Today's giveaway is being sponsored by Food Storage Depot, an online store that specializes in (you guessed it!) food storage.
TWO (2) lucky readers will win sample packs of Aunt Kate's Bread Mix. Aunt Kate's Bread Mix is perfect for your food storage - all you have to do is add yeast and hot water! For those of you who just don't consider yourselves bread makers, this will be an easy way to feed your family, especially in an emergency.
I just tried some of Aunt Kate's Wheat Bread Mix, and it was really, really good. So easy to make, and filling too. And I'm not a huge fan of wheat bread, but this bread was great.
All you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment on this post, answering the following question:
Have you ever done an official "inventory" of your food storage?? Do you know exactly what you have? We've mentioned doing inventories several times over the last year. I'll admit, I've done it a few times in the past but then I've never kept up with it, so over this last weekend I did it again and actually made a spreadsheet on my computer. I'll share more details in a post in the next couple of weeks, but I'm so glad I did it! And now I'm curious if YOU have ever done it!
One comment per person, please. This contest closes tomorrow (Wednesday) at 9 a.m. EST.
Thanks again to Food Storage Depot for sponsoring this contest! Be sure to check them out for your food storage needs!
128 comments:
I've done several "official inventories" - my problem is that I don't keep them up, and then find myself having to start all over again! Which is why I love your site - you're doing all the hard work for me! ;)
I've done 1 inventory to see what I have already efore I went out and bought more. I am new to this food storage thing but I am very excited to keep my food storage up.
We did an inventory right after we started our food storage but we've added a ton since then and haven't updated it at all. So I'm not sure exactly how much we have but I do know we have pretty much everything we planned on getting.
We've inventoried a couple of times, but haven't found a system yet that allows us to really track what's going in and out. . .
I haven't done an official inventory...but I know what I have because I d on't have very much yet! :-) I'm working on it, though. I have about 5 cans of wheat and 12 cans of oats, some beans, some milk, and lots of canned goods.
I haven't yet. I have a blank inventory sheet my friend gave me but nothing written in the blanks yet.
I have not done an inventory. I keep thinking I should, but it just gets put off for another day. We accumulate, eat, and repeat. Not the best system!
I did one last week so I know how much I need to buy for my 3 month storage. It is good to know I am not that far behind.
Sadly, no.... I have a pretty good idea of what we have and don't have, but no official list.
We keep our inventory on Microsoft excel. It is up dated every few months.
We don't have an official inventory, but I just went through our entire pantry and reorganized, so I know what we have. Sadly, that also means we don't have much "food storage" just food.
While moving food storage is not a favorite past time of mine, we just built a new house and I had to reorganize and do inventory.
I did an inventory and tried putting it all in a database. I had a hard time keeping up with entrys and finally gave it up.
I have never done an inventory and have never really thought about it. It's a great idea and won't take me long because we are just getting started. Weekend project!
I took inventory when I started paying attention to my food storage, but have added quite a bit. I should do another soon. Thanks for the reminder.
I have tried to keep an inventory of what I have, but it is usually an inventory of what is in the 3-month supply and not what is long-term, so it is constantly changing.
Nope, I haven't done an inventory. I keep telling myself that I need to get prepared. Especially since I live in hurricane territory, and we are now entering hurricane season.
I had an up-to-date inventory, but then a friend of mine moved and gave me a few boxes full of food. Not complaining about free food, but now I have no idea what I have.
I have never thought about doing an inventory of my food storage--what a great idea! I found your blog last September, if I remember correctly, so I must have missed that inventory post of yours. Please share your spreadsheet if you get a chance so I can see how you made yours. Thanks!!!
No, I've never done an inventory. I look at it multiple times a week, so I feel like I know what I have. I'm constantly using and replacing items I use. I try to keep an inventory of what's in the deep freezer, but I don't always remove things from the list when I take them out. It seems to be a hard thing to keep track of. Thanks again for another fun give-away.
We are moving in a few weeks & I'm excited to do an inventory of what we have then. I'm also going to organize what we have better, so I know what I need.
That is certainly an item on my to do list. Hopefully I'll find some time soon to get it done.
I have done inventories over the years but I never keep them up.
Yes! But I need to keep up on them better.
I did do an inventory once, but I should have done it on the computer so it was easier to edit/update. I wrote it down in a notebook and since then it has been lined through, new things added in the margins, etc.
I've done an inventory, but since I'm just getting started and it's pretty small I can do it all off the top of my head. Right now in fact if you really want :)
We've just switched to eating only homemade bread this year and so I would love to try something "different" (still homemade). Yes, we do inventories...I really need to do another one today!
Yes, but it's no longer current. Hmm...I'm recognizing a pattern here...
yes - and we leave it posted on the door of our food storage closet. That way when we use up an item, we mark it down...and create an instant shopping list.
Thanks!!
We have done inventories but I never keep them up. I cant wait to see your spreadsheet.
I have not done an official inventory of my food storage. I just started it a few months ago, and still feel totally disorganized. I can't seem to find a tracking system that works for me.
I know in my head what I have. I also do regular visual inspections to see what I am low on and what I need.
I have yet to come up with or come across an inventory sheet that fits my needs and isn't to complicated to use.
I do not keep a written list of what I have but I have a general idea in my head of what I have used and what needs to be replaced etc
I have done an inventory, especially as we prepare to move. I will make a list when we get settled and as I restock up for the 3 month supply.
I have done an official inventory, but I haven't kept up with it! I'm looking forward to some help in this area because I usually forget the exact amounts of what I have stored. I would love to do a spreadsheet!
No inventory yet. But you've inspired me.
I just recently put my three-month supply together, so I know what's in my pantry based on the initial purchases. But, I;m teaching a food storage class tonight and will be sure to mention the importance of having an inventory of all your food stuffs.
Inventory: Yes
Pick me as the winner for the bread mix: Yes, again.
I have never done an "official" inventory but I have a pretty good idea of what we have. Any suggestions for a good system to keep track of it?
Yes I have done an official food storage list. One day dh & and I went through each item, and counted how much we had. Then I didn't keep it up. I had grand plans to put it in an excel spreadsheet and keep it updated. I had planned to keep a printed copy in the pantry so we could mark items off as they are used. But that didn't happen. Since we don't have a lot of items it wont be hard to start over, but next time I will keep it updated.
Debi
www.WicklessParties.com
Yes. About once a year I have do an inventory and counted the number of cans we had in our food storage. At this time we don't know exactly what we have in terms of numbers, but we have a general idea of what foods we have. I usually date each can when we get it so that when we use it I know if it's been more than a year or less than a year. If it's been more less than a year between when I buy and when I've used I add more of that item on our grocery list.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! :)
I've done inventories, but not on a regular basis. I need to work on that.
KP
preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com
I've done an inventory to check to see if things are out of date. But that's it! I really need to do an inventory and see what I have and still need.
Funny you should ask!
As the buckets of food storage grew and we couldn't see to the very back of the narrow storage space we have them in....I said to my husband....we REALLY ought to make an inventory. He groaned at that....but then I added..."You could make one up with one of your spreadsheets on your computer." (He's a major computer guy.) He jumped right at THAT chance! LOL!
We just completed our inventory last week. Feels good. I have more food in there than I thought! I think we are very close to the recommendations for the size of our family,now. YAY!
P.S. HAPPY HAPPY Anniversary!
I have done several inventories. As a matter of fact I just did one over this past weekend. And of course I found it lacking in some areas. I have to keep telling myself a pantry is always a work in progress.
We do an official inventory every couple of months. That way we can replenish what we are getting low on. I have a list of everything we have in our food storage.
Yes, I keep an inventory.
This is a great blog, by the way! Thanks for all you add.
Not on my technical food storage, but I always make sure that once something gets used it gets replaced in the pantry. I also tend to count cans when case lot sales come around.
I have done an inventory. The problem is we keep using it and I don't always have the money to refill the shelves. I guess that is why it is there, to use when things are tight:)
I wish I had started an inventory earlier. But we will be moving to a new location in a couple of months and I'm determined to do it when we have all of the boxes out.
I do an inventory about every 6 months-1 year, rather than keeping track of every time I buy or use an item. I usually know what I have too much of or need to buy anyway, but as our family grows, this helps me be sure we still have a year supply.
I did an inventory to see how far we had to go before we could safely say we had a years supply... but I've added to it since then and need to update the list. My dream is to have a constant list that I check things off when I remove them and replace them, so it is always current.
Yes, I've been known to take inventory before... but it doesn't stay updated very long!
Oh yes! I am all about lists! My problem is when I get busy I 'forget' to update them.
wendy-whuffdsm@yahoo.com
I've only done one inventory-about 6 months ago. I should really do one now as I have been adding quite a bit to our food storage and my husband thinks we probably have enough for well over a year! Guess I should get on it before I add more from our gardens.
Melissa
vegafarm@wwt.net
Never Once. Of course I don't have a lot to inventory. Maybe if I start now I can keep up with it.
I am in the middle of it right now and i do major inventory every six months. I have a very good memory so I usually know what i have. Ihave it written just in case I forget.
I am just starting out with food storage so doing an inventory is pretty easy for me. I love your blog. I am learning so much!
Yes! I have a file on our computer that has our food storage sorted by the expiration date, so I know when I need to use things up. But we don't have a whole lot, so it's easy to keep an inventory of.
OK. So the answer is NO. I would love to say I have an idea of what is in my food storage, but the truth is I only slightly know. It is all fairly new because we just started it last year, so until the memory wears off, I have a basic waking knowledge, but now feel like I have to write it down. Thanks! I mean that in a good way.
I've done inventories but have not kept up with them.
I've drawn a map of where the storage is in our house (under beds and in closets) and we have a can organizer and shelves in the garage for our 3 month rotating supply. It works pretty well. Every now and again I update my map and check expiration dates and then I am good to go!
i have a pretty good idea. nothing written down though
I have a pretty good idea of everything I have - but it would probably be best to write it all down.
I know exactly what I have of the big basic stuff, but not of the little things. I actually have no idea how long our food would actually last us.....
I've only done an inventory of items stored in 5 gallon buckets. The rest of the items are constantly being rotated and used so there's no way to keep an up to date list.
I have a general idea. I have taken a written inventory at times, but not kept a running one.
I have done an inventory, but it was a while ago and our basement is now a major mess. We plan on getting it cleaned up and inventory all our food soon.
I've done several inventories and then keep a running list of things as we use them.
I started an inventory a while ago, but I have let it go lately, so I need to redo it. I kind of sorta know what all I have, but it isn't all written down.
Yes - and just recently. I'm currently working on getting a full 3 month supply. Right now I'm finalizing what meals I want to include - I'm doing 2 weeks of meals so we have variety - and then I'll make my shopping list and start the buying process. I probably have quite a bit of what I need I just have never organized it to be sure. Fun.
I made an excel spreadsheet for my inventory and I love it. I put in all the values for what one adult needs for one year and set it up to calculate how much food storage I need for my family of 5. I input what I have and it calculates what I need. Then I have it calculate how many cans I need and what the cost would be.
Thanks for your great blog, keep up the great work!
I have done an inventory of what we have and it's kind of depressing thinking of everything I need! I just got started so I have a long way to go.
I started to take an inventory and became so overwhelmed that I just quit!:(
Yes, I've taken a complete inventory of all items in the freezers, spices, pantry, etc. The process was worthwhile in that it prevented me from throwing a few things out I had forgotten about, but after that point I found that a quick review each month is more helpful.
Thanks for the chance to win!
We did an inventory a couple times and wrote it down a couple times but everytime we move I try to quit buying things beforehand and use some so it will all fit in a uhaul. Food storage seems more when we move then toys clothes and books but together.
I did an inventory on the computer of what I had, when they expired and where in the house it was located. I was pretty proud of myself. Of course that was in our old house and we moved two and a half years ago... Needless to say, it needs updating!
Two or 3 years ago I took a written inventory on my canned food storage but never in my freezer. It's definitely time to do it again. I think I have a pretty good idea of what we have though there would probably be some surprises.
I did an inventory a while ago, but never did anything with it. I need to probably do it again and a spreadsheet is a GREAT idea.
I did it once to see how much of everything we actually ate over a months time, but I never looked at it again. I did find it months and months later.
I'm still in the beginning stages of my food storage, so I am pretty sure of what I have. I want to be more organized by keeping track of what I have & what I've used.
My husband and I pulled everything out of our well house and inventoryed it and I have yet to get it typed up on the computer and printed. Need to do that!
No official inventory, just my own mental inventory but now that I am pregnant my mind has gone to mush. Maybe now is a good time to do that! :)
I haven't done an official inventory. I know the most recent things I've added now that we're replenishing what we've used in the past year, but that's definitely something I need to do...soon!!!
We don't have an official inventory... but I know more or less what we have.
-Migdalia
migdaliamart at gmail dot com
I haven't done an inventory but I'm sure it would be good to do!
count me in the drawing. I love bread.
Not offically, but off hand I pretty much know what we have. I just got the marjority in March, so I should know :-)
I just did our first one and now I have bought so much stuff that i have to do it again.
We actually just did this within the last few months because we have been working on our staple items and realized that we don't know how we would feed our little family without the "good" stuff. So thanks for all the helpful info. We have what we have because of this site!!
I have done a number of "official" inventories over the years but I'm not good at marking things off as I use them so each time I do an inventory I have to start fresh.
It makes a great FHE activity!
I have done an official inventory but need to do one again, maybe tomorrow! :)
I've done a few inventories, but I'm still unclear on what I need to have, so they didn't help much. I'm getting there, though. :)
I do the inventory every few months, but never keep it up
Oh boy.... I need to do this. I love your site. Thanks so much!!!
We cooked in our solar oven for memorial day (after reading your solar oven post)- it worked so great. Thanks for getting us excited about food storage!
Valerie Barber - I have done inventories when I buy something new, but I never keep track of when I use things! I think that if I had a better way to organize the actual food I could keep better track of it all! One step at a time!
I've done an inventory several times. Problem is if you don't keep track as you add stuff! I have a great spreadsheet made that I keep track of all longer term storage (like wheat, etc) and I'm good at keeping track of that. It's the regular food storage that goes in my pantry I have a tougher time with.
I just did this! Yay! We just moved, and I went through all of my food storage last week and made a list of everything that we have, and have been checking things off. I'm so excited! Thanks for the chance!
I do a water inventory every year around conference, but haven't inventoried food in a few years, and we've used up quite a bit of the food since then.
I am new to food storage (about 3 months) but have kept track from the beginning, I do know what I have and it is all in one place. I would love to win the giveaway...thanks!
I guess it's time, thank you for the motivation
I have only really stored food for about a year. At the beginning of that year I made an Excel sheet that tracks everything, the amount, when I purchased it ect. It's worked pretty well so far. Hopefully it will continue as the stash grows!
I do know exactly what I have and what I still need! Like you, it is in spreadsheet format so I can have a copy of it printed in several different places.
I inventoried my home canned things once. Once. :D I need to make a chart and hang it where the food is...
I do an inventory a couple of times a year, before we do a Walton Food Order as a group here in the South! I also do a lot of canning and inventory that as well. It's good to keep it up but it's hard to do!
I just recently made an inventory and was so surprised to find that I actually had more food than I thought I did! That's because I had some stashed in the pantry, some in the laundry room, some in the garage, etc. Along with the inventory, I've tried consolidating all like items, and then checking my inventory when I see sales to know how much I have, and how much I should get.
I just started our food storage, so my inventory consists of a piece of paper and a pen on the shelf. We write down what we take so we can replace it during our regular grocery shopping trips. Something is better than nothing, right!
I love your Web site! You inspired me to get started. I love to check your daily updates. Thanks for all your work.
I did one, and I was pleasantly surprise. However it got lost in my HD crash, so I'll have to do it again. Another emergency preparedness tip...BACK UP!!
I have started my inventory and was keeping it up pretty well and then I left town so I am sure that my husband has not kept it up!!! I used to know exactly what I had!!!
I'm sad to say I've never done an inventory, but I really mean to. Does that count?
What about standing in front of all your food every night while hoping a magical dinner solution will appear? Its ALMOST an inventory.
yes, i have but only once. a lady in our ward came up with a great idea to do it on a dry erase board and keep up with it. unfortunatley, i didn't get it hung up in a good place before my kids erased it. now i need to get to it and remake it and put it out of their reach. :)
yes! I have a inventory spreadsheet in my computer. I updated a few months ago, it probably needs to be updated again! I love the way it works and I try to keep it updated!
I have done one official inventory about 2 years ago. Good reminder to get it redone!
I've never done an inventory but I think they're a good idea.
I'm guilty, I haven't ever done an official inventory.
I do an inventory about every six months or so. I am, however, overdue for one by two months -- OUCH! Time needs to slow down -- doing an inventory really helps me to see the gaps in my storage. My problem right now is that, although I have a lot of room, it is FULL TO THE BRIM and so doing inventory right now is going to be the pits! But, yes, inventorying regularly is VERY important!
I have done a thorough inventory before.Unfortunately right now, at this moment...I don't know exactly what we have.
I did an inventory last Fall . . . need to do it again. As we move it all into the new storage room we just built I imagine I'll inventory then.
Inventory? What is that? (does that answer your question? :)
I am in the process of doing one. Finding things that have expired has convinced me to try harder to keep up on this.
I have always done it on the first day of spring break. The items that are not in high rotation get looked at and dates checked.
Thanks, Michaela
ahmh61398@gmail.com
I did a system that is always working. I typed up a word document that lists what we have and every time an item is taken from the shelf we put a check mark on it. This allows me to see what is in storage and what is not in storage. Every 3 months I do a general all over count to make sure the list is correct and order or grow what we do not have.
It's easy when you don't have much in storage yet, but no I haven't taken the time to make an inventory. It is definitely something I want to keep track of though as I build my food storage.
Okay, so I know that the contest is closed, but I had to post anyway. I'm in the middle of doing an inventory right now... and it's because of this site. I saw a few different articles on doing an inventory and got inspired. I've also seen enough recently to stoke my food storage fire, and my husband would really like me to have an inventory before we expand any more because he thinks we should have enough already. We'll see how that goes after we're done with the inventory.
yes - I have put it on a spreadsheet and then I print it out. And post it on the door where I store my food. When we use up an item it becomes a grocery list for me.
We actually just moved ours and reorganized it. I was amazed at what we had. Now I need to make a list of all the things that need to be used up, and replaced. (we were given some things, and I forgot about them!) I love your blog and the reminders!
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