In all our research, we quickly realized being prepared for short-term emergencies was very important.  There are many things to think about when preparing for an emergency.  We have broken the process down into a few areas that will help you get a handle on things as you get

started.

We developed the  10 BabySteps when we couldn’t make sense of all the food storage information out there. We realized that if we broke things down into simple sets of information we would be able to research and start trying different things bit by bit.

As we started working on our own food storage, we found ways to organize information into charts, videos or spreadsheets. In doing so we actually came up with a lot of tools that have really helped us accomplish our goals. We posted them here to share and hopefully make your life easier.

What would a blog like this be without a place for us to share with you products we love, use and recommend. Some of these products we have found online, developed ourselves, or even became dealers for in order to get you the lowest prices available! You will not want to miss this section.

Of course the best (and most necessary) part of food storage is actually USING it. Whenever we try a new recipe (and it turns out) we like to share it with you. Trust us, we only put up the ones we actually cook on a regular basis, so they have our personal stamp of approval!

Welcome to BabySteps Checklist #1. We are so excited that you have made the commitment to get your food storage in order this year! We recommend people get a basic Emergency Plan in place before they really dive into the food storage concepts. If you have a 72 hour kit of food, water, and supplies you will be better off in an emergency than 95% of the country. This list may feel daunting, so feel free to spread out the tasks over more than two weeks if you need to. The rest of the checklists will be much less intense.

For this checklist we will be working on the Emergency Preparedness Plan workbook (found under the Emergency Prep tab on our website). The tasks will cover the three main areas of our Emergency Plan: getting your basic Family Plan in place, compiling Disaster Kits, and preparing for an Evacuation. As a side note, we also highly recommend you backup your computers.

Print out the Emergency Preparedness Plan (available in either pdf version or excel version)    You may wish to add these to the front of your Emergency Binder (see below)

FAMILY PLAN: Review this section with your family and fill out "contact info" sheet

DISASTER KIT: Inventory and gather what you already have for supplies

DISASTER KIT: Compile/copy the documents for your Emergency Binder     View our Emergency Binder post for detailed instructions

EVACUATION LIST: Fill out your Grab List in order of priority

DISASTER KIT: Purchase/make your 72 Hour Food Kits including water    Check out Jodi's post and video instructions for some great ideas    Take a peek at Jodi's 72 hour kit outtake video for a good laugh    Or look at our list of more 72 hour kit food ideas and compile your own kit

DISASTER KIT: Purchase any remaining supplies that you did not have on hand    Put all Disaster Kit items purchased or gathered into backpacks or totes near an exit

DISASTER KIT: Purchase a 1" 3-ring binder and divider tabs for your Emergency Binder    Optional Item: Purchase a fireproof/ waterproof locked box for your Emergency Binder    This should be small enough to be transported with you in an emergency but sturdy enough that     your documents will be safe should a fire/flood occur while you are not at home

EVACUATION LIST: Purchase/compile your Car Kit items and put them in your trunk!    We've found good comprehensive kits at Wal-Mart or you can buy them online

Purchase the items you need to back up your computer (discs, usb drives, online backup)    We recommend using Mozy Unlimited Backup for only $4.95/Month as shown in our blog post

Getting Started:

In our research, we learned that it is important to get a basic Emergency Preparedness Plan in place BEFORE building up your food storage. We compiled information from a lot of different resources and made our own simple plan to follow. Each component of our Emergency Preparedness Plan has detailed instructions and/or lists to help you put your own plan together. To learn more about each component, click on the icons below:

Includes a list of topics to discuss with your family, emergency protocol to follow, contact info, meeting locations and education.

An emergency is no time to figure out what you should be doing. Make it a habit of reminding young children of your plans and protocols.

Includes a list of items for your disasters kit to have on hand, along with options for you to get a 72-hour food kit put together. We’ve also included a list of important documents for you to gather in case you you have to “rebuild” your life.

These items may be for you to use at home, or for you to take with you in case of an evacuation type scenario.

Includes measures to take when evacuating your home including a list of important things to grab and instructions to build a car kit.

You never know when you may be stranded on the road, so make sure to keep your car prepared for emergencies.

Key Points:

Take into consideration family members with special needs and/or pets Customize your plan to fit the preferences of you and your family Take care of the basics first, don’t get overwhelmed with more advanced topics Remember that Emergency Preparedness covers more than just physical safety

o Backup your computers and other electronic mediaOur favorite service is Mozy Online Backup

o Make sure you have proper insurance, wills, and other legal documentso Start thinking about alternate fuel/cooking sources, sanitation, etc.

The following items are what make up your family plan in our Emergency Preparedness Plan. The full checklists are available on the excel spreadsheet or pdf plan.

It’s a good idea to be on the same page with your family as to what you would do in case of an emergency. Review these concepts every few months as we all can be forgetful.

□ meet with family members to discuss how to respond to the dangers of fire, severe weather, earthquakes, and other emergencies.□ find the safe spots in your home for each type of disaster□ discuss what to do about power outages and injuries□ draw a floor plan of your home and mark two escape routes from each route□ post emergency phone numbers near telephones□ teach children how and when to call 911, police, and fire□ instruct family members to turn on the radio for information□ pick one out-of-state and one local friend/family member to call in a disaster□ teach children the phone numbers□ pick two reunion locations, one right outside of your home, and one away from your neighborhood in case you cannot return□ take a basic first aid and CPR class

Here is a list of contact information it would be wise to have figured out ahead of time, and stored in a safe place.

Out-of-State-Contact:Name:City:Telephone:

Local Contact:Name:Telephone:

Nearest Relative:Name:City:Telephone:

Family Work Numbers:Mother:Father:Other:

Emergency Telephone Numbers:Police Department:Fire Department:Hospital:

Family Physicians:Name:Telephone:Name:Telephone:

Reunion Locations:Right outside home:Address:Away from home:Address:Telephone:Route to try first:

The following items are what make up your disasters kit in our Emergency Preparedness Plan.  The full checklists are available on the excel spreadsheet or pdf plan.

We have found that most sources suggest storing similar supplies to have on hand in the event of an emergency.  The following is a list of the most common items we found:

□ supply of water (one gallon per person per day)□ first aid kit and prescription medications□ extra pair of glasses□ credit cards and cash□ change of clothes and sturdy shoes□ battery powered radio, and extra batteries□ blankets or sleeping bags, rain poncho, body warmer□ list of emergency plan contact info□ booster cables for car, car shovel, rope, N95 dust mask, working gloves□ flashlight with batteries□ wind/waterproof matches, and candle□ personal hygiene products (baby stuff, soap, tooth care, toilet paper)□ games, books, hard candy, toys□ tire repair kit and pump, duct tape, swiss army knife

When preparing for an emergency, it is recommended that you put together a kit of food to last you 72 hours. You can follow detailed instructions and build your own, put together a custom one from ideas, or buy pre-made ones. We recommend doing whichever option fits your style:

Detailed Instructions: If you want it laid out for you step by step including a shopping list and contents list for one particular example of a 72 Hour Kit, follow our 72 Hour Kit milk jug instructions.

Create Your Own: If you want to have more flexibility over your meal options, you can customize your kit using our new 72 Hour Kit Food Ideas worksheet. Follow the instructions and pick and choose what foods work best for your family.

Already Made: To purchase pre-made kits, visit emergency preparedness stores, or online sites.

An emergency binder is a compilation of important documents.   In the event of an emergency, you could grab your binder and go with all your documents.  We recommend storing your binder in a fireproof/ waterproof locked box that is small enough to be transported with you in an emergency.

□ birth certificates□ passports□ social security cards

□ copies of your credit cards front and back□ homeowners insurance policy□ auto insurance policy□ life insurance policy□ bank statements□ retirement statements□ *internet passwords (banking, personal, work etc)□ immunization records□ utility statements□ work/tax documents that would be difficult to replace□ CASH – keep a variety of small bills on hand

How to Make a 72 Hour Kit

Posted on June 13th, 2008 by Admin

72 Hour Kit Instructions

Step 1 – Make sure you have saved 1 milk jug and 3 2-liter bottles per person. Wash them all out with soap and let dry.Step 2 – Multiply the number of kits you want by the items listed in the shopping list and purchase the food items from Walmart or your neighborhood grocery store. All the food will cost around $8-10.

Step 3 – Purchase a wing stove and fuel pellets from an emergency preparedness store such as Emergency Essentials or if one isn’t available in your area follow the links below to order online. Only one stove is NECESSARY per family, but they are pretty cheap so if you’d like to have one per kit that is fine too. It will make it much more convenient in a true emergency.

Step 4 – Cut straight down the middle of a milk jug diagonal from the handle. Go about 1/3 of the way down. At the bottom of that cut, make a horizontal slice coming from each side but leave about 2 inches of the jug intact. This should make a sort hatch that you can pull open and insert the items in. Watch our video below if you are having trouble visualizing how to do this.

Step 5 – Place the necessary items into each milk jug according to the contents list. Put the Tang and cocoa servings into small zip-lock bags (1/4 c. per serving). If you have extra food left over, stick it in as space permits. Tape the milk jug up. Tape the contents list to the outside of the jug and record today’s date and the family member who will use that kit. VOILA!Step 6 – Fill your 2 liter bottles with water and store all of the items in an easily accessible place (your car trunk is the ideal place if you have room). Check out our Step 2: Water page for more information on how to properly store the water.

ResourcesPrintable Shopping ListPrintable Contents List

Video Instructions Purchase Wing Stoves Online Purchase Fuel Pellets Online

(see excel spreadsheet – Emergency Preparedness)

The following items are what make up your evacuation list our Emergency Preparedness Plan. The full checklists are available on the excel spreadsheet or pdf plan.

In case you need to leave in a hurry, (or get stuck in your car) a main focus on being prepared for “evacuation” is to have a well stocked car.

□ Water (a case of bottles would be excellent)□ 72 hour kit food, high calorie meal bars, or other snacks□ Cash ($20-30 in small bills and include some change)□ Diapers/Wipes if you have kids□ Emergency blankets/hand warmers (or an old spare comforter)□ Jumper cables□ Car shovel/pick□ Pocket knife□ First aid kit□ Radio□ Package of batteries (for flashlight and radio)□ Toilet paper roll□ Spare clothes for small children□ Coffee can heater

The last thing you want to be thinking about in an emergency where you might not come back to “home” as you know it are the important keepsakes. Compile a list of items you would want to grab if you had the room and time.

□ Photos□ Journals□ As this list is personal, keep compiling as you think of things

Key Points:

Don’t let small spaces intimidate you. For a comprehensive list of helpful ideas view our Small Spaces Storage Solutions post

There are a wide variety of shelf options available. Determine the amount you feel comfortable spending and consider what will suit your needs best.

Options for canned goods and other Three Month Supply foods: o Build Your Own – Cheap & offers the most flexibility, but time-intensive

Free plan for building cardboard rotating can racks View the resources section below for other plan options

o Inexpensive metal or plastic shelving (i.e. from Walmart) – A cheap and easy way to get started, shelves may not be as durable

Julie opted for plastic, Jodi got metal – both work!o Higher quality metal shelves – Heavy duty hardware store shelves should have no

problem with bowing or collapsing under heavy weights.o Deluxe Can Rotation System – Most expensive option, but very convenient for easily

rotating through foods Start with one set of shelves and add more as your food storage grows. Plastic may be better than metal for storing heavier items (cheap metal shelves tend to bow in

the middle). Adjustable shelf heights will be useful as you store different types and sizes of foods and cans. Clear a space near your shelves for 5 gallon buckets/water containers/etc. Cover with old carpet

or pallets to avoid storing directly on concrete. Make sure to check out some of these Creative Uses for Old #10 Cans submitted by our readers.

Beyond the BabySteps – Step 1: Shelf LABELS! Posted on June 19th, 2009 by Julie - Food Storage Made Easy

As promised, for the summer crash course, each week we will be doing a post where we revise each BabyStep, and a post that is something a little extra about that BabyStep. So for the Beyond the BabyStep Post for BabyStep 1: Shelves, here we are….

Awhile back, Jodi made a post called From Chaos to Clarity where she organized all her long term food storage. She made these cute labels for her big buckets and since then we’ve had a lot of requests for them. Well, we finally are getting around to making them available for you to download.

We made labels for red wheat, white wheat, flour, oats, rice, pasta, black beans, red beans, sugar, milk and a blank one for the items you store that aren’t necessarily “the typical” items.

To access the pdf, simply click here or click on the image below:

Simply print out how many you need and tape them to your buckets…Hope you like them!

Food Storage Shelf Life

Posted on April 26th, 2009 by Jodi and Julie

We often get asked about Food Storage Shelf Life. We used to link out to a site that had all the answers, however it has somehow disappeared from the internet. Being that we still get asked the question, we thought it would be good to house the information ourselves for you. So for a great chart that gives Shelf Life for most of your Food Storage Items, click here (this information was found on shelfreliance.com).

Food Safety Throw Away Guidelines

As food ages it naturally will change in flavor, odor, and texture. The worse these conditions are the less likely we will be to eat a particular food, but if it were safe to begin with, and it passes the following food safety test now, then it should be safe. A good rule of thumb is “When in Doubt—Throw It Out.” (This list was taken from a handout produced by the Utah State Extension Service)

The following chart gives throw away guidelines.

1. Food was not processed properly. If improper processing times, methods, and/or recipes were used for home canned vegetables and meats, the jar may be sealed, but the product deadly—DO NOT TASTE—discard.

2. Look for the following signs of spoilage—DO NOT TASTE—discard:

Bulging lid—lid must be definite concave, and seal cannot be lifted with fingers. Milky appearance to liquid—as food ages the liquid will become more cloudy and a residue will

begin to form in bottom of jar—this is the food sluffing off, but the appearance should not be milky.

Mold growth of any kind. Slimy appearance or texture. Rancid odor—especially in foods which contain any amount of fat, like dehydrated protein.

Corrosion on inside of can, especially along seam (particular problem with canned foods older than 10 years or so.

Rust—especially on seam or seal of can. Frozen can or bottle—freezing produces hairline fractures in seal and allows spoilage to begin. Off-smell—food generally changes in odor as it ages, if the smell has developed to the point it is

undesirable. Food stored in non-food grade container—the container was not meant for food or once

contained a non-food product (garbage bags, garbage cans, cleaning bottles or buckets, kitty liter containers, etc.).

Key Points:

Most sources recommend 1 gallon of water per person, PER day, for 3-14 days.(Make sure to consider storing enough for pets as well)

Store water in “FOOD GRADE” or PETE plastic containers (stay away from milk jugs, but soda bottles are suitable).

Store water away from too much light or heat. Clean, sanitize, and rinse all containers prior to use. Do not use containers previously used to store non-food products. Store water in multiple sizes of containers to suit different emergency needs Do not store water containers directly on concrete. Place on cardboard, wood pallets, or other

materials. Non-chlorinated water (most municipal water is chlorinated) should be treated with unscented

liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite). See the chart below for appropriate amount to add to water.

Boiling is the safest way to clean water, however you can also use household liquid bleach to kill microorganisms.

Rotate your water storage at least once every year

Diagrams/Charts:

Beyond the BabySteps: Water: Purification

Posted on January 15th, 2009 by Jodi and Julie

BabyStep 2: Water

If you are new to food storage and following along with the BabySteps please refer to the Step 2: Water page before you read this post and get overwhelmed. Our recommendation for beginners is to simply get a 2 week supply of water for your family (1 gallon per day per person). However, this post is the start of a series of more detailed information on water storage which will include storage containers, alternate sources of water, water purification and more.

Beyond the BabySteps: Water: Purification

Contaminated water can contain parasites as well as microorganisms that cause disease such as dysentery, typhoid fever, salmonella, giardiasis, and hepatitis as well as having a bad odor and taste. You should purify ALL water before using it for drinking, food preparation, or hygiene. NO WATER CAN BE PRESUMED SAFE! Before you begin a purification process, it’s a good idea to strain the water through some sort of filter such as layers of paper towel or a coffee filter to remove any large particles. There are many ways to purify water but none is perfect. Often the best solution is to use a combination of these methods.

Boiling

Boiling is the most common and safest method of purifying water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking. Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. (or you can add in some of your stored flavorings such as fruit drink powders, kool-aid, hot cocoa, etc.)

Disinfection

According to the American Red Cross, “The only agent used to purify water should be household liquid bleach.” Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. Do not use scented bleaches, color-safe bleaches, or bleaches with added cleaners. This method is highly recommended as a backup in case fuel is not available for boiling or distilling water.

Distillation

Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities such as heavy metals and most other chemicals that are not removed with boiling or disinfection. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.

Water Filters (edited to reflect some tips from the comments)

There are two types of water filters, inexpensive travel water bottle filters and gravity carbon filters. A travel water bottle filter is great to throw into your disaster kit, but in cases of extreme contamination you would still want to add in a few drops of iodine or bleach. If you opt for a gravity carbon filter such as the AquaRain or Berkey ones, it MAY be enough purification, but we still recommend to use one of the other methods as well. It can never hurt to be too safe. If you are conserving fuel or on the run, a filter can definitely be a great option and is MUCH better than no purification at all.

Additional Resources

Water Storage / Purification Handout – EXCELLENT resource which can be printed and put in your Food Storage Made Easy Binder. (Thanks @cboyack)

Alternate Water Sources

Water in your home- Hot water heater tank- Toilet tanks (don’t use water that contains colored disinfectant!)- Water pipes- Ice in the freezer- Canned food

Traditional bodies of water near your home- Rivers and streams- Ponds and lakes

Collect water from the air and plants- Snow and ice- Rain water- Morning dew can be mopped up from rocks and plants (especially effective in desert areas). The easiest method is to use a handkerchief or shirt to gently mop up the dew and then wring it into a container. It is possible to mop up almost a quart an hour using this method!

Obtaining water from the soil- A hole dug in a damp or muddy area allows water to seep in and accumulate- Mud wrong in a shirt or other cloth will force out water (muddy water can be partially cleared by allowing it to stand overnight and then running it through several thickness of cloth)- Make an evaporation still (we will do a separate post on this later)

Locate sources of groundwater (in mountainous areas)- Sloping side of the hills in dry mountain ranges- Small seeps and springs can be found by following narrow canyons and gullies up to their heads- The water table is usually close to the surface and you could locate it by digging at the base of cliffs and rocks where lots of vegetation is thriving, at the base of large sand dunes on the shady

or steep sides, anywhere the ground is damp or muddy, in low spots where patches of salt grass, cattails, willows or elderberries grow

Beyond the BabySteps: Water: Evaporation Still

Posted on June 25th, 2009 by Jodi and Julie

If you are new to food storage and following along with the BabySteps Summer Crash Course, please refer to the recently updated Step 2: Water page before you read this post and get overwhelmed. Our recommendation for beginners is to simply get a 2 week supply of water for your family (1 gallon per day per person).

How to Make an Evaporation Still

An evaporation still will extract water from the soil even if it appears to be quite dry. These instructions will help you create a still that will provide half the amount of water needed for one person per day. It’s definitely more convenient to simply store water, but for a longer term emergency you may find it necessary to find alternate means of accessing water.

Materials:

A six-by-six square piece of clear plastic A drinking tube A bucket or container to catch the water

Instructions:

1. Dig a hole three feet deep and large enough at the bottom to hold the bucket or container.2. Place one end of the drinking tube at the bottom of the bucket and put the bucket in the hole.3. If possible, line the sides of the hole with shredded vegetation and slices of succulent plants.4. Place the plastic over the hole, securing the edges all around with soil. Extend the drinking tube

from the bucket under the plastic and up through the soil that holds the plastic in place. Wrap a towel or clean cloth around the end of the tube to protect it from soil and contamination.

5. Position a rock in the center of the plastic sheet two or three inches above and directly over the bucket.

6. Water will accumulate in the bucket and can be sipped through the tube without dismantling the still.

Key Points:

Make a list of foods you eat on a regular basis, and determine how much you would go through in three months.

Gradually purchase these foods in bulk as they go on sale (see TheFoodStorageShopper.NET for some tips).

Combine sale prices with coupons for even more savings as you stock up Use and rotate these foods in all your daily cooking. Constantly replenish the stocks of these foods as they go on sale again. Don’t forget to include non-food items in this step as well. Get a 3 month supply of NECESSITIES

such as diapers, medications, toilet paper, toiletries, etc. For a great list and tracker, see our 3 month plan spreadsheet.

Benefits include: saving money by buying foods on sale and having foods you normally eat in times of economic or any other type of hardship.

Helpful Tools:

We have developed a 3 Month Food Supply Excel Worksheet that will help you outline meal plans, convert them into the number of items you need to buy automatically, and then track your inventory including current prices for each product. NEW! The spreadsheet also has a list of “Common Foods Sheet” for you to choose from, and a “Non-Food Items Sheet” tracker!

We highly recommend viewing our short BASIC Tutorial Video before you start inputting information into your spreadsheet. If you aren’t familiar with excel this will make it seem so easy!

For more in depth information on the spreadsheets additional features such as the “Common Foods Sheet”, “Non-Food Items Sheet”, working with copy/paste, and adding or deleting lines, see the EXTRA Tutorial Video.

Key Points:

Before you begin purchasing your long term food storage it is important to come up with a game plan for what you will store, how much of it to buy, and how you will use it

Understanding Long Term Food Storage

Understand the basic recommended long-term foods and how they are used to help you determine what to store. Read our What Can You Do With YOUR Food Storage article for help.

Talk to experts in the food storage industry by going to preparedness store classes or to local church seminars.

Determining What to Purchase

Determine the quantities you will need by using our Long Term Food Storage Calculator (see tools section below)

Start small. Work on a full 3 month supply, then move onto a 6 month, then eventually a year supply

Follow our BabySteps Checklists to help spread out your purchases over time

Learning to Use Long Term Food Storage

Use food storage recipe books and websites to learn ways to use your long-term food storage on a regular basis (see resources section below).

Help your family become accustomed to eating your Long Term Food Storage. This will ease the transition in case of an emergency

Talk to your friends and family members about how they use their food storage. Check out our interview with Crystal to see the types of questions we ask.

Key Points:

Grains are used to create the foundation, and a wide variety of foods in your long-term food storage.

It is recommended that half your daily grain intake be WHOLE grains due to the high nutritional value and protein levels (examples include: whole wheat, oats, brown rice, etc).

Accumulate recipes that include grains. Using your grains will help you rotate through them, and get your family used to eating them.

Even though we talk about each grain separately, we find that WHEAT GRINDING is the major hang up for most people! Learn why NOT to be intimidated by wheat grinders by checking out our wheat grinder post and how-to video. Don’t use this as an excuse to not start this step!

When you are ready to purchase a wheat grinder, view our WonderMill Grain Mill page to see how we have become authorized dealers in order to get you the best possible price available.

Determine the quantities of each food item you will need to store. For more information, see BabyStep 4.

Key Points:

Beans, peas and lentils are the richest source of vegetable protein and are a good source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.

Utilizing dried beans and soaking them overnight is the best way to get the true bean flavor and a smooth texture

When legumes are eaten with grains, nuts or seeds, a complete protein can be formed which can suitably replace meat, fish, poultry, eggs or dairy.

Legumes aren’t just used for soups. Some other uses are: Grind into bean flour for white sauces Mash up cooked beans to replace butter/oil in recipes Grow into sprouts for a fresh “vegetable”

One easy way to start using dried beans is to use them in place of canned beans in your normal recipes (see conversion chart below)

Generally, legumes will keep indefinitely when stored in a cool, dry place.

Determine the quantities of each food item you will need to store. For more information, see BabyStep 4.

Key Points:

The ingredients in Step 7 are all the necessary fats, oils, sugars, milk, and miscellaneous items that you need to put food storage meals and recipes together.

Purchasing these items when on sale, then rotating through your stored supplies can save you time and money.

Find ways to use these ingredients in your everyday cooking, start learning how to make things from scratch. Check out our “Using Your Long Term Storage” video for some ideas on how to do this.

Look at our article “What Can You Do With YOUR Food Storage” to see what additional items you can make by adding these items to your storage.

Determine the quantities of each food item you will need to store. For more information, see BabyStep 4.

Fats and Oils:

Salad Dressings can be store bought and stored, or you can make your own oil and vinegar-based, or mayonnaise-based dressings with items you have on hand in your food storage. Be aware of expiration dates on store bought salad dressings.

Cooking Oil such as canola, or vegetable oil can be used in most bread recipes. Unless they have been specially treated, *unopened* cooking oils have a shelf life of about a year.

Shortening has a longer shelf life than oils, it is reasonable to expect an unopened metal can of shortening to have a shelf life of eight to ten years if kept reasonably cool, particularly if it has preservatives in it.

Mayonnaise can be used in baked dishes, pasta salads, salad dressings, and much more. Although it isn’t necessary to sustain life, it sure makes things taste better. Mayonnaise has a shelf life of 2-3 months.

Peanut Butter provides protein and monounsaturated fats (the good fat). Peanut butter has a shelf life of 6-9 months.

Sugars:

Powdered Fruit Drink comes in many different flavors and can be used in daily use and in times of emergency as stored water can have a funny taste. Powdered drink mixes can be stored for up to 3 years if unopened.

Brown Sugar can be used in many baked goods and even some bread recipes. It can be stored up to 6 months. Be careful to seal it tightly between uses if you have opened your sugar. Some people choose to store white sugar and molasses to make their own brown sugar to avoid dealing with shelf life issues.

Molasses and Corn Syrup are used as sweeteners in many recipes. Store according to your families needs. Molasses may be something you have never used, nor ever will use. If this is the case, don’t feel the need to store it. If you choose not to store brown sugar, you will want to store MORE molasses in order to make your own.

Flavored Gelatin is used in molded desserts and salads and to thicken cold soups. Jams or Preserves is covered in Baby Step 8 (Fruits and Vegetables) Granulated Sugar is used in almost all food storage recipes and is very important to store. Sugar

has a shelf life of 20+years. Honey is another sweetener found in a lot of food storage recipes. Honey is more expensive

then sugar and usually acts as a substitute for sugar in breads. Some people feel it is healthier to use honey than sugar.

Powdered Milk:

Nonfat Dry Milk is much cheaper then regular milk. To make your nonfat milk taste better, try adding 1 tsp of sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla to a gallon. This tip is from the author at everydayfoodstorage.net. She let us taste it at her house and it was actually GOOD!

Evaporated Milk can be stored in cans, or made from nonfat dry milk. To make a 12 oz can of evaporated milk from dry milk, mix 1-1/2 C. Water and 1/2 C. + 1 T. Dry Powdered Milk and blend very well. For more tips on using dry milk to make sweetened condensed milk and buttermilk click here.

Miscellaneous:

Baking Soda, Salt and Baking Powder are used in most recipes and if unopened have indefinite shelf lives. Definitely make sure to keep these ingredients on hand for your favorite recipes.

Active dry yeast is the form of yeast most commonly available to noncommercial bakers, as well as the yeast of choice for situations where long travel or uncontrolled storage conditions are likely.

Instant yeast appears similar to active dry yeast, but has smaller granules with substantially higher percentages of live cells. It is more perishable than active dry yeast, but also does not require rehydration, and can usually be added directly to all but the driest doughs.

Other Dairy (Optional):

Powdered Eggs can be used to create a lot of different recipes that will help you have variety in your diet in an emergency. They are also cheaper than regular eggs so rotating them into your regular cooking makes a lot of sense.

Butter can be purchased in powder or canned form. We don’t recommend canning your own butter due to health reasons, but commercially canned should be fine. Storing butter is not very cost effective so we don’t recommend storing a lot of it or making a large effort to rotate it into everyday cooking.

Sour cream is available in powdered form if it is something you really would miss if you were living in emergency circumstances. We don’t find it necessary but some people may wish to store keep a little on hand just in case.

Key Points:

While not critical for sustaining life, fruits and vegetables are a welcome addition to any food storage program for the health benefits, variety, and to help you save money on your day to day grocery shopping.

There are three different options for obtaining your preserved produce: o Grow your own and dehydrate/can/freeze it yourselfo Purchase it in bulk and dehydrate/can/freeze it yourselfo Purchase commercially preserved fruits and vegetables

Growing Your Own Fruits and Vegetables

We HIGHLY recommend learning to grow your own foods. This can range from just planting a peach tree and growing some tomatoes in a container, to a full-fledged farm-type situation.

Our favorite method to use for growing vegetables is square foot gardening which allows you to grow a LOT of veggies in a small space.

If you have space and don’t mind the mess fruit trees and vines can be a great cost-savings. You can also try to ask neighbors with fruit trees if you can pick their excess fruit.

Dehydrated

Dehydrated fruit makes a great snack with things like banana chips, craisins, dried apples, etc. Dehydrated vegetables are wonderful additions to soups/stews. Items such as dehydrated

onions can save you time and hassle in your everyday cooking. You can purchase a food dehydrator like this one, or learn to make your own here. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of dehydrating foods on your own, you can purchase

a lot of the items at stores like Emergency Essentials.

Canned/Bottled

You can bottle a wide variety of things such as salsa, pie fillings, applesauce, juice, spaghetti sauce, almost any fruit or vegetable, pickles, all sorts of jams and jellies, etc.

If you can get fresh fruits/vegetables for free or at a significant discount, then canning them yourself can save you a LOT of money over cans from the store.

Home-bottled foods have less preservatives, taste better, and you can adjust the amounts of sugar you use to fit your family’s preferences. So we feel like it is worth it to can them on your own even if you have to purchase the produce.

Bottling can be a fun bonding experience with friends/family and also it is a great way to build up your whole year supply of items all at one time.

If you choose to purchase cans of fruits and vegetables, you can either purchase a extra few cans each time you shop until you have built up your year supply or stock up when there are good sales.

Frozen

If you have an extra freezer then frozen fruits and vegetables are another great option. If there is a water shortage then you don’t want to have all your foods be dehydrated.

Freezing produce takes much less time and preparation than home bottling, and can often be done using less sugar or other preservatives.

If you don’t have home-grown foods, you can purchase fresh produce in bulk to freeze, or simply buy bags of frozen fruits and vegetables and try to use sales and coupons.

Key Points:

Comfort foods can help ease your stress during rough times While not considered “life sustaining” foods, we consider them “sanity-sustaining” foods. This is

especially important if you have young children. A few normal foods or delicious snacks now and then can really help a difficult situation.

Our advice to use what you store, and store what you eat applies to comfort foods as well. Try a new thing each week or month. Some of our ideas may not be your normal treats but they are great food storage items.

Comfort Food Ideas:

(Items with an * have recently been added to the list!)

Home-made popcorn in a pot (recipe coming soon) Mashed potatoes with instant potatoes and GRAVY Hard Candy Chocolate Pudding (made using dry milk) Granola bars Fruit snacks for children Chicken noodle soup in a can (for if you get sick) Kool-aid Condiments (ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, salsa, pickles – store a spare or two of each) Spices (inventory what spices you use and store an extra one or two of each) No-bake cookies ingredients (recipe coming soon) Rice Krispie Treats *

Macaroni & chees e dinners * Chocolate and butterscotch baking chips for homemade cookies or snacking * Peppermint tea bags * Ovaltine * Danish dessert (w/frozen raspberries) * Busy Day Soup (this is a meal, but it’s dinner comfort food & easy to make) * Homemade peach pie * Homemade cinnamon rolls *

These are all just ideas- Obviously they aren’t all that healthy, necessary to sustain life, or totally “food storage” types of foods – but hey, everyone needs a little comfort food sometimes!

Key Points:

Store a year’s supply of all household items that you normally buy at the grocery store Build up your supply by buying these items in large quantities when they are on sale, then only

replace your stores when they go on sale again Make sure you store the things particular to your family’s needs, our list might not include

everything that YOU normally use Don’t be afraid to use creative storage ideas for these items. A huge supply of toilet paper could

go in a garage, attic, etc.

Items to Consider Storing:(Items with an * have recently been added to the list!)Personal Hygiene

Toothpaste/Toothbrushes Shampoo/Conditioner Deodorant Facewash/Bodywash/Soap Shaving/Aftershave

Paper Products Toilet Paper (see comments for great tips on how much to store) Paper Towels Feminine Products Diapers/Wet Wipes Kleenex Paper Plates/Plastic Utensils/Napkins (can save on water in an emergency)

Cleaning Products Laundry Detergent Dishwasher Detergent Bleach All-Purpose Cleaner Items to make your own household cleaners *

* First Aid Items

First Aid Kits Hand Sanitizer Face Masks Prescription medications Cold medicine

* Pet Care Products Dog/Cat Food Extra Water for Pets Kitty Litter

* Miscellaneous Items Light Bulbs Board Games/Cards (something to do in case the power is out) Candles/Kerosene Lamps Needles/Thread (for basic mending)

Once you have completed all of the BabySteps you are ready to move on to some more difficult concepts. Some of them are just advanced areas of some of our steps, and others move completely beyond the steps into new topics. As we cover these topics we will be filling in this page. If you haven’t finished the BabySteps yet, stop reading! We don’t want you to get overwhelmed by thinking about these things until you are ready.

Emergency PreparednessEmergency Chemical Toilet72 Hour and Disaster Kits for BabiesMore 72 Hour Kit IdeasHow to Make a Coffee Can HeaterEmergency Heat Sources

BabyStep 1: ShelvesLabels for your shelves, cans, or buckets!  

 

BabyStep 2: WaterWater PurificationAlternate Water SourcesEvaporation Still

 

BabyStep 4: Long Term Food Storage EducationFood Storage Shelf Lives   

BabyStep 5: GrainsLet’s Talk About WheatAlternatives to WheatUsing Wheat WITHOUT a GrinderLet’s Talk About BarleyLet’s Talk About Oats

Let’s Talk About Cornmeal/Popcorn

BabyStep 6: LegumesHow to Grow Lentil SproutsBeans … the Magical Fruit?Let’s Talk About Beans

Let’s Talk About Split Peas

BabyStep 7: Baking IngredientsLet’s Talk About Powdered Eggs  

 

BabyStep 8: Fruits and VegetablesHomemade Applesauce Recipe & CanningBasics of Food Dehydration

  

BabyStep 9: Comfort FoodsCondiment CrazinessSpice Up Your Comfort Foods