So here are what we are calling our "14 Tips for Food Storage Shopping". These are the questions you should ask, the facts to check, and the information you will need to make the best, most well informed purchase possible for you and your family.
Over the next few weeks we will be covering each one of these extensively. So read over them, and let us know in the comments what you think!
Today, lets talk about Tip #1: Learn what to look for.
Before you even walk out the door or go to a website to buy food storage, you should have some clear goals and a specific plan in mind. We will talk about these in more detail over the next few weeks, but here are a few things to consider when putting together your Food Storage Plan.
-Have a budget: Know exactly how much you can spend before you start shopping, and don't go over budget. This will help you stay focused on what you need, rather than being caught up in salesman's hype or the latest gimmick.
-Are you a hoarder or a rotater? Some families want to buy food that they will use everyday, make a part of their diet, and rotate through their pantries to keep things fresh. If this is you, you will need to know how to use these items and incorporate them into your cooking.
Some families, on the other hand, are looking for a long term food storage plan that requires less effort. They want to buy a box of food that will last a really long time, that will be really easy to prepare, and will feed their whole family for a year.Both of these plans have their merits, and Emergency Essentials has options for both. Know before hand what type of food storage you are looking for will save you a lot of time and money at the store or online.
Consider your family. You will need to know how many people you will need to prepare for, their age, and their dietary needs. And since most food storage lasts at least 15-20 years, you will also need to consider how old they will be in 5, 10 or even 20 years from now. Do you have parents or relatives nearby that you may need to provide for? We highly recommend our "Food Storage Analyzer" to help you know exactly what your family needs. This tool will help you start on solid ground, so you can ask the right questions and make informed decisions when you get into the stores.
Over the next few days, check back as we talk about what questions to ask, and the kinds of answers you can expect.
What advice can you offer for people looking to start buying food storage? Any tips or tricks? Sound off in the comments.
7 comments
rsmith
New to blog and finding some very good information
cas2047
I think I'm actually a hoarder, but I'm going to try to rotate the dehydrated food. I'm going to leave the freeze dried food alone, at least for the time being, since it has a much longer shelf life than the dehydrated food.
mChipman
I just started and have found this kind of information very helpful
Marty
Anonymous
I started buying staples a couple of years ago and just found out that flour goes bad in a mylar bag with an oxygen absorber after two years…stinky!! Do whole wheat kernels last longer? One thing I didn't do was seal the bag, didn't know how to do it. I am glad though I'm finding this out now while I have the time to reassess.
Lisa
This is the start of a good article. I am a mixture a hoarder and rotator. Most are unaware of the calorie needs and they might go up in a disaster if you body needs more calorie to keep warm or you do more physical activity. Having a varity is also a great point. It is easy to have a few of the same things but day after day of eating the same food with make your calorie intake go down. That is part of the problem in many of the 3rd world countries. This of eating rice gruel day after day. I not only have the freeze dried and dried foods but a variety of canned products from the regular grocery store that we enjoy eating. Although I like the freeze dried and dried you have the added burden of needing to add water where a can of spaghetti sauce or soup you can just open. I believe the best way is to do a mixture.
A. Parr, CCP
What are the most likely disaster scenarios for which you want to prepare? Live next door to a nuclear power plant? You need grab-n-go supplies. Live in tornado alley? You need underground storage. Hurricanes blowing in? Waterproof storage. All of this must be considered in Step #1, as part of your overall plan.
Herbalpagan
This will be a great series of posts to read! I look at all food as possible meals and so it's important to know how many servings I can get and what I can make (recipes). I'm both a rotator and a "hoarder" as I like to have stuff I don't have to wrry about rotating in a timely manner.