Leaders in the LDS Church have counseled members to store a year's supply of food, or as close to it as they possibly can. In addition to storing three months of foods they usually eat, it is recommended the balance be basic foods that store a long time. One young married LDS woman told me recently, however, that long-term food storage is scary!
Planning a year's supply, at first, can feel daunting. But prophets would not ask this of us if it were not important. It is worth the effort. Loss of work (and possibly taking up to a year to find employment), illness, injury or other emergencies are a few times when a long-term food supply can be a lifesaver. There are ways to keep long-term food storage inexpensive and planning simple.
LDS leaders recommend storing grains, including wheat, white long-grain rice, pasta and oatmeal: 25 pounds per person per month. They also recommend 5 pounds of dried beans per person, per month. These foods are the least expensive and the most space-efficient to store. Nutritionally, they are the very foods experts recommend we eat to avoid the serious health issues of our day.
The recommended grains and beans — just enough to sustain life — can be stored for 30 years if properly packaged and stored in a cool, dark place. Storing them in a basement and forgetting them for 30 years does simplify things. However, these foods provide such a stark diet that some people hesitate to invest in a large amount of food they are not sure they will like.
My sister-in-law worried about storing dried beans. They seemed complicated to prepare. When I told her she could store chili, pork 'n beans and other canned beans in place of dried beans, she replied, "Oh, I can do that!"
You can store 2 ½ times any part or all of your dried beans in already-hydrated canned beans. Canned meats can also be substituted pound for pound for any part of your dried beans. These more familiar foods cost a little more, but watch for sales. Meals made with canned beans and meats save time, fuel and money compared to most regular meals. Experts say nutrition in canned food lasts for many years, and food is safe if cans are not dented or bulging. In my experience, almost all canned foods maintain good texture and color for five-plus years if stored in a cool, dark place.
Here's a secret to planning long-term food storage: If for your three month's supply of food, you planned a month of meals which you multiplied by three, and you included foods from grains, canned beans and meats in those meals, you were actually planning and using long-term food storage in delicious ways. (See July's article: Storing food — where do I start?)
To plan for an entire year, simply multiply your month of recipes by 12 instead of three. Substitute expensive meals with a few more canned bean/meat meals to save money. A good food storage cookbook or two can give you ideas. Planning around recipes helps you store a few extra ingredients that make basic foods taste great. As you discover how fast and delicious food storage dishes can be, you'll find them easy to include in everyday meals.
Occasionally make a fast whole wheat bread recipe, and some muffins and pancakes for breakfast, and you're using wheat.
Planning and using long-term basic food storage becomes simple and doable!
Another long-term food storage option, if money is not a concern, is to buy new, delicious freeze-dried meals with a shelf-life of around 25 years. Add boiling water, wait 10 minutes and you have a great meal. These require additional water storage.
It's worth the effort to follow a prophet's counsel and get a year's supply of food. The feeling of peace that comes makes the effort so worthwhile.