The process of obtaining a home storage will take time, but it is simple to follow when following the prophet, and seeking the Lord's help.
One of the guidelines is to build our 3 month supply of regularly eaten foods gradually. We start with a day, a week, a month and so on.
Here are some ideas on possible ways to accomplish getting our 3 month supply:
- Each week buy a few extra items that are already on the shopping list (use sales when possible to save even more, but if not still buy a few extra items)
- Set aside a certain amount each week from items already in the menu (example: each time make a rice dish, set aside a cup of rice into an airtight container for storage)
- Avoid financial strain by starting with food for one week first, then build week by week to get 3 months.
- Use basic food items in everyday meals to cut meal costs and thereby have more money/food to buy/store. (example: instead of using a whole pound of ground meat at $2.99/lb, use half to ¾ lb and add cooked cracked wheat or cooked beans to fill the rest of the “pound” of meat for the recipe, not only is it less costly to stretch meat this way, it is healthier. Another example: a gallon of milk at the store can cost anywhere from $2.36 (on sale) to $3.99, but a gallon made from the cannery’s dry milk costs about: $1.60!-prices approximate and current as of 5/2011-- one can of dry milk from the cannery makes about 5 1/2 gallons of milk, currently one can costs $8.60)
- A way to know how much you need to store: write the date when a container is opened right on it, then when the contents of container are used up, divide/multiply into 90 days to determine how much you need for 3 months. (ex. If open shortening can and use it up in 4 months, you will only need to store 1 can for the 3 month storage or 3 for a year, or if used 5 cans of corn in a week, multiply by 12 weeks to get 3 months: 60 cans needed)
- Convenience foods also usually cost more than ones made from scratch: make a goal to replace some convenience or restaurant meals with homemade ones (even if they have to made ahead of time to make them “convenient” to use) to help lower food costs, so the money can be used to purchase more items.
- Remember to date & rotate these items! Wasted food is wasted money. This is why families store foods the family likes and eats, so that they can use what they store.
- Another method of obtaining a 3 month supply is to plan a menu of meals that can be made from mostly shelf stable items (or perhaps frozen). How many meals you plan is up to you but if planning 10 meals, you will eat each 9 times in the course of 3 months, if doing 30 meals, you will eat each meal only 3 times. Buy the necessary items (all items in the recipes) to make the meals. Example: Spaghetti, mixed veggies: need ½ box spaghetti, 1 can mixed veggies, 1/3 jar of sauce. If eat it 9-10 times in the course of 3 months will need: 5 boxes spaghetti, 9-10 cans of mixed veggies, 3-4 jars of sauce
- Plan your menu based on what is on sale so you can save some money in your normal food costs and then use the extra money you would have spent to buy food storage items.
We are so blessed to have living prophets and apostles. Not only do we have ancient prophecies as found in the scriptures to warn and prepare us for life now and eternity, but we have a current flow of revelation and prophecy through living prophets. It is much easier to obey and follow the counsel given to us if we are praying and studying the gospel daily. Like Nephi, we can go and do, and know that the Lord will provide a way for us to accomplish what He has commanded us to do. When we decide to follow a prophet, we can see the hand of the Lord in our life helping us to do so.
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