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Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Year's Resolutions for Food Storage and Emergency Prep... and a GIVEAWAY!!

*******Update: the giveaway is closed... thanks for all your great comments! Good luck with your 2009 goals!***********

Do you make New Year's resolutions?

We do! And even if you don't normally make a list, consider writing down some food storage and emergency preparation goals for 2009. Writing down your goals may help them feel more achievable. I'm going to tape mine to the refrigerator so I don't forget, and also so that my husband can know what they are and ask me from time to time how I'm doing with them. I need all the motivation I can get sometimes!

Abs and I have very similar goals this year. We both want to finish getting a 2-week supply of water, get our 3-months supplies COMPLETELY done, and have a full inventory of our longer-term storage. I would also like to have more powdered milk and sugar in my longer-term storage by the end of the year (if I was really on top of things, I'd set an amount I need to have, but hopefully I will have time this January to sit down and figure that out). And finally, I really want to have our 72-hour kits completely finished and ready to go in any situation.

We want to hear YOUR food storage and emergency prep goals for 2009. Leave us a comment on this post, telling us one or two things you want to accomplish. One person will win a small first aid kit, which is perfect for your car kit or 72-hour kit! We will use Random.org to choose the winner.

One entry per person, please. This giveaway will close Friday night at midnight (EST).

93 comments:

Poulsen Family said...

Our goal for the coming year is to work more towards our long term storage. I'm so glad I found your site, it was one of my steps in trying to find out more we can do to build up our storage. Thanks for all your work!

Dianna said...

My goal this year is to replace what I use and to add a few new things each week. I'd especially like to focus on canned fruit and tomatoes, as I think we would really miss those if we couldn't get them.

Kindra-At Home With K said...

I'm new to your blog. So my goal is to basically start my food supply. And manage to do that within my monthly budget. I think that will be the hard part. Happy new year and thank you for this great giveaway!

Unknown said...

I'll be getting a wheat grinder soon, so I'd better get started on storing some wheat. :) Space is a major issue with us (apt in SoCal), but hopefully that will be getting fixed soon. We will be getting serious about longer-term food storage this year. Thanks for all your help and fabulous ideas!

Michelle said...

I am working on a 3 month emergency fund and part of that is a full and complete 3 month food storage - 3 meals a day, snacks, drinks and desserts. I am planning out what I need in January and working on stocking up within my weekly budget each week during the year.

Lisa said...

My 2 resolutions are to: (1) get my 72-hour kits complete, and (2) buy a wheat grinder. We are blessed to have a very generous wheat farmer in our ward, so we have quite a bit of wheat, but we need a way to use it.

Love this very useful blog! Thank you!

Southerner said...

My first goal is to purchase non hybrid seeds for the garden this year so I will have seeds that can be replanted each year. I have a good bit in my pantry and plenty of HBA items but food is hard to stock because my family just eats more the more I buy. I am trying to stock up food. I want to start making bread with my flour (right now it has just sat) and really get a lot more. I also want 2 rain barrels for watering the garden- could be used in emergency for us.

Testing said...

Our goals are to use what we have- work it into our menu planning and keep rotating. I'm learning more baking so we can use the wheat and flour we have. I also want to rotate our 72-hour kit (food, batteries) and put a few more items in to make it last longer (our area would be the last to be helped- on an island, out in the country). i also want to do another garden and expand our water storage.

Kessiah Kitty Katniss said...

I want to update my 72 hours kits (I don't think I've opened them up in over a year!) and get a good 3 month supply.

Jessica said...

We're working on better 72 hour kits and long term storage!!

Anonymous said...

I just need to make mine more well rounded. I'm getting there.

Heatherlyn said...

Well, we for sure want to have our 72 hour kits totally useable and ready to go for each member of our family. We are also going to come up with a plan for our 1 year supply. My husband and I have some debate over which is more preferable: the 1 month supply buckets with everything you need for a month and a shelf-life of like 20 years or a rotating food storage that would last through the year. Ideally, both would be nice. But we are trying to figure out the right balance for our family.
You have a great blog.

Autismland Penny said...

My goal this year is to do a 3 month supply for us and for my son with food allergies. Love your blog!

Heidi said...

My goal is to have a complete year supply, water supply and 72 hour kits.

Orr Family said...

My goal this year is to have a money supply, I am going to buy a lock box and stock up on change, 1's, 5's and 10's I hope to have over $1000 in there by next year! My food storage is pretty good, but I never have cash on hand, I swipe for everything!

Stacy said...

My goal is to get a wider variety in my long term storage. I'd also like to do better at putting more money away in savings.

Elisa said...

Our goal is to really get out long term storage put together. We just moved into our house a year ago, and have worked really hard at our 72 hour kits and 3 month supply, and have a little more (we think) but we really need to work on our long term stuff. I love getting the info from your site and how to do it, and what is best to get. Thanks for the help!

Anonymous said...

Well, let's see. I need to start switching over my food storage - We just found out my wife has a gluten allergy so those 16 buckets of wheat won't be doing her much good. I also want to get a manual grinder.

The biggest thing is to get my financial ducks in a row this year. Find a workable plan for saving and investing, then start it and stick to it.

angie j. said...

over the holidays we built bases for our water barrels and are currently building shelves for our food to go over them. we've purchased backpacks and we printed a supply list to get our 72 hour kids done and will be shopping for those supplies this weekend.

we so appreciate the motivation your blog provides!

Kate said...

I am new to your site, but I have just loved going through it and finding great ideas. Thank you so much!

So, my goals for this year include making a cardboard oven (using your instructions), adding to my longer term storage (need dry milk and pasta especially), and filling out my 72 hour kits (we have the basics, but need to add more to make them complete).

Gaengy said...

My goal is to redue my 72 hour kits...its been about a year and a half since I redid them and its time again!

Danielle said...

Our goal for this year is to restart our food storage as we had to live off it for a whileand depleted much of it.

ldsmom2201 at yahoo dot com
http://juanshappywife.blogspot.com
http://homeschoolunitstudies.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

My biggest goal for the coming year is to get organized. I've been "gathering" food storage since about May, but I haven't been keeping good track of anything or really doing it by meals. I just kind of buy something when I see it and can afford it. I want to be better about searching for sales and coming up with meal plans.

Your website is a great help! Thanks for all of your wonderful ideas. I hope that I can put aside time in January to get myself organized!!

Ryan said...

My main goals are to start cooking with more real whole foods (chickens, turkeys, rice, flour, etc) instead of ready made frozen type stuff. As part of this goal I am going to incorporate more shelf stable stuff into my normal diet.

A secondary goal is to get some real long term storage food. Freeze dried long term type stuff.

Christie said...

This year I plan on replenishing my foodstorage. Doing 72 kits and doing a complete inventory of what I have. I also want to learn how to use my wheat and beans. christie

Jess said...

My goals are to update my personal 72 hour kit and then expand it to cover my roommates and my boyfriend. Better to be overprepared.

Anonymous said...

My goals are very similiar to yours with water and three month supply finished. I would also like to provide car kits to my adult children & encourage them to build their own storage supplies.

JennVan said...

I need to update my 72 hr kit and work on more long term food storage.

kidsmom said...

I would like to complete my 72 hour kits and emergency car kits and get them in place. Then increase my water supplies. Lastly, maintain the storage I have so far.

gina said...

I want to get a 2 week supply of water. It's amazing how much you will need; everything in food storage reconstitutes with water!

Jenny said...

I would love to get our 72 hour kits done and build up our water supply!

aLeXis said...

My goal is to get our long term storage built up and to finish our 72 hour kits (so close).

Thank you for your wonderful blog. I would be lost without it.

Sondra said...

My food storage is pretty good and I have a good supply of water. My 72 hour kit only needs a few more things.

Goal for 2009: Get a good car kit made and in the car.

Get a good supply of cash reserve. Pay off as many bills this year as possible.

Continue to add items in food supply as they come on sale. Cook with Food storage!! Get more great recipes from your site ;).

Thanks for all you do! Have a terrific 2009!! Happy New Year!

Jenny said...

I want to get our 72 hour kits done and and also build our canned food supply. Thank you for doing this blog-it's helpful.

Stephanie said...

I would like to start the 72 hour kit and help my family start one as well

West Family said...

I want to get a 3-month menu plan more established and contibue to rotate through it. Also, I need to begin a long term supply. The 72 hour kits need to be finished, but they are close and a first aid kit would be a great addition!

Kathy said...

Our goals for 2009 are to update and improve our 72 hour kits, complete our 3 month supply and water supply and also try to stash a little cash for emergencies. Thanks for such a great blog and thanks for the giveaway!

Ellen said...

Our goals are to continue to work on food storage, make a bug out bag and make a 72 hour emergency box.

Melonie said...

Another fan of your blog here. :-)

I am still plotting out my goals by the months I'd like to have them accomplished, but so far I've come up with the following priorities for the first quarter of 2009, based on the fact that we moved in October and had to use up/donate a lot of our food/water storage before the move. Here's what I plan to tackle at first:

1) one week supply of bottled water & First Aid kit updated by next week
2) 72-hour kit (aka bugout bin) updated by 15th
3) full month of water by 1 February
4) seeds/seedlings/pots/soil purchased to get container garden started by 1 February
5) 2 weeks cash on hand (US dollars and foreign currency since we live overseas) by 1 March

I have a lot more things on my mental "to-do" list, but I'm still trying to get them prioritized and out of my brain. LOL

Anonymous said...

Our goal for this year is to have more water on hand and since we are just about done with our three month supply start on long term supply.

Maryn said...

I'm working on getting started! I found your blog a few weeks ago and pulled out things I already had for the 72 hour kit and the car kit; now I'm going to be working on fully stocking them while working within my grocery budget this year.

Debi said...

My goal is to finish my 72-hour kits and hang them in the garage.

Anonymous said...

We plan to make our 72-hour kits more portable and accessible. I don't think we've updated for our baby being 2 yet (those 3-6 month onesies just aren't going to cover him). We're also going to start adding and using long-term storage (I had wheat and dry milk on my Christmas list - but I didn't get any yet; I guess Santa figured that it's up to me). Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Our goal is to get out of debt & have emergency cash. We have a years supply of food, but we'd like to continue adding to that. We'd also like to get items in the event of a power outage: washtubs for laundry & a solar oven. I'd like to stock up on charcoal.
It looks like it will be a rough year financially, so who knows how much of this we'll actually get done!

Anonymous said...

My goal is to finish up gathering my three month supply and to get a car emergency kit put in my husband's car. I also want to prepare by being mindful of caring for my physical, mental and physical health.

motherofangels said...

Well, I was just given the calling in church as Emergency Preparedness Coordinator...So, I think my new years resolution will be to get the ward exited about preparedness!!

kriscake said...

1. make more trips to the Bishop's store house
2. add more of our storage items into our daily diets
3. pick up one extra storage item EACH time I go to the grocery store
4.add garden seeds the long term storage


Melonie: I like your thinking. Please carry on with your list :)

Unknown said...

What a great blog! I am so glad I found you! Our goal for this year is to get out of debt and to fully rotate 2-4 of our 90-day meals each month into our "normal" eating plan.

roxanne said...

I want a fully stocked and updated 72-hour-kit and car kit, as well as a 2-wk supply of water. Thanks!

Willys and Elizabeth (Lizzie) said...

Well I am new at all of this so my goals for this year are to get a long term storage system going and to complete a 72-hour-kit and car kit.
Thanks,
Elizabeth
zizziecards@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I reached a fun milestone last year. I have a full year's supply of everything we eat in our freezer, on our shelves, and in our pantry. Everything except fresh fruits and veggies. Each week instead of using my master list from Pantry Principle. I inventory each item I use out of storage. As sales come up I replace the used items from applesauce to toothpaste to wheat.

This year I hope to replace aged camping supplies for our evacuation kits. In addition, I hope to buy a more efficient freezer. The one we have must be about 50 years old. I would hate for it to die with all our meat and butter inside.

~B. said...

Let's see:

1. Build shelves in the root cellar
2. Get hand grain grinder
3. Cook more with my beans and oatmeal
4. Start my compost pile so my garden will be AWESOME!
5. Learn to use my new pressure canner I got for Christmas!
6. Put up LOTS more garden goodness than last year
7. Figure out a workable inventory system
8. Replace food and clothing in 72 hr kits

Kellie said...

My goal this year is a sustainable amount of water (gotta figure out storage for that one) and more "filling" foods (carbs, etc...) that don't go bad super fast. Great site.

Michael and Emily said...

My goal is to get a solid three month supply of food. And figure out how much food that actually will need to be. Then we'll see what we can do for longer term... I love your website. It has helped me so much and has really motivated me as well. Thank you!!

Heidi said...

Our goals related to being prepared are (1) meet with our financial planner to review how we're doing (2) grow a more toddler proof garden and (3) add to our car kit.

Thanks! I've really enjoyed your blog this year.

Melinda said...

My goals for 2009 are to learn to use my food storage more than I already do and to get my families 72 hour kits done.

Tonya said...

We need to get a 72 hour kit and start on our 3 month supply.we are just starting out with the whole food storage thing.

jello said...

Thanks to your blog, I have found practical advice for preparing my family and home storage. For Christmas, I ordered the 6-can Food Storage starter kit from LDS Distribution and 2 72-hour emergency backpacks from Emergency Essentials.

Our 2009 goal is to start a food supply for a family of 5. We will start with 1 month then take it to 3 months, given our limited storage space in the garage and knowing that a year supply doesn't happen overnight.

Thanks again!

- Joel

Shelbee said...

My 2009 goals are to get a better supply of water, and continue adding to our food storage while keeping it organized with a good inventory list.

Lyns said...

LOVE your blog. My goals are:
1-Shelves in my food storage room
2-3 Month Supply
3-72 Hour kits for my family

Anonymous said...

As a raw foodie, by food storage goal is to have a year's worth of seeds (for sprouting), nuts, and seeds for gardening. The rest of my family eats "normal"; we have about six months worth right now, and will keep adding to it.

Anonymous said...

My goal is to have at least a 6 mo. supply of canned meats. I want to top off my long term storage; we have added a new family member this past year. I also plan on having my complete 3 mo. supply.
I am new to your blog-I love it! Thank You for all of your hard work!

Cecily said...

Since December and January are always our tightest months, we have cut into our supplies, so this year, we hope to get that 3-month supply back up, and restock some of the longer-term supplies that we have dipped into. I also want to try making gluten-based meats and such for protien.

Connie said...

We got a good handle on food storage this year and are using the grain grinder weekly. As we've been living the winter on our storage, the thing that I didn't really get enough of is chocolate.

What I need to work on are 72 hour kits, getting some financial savings going, and grow a garden using all heirloom seeds. I'd like to use the store house but we're not LDS so I'm a little shy about calling up and going.

Keri said...

I want to get my 72 hour kit organized and usable.

Unknown said...

My 'big dream' goals would be to get everything (3 month supply, long term storage, 72 hour kits, water storage, ETC) done. But my 'baby steps' goal is to get rolling back packs for each family member, and create 72 hour kits for each of us. I really appreciate your site, and the help and information it gives in reaching our goals.

Sarah said...

I am hoping to find room to store food in our small two bedroom apartment which will hopefully help me actually buy more food to go towards our food storage. I also want to finish putting together our 72 hour kits.

Anonymous said...

Get closer to my grain and water storage goals.

Jen said...

My goal for this year is to incorporate my food storage supply in my daily cooking so I can rotate!

Ashley & Kevin said...

We have no food storage so my goal is to start a supply
& rotate it

Untypically Jia said...

My first goal is to go through what we already have and make sure it's all still good, and then begin using and rotating it.

Tulsi said...

2008 began with a new son in law and now they have their first baby on the way. I need to add 72 hour kits and am working on our 3 months supply...and then add....and then add... Sometimes it seems so large of a project that it takes time to sink in that you can begin small.

Shanen said...

This is a wonderful blog. Our goal are:
1. To get all our "important items" scanned onto a disk and into each of our 72 hour kits.
2. Finish our 3 month supply (we are at about 1 month right now.)
3. Start our Financial Reserve.

Valerie said...

Thanks for the giveaway chance!

1.Finish getting my 3-month supply completed within 3 months. (We've been working on it for 6 months.)
2. Put together 72-hour kits for me and my husband and check the kids' to see what we need to rotate.

This looks like a great blog and it will help me learn so much!

Anonymous said...

1)building shelves to organize what I have and add to it each month.I want my shelves FULL by this time next year.
2)72 hr. kits, esp. medical supplies as I am a nurse.
3)bigger garden, try more herbs to dry and do lots of canning this year!
4)learn all I can about all of the above
Thanks for your great ideas!

Ritch in Love said...

My husband and I live in a condo in downtown SLC. Storage space is limited. We don't have food storage. 2 weeks ago we had a strong feeling it was time to follow the teachings we have been given, regardless of our lack of space. Our goals for the next 6 months are to find adequate space for food storage and start a short term food storage. Also we will put together backpacks for ourselves and my 2 stepchildren who live with us only 62 days a year. I'm very much looking for advice and tips.

Shayleen Lunt said...

1. Buy a wheat grinder and start making my own bread.
2. May purchase a solar ovn or canner so that I will be able to better preserve the veges from the garden.
shaylenejohnson at hotmail dot com

Tiffany said...

Our goal is to have a one year long term supply finished by the end of 2009. Short term goals are to get our 3 month storage completed by April. We have one completed 72 hour kit and we are going to hopefully get two more finished in time for the summer this year.

Holly Steffen said...

Our goal is to prepare 72 hr kits for all members of our family. So, this giveaway is PERFECT! =]

Bobbi Jo Nichols said...

My families goal for this year is to continue with the rotating of the food storage. Using what we can to supplement for what we would be at the grocery store. This in turn will help us to put that money to pay off and get out of debt. We have garden box planters in the works to do the Garden by the foot and have plenty to can for the future use. This is a great giveaway. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Anonymous said...

My goal is to have a mock emergency evacuation and give my family 20 minutes to grab and go and then see if we can survive for a day or two on our 72 hour kits at a campground! Love your blog!

Joanna said...

I started not too long ago, so I have quite an extensive list of what I want to do this year.

1. Most important: Work out a budget so I know what I can spend on the food storage/emergency items without breaking the bank
2. Get 2 adult and 3 kid 72 hour kits together
3. Get 2 car kits together
4. Complete our 3 month supply
5. Get at least half the water we need together
6. Can as much meat, vegetables, and fruits that I am able to
7. Get all our important documents and pictures on a hard drive and give print copies of the documents to relatives living in the least danger zone
8. Get our wills and the kids' guardianships set up
9. Sock away as much cash as we can

I think I will print out this list and refer back to it through out the year. Thanks!

Unknown said...

Our goal for this year is to complete our food storage. We have grains but we need to add other things to it. I love being prepared. It's like a bank account for us.

Kristi M. said...

I would really love to just keep on top of gathering my food storage. My goal is to stick to a weekly schedule of buying items to build it slowly. My other goal is to use wheat in at least a couple of recipes...I really need to buy it to begin with. Another goal is to work towards debt free living. So crucial now these days.

Unknown said...

We have very ambitious goals this year with food storage. We plan to build a large food storage room in our basement this year (b/c of the great help & ideas of this website we've accrued a large amt. of storage items) and I am very excited about this large step in expanding our family's emergency preparedness. Our other goal is to eliminate debt so that we can live a very stable life as we enter these rough times.

Mackay Family said...

My goal is to get my 72 hour kits done! Also to keep working on building my food storage. I want to try and cook 1 meal a week with the food in my food storage.

JOY said...

Here's my goals:
Get our 72 hour kits updated and complete.
Lots more Sugar in long-term storage.
Since I love organizing - develop a better inventory system.
Work on my Food Storage every Friday - hey today is Friday! Yea! I can check that one off!
Thanks for the motivation - I love your blog - come visit my organizing blog sometime!

Jenn said...

Our family's goals for this year are to clean out and reorganize the upstairs pantries and build shelves in the basement. The upstairs pantries will be for "in-use" small portions of supplies and the downstairs shelves will be for long term large container storage. We hope to have our 72-hour kits and 3 month supplies completed by the end of the year and to be making better use of dried/bulk items in general.

Unknown said...

I have really been enjoying your blog. It's motivating me to do better on my food storage. My food storage goal this year is to finish my 3-month supply & also to build my water storage. Thanks for all yout tips!

The Oman Family said...

We want to actually get our food storage organized (we did a recent remodel and are still a mess). We want to figure out what we really have and what we don't have.

Anonymous said...

love your blog & all the fabulous information & inspiration - thank you !!
Whilst continuing with regular storage stuff one thing I really want to do asap is gather a 'pandemic kit'!
Jeni

Anonymous said...

My goal this year is to organize my new store room, to store more water and to rotate.
Love your blog. Thanks De

Krisi and Adam said...

I think my goal this year is just to continue to build our food storage. We are also going to get the van paid off by the end of the year (about 4 months early). We had only made a few extra payments (of like $200 each) so that is $3000 extra to pay this year. Then we can have even more into savings each month.

I also need to get our water storage together here at the new house - all the containers are sitting empty!