfasts basic and repetitive. There\'s nothing wrong with oatmeal, pancakes, and French toast as your break and sandwiches and mac\'n cheese for lunches! Brandi, let me work on a blog post and possibly a form to fill out. For starters, make a list of 7 or 8 very simple dinners, list the ingredients for each,and then see how many times you could make each meal. Example: veggie/pasta soup. You\’ll need the veggies, the elbow pasta, bouillon/broth, and seasonings. If you want to make the soup once a week for three months, multiply the ingredient amounts by 12, and start shopping! It will be a lot of food,but at least you\’ll have a goal and will know when you reach it. Keep meals simple, keep breakfasts basic and repetitive. There\’s nothing wrong with oatmeal, pancakes, and French toast as your break and sandwiches and mac\’n cheese for lunches!

]]> By: Brandi http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-223141 Brandi Sat, 06 Aug 2011 20:30:55 +0000 http://thesurvivalmom.com/?p=1619#comment-223141 We are new to food storage. We have manged to fill three 4 shelf storge units. I am trying to figure out the best way inventory all we have, to ensure we have enough. I say 3-6 months tops, my spouse says 12 months. Could you please give me some tips on inventorying all we have vs. what we need? We are new to food storage. We have manged to fill three 4 shelf storge units. I am trying to figure out the best way inventory all we have, to ensure we have enough. I say 3-6 months tops, my spouse says 12 months. Could you please give me some tips on inventorying all we have vs. what we need?

]]> By: Barbara http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-1458 Barbara Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:10:30 +0000 http://thesurvivalmom.com/?p=1619#comment-1458 Liz, you're thinking about it, and learning to do what's right for you and your family. Tacking by what you buy and how fast you use it is my way too. Have family taste tests of different types of preserved milk to see what is most palatable to all. Fresh whole milk drinkers will never be happy, but you can do your best. Non-instant is actually the most economical usually. There's also adding evaporated to powdered, and foil-sealed ultra high heat treated. That one's the best tasting, the most expensive and the shortest shelf life. Liz, you're thinking about it, and learning to do what's right for you and your family. Tacking by what you buy and how fast you use it is my way too.
Have family taste tests of different types of preserved milk to see what is most palatable to all. Fresh whole milk drinkers will never be happy, but you can do your best. Non-instant is actually the most economical usually. There's also adding evaporated to powdered, and foil-sealed ultra high heat treated. That one's the best tasting, the most expensive and the shortest shelf life.

]]> By: TheSurvivalMom http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-1524 TheSurvivalMom Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:33:53 +0000 http://thesurvivalmom.com/?p=1619#comment-1524 You should know how much or how many of each food item you have in storage and how that translates into the number of meals you want to have stored. For example, for three months worth of breakfasts, you would need about 90 meals. How many boxes of cereal is that for your family? How much oatmeal or pancake mix? The number of meals is your goal, but unless you keep track of what you have, you'll never know if you've reached your goal or not! You should know how much or how many of each food item you have in storage and how that translates into the number of meals you want to have stored. For example, for three months worth of breakfasts, you would need about 90 meals. How many boxes of cereal is that for your family? How much oatmeal or pancake mix? The number of meals is your goal, but unless you keep track of what you have, you'll never know if you've reached your goal or not!

]]> By: TheSurvivalMom http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-727 TheSurvivalMom Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:47:00 +0000 http://thesurvivalmom.com/?p=1619#comment-727 OH! You're my new favorite blogger fyi OH! You’re my new favorite blogger fyi

]]> By: TheSurvivalMom http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/comment-page-/#comment-733 TheSurvivalMom Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:49:47 +0000 http://thesurvivalmom.com/?p=1619#comment-733 Hi Karen! Welcome to my blog! Have you tried mixing the powdered milk with regular milk? Maybe start out either half and half or 3 parts regular and 1 part powdered? Lisa Hi Karen!

Welcome to my blog! Have you tried mixing the powdered milk with regular milk? Maybe start out either half and half or 3 parts regular and 1 part powdered?

Lisa

]]> By: TheSurvivalMom http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-725 TheSurvivalMom Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:15:30 +0000 http://thesurvivalmom.com/?p=1619#comment-725 Hey there Liz! It's good to see you again! I have been on the band wagon of storing foods in a variety of forms. Personally, I have about 8 or 9 gallons of milk in the freezer, a dozen cans of evaporated milk, and about 50+ pounds of dried milk in PETE containers. Whether you use instant non-fat (be SURE to check expiration dates!) or something else, get your family used to drinking it now! Two good ways of doing that are to mix up a batch and then combine it with "real" milk in larger and larger parts until everyone is drinking the powdered milk on its' own, and the second strategy is to mix it up the night before and serve it when it's really cold. It sounds like you have figured out a system of food storage that works for you and the people you have to feed. There really is no one "right" way to do food storage. For some, they just want to have the basics on hand so starting with the LDS Food Calculator, for example, works for them. Others feed picky eaters or have food allergies to consider. I have a friend who only shops at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods and buys organic! Between you and me, I'm not sure just what her food storage is going to look like! By the way, be sure to check back in another ten days or so. My blog is going to have a major face-lift, and I think you'll really like it! Lisa Hey there Liz! It's good to see you again!

I have been on the band wagon of storing foods in a variety of forms. Personally, I have about 8 or 9 gallons of milk in the freezer, a dozen cans of evaporated milk, and about 50+ pounds of dried milk in PETE containers. Whether you use instant non-fat (be SURE to check expiration dates!) or something else, get your family used to drinking it now! Two good ways of doing that are to mix up a batch and then combine it with "real" milk in larger and larger parts until everyone is drinking the powdered milk on its' own, and the second strategy is to mix it up the night before and serve it when it's really cold.

It sounds like you have figured out a system of food storage that works for you and the people you have to feed. There really is no one "right" way to do food storage. For some, they just want to have the basics on hand so starting with the LDS Food Calculator, for example, works for them. Others feed picky eaters or have food allergies to consider. I have a friend who only shops at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods and buys organic! Between you and me, I'm not sure just what her food storage is going to look like!

By the way, be sure to check back in another ten days or so. My blog is going to have a major face-lift, and I think you'll really like it!

Lisa

]]> By: Liz http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/10/11/food-storage-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-787 Liz Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:33:43 +0000 http://thesurvivalmom.com/?p=1619#comment-787 My mother-in-law used to date everything she used, even the laundry detergent. When she opened a new box she put the date on it so she could tell how long it took to use it up. I'm having a hard time figuring out how to plan my storage because we don't all have the same meals together on a regular schedule (four adults in the house). The best I've come up with so far is to start tracking what I buy a month at a time and begin repeating those items in multiples. Think it's just going to take a little time to work out. . . . . . . . . Think you have the right idea about the frozen food. We are moving toward harvesting our garden over more than the summer and early fall so we will always have food available. Do you have any thoughts on storing/using milk -- instant non-fat or real powdered milk? Thanks. ~Liz My mother-in-law used to date everything she used, even the laundry detergent. When she opened a new box she put the date on it so she could tell how long it took to use it up.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to plan my storage because we don't all have the same meals together on a regular schedule (four adults in the house). The best I've come up with so far is to start tracking what I buy a month at a time and begin repeating those items in multiples. Think it's just going to take a little time to work out. . . . . . . . . Think you have the right idea about the frozen food. We are moving toward harvesting our garden over more than the summer and early fall so we will always have food available.

Do you have any thoughts on storing/using milk — instant non-fat or real powdered milk? Thanks. ~Liz

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