More Food Substitutions

Here are hopefully a few more helpful substitutions...

Butter Substitution (1 cup)

7/8 cup shortening + 1/2 t salt

Milk Substitution (1 cup)

Non-Fat Milk: 1/3 cup instant non-fat dry milk + 1 cup minus 1 T. water

or

3 T. sifted non-instant dry milk + 1 cup minus 1 T. water

Whole Milk: 1 cup reconstituted non-fat dry milk + 2 1/2 t. butter or margarine

or

1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water

Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 cup regular non-fat dry milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup hot water

and 1/4 cube butter.

Mix in blender.

Corn Syrup Substitution (1 cup)

1 cup sugar +1/4 cup liquid (same liquid as the recipe calls for.)

Handy Food Substitutions

Within the last few months I have had many opportunities to try my hand at food substitutions. Like HERE when I was making Chocolate Zucchini Cake or HERE when I was making Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls. So when I recently learned a new trick for making Baking Powder, I thought I would just post about a slew of them for the next few days.

image via bigoven.com

Buttermilk Substitution (1 cup)

1 T. vinegar or lemon juice + milk to make 1 cup.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

image via blisstree.com

Brown Sugar Substitution

1 cup white sugar

1-4 T. molasses (use 2 for light brown sugar)

Mix together with a wire whisk until well incorporated.

image via bbcgoodfood.com

Baking Powder Substitution

1/4 t. baking soda + 1/2 t. cream of tarter.

Mix just before use, cannot be stored.

Handy Food Storage Tip: Instead of storing large quantities of baking powder (which has a short shelf life), store baking soda (stored air tight) and cream of tarter (stored tightly sealed) in a dark place and they can store indefinitely. That is my kind of storage!

Sour Cream Substitution (1 cup)

For baking: 7/8 cup buttermilk or sour milk plus 3 tablespoons butter

Dips: 1 cup cottage cheese plus 1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk, briefly whirled in a blender.

or

1 cup milk + 1/2 T vinegar

Baby Steps Part 3

Tip #3

You are not doing this alone.

Not only are you one of MANY who are trying diligently to build up their home storage, but there is One who not only wants you to succeed, but will help you succeed.

Big thanks to Julia who left a comment yesterday and included this verse of "How Firm A Foundation"

"Fear not, I am with thee

oh be not dismayed

for I am thy God

and will still give thee aid

I'll strengthen thee,

help thee,

and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand."

There is nothing that brings more peace than the knowledge that the Lord is with us and will help us. There is nothing that cannot be accomplished.

Amen :)!

Baby Steps Part 2

Tip #2
Set Realistic Goals and Continue To Build On Those Goals

I have been reading a book entitled "Food Storage 101, Where Do I Begin?" by Peggy Layton. In it she discusses taking particular steps in a particular order when obtaining your food supply. It starts with just simply finding a place to store, then it moves on to creating shelving, then obtaining alternate cooking equipment...finally leading to a home grocery store. It is not done all at once, it is done step by step.

One thing I have done is take a good look at what I have and decide what areas make me feel vulnerable. I have a great space, I have some good shelving (although I need a few more shelves), I have a decent supply of food but I haven't stored "meals". That is something I need to work on. I also need to purchase some canning equipment that will help me convert my summer harvest into winter eats. I also need to store garden seeds.

This is what I am going to focus on for the next few months. There is A LOT more I need to do, but this is a good start and gives me the satisfaction of "moving forward." I believe these are realistic goals and when I have accomplished these ones, I will move on to the next.

Like I always say...two steps forward and one step back is still progress.

Such is life!!!

Baby Steps

I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately. Nothing specific...just a lot of little things that have left me emotionally tired. So it didn't help when I was watching "NIGHTLINE" the other night and watched a story on a "Doomsday Lady". This particular woman, by her own admission, believes that we are at the beginning of the end. She no longer drives a car because she doesn't want to be dependant on gas, she heats her home with one small wood burning stove, and she tries her best to live off her land so she is in control of her own food supply. She is an extremist. She knows it. I know it...but it got me all worked up and nervous.

Then, I went to the grocery store on Saturday and as I filled up my cart...thought of my own dependency on the grocery store and felt those twinges of panic. Unfortunately, I let those feelings fester through the night..."Can we truly store ALL we will need?", "I don't have an endless supply of money, I am limited in what I can purchase each month...what if I run out of time?", "When it really comes down to it...do I really know WHAT we need?", "THIS IS SO OVERWHELMING!!" Have any of you had these thoughts? Does "getting prepared" seem so overwhelming and impossible at times that you just do nothing? You are not alone...I feel that way at times. And it is at those times I have to take a step back and breathe...and come back to reality and remember that I can only do what I can do...and that is enough. Truly.

Due to the fact I am currently refocusing myself...I thought I would devote a few posts on how to get back on track when you become overwhelmed.

Tip#1
Keep reminding yourself of the goal. It is so easy to lose our focus. Our lives are busy and with all we have going on it is easy to get focused on other things and lose sight of the goals we have set for ourselves. If you set reasonable goals and keep those goals in the forefront of your mind (and maybe a post it note on your fridge) you will not only slowly be able to build up a supply, but will be filled with a sense of satisfaction each month as you accomplish what you set out to do.

Tips From The Coop

How to Store 8 Tons of Water in a Little Box

Water Filters!!!

Many of you may have a water filter in your camping box that will filter up to 300 gallons of water. All you need is a creek or a rain storm and you have 2500 pounds of water in an 8 oz box.

Now some perspective… we store food and water primarily to protect our family against things like job loss, or short term food shortages. If I was out of a job for 6 months, I may be using my food storage, but probably not heading down to the Mill creek every morning for water to filter.

Water filters would come into play during a much more serious disaster. A few years ago we ran into a deal on the internet to by a used British Berkefeld high capacity water filter. These filters are used by the Red Cross in ventures around the world and use gravity to filter over 2000 gallons or water…that is over 8 tons of water.

Though I don’t recommend every family having such a filter, it is something to think about as a group. Organizing water solutions at a neighborhood level is wisdom.

Tips From The Coop

Water…the Most Precious

Water is an absolutely crucial part of your family’s preparedness. It is generally recommended to store 14 gallons per person.

How is this number calculated? Can I store more or less?

One gallon of water a day is enough water to supply basic needs; half for hygiene, the other half for drinking and food prep. Storing a year’s supply of water using these guidelines, a family of 4 would have to store 1500 gallons, or 6 tons of water. It is very impractical, especially considering the fact that this would only supply basic needs.

Many organizations, including the Church, recommend a two week supply of water resulting in 14 gallons of water per person in your household.

If you have the space I would recommend storing more. It is an unusual paradigm, water is the cheapest item to store, the most vital item for life, but may be the most forgotten storage item.

The next few posts on “Tips From the Coop” will be geared toward understanding other ways to store water without having a swimming pool in the basement.

Have A Plan

When buying items for your food storage, it is important to have a plan before you hit the stores. I have often walked through aisles of food storage items and thought, "this would be a good thing to get, oh, but what about this? And I am sure I will need this...sometime!" Our minds can go crazy trying to sufficiently plan for EVERY situation! One thing to remember is that we most likely will not be able to get everything we might need for every situation, we just need to do the best we can. But making a plan can be very helpful, not only for our minds, but for our pocketbooks!

You can create a plan in a variety of ways.

• One way is by setting a budget, plan to only spend a certain amount of money each week or each month on food storage. When the money is gone, it is gone. This will help with impulse buying.
• Focus on a particular area of food storage each month. For example, one month just focus on Wheat, another on Powdered Milk, another on Water, etc. Don't forget about your 3-month supply and just stock up on a few extra things each time you go to the grocery store.
• Save your money and take advantage of semi-annual case lot sales (particularly at Macey's where they sell a lot of great food storage items). Shopping this way allows you to get a variety of items at once. It will require some discipline though as there are SO many things at such a great price. Deciding what you need before hand will make a big difference.

Taking some time to establish a plan and then really following through with it will help you not only achieve your goals, but will allow you to keep your sanity in the process :)!!

The Thirst Quencher

It doesn't take me long to feel slightly panicked when I think about not having access to water. I drink A LOT of water! I carry around a mug I was given at the hospital after having my children and just refill it all day long. I usually know it is time to have another kid when my mug breaks...but that is a story for another day.

I usually buy a flat of water every time I go to Costco and every year or so will buy or seriously consider buying a new water container (sometimes big, sometimes small). It gives me peace of mind.

The one great thing about storing water is that it is CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP! Bottled water doesn't cost much, and storage containers don't really cost that much either...especially when you just recycle your soda pop or juice containers. Click HERE for tips on how to clean your bottles.

The other nice thing about water storage is that it can handle severe temperature fluctuations...it doesn't always have to be in a cool place. So you can store some of your water in the garage or other areas of your home that may be subject to heat. It is actually a good idea to store water in various places in your home so that if one area was inaccessible for any reason, you would always have access to water.

Want additional info?

LDS Church-Provident Living

FEMA

image courtesy of Kidipede

Using Powdered Milk

I sat down to post about Water Storage, but thanks to a great question by Julia...I am switching gears.

How do you rotate Powdered Milk if you do not plan to drink it?

Here are a few options to consider...

1. Make your own Hot Chocolate Mix!

Fudge-Flavored Hot Chocolate

6 cups powdered milk

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups dry nondairy coffee creamer

1 1/2 large packages chocolate fudge pudding mix

Mix all ingredients together and keep in an airtight container. To use, mix 1 cup hot water to 1/3 cup hot chocolate mix. Makes 40 servings

(recipe from Carla Jean Meaders)

2. Use Powdered Milk in your regular cooking and baking.

• Use powdered milk in any recipe that calls for regular milk. Mix up a batch and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Powdered Milk adds tenderness and flavor to meat by holding and absorbing the meat juices. Add to meatloaf or hamburgers to enrich flavor. Add 1/4 cup of milk to each pound of hamburger and mix well.
• I have heard that powdered milk is TASTY in mashed potatoes! Add 1/4 cup of powdered milk to 1 cup of potatoes and use the potato water to get the right consistency.

3. Use it in most bread recipes (except for mine :)!)

Natalie's Speedy Rolls

from "Favorites"

2 T dry yeast

2 cups warm water, divided

1 cup instant powdered milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 t salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

6 cups flour

Combine 1 cup of the warm water with the yeast; set aside (I use SAF instant yeast, so I don't have to "soak" the yeast before hand). In mixing bowl, mix together the other cup of water with the powdered milk, sugar, eggs, salt, butter and 1 cup of the flour. Add the softened yeast and blend. Pour in remaining flour slowly while mixing and knead for 10to 15 minutes (I have always had to add more than 6 cups of flour...after adding the 6 cups, I slowly add flour to the dough mixture until I get a nice, tacky consistency with the dough. You need to be able to work with it.) Place dough in oiled bowl and let rise until double in size (about an hour). Punch down dough and divide in half. Roll out each half into a large circle on a floured surface and cut with a pizza cutter or knife into 12 segments. Roll up "croissant-style" and place on greased cookie sheets. Let rise 15 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until golden.

Hope this is helpful. If anyone has any great recipes using powdered milk...please share!

Difference Between Instant And Non-Instant Milk

Have you noticed there are two varieties of powdered milk...instant and non-instant? The differences may not seem too significant, but they can be. Here are a few things to be aware of.

• Non-instant is more dense, therefore it takes up less space to store as you get more milk per container. (The cannery sells non-instant)


• Instant milk can be mixed with cold water, non-instant requires warm/hot water to dissolve the powder.


• Instant milk dissolves instantly, the non-instant takes a little more time


• If you are making a recipe that calls for instant powdered milk, you would use about half as much of the non-instant, because of the density difference. The opposite would also be true, if a recipe called for non-instant milk, you would have to double the instant milk to get the same result.
  

Using powdered milk in everyday cooking can be challenging here is a recipe for starters. Notice it calls for instant powdered milk...

Crunchy Potato Bake
1/3 c. water

1 t. salt
1/2 c. instant nonfat dry milk

Dash of pepper
2 c. mashed potatoes

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 egg, well beaten

3 T. butter, melted
1/4 c. finely chopped onion

1 c. crushed corn flakes
Whip nonfat dry milk with water until smooth. Mix in potatoes, egg onion, salt and pepper. Beat until fluffy. Place mixture in greased 1 quart baking dish. Mix cheese, butter, and corn flakes. Spread over top of potatoes. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 min.
Makes 4-6 servings

image courtesy of amazon.com

Hints for using Powdered Milk

Growing up my Mom would try and trick me by putting powdered milk in the store bought milk carton. Did anyone else have that experience? I was unfortunately a milk snob...still am, and I ALWAYS called my Mom out on her trickery. Since then, I have had to pull the same tricks on my own kids. Luckily for me, I have learned a few tricks which have saved me lots of grief.

To make powdered milk that is truly consumable (even my husband will drink this) try this..

• Mix the milk the night before you use it.


• Try adding 1 1/2 t. sugar or 1 t. vanilla to enhance the flavor.


• Be sure the milk is well chilled.

Even if you don't want to go cold turkey, try adding a little powdered milk to your store bought milk...it will just make last longer!

image courtesy of hillbillyhousewife.com

Milk Storage

Storage is critical for powdered milk. The colder it is, the better it will store. It will also store longer in a metal can than it will in a cardboard box (like the ones you typically buy at the store). Studies have shown that the shelf life of milk has been lengthened to up to 20 years, but that is if stored in optimal conditions. If you really want to rotate your milk when the quality is as its best...try and use it within 5 years. It can definitely last longer than that, but the quality might degrade a little bit. Just to illustrate the value of cold temperatures, the following is a list of how long your milk will last under different temperatures (these are conservative numbers).

50 degrees-48 months
70 degrees- 24 months
90 degrees- 3 months

When storing your milk, try and find the coolest place in your home. Place the powdered milk on the lowest shelf as the air will be the coolest near the floor. Also, don't store milk (or other food storage items) in your garage if you can help it. If you live in a place that is either always hot, or a place that fluctuates between hot summers and cold winters...your garage will take the brunt of it and the temperatures (especially the fluctuating ones) will shorten the shelf life of your food immensely.

Water Purification and Rotation

BIG THANKS to Julia for her awesome questions! I really appreciate it! One question she asked was, "for the enormous blue water barrel that i bought, should i be adding some bleach to it? and how often should it be emptied/refilled?"

First of all, water storage is SO important. If you refer to the Church's Home Storage Pamphlet," All Is Safely Gathered In", water storage is the second most important thing after storing a 3-month's supply of food you eat everyday. The minimum storage requirement is 14 gallons per person (a two week supply). I store as much water as I can.

If you are putting your water into food grade containers...such as the enormous 50 gallon blue water barrel, and your water comes from a chlorinated municipal source (ours does), there is no need to purify it further. If you were getting your water from a well, or you weren't certain your water was clean, you would want to add some bleach to it. The ratio is 1/8 teaspoon of bleach to every gallon of water and only regular bleach should be used.

In regards to rotation, I like to rotate my water every year (summer is a great time because you can use the old water for your garden). I have tasted water that was stored longer than that...probably 2-3 years and it was fine. I was hesitant to drink it, but it really tasted good.

For a few additional tips, click HERE.

image courtesy of a.k.a. green's blog

Tips From The Coop

WHERE WE STARTED

Jac answered a questioned last week that I have been asked at times. Where do I start?

I thought I would add my thoughts to this topic.

At first, storing food seems like a large task. But really it can be broken down into simple steps. At least it has for my family.

I will seem like a broken record, but having enough stored food to make your favorite meals for three months is the best way to start. This took our family about a year to do, when we were first married.

Step two for us was to organize all the information and make a plan for long term storage. As a result, I created a planner that suited our family (Jac has a copy of our planner on this blog called the “basic planner” and the “planner plus”). Once we had a plan, an actual list of items to include in our storage, it was very easy to set aside long term storage. This has taken our family about 3 years.

The last step for us is the tweaking. Keeping quantities current and changing what we store based on our preferences is simple with a good planner that can be kept up to date easily.

Finally, I would encourage all of you that read this blog to write a little about your progress on the blog. Do you have three months set aside? Have you begun to store long term food? It is very helpful to all of us to work together.

Where would I start...

I was asked a few weeks ago where one should start if they were just beginning their food storage. My mind became instantly flooded with all sorts of information and when I began talking, I think I was more confusing than helpful. I have spent a lot of time thinking about it since then, and if someone were to ask me that question right now I would say this...

I would begin my storage in two ways. First, in following recent counsel found in "All Is Safely Gathered In", I would build my three month supply slowly each week with everyday items purchased at the grocery store. There are many resources out there to help you get more for less, therefore putting you in a position to build up a storage without spending a lot of money. I personally do this by going to GrocerySmarts.com to see what items received a 5-star stock up rating. If those items are things my family uses on a regular basis, I stock up. The service is free and includes all sale items in each store's flyer. I also check the Deals to Meals "Tip of the Week" sheet. The sheet is nice because it focuses on items that are good to store in the pantry or the freezer. This site does have a membership fee of $4.95 a month, but they do offer a two week free trial, so give them a try and see if it something that is helpful to you. You can also check out PinchingYourPennies.com, weeklyshoppingguide.blogspot.com or krazycouponlady.blogspot.com to get a heads up on good deals.

Second, I would start to store items that allow me to make bread. Wheat, oil, honey, dough enhancer, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten are the ingredients for the bread I make. I store these things in abundance. You will also want to consider a wheat grinder. If you have the financial resources, it is a good investment, as is a good mixer. There are many out there and they range in price from around $269.00-$140.00 for the electric variety. I could go into detail about the different grinders, but I will spare you, unless there is a need and I would be happy to devote a post to it. If you do not feel you could afford purchasing a grinder on your own, what about going in on one with family members or close neighbors, perhaps someone you know has one and would be willing to grind your wheat for you.

Start with wheat, Macey's recently sold it for $18.99 already packaged in a 6-gallon bucket. The Bosch Kitchen Center (on Highland Dr.) is having a great sale on wheat and other storage items April 4th & 5th with high protein white wheat for only $15.50 if you purchase 12+ bags (go in with some friends if you don't need that many) and if you go from 8:30 am-10:00 am on Saturday, April 5th you get .45 off each bag of wheat (if you have bought 12). That is a great price. (If you would like to view their ad, click HERE). If you do not live in Utah, you can order online from Honeyville Grain or see if there is an LDS Cannery in your area...wheat and other storage items are ALWAYS inexpensive there.

So, that is where I would start...stocking up at the grocery store each week for regular foods and buying items to make bread. If there is anyone reading this that has been frustrated, not knowing where to begin, I hope this is helpful. If anyone has any particular questions, I hope you won't hesitate to ask!!

Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree

I felt that title was appropriate as we are embarking on my favorite time of year! I love Spring...I feel sheer elation when I look at the buds forming on my bushes and trees. And I won't even get started on how much I love my tulips and other spring bulbs that are poking through the soil. It is a time of hope for me!

I am sure you have all noticed "Corn" as a storage item on most foods storage lists. It is a very standard item and is fairly easy to find if you are buying in bulk. I suspect it is meant to be ground up into corn meal. (I have seen "corn meal" also listed as a food storage item and whereas I think it can be very useful for many things, unless you plan on using it regularly, I wouldn't store it in the "meal" form because the shelf life will be greatly diminished.)

I am curious if anyone stores corn? I have always stored popcorn because it makes the BEST corn meal for corn bread. Then if I get sick of corn bread, I can just have an endless supply of movie food.

Where would you buy so much popcorn?

We actually bought ours in 5 lb. bags at Costco about 5 years ago. I was very disappointed when I went back to get some more and was told they STOPPED selling it. Rats. I have since purchased it from Honeyville Grain, but I have not been able to find it on their online catalog, so you might want to call their retail store to make sure they are still selling it.

How long does popcorn store?

Let's let"AmishMart.com" answer that...

"Nearly, forever, as long as you keep your popcorn in an air tight container and in a cool dry area, so the popcorn does not draw moisture or lose what moisture is already in the popcorn and needed to make it pop. If stored properly in an airtight plastic or glass container, your popcorn can potentially stay good and ready to pop, for many years. However, most of us will eat all the popcorn before it has a chance to sit around the house for years." So, there you have it...another food that can store for a LONG time. I like that kind food storage.

So, now I need your help. In all my years of grinding popcorn and making corn bread, I have yet to find a corn bread recipe that I REALLY like. I like it sweet, but not too sweet. I also am looking for a nice moist bread...the recipes I have are far too crumbly. So, can you share with me?

Summary...consider storing popcorn as part of your grain storage. It will store "nearly, forever" and has multiple uses.

photo courtesy of Flickr

Another Great Grain-Oats

Another one of my food storage staples is Oats. Rolled, quick, whole oat groats...however you decide to store them, they are a great item to have on hand. When we first started our food storage, we put all of our oats into a 6-gallon bucket. For us, that was a mistake. We used oats for cookies and the occasional batch of oatmeal, but that was it and after 4 years or so, our oats were VERY stale. The Church says that rolled oats can last up to 30 years, so why did ours go bad so fast? Probably because our oats were exposed to oxygen most of the 4 years it was stored. (Storing in buckets is a great idea if you rotate the stored item quick enough, or if the food is in its "whole" form and therefore can be stored a lot longer). I now dry pack all of our oats so that only limited amounts are exposed to the air at a time, that way, my oats will be good for a nice, long time.

Forms of Oats

Oat Groats - Whole grain of the oat, with only the outer hard husks removed.

Oat Flour - You can make this yourself by grinding rolled oats in a food processor or blender. Oat flour adds great flavor to breads and because of certain natural preservative in the oats themselves, it improves their shelf life. Oats contain no gluten, which is needed for bread to rise, so it must be mixed with a gluten-containing flour such as wheat. Substitute 1 of every 5 parts of wheat flour with oat flour. If your recipe is for a quick bread, no addition of other flours is necessary.

Steel Cut Oats or Scottish Oats or Irish Oats- These are groats which have been cut into two or three pieces. Cooking time is considerably longer than for rolled oats. This is a great option for people suffering from Celiacs Disease as McCann's Steel Cut Oats are gluten-free.

Rolled Oats- These are made by steaming the groats and flattening them with a roller.

Quick Cooking Rolled Oats -These are made by flattening pre-cut groats. They cook in about 5 minutes.

What To Store?

Deciding what to store is a personal decision, based on how you are going to use them. I like to store both quick and regular rolled oats for cookies, instant and baked oatmeal, and oat flour. I also hope to store some whole oat groats which will store for a LONG time and will allow me to make my own steel cut oats. If I am feeling really adventurous, I might even invest in a roller-flaker mill that will allow me to make my own rolled oats. (I have seen roller-flaker machines on display at the LDS Cannery and also at the Bosch Kitchen Center...they run around $100).

To get you started...


Baked Oatmeal ~ Heather Fairbanks

2 C Oatmeal

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 t Baking Powder

1 t Cinnamon

1/2 t Salt

1 C Milk

1/4 C Melted Butter

1 Egg, beaten

1/2-1 C dried fruit (i.e. apples, craisins, raisins and 1/2 nuts)

Bake in a 9x9 pan in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. (You can also double the recipe for a 9x13 pan).

You can also top your oatmeal with pear sauce from the LDS Cannery...tasty!

Long or Medium Grain...that is the question!

The second most prevalent item in my food storage is Rice. It is one of the most versatile and consumed grains on the planet. Long Grain White Rice can be stored for up to 30 years if kept in an environment of 40-60 degrees F. That is fantastic!

But with so many varieties, what should you store...?

Many people ask me if they should store brown rice. Brown Rice is definitely superior to white rice in regards to health benefits, but its shelf life pales in comparison. Brown Rice can only store up to a year because the outer shell of the hull contains oil, which can become rancid. If your family prefers brown rice, store it in the freezer to extend the shelf life.

Long Grain White Rice will store the longest...but I also store Medium Grain to have a little variety.

What is the best way to store Rice?

As a general rule, if you remove the oxygen from the stored food, the shelf life will be improved considerably. For that reason I store my rice in two ways. I dry pack half of my rice, so I can safely assume it will be useful to me for a long time. Each #10 can is packed with an oxygen absorber to remove all of the oxygen..."Oxygen absorbers perform their action through a chemical reaction process. They contain iron powder and salt which reacts with the oxygen in the air causing the iron powder to rust. When all the iron powder has oxidized, the oxygen absorbers are "loaded" and the absorbing action stops. Remove the oxygen from an active absorber and the chemical reaction stops (such as resealing in an air tight bag). Put them back in the air and the reaction starts again until the iron is gone. " By having some of my rice stored in small cans, I am able to leave them in an oxygen free environment for a longer period because I am only accessing a limited amount at a time.

I also store rice in 6-gallon buckets. This works well for me because

I like to store my rice in smaller plastic containers in my kitchen. To make this process easy, one of my buckets has a Gamma Seal lid on it which can be opened and closed easily when I need to access the contents. One thing to remember...once a bucket/can is opened, the oxygen absorber is no longer effective so it is important to go through the rice within a 3-5 year time frame. With the ease of using rice in everyday cooking, I have yet to have a problem with rotation.

A Few Options On Longer Term Food Storage

We have spent the majority of the month talking about ways to save on things you eat everyday. I wanted to focus one post on some good options in acquiring foods that have a considerably longer shelf life.

Option #1: The LDS Dry Pack Cannery. Long-term food storage will consistently be cheaper here. Particularly Hard Red Wheat as the Church grows their own and Powdered Milk. Buying from the cannery is nice because if you are buying items that you want to can...you have access to their canning equipment (which is fantastic!). To get a price list and see what food the cannery offers click HERE. If you do not live by or have access to an LDS Cannery, the Church also sells a "starter kit" for a very reasonable price. Click HERE for more information.

Option #2: Honeyville Grain. Honeyville is not necessarily the cheapest (although they have been cheaper in certain items), but they have a lengthy offering of food storage items. They carry the basics as well as many different dehydrated and freeze-dried fruits and veggies, all sorts of muffin, pancake, brownie mixes, a great variety of pasta and beans and many others. I am not sure what the delivery parameters are, but within a certain area, Honeyville will deliver food storage items to your door if you order over 2500 lbs. That might seem like an insurmountable amount, but you would be surprised how fast the weight adds up and if you get together with some of your neighbors, you will reach the weight requirement in no time. The greatest advantage to this is that an order over 2500 lbs also qualifies you for the "bulk" rate, which is the cheapest price they offer. I did this with my ward and placed about 7 different orders in a years time. Everyone was satisfied with what they got and they loved having the food delivered right to our neighborhood. To get a current price list (they can fax or email it to you) and to see where they deliver call 801-972-2168. You can also order online (the prices online are different then the ones they will fax you, if you are able to by local...it will be cheaper) by clicking HERE.

Option #3: Internet-grocer.net . I have not used this service yet, but I have looked at some of their items and have been impressed with their prices. A few days ago a friend called me about some canned butter he had just tasted. It was "RED FEATHER" brand butter and he said it was absolutely and surprisingly fantastic. The shelf life is about 25 years, but he said he would use it on a daily basis...it was that good. He bought it on sale at a local grocery store for $4.99 and internet-grocer sells it for the same price, so it is worth checking out. Click HERE to get to their website.

There are many more options out there to help you acquire a storage of food at a reasonable cost, these are just a few. If you have suggestions of your own...please let us know. We will continue to discuss this topic in posts to come.