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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

It's Tuesday.... with a giveaway!! **Update: Contest is now closed**

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your 72-hour kit, your 3-month supply, and your longer-term storage. If you are new to our blog, don't worry! You won't be left behind. Just start up where we are and follow along. You will eventually have everything completed! Once the 72-hour kit is complete, we'll be putting together emergency car kits again (week by week). Once those are done, we'll gather the 72-hour kits again. So don't worry, just jump on in and join us where we are today!

This week for your 72-hour kits, add a battery or solar powered radio. Amazon has some great options, and I've linked one with great reviews on the right side of the page. Do some research to find what will work best for your family. This one I've linked is solar powered, and includes a flashlight and cell phone charger. For $30, it's a great option!

This month for our longer term storage, we're gathering RICE! Rice is SO versatile and it's a great thing to have in your food storage. Check out our previous blog posts, All About Rice and then our follow-up, All About Rice Storage. Need some recipe ideas for rotating your rice? Check out our rice recipes.

One of my favorite ways to rotate my three month supply is using my Cansolidator Pantry from Shelf Reliance. I always know that I'm eating through the oldest food first, ensuring that nothing goes bad! Want your own Cansolidator Pantry?? We want to give you one! All you have to do is comment on this post. So leave a comment, and tell us:

How long have you been "into" food storage? Are you a newbie? Or do you have wheat that's older than your children? How long have you been storing food?

One comment per person, please. Contest will close on Thursday at midnight, and we'll announce the winner on Friday!

Thanks so much to Shelf Reliance for sponsoring this giveaway. Please feel free to visit their site to see what they have to offer - it's incredible! They also have a newsletter, which you can sign up for on their home page.

141 comments:

Becky said...

Well, my parents have always done food storage, so I don't feel like a newbie. But I have only started storing my own food about a year and a half ago. That being said, I have always liked to have extra food and other consumables on hand, even when I was in college. (My roommates LOVED that! :)

roxanne said...

Here's the thing. I have great intentions when it comes to food storage, and have read about it and been interested for some time. But really? As far as actually having a lot of food storage, I still fall in the newbie category.

Renman said...

I got into food storage shortly after I was married, and the responsibility of raising a family made me realize, I needed to insure they were taken care of. So yes, my food storage is older than my kids, but not by much.

Dianna said...

I started about 18 months ago, when we bought our house. I started with wheat and a mill, and a very helpful ward food storage program.

I've always been doing it to some degree, though. I can't stand to be caught with my pantry down!

Tonya said...

I am fairly new,I have been reading and learning about food storage for a little less than 2 years.I have finally started doing it about the last 10 or 11 months.I LOVE IT!
tmw1223 at gmail dot com

Mak said...

When I got married, I thought "I can't "do" food storage- we're poor and have no space". Plus, I know myself an I need a "system" to keep organized and rotating.

I have heard so many people who have testified that their three-month supply has gotten them through unemployment and other hardships, so with the economy the way it is, we decided to try.

I got the idea from another blog to pick 15 meals that are completely shelf-stable and buy 6 meals worth of each. We have 3 meals so far and counting. We've been doing this for about 6 months seriously.

Angela said...

I have been storing for 8 months now. I am a newbie to the church (1.5 years) and to storage. It has been great to talk to non-member family and friends about it too!

Kristine said...

Mak - awesome idea!

I started to really think about it when I got married. So, probably 10 years. I took a while before we really had much in storage, though!

Andrea Gunnell said...

I began thinking about food storage when I had my first child, about three years ago. In the last six months I have gotten more serious about keeping up with it though.

Anonymous said...

I started couponing and getting things free a few months back and have been stockpiling things now that I can get them super cheap. Somewhere in that process I came across some food storage blogs and here I am!

While I've started storing, I'm definately a newbie, and am only stockpiling things that can fit in my $20/week budget for household supplies, toiletries, and food.

Kate said...

I'm pretty new at food storage, only actively working on it for the past 2 years. It's a work in progress, but it's coming along. This site has been fantastic in giving me ideas on better ways to store, better ways to use my food storage food, and the motivation to keep it up. Thanks!!

Lara said...

I've been storing for about 6 years, but only recently (live last 6 months or so) have I really been "into" it - like it is constanly consuming my thoughts!!

Brooke said...

I've been storing for about a year now... definitely a newbie!

StrivingSimply said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I've been "into" food storage for about 2 years or so now, but I still feel like a newbie!! My husband isn't really into the whole food storage idea so he isn't very helpful and sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by everything that I take long breaks in between my food storage shopping. I do rotate everything that I buy at the grocery store though. I'm really bad at rotating the stuff I've gotten from the cannery though. I figure is it will last 30 years, why not let it do that then? I know, that's bad....anyway, so I'm not a newbie, but not and oldie either. LOL

StrivingSimply said...

I'm not yet totally into food storage as I'm crashing with family until I can finally close on my house. But I've got all my shelving and 72-hour kit stuff planned/bought. I'm so psyched to start!

Jana said...

I really starting getting into it about a year and a half ago, so I still consider myself a newbie. I'm still working on it, little by little, though.

Anonymous said...

I've been "into" storing food for about a year and a half, but actively storing for about a year now - so I'm definitely still a newbie. I appreciate all the info on your blog!

Heather said...

I am totally a newbie, but I am learning. Thanks for your blog and the "how to-s" each week!!

Mandy said...

I started thinking about it when we got married, but got serious about doing something when my first child was born. I had an awesome ward canning specialist, and a mom who knew everything, and I'm really glad I started learning when I did. My mom passed away this last December, and I am so glad I took the opportunity to ask her all of my millions of questions when I did. I don't have wheat older than my kids, but my wheat is the same age - 4 years old.

Morgan said...

We started about a year and half ago when my husband got out of the military and we established a more permanent home.

We built a custom pantry this last winter and one of our shelves, we built specifically tall enough to hold these rotating systems!! I hope I win!!

Frank, Heidi and Family said...

I've been into food storage since I got married 10 years ago. Yes, I do have wheat older than my children. My parents always had their 1 year wheat supply for all four children, so when we started to get married they handed our share off to us. Some food I have that I don't think I even want to touch- I think it's time to purge out the back of my shelves.

Southerner said...

The answer is yes, I do want one :) I am trying to get some basics stored up, but my 5 kids keep eating as fast as I can get it.

Lisa said...

I still consider myself a newbie. I do have A LOT of wheat thanks to a very generous wheat farmer in our ward. But I've never used it.

Amanda said...

I would love to have a cansolidator! I'm pretty much a newbie to food storage. I live in a small apartment and am just still experimenting with what food storage means to me reasonably. I love reading you blog for ideas. While our food storage isn't comprehensive, I feel like I'm learning lots and chipping away at it.

Morgan said...

I'm a newbie! Our family has been working to store food and other essentials for about a year now!

SJ6 said...

As a teenager at BYU, I felt I should keep the commandment to store food, so I bought a supply of food from Emergency Essentials and stuck it in the bottom of my closet (with my shoes on top). I grew up drinking powdered milk, so I drank that and experimented with the other foods occasionally. I still have some of that food (wheat, beans, powdered milk, and dehydrated foods) one husband and four young children later, and all of it is good.

As a newly married person, I quickly learned to combine coupons with sales, and take advantage of case lot sales, so we would have up to a year's worth of some commonly used items.

I had a year's supply of free Band-Aids until the kids found them and played with them recently.

Anonymous said...

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Kristine said...

When I was married I started getting "into" food storage. That was about nine years ago. It gradually picked up pace and has really taken off in the last two years.

Tiffany -- the mommy said...

even though I have been working on food storage for a while now I still fee like a newbie!!! slow and steady right!?

Unknown said...

I have ups and downs with food storage. I have a bunch of #10 cans from a few years ago, but mostly just buy 2-3 of the things I normally buy and try to keep stocked up.

Laurel said...

I've been storing food for about 4 yrs, but I have been more motivated in the last year to really build my supply.

Sheffer's said...

I'm still pretty new to food storing. With my husband in school, and living in subsidized housing, I don't have much room. I am getting pretty creative with where to put what I have, though!

Coach Carole said...

We have been into food storage for about 3 years now.

Super Pi said...

I am a old newbie. I know all the principles and had a bit stored up, but got a deeper and truer desire about five months ago. So, we don't have a lot, we just moved, but I'm working on it!

Becca said...

I have my own small family and I live in another state than my parents, so I became a newbie about a year ago when they gave me some of their "old" food storage 1995ish and a couple other items, i.e. MRE food, big port-a-potty bucket, and a 5 gallon water jug as a start!

I am slowly purchasing #10 can foods from the LDS church cannery and building my own stash for my little family. I have so much more to go!

Valerie said...

I'm a newbie. I *heart* Tuesdays at Safely Gathered In! I'm working on my car kit, 72-hr kits, and 3 months storage. I've been a stockpiler of sorts, but SGI is helping me get it organized.

Thanks!
Valerie

Catherine said...

I've been working on my own family's food storage since I got married, almost 2 years ago. We have a pretty solid 3 months storage, in addition to lots of wheat. But I need help keeping organized, so a cansolidator would be so helpful!

Anne said...

I started last fall when we went from two incomes to one at the same time that we went from a payment on a condo to a payment on a house. I realized that it saved me money to build up and rotate a food storage. We're still working on it but I'm feeling pretty good about where we are with it right now.

Britani said...

I have been slowly working on my food storage since I was married nine years ago, but recently I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting close to having my full year supply.

Shayleen Lunt said...

I just passed my two year mark on being "into" food storage. We have all our wheat and I just had a baby and so yes, I have wheat older than my child ;)
shaylenejohnson at hotmail dot com

The Oman Family said...

I have been into food storage for just a few years. I keep collecting, but am struggling with the documenting and using what we have.

West Family said...

I have been into food storage for about a year. Your blog is one of the first I found when I began my goal to have a more complete food storage plan. I go up and down in my determination, but I keep trying:)

We Are A Happy Family said...

My husband and I started food storage about 7 years ago. It has been a slow journey but we have learned great lessons along the way. It seems like every year we learn more and more to help us utilize and to continue to expand our storage.

Neener Dog said...

I've always been into food storage, but I am still so new. I store food in waves. Just whenever the mood hits me, and when I get more room on my shelves

jani said...

I try to buy stuff from the cannery that lasts 20+ years, so I don't have to rotate that much.... but the rest of my food storage is my real food- the stuff we use on a regular basis- I've been doing that for about as long as I've been on my own!!

Sariah said...

I have been doing food storage ever since my husband and I go t married about 11 1/2 years ago. I have only started getting serious about it in the last year though. I do have a large shelf from Shelf Reliance and I love it.

Brandi said...

I'm somewhat of a newbie, but I did inherit some wheat that is older than my children:)

C said...

I have been learning about food storage for about 1 1/2 years and absolutely love it. I have learned a lot, but definitely have much learning to go. Thanks for the great blog!

Keri said...

I think it's been less than six months, although I have made half-hearted attempts before.

JBSquared said...

I am not a newbie, but I don't have too much long-term storage, either. I am one of those good-intentions people. I mostly store things that we end up using fairly quickly.

Meredith said...

After my honey lost his job, it ate up our savings and the about a months supply of food we had stored. After agonizing daily, sometimes quietly resorting to tears. I resolved that we would *never* be in that kind of a situation again. Not only that, but we live in a hurricane prone area! How stupid could I be? So we've been stocking food now for about 7 months, and I've got about a 3 month worth of food supply now. I would have had more, but as other friends have come upon hard times, I've given away some of our stock, rather than watch their children go hungry.

Cyndi said...

I'm brand spanking new at food storage and although I've been "thinking" about how to start for a few years now, I am convicted to begin where I am.
I've been stumped in many ways because I need to store food that my children can eat and they are allergic to so many things. My boys cannot eat any type of gluten, dairy, chicken eggs, cashews, peanuts, or soy. Oh yes, anything that's come into contact with a petroleum products ... can you imagine I have to actually check for petroleum in food, I can't. For so long, I thought I would only be able to store rice and beans.
A Cansolidator certainly sounds like a wonderful way to start making some order for what I've begun, now that I have found many foods that are storable and safe.
Thank you so much for this site. I have no one to help me in this endeavor, though I do have my husband's support. Your blog is really helping me to organize and think through this wonderful preparation for self-sufficiency.
Beyond preparing our children in their spiritual walk, preparing them to be self-sufficient individuals who can provide for their families is a major priority for us, your blog is invaluable.

Penny said...

I became interested in food storage after 9/11. Since we live just outside of Boston if there ever was a huge emergency we basically would be safer to stay home due to traffic. After reading information about emergency food storage I bought some dehydrated food and water barrels. The stuff just sat there for years. Once the economy started going down the drain I thought it might be time to figure out how to use what I had. I started reading blogs and learning about how to work food storage items into every day meals. It's been a bit over a year now and I no longer consider what I have as "emergency" storage. I use it all on a regular basis. My storage has grown from canned items to larger buckets of stuff such as oats, rice, etc.

Lara said...

We have been dabbling food storage for about two years, but just started to get more serious about it in the past couple months.

Robin said...

We have recently begun to stock up on our food storage within that past two years seriously. We have always stored a little something, but since having children we feel a need to have food in case of an emergency.

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I'm a total newbie. I think it's a great idea and we have some items I'm sure but we should focus on saving more of what we can.

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

Svedi Pie said...

The last few month more seriously. I still have a long way to go!

Carolyn said...

for about 2 years now. I hope I win. I am running out of room is my stoage area!

Jennifer said...

I have been bulking up my food storage for about 2 years now. The toughest part is still rotating it regularly.

Dave and Andrea said...

I recently found your website and love, love, love it! It has inspired me to do better and has so many great recipies. I still feel like a newbie, but have been working on my food storage for about 2 years. My in-laws got me into it. She has an amazing food storage room (I call it her store).

Jamie said...

I am pretty new to storing food. I have been married for 17 years so I have picked up a little along the way but have really tried to be more aware of it in the last year. I just found your blog and I think it will be a great help! Thanks. I'd love to win....

♥ Pacy said...

We've did food storage about on and off for about 20 years but after a tornado hit our area a few years back and with my husband now retired with a disability and me choosing to stay home, i'm just really feeling the need for that security of food storage.
Pacy

Cecily said...

My mom clued me in to food storage years ago--I remember canning applesauce while listening to conference was a tradition growing up--and my husband and I got some wheat and beans when we were first married. But with a job, a home, and some disposable income, we are excited to get totally on-board now.e

RJ said...

I am WAY new, but WAY into it now. I just moved from a teeny apt to a house, so I'm feeling motivated and happy!

Tiffany said...

Being in the military makes it harder to find the gusto to get a full food storage, but I'm getting good at building it up and eating it down :) I'm new to this site and so far it's giving me some great ideas on how to do more of a long-term storage. Thanks!

Kestrel said...

Crossin my fingers! I am a relative newbie to food storage.

Clements Family said...

Oh I want one!!! I really need to get crackin' on my food storage, I work hard for a few weeks at it, and then slack for more!

CT said...

I really started getting into food storage about 1 1/2 years ago. I gained a testimony of it and now I can't get enough. There is something in nearly every closet and under most beds. We have a small house, so organizing is a problem, but I know I'm doing what I should and I don't worry so much anymore. I have more for long term than the three month supply, but I am working on it every week! Just this week a friend sent the link to this site and I'm so excited about all the great information on here. Thanks!

Kristen said...

I started my food storage as soon after I got married (21 years ago) as I could afford it. It has always been a major priority. I use it as often as I can, though yes, I do have some wheat that is older than my children.

D said...

I am a newbie. I bought a bunch of stuff at the cannery oh, almost a year ago now. And then I have been adding on for a little while. But I am no where near complete and I am hardly organized. This would be awesome to win. Thanks!

CaryManda said...

what an incredible giveaway! i'd love to win this! We are pretty new to food storage. We still have a WAYs to go. We began by buying an extra case of canned goods everytime we go to the grocery store. It has certainly added up and a consolidator would be amazing.
thanks so much!!

staceyk said...

I've been gathering things here and there, but haven't really organized it and put it all together. Also, I could use a lot more to add to my food storage. Thanks for a great blog!

Brynn P. said...

I grew up with foood storage stuffed EVERYWHERE! Under beds, in closets, etc. It's about time me and my little family get started. This would be a GREAT way to begin!

The Mrs. said...

I got into food storage about 2 years ago. It saved us when we moved and changed jobs. Now I am working on building a storage again.

Dan and Melissa said...

We have always stocked up on food, but as for actual food storage food like rice, wheat, etc. we have only been working on that for a few months.

Emily said...

I've been married for two years and so I've only started recently. Although, I do have some hand-me-down wheat and various other items hidden under my bed that were given us by my Mom or people moving.

kate said...

I've been storing food all of my married life, 27 years. My parents did a bit of it, too. It is one of my hobbies, and I'm always looking for more interesting ways to use what I have. I just bought a sun oven and am having the best time "playing" with it.

Sondra said...

I've always been one... Taught from my parents and brought into my adult years. Canning and perserving food and following council from our prophet has been throughout my life. Their is peace when you have food stored and are prepared. Peace, not fear is the best way to live.

Michael and Emily said...

I've really been "into" food storage since I got married last year. We are on our own and can't depend on mom and dad anymore. Your site has been awesome! Thank you!

Danielle said...

I've been a member for 3 1/2 years, and have been storing food most of that time. (The supply has definitely grown though!) Hubby and I are celebrating our 3rd anniversary in two weeks, and that's probably when I really got into trying to store meals and thinking really long term.

However, I have recently found a new love for wheat, and am actually using my in-laws' wheat right now. It's not only older than my 18 month old, but it might even be older than I am. No wonder they are letting me rotate it for them!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this offer. been storing for 20+ years but am just starting to really organize- so this would be a blessing.
karo
pray at inbox dot com

Shenna said...

I've been "into" food storage for about the last 8-9 months, when I came upon your website! I had thought about it for about five years, but the thought of having to gather such an incredible amount of food was very overwhelming. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this for people like me!

Stephanie and Michael said...

I have been married for about 2 1/2 years now and have been seriously interested in food storage since we got married. I want to make sure we are following the counsel of the Prophets and being prepared. We have a 3 month supply, but I am currently focusing on organization so nothing goes bad. I am getting there, but still feel like a newbie. I love it, though.

Joanna said...

I've been doing some food storage for abotu 3 years, though it was mainly stocking up on items on sale. Real food storage has been going on for almost a year now.

Donna said...

I guess I'm really not a newby, I've been storing food most of our 22 years of marriage. Even though I've been storing that long, I've realized that I haven't really been "into" it until the last year and a half. I've learned so much and still have so far to go.

My wheat isn't very old. I've always had wheat and used it, just not like I should. I figured we didn't use it a whole lot, so I didn't want to store a whole lot. I've seen and heard too many stories of old wheat with weevils and all. (My mom even had wheat in buckets that we moved from apartment to apartment every time we moved. But I never knew what wheat even looked like until I was married with 3 kids!) Recently, I've gained a testimony of storing lots more of it because we're counselled to and I can learn as I go. I'd rather have it and not know what to do with it all, than not have something to "try" to use and feed my family with.

Funny, now that I have it, I am using it. I don't buy store bread anymore! We go through it a lot quicker than I ever thought we would!

Mary Lou in Central NY said...

I've been seriously into food storage for over two years now. I have a complete inventory on Excel, even listing spices and medicinal herbs, keep a running list of what I've used on a note on my fridge, and update the inventory and shopping lists about once a week. A cansolidator would be great because moving cases of cans to refill with new stock is really getting to be a drag. Thanks for the offer!

Raysha said...

I've only been really working on food storage for about 1 1/2 years. We move a lot so I had never wanted to start because I didn't want to have to move it. Well, we just moved again and I'm still glad to have the food storage. Finding room for it is another story though!

Michelle said...

I'm "into" food storage sporadically. Started about ten years ago, but I haven't been consistent. I'm ready to get back into it now big time!

Joey said...

We have been working on our food storage for about 7 years.

Shane and Brandi said...

I have stored some things longer than my kids have been around. 8 years ago we had a time when we had to live on our food storage, and that is when I realized man can not live on wheat alone! lol We have been bulking everything up in the last 5 years. We have close to a 1 year supply. I would love to be able to rotate it easier. Thanks for your wonderful blog!

Anonymous said...

I'm still pretty green at this stuff, but I'm on a roll! Your blog is awesome and helps me a ton!

Unknown said...

Istarted storing about 9 years and 4 kids into our marriage so that would be in 1990. Unfortunately, I started with too many pinto beans and no need for them! I've become wiser through the years and have included my own home canning. Love the blog!

amber said...

i'd say i'm still a newbie. i would love to be better at knowing how to rotate and the can consolidator would be awesome!

Sarah Jackson said...

Been doing it since I got married about 7 years ago.

Unknown said...

I have been (oh, so slowly) working on our short-term food storage for a couple of years. But, really planning and working on it has only been in the last several months. We still don't have any wheat or #10 cans, but we hope to soon.

And, as a side note, we recently were evacuated because of the Station Fire (it started just a few miles from our house!), but did not get to use our nicely packed 72-hour kit, because we were out and then couldn't get back in. But, having a few things in the car was certainly helpful! Thanks for all the work you do, it is truly beneficial!

Mary said...

I love food storage and have been doing it for 10 years. I do have some "old" items from my mother-in-law. She gave me my husband's portion when we were married so I never started from nothing. It has been great because I can open a 30 year old can of sugar and see that's it still good. I don't have to wonder if the church's guidelines are off. If they say 30 years, then they have done their research!

Deborah said...

I started reading about food storage and emergency preparedness on January 1 2008, then jumped in with both feet. I have learned a lot and am so much better prepared than I was two years ago!

Joy said...

I have been doing food storage for about 6 years... ever since one of my neighbors moved out and gave me several white buckets of whole wheat. She was downsizing and decided to shrink her food storage. The wheat she gave me has made several loaves of whole wheat bread and I haven't run out of wheat yet. If candy counts as food, I've been "into" storage since elementary school. My parents wouldn't buy us candy when I was young, so if I wanted any candy I had to save my Halloween candy and make it last all year.

Gretta said...

I've been doing food storage since I got married 15 years ago but really started making progress since the Y2K scare. But I would have to say the past 2 years my hubby and I have really made it a priority to get our 3 month supply and longer term storage done. I am happy to say we finished our 3 month supply about 6 months ago and our longer term storage is not quiet half way to make it a year supply but with 8 people in the family that's a lot of food and $$.

KT said...

I started really building food storage up last year, but my husband lost his job and we moved across the country, so we ended up eating most of our three month supply.

So, we begin again.

I would love the organizing system - thanks for the chance!

Michelle said...

I sort of half-heartedly began during our graduate student days, but really picked up after 9/11 and then again after Hurricane Katrina. I have a long way to go, but I am almost done with our 72 hour kits! Go, me!
Hope I win--I am drooling over that cansolidator. :) Thanks for a great giveaway!

Lynn said...

WE actually just got REALLY into preparations and food storage seriously just last year.....boy am I ever glad we did. We now have everything finished. 1 yr. supply. Lot's of water. 3 months regular food and also 72 hr kits. I cannot even imagine how we did that in just over a year. The Lord truly helps those who help themselves. I am SO glad we did this. My husband was laid off from his 15 yr. job with the same company just last week. It was a shock. But once we looked at what we had in store.....we became a little more calmer. : D

The Relative Detective said...

I've been into food foodstorage my entire marriage--about 22 years. We seem to hit peaks and valleys along the way. Just as we start feeling we're prepared, something inevitably comes up and we stop.
It's a never ending cycle of using and replenishing.

morrisfamily said...

I started as a girl helping my mom glean the potato and onion fields in Arizona. We would dehydrate them for our winter soups. Today I get so excited watching my daughters and daughter in-laws as they prepare for their own families needs. And of course, I still love working on food storage. I love your blog, the new ideas and inspiration keep us motivated!

Tyler V said...

I am a NEWBIE who should not be (I should have gotten serious before kiddo #1, and now I have 3!) but I can't seem to get organized. A cansolidator would really help... :)

Unknown said...

I am definitely a newbie! I've been at it for less than a year, but feel like I've really made some progress. I would love a shelf consolidator!!!

Mari said...

I have to admit, I'm not really "into" food storage. I want to be, that's why I read this blog, I'm just not. But I do grocery shop and meal plan following the pantry principle and stock up on sales, so I do have an extensive pantry...I'm slowly working towards actual food storage!

Barlow Fam said...

I've been doing this for about a year now. I've slowly gotten my three months of everything and am now working on a year. My amazing inlaws told us about a year ago that they would match dollar for dollar what we put in for food storage. What an amazing investment on their part and great insentive to get us going!

mandy said...

I've been doing this for about a year. The 3-month supply of our regular food is going well, but the longer term is what's getting me. I just can't wrap my head around how much we actually need for a whole year...

Enjoy the Journey said...

I think my love for Food Storage started when I was in high school. And then I was always the weird room mate in college with food stored under her bed. And now that I have a family of my own, I really got into it about three years ago. I don't think there is a closet in my house or a bed with spare room underneath that isn't busting at the seems. Thank heavens for amazing guru's like Wendy DeWitt! She is truly inspiring and helps you know where to start and how much to get for your year supply!

Tawni

Nicki said...

I've always known about food storage, but it wasn't until I knew someone who had to live off their food storage that I really became proactive. I now have a three-month supply!

Matt and Joanna said...

I'm fairly new to 'food storaging'. I've been working my tail off though and almost have my entire 3-month short-term supply completed. Phew! I would love a consolidator to help organize all of my goods.

Debby S. said...

I am a total newbie. I am learning so much from your wonderful blog. A consolidator would be so awsome! Thanks for all the info!!!!

Rachel said...

I am working slowly to win my husband over to buying extra food... Otherwise I probably always be buying lots of extra food to store. But I guess it's a good balance.

katharine said...

we've been storing for about 5 years, so its time to rotate a lot of those shorter-term items. hard to keep everything in order! and now we will probably be moving next year - should i start eating it all now and start over after we move?

Jodi Warenski said...

I am relatively new to storing food. Maybe the last 6 months. We are at the 1 month mark for short term, and just redid our budget to allow for more money each month to go toward food storage purchases. I love this blog it helps give me such good ideas.

Kelly J said...

My husband and I have only been storing food for the last 6 months or so. It has been a slow process since I want to be sure the food that I store is food that I will actually use. I love this website and its recipes! We have tried the flautas and my husband LOVES them! I can't wait to try some of the others. Thank you!

Tricia L. said...

I'm a newbie. You ladies spoke at our enrichment the other night and gave me so much hope. What once seemed quite impossible is now totally attainable. So, thanks!

Also, I really want the prize!

Jamie said...

I have a large pantry and a large basement pantry so all my food storage fits in those two areas. I'm very lucky!

Candy said...

I have always been really big on having lots of food in my house, but actually having a 'food storage' started about 2 years ago. I moved about 2 years ago and now have the privlege of living in the same area as the publishers of this blog! I think they might have had something to do with my desire to get started. I have food stored under my daughters bed and my guest bed, I have food stored in my laundry room, and non parishables stored in the garage. The really funny thing is that my teenage daughter was in charge of making dinner the other night and was complaining that there was nothing to eat! We had a good laugh over that. Anyway, thanks for sparking my desire to be more prepared and for the giveaway!

The Millers said...

I feel like a newbie. I have been "into" food storage for about 6 months. The people that live in the area that I moved to seem to be really prepared. It was contagious. I am obsessed. I do have wheat older than my kids, 5 & 3. I planned a trip to the LDS cannery about 10 years ago. I felt I needed to make a purchase even though I did not know how to use it. Now I use a #10 can a week just making bread.

Mom said...

I have been getting food storage sporadically for several years. I am now more focused. But as I accumulate more stuff I don't know what I already have. I need some way to organize and the shelf reliance pantry would be ideal

The Grocery Guru said...

I am a food storage newbie. I started about 6 months ago when we bought our house. I have come a long way in those 6 months. I have almost completed our 3 month storage and am looking to move on to 1 year! It sounds so geeky, but I am totally excited about all our food storage! I would love to win!

Just call me Yankee said...

I have been stockpiling food from the grocery store for about a year and a half. I started to save money, but with the economy and everything else going on in the world, having a years' worth of food sounds smarter every day.

Nancy Hill said...

We are older, and it is just the two of us now, but we have our 3 months supply and are working again on our long term storage. I love your ideas, especially the one of the #10 cans behind the couch, gonna do that one today! Thanks girls for all the great suggestions.

michaela hoenigman said...

Hi! I am fairly "new" to food storage. I grew up in a home where an emphasis on self preparedness was taught. Now with my own family, and the economy we live in, I have been slowly building up my food storage. I love and appreciate this bog and all you guys do to help us all improve our food storage!

The Walkers said...

I'm just getting started with food storage. I've always tried to keep a 3 month(ish) supply, but we have moved about once a year, so it gets hard to store much more than that. I've never canned ANYTHING so I'm excited to learn how to be prepared! Thanks for the blog, the info is great!

Kelli Walker

Marisa said...

I'm a newbie of about 6 mo. I mostly have things for short term which I store in my closet under the stairs. We definitely wont run out of cereal any time soon thanks to sales & coupons,but I would love to store more cans. I have no where to put them as of yet.

Kristina said...

I have been working on our food storage for almost 2 years. Our long term food storage is coming along nicely, so was our short term storage until...I got pregnant with our third little boy. Our 3 month supply was great when I was too tired to go grocery shopping, now that the little boy has arrived it is time to get busy and restock! Thanks for all your encouragement and information.

Jennifer (Fern) said...

We've only been into food storage for the last couple of years. We're still working on it, but we're building onto it every day. And our 72 hour kits are finally finished!

Jill said...

Unfortunatley, I was one of those people who always complained that I douldn't afford food storage, didn't have the space, etc. One day a little over a year ago, I became very concerned over my lack of food storage and it started weighing heavily on my mind. We didn't have a lot of resources, but I did my best and with a little prayer and help from famiy/friends, I was able to build up an "almost" 3 month supply within just a few months. It was a good thing too, because my husband ended up losing his job and I was able to stretch our food storage much longer than just 3 months. Luckily my husband has found a new job and now I feel like I am obsessed with food storage. I have started canning this year and I have learned a lot of great tips (many from your webiste) to make our food storage more efficient.

Jen said...

We had a great 3 month supply in CA because earthquakes scared us, especially with kids. When we moved last year to NH we left the cans with friends and are gradually building things back up. The ice storm last year reminded us that every place has it's adventures to be prepare for. Thanks for all the motivation and help!

sallycat04 said...

I think these cansolidators are so neat. I have been waitng one or a while. I love your website. I am slowly working on putting together a 3 month supply for me family.

Crystal said...

We got our year supply done last year for the first time! It felt so good! We are still working on everything and trying to get 72 hour kits and all made up now. I love your website!

DeAna said...

I've done pretty well gathering my 3-month supply for the past few years, but I'm really a newbie when it comes to long-term food storage. I have no clue what to do with whole wheat and beans. However, your website is certainly helping me learn! Thanks!

deana_boren [at] yahoo [dot] com

Jill said...

I feel like I'm somewhere in the middle. I've always bought groceries the way my mother bought groceries - a lot at one time of whatever you're getting. She was raising eight kids so we usually had a pantry well stocked with canned items, lots of ground beef and diced onions in the freezer, and five gallon buckets of flour and sugar. So, even when I was a newly wed, I shopped like I was trying to feed my brothers. HOWEVER! Only recently have I started to plan and use my food storage, including visiting the LDS Home Storage facility to can our families food storage.
I'm still clueless about how to use all these beans I have in storage though. I've soaked and cooked them and...now what? I can't stomach chili anymore right now.

Megan said...

My parents were faithful about food storage, and I've inherited some #10 cans of wheat that are older than I am. =) But I've only within the past year or so really made a concerted effort to work on food storage -- I'm especially trying to work on the 3 month supply. I'd LOVE a cansolidator to help my poor hall closet's cans become more accessible!

Samantha R said...

I started getting in to food storage when we got married 5 years ago. We just had our first son a year ago, so that means a lot of our things are older than he is! I am still learning a lot though.

Kerri said...

I am just starting to build my food storage for my family of 4. I need help and am trying to figure out where to begin

Irene T said...

In some ways I am a newbie and someways not; I have been attending food storage fairs, tried food storage recipes, bought wheat grinder (have used a few times) and have wheat in the garage that is close to 10 yrs old. My next step is planning our 3 month supply and rotating the items into our daily diet. I just found your website today and find it a great resource in helping.