Food Storage Tuesday

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 utility knife (or a pocket knife) and a bucket (5 gallon).  Many people have said that you can get free 5 gallon buckets from grocery stores (ask in the bakery).  I got mine a few years ago at WalMart for under $10.


For your three-month supply, do not forget to store things like medicine!  Also, stock up on Gatorade and chicken soup.  Last week I got extremely sick and my husband was on call at the hospital, and he was gone for 34 hours.  I'll spare you the details, but I almost passed out and could have really used some Gatorade to replenish my electrolytes.  What do you rely on when you are sick?  Do you have those things stocked up in your home?


This month for our longer-term storage, we're gathering "other" items.  I'm gathering honey - thanks everyone for your comments on last week's post about food storage honey.  What are you gathering this month for your longer-term supply?

Inspirational Thought

“To become self-reliant, a person must work. Work is
physical, mental, or spiritual effort. It is a basic source
of happiness, self-worth, and prosperity. Through work,
people accomplish many good things in their lives. . . .

“As people become self-reliant, they are better prepared
to endure adversities” and are “better able to care for others
in need.”

Church Handbook of Instructions

Food Storage Friday: Strawberry Shortcake

I'm coming to you from the road - my grandma's house in Pennsylvania, to be exact. Hence the pretty countertops and wide open spaces. We decided to try out strawberry shortcake - a perfect treat for springtime (and any other time of the year, really). I adapted this recipe from one I found here at Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients: Sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, shortening, and powdered milk. And canned berries - any kind you like (not pictured here... they were currently being purchased at the store!). But we ended up using strawberry pie filling.

First, combine the flour, some of the sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Side note: is this not the cutest salt container you've ever seen?? It looks so fun and vintage. I would have asked my grandma about it but she actually currently lives in Palmyra. I'll have to get the story on that when I talk to her next.

Cut in your shortening until the mixture is nice and crumbly - similar to making a pie crust.

Finally, prepare your powdered milk (1/3 c powder for every 1 cup of water) and stir in until moistened.

Dollop the dough onto the baking sheet, then flatten them into circles. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top. Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes.

Once it's cooled a bit, slice sideways and pour your canned berries on top. Click here to get our recipe for whipped cream using powdered milk, and you're good to go!

Strawberry Shortcake

Serves 4

1 can strawberries (or any other fruit you like)

8 tsp sugar

1 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c shortening

6 Tbsp milk (prepared from dry milk)

Whipped topping

In a bowl, combine the flour, 4 tsp of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Next, stir in the prepared milk just until moistened. Drop 4 dollops of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, then press into circles. Sprinkle tops with remaining (4 tsp) sugar.

Bake at 425 for 10-11 minutes. Once cooled, slice horizontally and add strawberries and whipped topping.

Originally Posted: April 10, 2009