Have you been overwhelmed by all the dried food buckets for emergencies and their high prices. I don't like processed foods, so I have been saving legumes and grain in bulk for emergencies. The truth is that you can have real whole foods for one year for about $225. Here is my food preparedness plan: 1. Start out with the basics 2. Add to this storage as I am able.
Every month I focus on adding one food item to my preparedness pantry. The four basic ingredients you need to survive and eat healthy are: Whole grain or legumes, powdered milk, honey (raw and local is best) and Real Salt.
To give you an idea of how much is needed here is a breakdown. For one person for one month you need:
27 pounds of whole grain (spelt, wheat, quinoa, millet, mung beans,lentils, etc.)
3 pounds of honey
5 pounds of powdered milk
1 pound of Real Salt
Seriously, you can get all nutrients from these foods because you can sprout the grains and have all the vitamins and minerals that fruits and vegetables can give you. To this list I am adding oil (olive and coconut) as another essential.
Here is some more information you may find helpful from http://www.provident-living-today.com/Bulk-Food-Storage.html
Every storage plan should include bulk food storage items. These basics are needed in everyone’s home storage. Long-term food storage is cheap, and healthy.
These provisions are your survival foods. At the bottom of this page, I’ll show you a simple six-step plan to enhance your bulk food storage. You’ll want to add in the extras; it will make all the difference in your emergency food supply.
This list is a guideline for storing the bare minimum. The picture below shows you how much food you’ll get to eat everyday if you follow this guideline. And this is all you’ll get to eat. That is why I call it survival rations. You will stay alive, but eating probably won’t still be your favorite pastime.
You get 1 cup Wheat, 1 cup Oatmeal, 1/2 cup Rice, 1/3 cup beans, 2 Tbs Oil, 1 glass Milk (2 T powdered milk), 1/3 cup honey, and 2 tsp salt per day. Your daily menu might look something like this:
Breakfast: Hot oatmeal with honey & milk
Lunch: Tortillas and Sprouted Wheat
Dinner: Rice and Beans
With that said, whole grains are still the foundation of your food storage. You can use them in almost everything you cook. These are the dollar stretcher foods. I can feed my family of 12, breakfast every day for a month on one 50-pound bag of oatmeal (costs about $20). Add peaches, milk, and honey for taste, and you have a nutritious breakfast that children love. A one year supply for 1 adult should include: 400 lbs of Grain, 60 lbs of Legumes, 16 lbs of Powdered Milk, 10 Qts of Oil, 60 lbs of Sugar or Honey, and 8 lbs of Salt.The shelf life on these items is included in the chart below.
The chart shows how much it costs for a one-year supply for 1 adult. Adjust it to your individual needs. For example: rice and oats are a lot easier on a child’s digestive system compared to wheat. Store more of these grains for the children.
See Bulk Food Storage Containers to learn how to store your bulk food.
NOTE: You don’t want to start using wheat when that is all you have to eat. It will be hard on your system. Slowly add it to your diet, my family has been eating wheat for years and we don’t have any problems with a whole-wheat diet. Even my babies eat wheat and do great.
Cost of One Year Supply for 1 Adult
This chart was created in 2009. Because the price of food fluctuates, prices might be different than the ones represented in the chart.
*Not all olive oil lasts this long. Research the shelf life of the oil before buying it.
Wow, look at that. For $224.94 you can get a years supply of bulk food storage if you go with the cheaper sugar and vegetable oil. If you go with the Olive Oil and Honey, it will cost you $410.76. Getting your bulk food storage is a great place to start, and it's cheap!
A Note About Honey: When you are buying honey, make sure you can trust your source to give you pure honey. Cheap honey is actually corn syrup. You get what you pay for. Local Honey is actually the best option to buy if you have the opportunity because the bees are using the same plants and flowers that you encounter everyday. It helps you with your allergies
Picture of a 1 year supply of bulk food storage rations for one adult.
Adding to the Basics
. . . Bulk Food Storage Expanded
. . . A Six Step Plan
Add some variety to your bulk food storage.
STEP 1:
IF I HAVE Wheat, Powdered Milk, Oil, Salt, Honey or Sugar, Water
I CAN MAKE Popped Wheat ,Steamed Wheat, Sprouted Wheat, Cooked Cracked Wheat, Tortillas
STEP 2
IF I ADD Yeast, Baking Powder, Powdered Eggs, Baking Soda
I CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Custards, Puddings, Pancakes, Cookies, Waffles, Muffins, English Muffins, German Pancakes, Crepes, Egg Noodles, Pasta, Breads, Biscuits, Crackers, Mayonnaise. A lot more options huh? Keep reading.
STEP 3:
IF I ADD Powdered Butter, Tomatoes, Powdered Cheese
I CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Meatless Dinners, Meatless Casseroles, Cream Sauces These really add flavor.
STEP 4:
IF I ADD Unflavored Gelatin, Canned Milk, Canned Fruits
I CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Jello Salads, Whipped Cream Desserts, fruit dishes Mmm, now we have desserts.
STEP 5:
IF I ADD Soup Base, Rice, Legumes (Beans), Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, Alfalfa Seeds, Sesame Seeds
I CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Hearty Dinner Soups, Chili, Rice Puddings, Refried Beans, Rice Dishes, Fresh Sprouts, Gluten This would really expand your dinner menu in an emergency.
STEP 6:
IF I ADD Canned Meats, Dried Potatoes
I CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Dinners, Casseroles, Sandwiches. This may not sound like a lot but a meaty flavor can make all the difference.
STEP 7:
EXTRAS: Oats, Raisin, Nuts, Peanut Butter, Granola, Juices, Corn Starch, Soup Mixes, Spices & Flavorings, Lemon Powder or Juice, White Flour, Shortening or Margarine, Cream of Tartar, Junket Rennet Tablet, Molasses, Karo Syrup, etc. These are small things that you could do without but really add variety to your diet.
What do you cook with? Add it to your food storage.
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