-->

Friday, June 5, 2009

Friday's Giveaway - SGI e-book! ***UPDATE: Contest Closed! ***

It's the last day of our anniversary week - thanks everyone so much for entering our contests, for your great comments, and for reading our blog! We love writing this blog; we are learning so much about food storage and emergency preparedness along with you! Thanks everyone for your encouragement and your emails over the last year.

In celebration of our one-year mark, we've compiled a 79-page e-book, complete with some of our best articles, information, and recipes. Yes, RECIPES! In printable format! Ideal for your food storage, because if the power goes out it will be difficult to get onto the internet!

The e-book will be send to your computer immediately as a pdf download. You can print up this e-book, keep the pages in a binder, and keep it with your food storage (or your cookbooks!). You can print the whole thing, or just the recipes, or just the articles, or just the emergency preparedness info... whatever you want!

Here is a list of what's included in the e-book:
  • Food Storage Quotes and stories (from our Monday posts)
  • Information on the three-month supply (and rotation methods)
  • Longer-term storage (storing options, and specific info about wheat, rice, beans, oats, and other items)
  • 72-hour kit information (articles, list of items)
  • Emergency Car kits (list of items)
  • A section on water storage and preservation
  • Other related food storage and emergency prep articles that we've shared over the year
  • ALL our recipes from the last year, including rotation ideas for EACH recipe (fresh ingredients to add if you're eating the meal just to rotate it)
  • A complete 3-month menu plan, which coincides with our recipes
  • A complete shopping list for your 3-month supply (using the above menu plan) **This was made especially for the e-book, and will not be published on our blog!
  • There is also a blank shopping list for you to fill in, as well as a blank 3-month menu chart, so that you can customize your own 3-month supply plan if you want to (or you can just use our list, since we've done all the work for you!)
FIVE (5) lucky readers will win a FREE copy of our e-book, and then tomorrow (Saturday) it will become available for purchase, right from our blog's home page. Normally, the e-book will cost $7, but for one week we'll be having a promotional rate of $5.

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post asking US a question! Do you have any burning questions about food storage? Emergency preparedness? What I'm making for dinner tonight? Any questions about the e-book that we can answer for you? Ask us! I'm sure we'll get some great ideas for future posts, or maybe we'll do one huge Q&A. Or a week of Q&A's.

If you don't have any questions, that's ok too. Just write something so you can enter the giveaway!

One comment per person, please. This giveaway will close tomorrow (Saturday) at 2 pm EST.

92 comments:

Heidi said...

Working on my long-term storage and am making great progress, but I am wondering about vitamin C...you know, I'd rather not have to worry about scurvy in the event I actually start living off of my long-term food storage food. So, what do you suggest for long-term storage of vitamin C? Thanks!!!

Heidi said...

I emailed you about my question (flaxseed) so now I'm just entering the giveaway. :) Thanks!

Nicki said...

I am curious about how much bleach per liter or gallon of water.

Jenni McVey said...

I'm new to all of this building up food storage and rotating through it. What are some great ways to keep track of it all? I hate to "reinvent the wheel!"

Amy said...

I want to know how to make a fluffy loaf of bread from my fresh ground hard red winter wheat. My Mom gave me several bushels when she left her wheat grinder with me and all the bread I've made is so dense.

Anonymous said...

Do you use powdered butter, margarine or shortening? I find, I just can't get these to work in any recipe. I assume it's because they are really not fats. Even recipes that specifically use these products don't turn out for me. What is your experience?

Thanks, Joyce

Keri said...

An e-book is a great idea. What file format is it? Did you have to jump through any copyright hoops to publish it yourself?

eakelley said...

Do you store cleaning (laundry detergent, dish soap etc. )products and how much do you store?

Emily

Anonymous said...

How do you keep yourself so organized? I have been trying to get better about food storage for over a year now and I still feel overwhelmed and I don't even have a 3 month supply, let alone a month! I've kind of slacked off in the last 7 months or so.... So how do you keep yourself motivated to keep storing?

Also, I was wondering if it's ok to store water in the garage? We live in Idaho Falls where the winters are freezing cold and below and the summers aren't too hot(Probably 80-90 range), but not cold either.

I'd love to get a copy of your e-book. Thanks for the chance to win!!:)

Barlow Fam said...

What a great idea! I hope I win. :)

What is the best nonwheat to store for someone who is allergic to wheat? My daughter gets horrible eczema when she eats it. I have lots of oatmeal, but even when ground that doesn't always bind very well. Do you have a good blend?

rick and cheryl said...

Something!! :)

Amanda said...

I have very, very limited space in my little apartment, and we've started to get a little food storage going. I am always wondering what the best items to have would be that don't get rotated through really frequently?

Sariah said...

Are you going do posts on how to bottle fruits.

Sarah said...

would love a book=
I struggle in keeping track of my food storage room. i use it on a daily basis but need a good method of how to remember what I took off the shelf that needs to be replenished.

Sena said...

What is the easiest method you've tried/heard about for making bread. I'm looking to make that transition from buying bread to making it instead (much cheaper!), but I've never done so before. Any other advice for a beginner?

Liz said...

What is your take on cleaning products? What kind should I store, or what ingredients should I store that I can also clean with?

Ashley said...

What's a good indoor food-storage system when you've got limited closet space? We've been keeping our food in the garage, but it gets so humid in Illinois in the summer, I know that's probably not good for a lot of the foods.

Daughter of God said...

I like the idea of your 3 month supply and I've been working on it. then on youtube I found a lady who has started to do the same idea, two weeks of meals just rotated, for the whole year. my question is do you really think it is possible to get a year supply this way? It seems that some of the stuff that is in the three month supply will go bad before you would use them. I would like your imput.
thanks
Amy V. Young
amyyoung13@yahoo.com

The Holdaway's said...

What are other types fo grains to store in addition to wheat - I'm new to all this!

staceyk said...

sounds like a great resource to have!

Brittany said...

I was just wondering if you had done a taste test on the different dry milk products available. Most people I've spoken to prefer the taste of the Morning Moos, but with it not being dairy and having a whole bunch of gross additives, I've been looking for an alternative. Any suggestions?

Also --- for Joyce (question above) coconut oil can be used as a margarine/shortening/oil substitute and has a much longer shelf life. It's also healthier for you.

Thanks for your website and for the opportunity to win this book.

Brittany

The Oman Family said...

What do you put in your buckets of wheat and such to keep them fresh and from sprouting?

Valerie said...

Do you guys have a big "everything" list that shows the different categories of things to store? I know that I should be getting things other than food, but I am trying to get a list of it all so I can start from the top, bottom, or middle and start collecting. Having a list already made would help a ton!

Mary said...

I'd love more info about canning. I'm especially interested in canning meat, I've heard it tastes better than store bought. You have a great blog!

Brooke said...

I can't really think of a question, but thought I'd tell you that my family LOVES the taco seasoning recipe that you posted. Great find!!

Sara DMS said...

What else can be "freezer-canned" besides berry jams?

Unknown said...

I have some half pint jars that I was going to used for pressure canning. Do you know ifyou can stack them inside the canner during the pressure heating period or can you only place them one layer deep?

Wilken Family... Mary, Dave, Andrew & Emily said...

I have several #10 cans of the hot chocolate mix, and I really don't care for it. Any suggestions on making it taste better?

Trisha said...

Hi! I love your site. I am wondering what you use for eggs in food storage? Do you use powdered eggs, or do you have a good substitute?

Svedi Pie said...

What do you know about white whole wheat? I've heard it had many of the nutrients as whole wheat, but a lighter texture and flavor like white. Is this too good to be true?

Thanks!!

Shara

Joy said...

How often would you recommend rotating tap water stored in glass containers? And how long would you recommend rotating water stored in plastic bottles? If you had to leave in a hurry, and could only take as much food as your could fit in the trunk of a car, what would be the most important part of your food storage to take (besides water)?

Liz said...

I am just digging in to all of the great information on your site. So- what are you making for dinner? I will have to ask a better question next time!

dogear6 said...

I'm really curious as to how you might use canned salmon. It was on sale for a great price and I bought a half a dozen. I opened one about a week later and yuck! It had skin and bones in it and was really gross. I expected it to be more like canned tuna.

I fed it to the dogs who loved it. Any ideas how to use it without grossing myself out or getting sick? Or is this not something I should bother buying?

Jessica Anderson said...

I can't think of any questions right now, but i'm sure that if i win this book, it'll answer any question I could ever have! ;)

admin. said...

I just got put incharge of Emergency prepardness for my ward. I am greatful for the info on your blog. And I am wondering if I could use your book for teaching my ward, and will you be offering a discount on it if say 50 people want to download it?

Morgan said...

What is your favorite kind of powder milk? We have a couple of brands and I mainly bake with them now. I don't particularly like the taste of them when they are drinken and neither do my kids, but it would do if we were in an emergency. Is there a powder milk out there that tastes good?

Coordination Queen said...

I read somewhere that you could can butter. I was just curious as to how to do that and how long something like that would last.

Dave and Camille said...

We don't live that close to a cannery so we actually buy a lot of our bulk flour, sugar, etc., at Costco. Do you have any ideas/suggestions on how to best store it for long term?

HD said...

Have you found a good way to keep an accurate inventory of your food storage? Do you replace it as you use it?

West Family said...

Do you have any issues with humidity? Have you noticed certain things going bad quickly? We live in upstate NY. So cold in the winter, but humid in the summer and I am afraid I will start to lose stuff.

DeCaires Family said...

Working on doing another order and I always wonder what items to buy. We opted to stock up more on milk and oats. Is that a good source to start wtih?

Rob & Tiffanie said...

I like to find ways to use my dehydrator and recently wondered if I could dry eggs safely. The ones they sale are expensive but they say they are dried. I just wasn't sure if they did anythign special to them first that I could pull off:)

Kristy Rhodes said...

My question is how to best store all of my #10 cans. I have tons of them and I find it hard to keep them organized and find a place where I can find exactly what I need when I need it.

Sarah said...

Is it true that dented canned goods rust on the inside? Should I avoid them when storing food?

Joey said...

This would be a wonderful book to have to help be get our storage in order! Thanks.

Shenna said...

Can't think of any great questions at this point, but wanted to say thank you for your site! Thanks to you (and a little motivation on my part), I now have my car kit, 72 hour kit, and almost three months of food stored. I love the shelf only recipes that you guys post. Thanks again!!

Megan said...

Do you have a favorite bulk pasta supplier? We eat lots of pasta at our house! Sometimes it's all that our little ones want to eat. Thanks for such a great blog!! I especially enjoy the recipe tutorials.

CheerfulHeart2 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Super Pi said...

What type of advice do you have about finances? Getting your finances in order is a big part of being prepared as well.

Unknown said...

Have you done any baking on a gas BBQ? Any tips would be appreciated!

Gaengy said...

Suggestions for empty nesters with the 3 month menu plan?

Unknown said...

Have you ever cooked with quinoa? My son is a vegetarian so I am always looking for nutritious veg dishes to cook for him. I discovered the grain quinoa has a very high protein content, so it's a good substitute for meat. It cooks as easily as rice and I mix it into various vegetable or pasta dishes, even pizza dough (I make my own). It would be useful to have in the pantry if your electricity went out. Perhaps not everyone would like to eat it as a side dish on its own, but when you mix it with other foods, you barely notice its slightly nutty taste. I suggest you buy Bob's Red Mill quinoa because it is pre-rinsed. Otherwise you have to rinse it a couple times before cooking it, which would be a nuisance in a situation where water was precious. By the way, what do you do with pasta water if your water supply is cut off and you need to conserve every drop of the water you carefully bottled and set aside?

Penny@WickedBroke said...

How do you use powdered products such as butter, eggs, shortening, etc. Also what do you use/store for cooking fuel in case gas and electricity are out for a long period of time.

Lara said...

Why do long-term food storage lists always call for the kind of wheat that you have to grind before you can use it? Is that stuff better than just buying and storing pre-ground flour?

Alayne said...

Do you have an easy (and good tasting) bread recipe for a bread making beginner?

Kathy said...

I love your site! Thanks for the help in getting us all a little more prepared!

Rean Day said...

WOW!! I'm so glad you are doing an e-book. I have so much to learn about food storage and cooking in general.

My question is how do you come up with ideas for meals? I stuggle even using recipes! I'm very much looking forward to your cooking classes coming up.

Thanks for all you do.
Rean Day

CheerfulHeart2 said...

1) Have you done any solar oven cooking?
2) Have you ever cooked beans WITHOUT soaking them?

Yart said...

Do you ever sprout seeds? If so do you have good luck with them?

Shannon said...

What's the best way to make canned tomatoes? I have an abundance of tomato plants, and am starting to think about canning them once the time comes.

Kate said...

I've loved following your blog over the past several months. I am amazed that you're able to keep it up week after week in addition to being wives and mothers (both full time jobs :D ). Being a mother of 3 (the newest addition was just born last month! :) ), I find it hard enough to just keep up with my food storage, much less create a blog filled with recipes, tips, and other valuable resources. How do you do it?

Jamie said...

Do you ever get bored of doing food storage?

The Deaton Family said...

I love your blog! The only questions I have at this time is what is the best way to keep of your food storage? AND ... I am in charge of teaching people in my ward how to cook, can, etc., but I am in a married college ward and it is really hard to motivate the sisters to learn how to use wheat, make bread, sauces, etc. Can you give me some ideas on how to motivate them to want to learn? Thanks!

Jennie and Adam said...

I'm new to your blog and have thoroughly enjoyed following you. I have come across great information here and look forward to the continuing motivation you provide to get prepared--keep up the great work!

Leslie said...

I don't have a question, but the ebook sounds great.

Amber said...

How do you cook using all of the food storage when you have picky eaters? My kids don't really like beans, but I force it down them.

Celeste said...

Any ideas about what to do with our food storage (before or after) when we move overseas??

nanci said...

Do you have a generator and if so, how much gasoline do you store and where and how do you have it stored?

TMM said...

So, how do you coordinate wildly different tastes in food? One grandkid can't eat tomato products, one doesn't like meat, one wants sweets all the time.... if you just slap down a meal and tell them eat or go without in a stressful time, they will most likely go without.

discipline is one thing, but you want to try and accomodate when times are bad.... no need in adding additional stress to them...

but you don't want to be cooking 3 different meals every time either.... and there are only so many things they will all eat at the same time if given the choice.

(their mom usually cooks a variety of things, but during tough times may not have that option...)

Joneel said...

Where are all the places you store food and water? In California, is can be hard to find enough room.

Christi said...

I have a tiny house, so small that half of our belongings are in 2 storage buildings in our back yard. Do you have some ideas for storing our year supply in a very small space? And can any of the year supply be kept in a non-air conditioned storage building in South Carolina weather? Thanks for your work on this site! I just learned about it last night at church and I can't stop reading!

Kestrel said...

Hmm, why is water storage such a pain in the butt? That's the only question I can think of!

Anonymous said...

I would also like to have a big "everything" list that shows the different categories of things to store. That would be really helpful to this "newbie".

Ange said...

I can't think of any questions right off. We are just getting into Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness. We have been reading the blog and learning and can't wait to learn more.

Beth said...

I have heard about "steam canning" and am wondering if this is a safe alternative to the traditional water-immersion method.

Christina said...

I would love to learn how to can fruit and veggies safely. Have you guys done and articles about that. Also, my friend said she blanches broccoli when it is on sale. How do you do that?

Anonymous said...

Oh, I am so excited--a book! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. I love your site.

My question: If I am baking and the recipe calls for milk or eggs, and I want to rotate my food storage, how do I convert the measurements to powdered milk or eggs?

Kristi said...

Wow, this e-book sounds like a fabulous idea. My question would be: can you guys be my neighbors? That way you can help me get everything all set up and I can learn how to use your solar oven and stuff.

Anonymous said...

The book sounds great - thank you for the opportunity to win or buy a copy ! My question - what foods would you recoomend in storage for sickness (eg H1N1 or other unexpected virus)? I have canned soup, jello, bananas in freezer, rice as well as usual food storage items. If all the family were really sick & no outside help available with meals, what would be nourishing and really quick & easy to prepare ? Thank you !
Jeni

Kathy said...

Thanks for the giveaway! My question is: Do you think its wise to do a four month supply instead of three. I have found that if I restock monthly then there is a small window of time where I only have 2 months of food. I don't want to be caught ill prepared during this time before I restock. Thanks!

Lake said...

Do we start 72hr kits again next week? I will be following along faithfully.

Megan said...

My son is allergic to diary and wheat. He has autism and has some major sensory issues when it comes to food. He will only eat things that have been pureed, look a certain way, etc. I'm so lost as to where to start on food storage for him!

Heather said...

I would like to learn more about sprouting. Do you cover this process in your e book?

Danielle said...

What made you decide to start a blog on all this preparedness stuff?

Sarbear said...

Do you know of a good multi-grain bread recipe? I've been making the awesome whole wheat bread instead of buying bread lately, but my husband wants to try a multi-grain bread.

Amber said...

Love your site - I'll be learning lots from you over the coming weeks. I've stopped by before but hope to spend more time here once my garden's in.

K P said...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! Thanks for sharing what you know and learn with all of us! I look forward to reading your blog and appreciate the motivation and great ideas you share!

KP
www.preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com

Gretta said...

I would love to learn how to can all kinds of meat. Do you know how?

Kristine Farley said...

How do you keep track of you food storage? We have miltiple closet for our food storage & I have trouble knowing how much is there because we use it everyday.
Thanks & Blessings,
Kristine

Mandy said...

What is the one "luxury" product you each store? (Meaning, it's totally not an essential, but it will definitely make life far better)

I think mine would have to be cocoa powder, in the freezer. Maybe real shredded cheese in the freezer.

Morgan said...

We live in a small apartment and I have trouble finding places to store our food/water. We're using our closests and under the beds, but we're starting to overflow those places. Do you have any creative tips on food storage in small apartments or homes?

samg said...

Thanks for a down to earth site!!

We have beem gathering storage things for several years.

We stacked the boxes, put a sheet of plywood over, a mattress on top and made it up as a regular bed. Works great!!

We try to mainly gather dehydrated, freeze dried- on sale only. Other things, noodle mixes etc we seal in the seal a meal bags.

I would save coffee!!!