I just wanted to share some of my thoughts after living on food storage for the month. I apologize for not updating sooner (can it really be that long?).
Top 10 Things I Learned Living on Food Storage For a Month
10) It's wise to try long term storage foods before you need to use them because you may use a lot less or a lot more than the recommended storage amounts. Our family went through a lot more oats and a less wheat than I would have guessed. Every time I went looking for recipes it was the oat ones I ended up choosing and the oat ones that didn't last long in our house. Since none of us like regular oatmeal I never would have guessed that.
9) Homemade granola, granola bars and peanut butter bars do not last long!
8) Sometimes when thinking about living on food storage people get thoughts of people hiding in bunkers and never being able to come out for months. Yes, that may happen, but I suspect that in most cases our food storage will be used as staples. For example if you are using it because you've lost a job then there may be occasions when you pick up a temporary job. This might give you just a little extra money to buy a donut you've been craving at that bake shop. Or perhaps there is a trucking strike - neighbors may trade you some zucchini for some toilet paper. Don't get so worried about being prepared in the worst case. Just do what you can, little by little as the Lord directs you personally.
7) You don't have to be in misery when you eat food storage. You can store chocolate, popsicles, frozen fruits, powdered sugar, marhmallows and other things to make treats.
6) Fruit punch and chocolate milk are not a waste like we formerly thought. We had some stored, but found it is a lot easier to live without fresh milk and orange juice when we had the chocolate milk and orange punch.
5) Spices are a good thing to have on hand. And condiments.
4) A good attitude is the best sauce. If you are positive about living on what you store the food tastes that much better. Even more important, good attitudes help you find the best, easiest and tastiest ways to prepare your food.
3) Store a variety of things. You may like peaches, but if you have nothing but peaches they get old real fast.
2) Living on food storage helps you clear out things in your freezer that you've forgotten about. It's a good way to rotate it.
1) If living on food storage for a month puts you into shock then you are either eating out all the time or you are storing the wrong things. What are the wrong things? They are the things you wouldn't normally eat.
If you don't like pears, but think they would be a good item for your food storage because you found them cheap, then pears are the wrong thing. If you eat a frozen pizza for lunch every day, but you store frozen carrots and salmon because it is more healthy, then carrots and salmon may be the wrong thing.
In your 3 month storage you should be storing what you normally eat. When it comes time to live on your storage you may miss fresh fruits and veggies, fresh milk or a Big Mac, but if you store what you eat then life really doesn't change that much.
Great Article. Variety is the way to go. I'm not much of a cook so I'm trying to find recipes for the items that I've stored. For the last couple of months I've been using a lot of can and powdered milk. I can't keep it stocked. When I run out of milk in the kitchen I head for the storage. Ladies trust me you will want powdered milk and can milk. You will use a lot of it if you have no other option. I didn't think I would boy was it an eye opener for me.
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