Wednesday Why: Starting Food Storage

What advice would I give to someone just starting to gather food storage?

After deciding that you want to have food storage (the why), you will need to determine the where, how, what, and who of food storage.

Where:  

where are you going to store the food

Ideas on storing in small places:  see these posts---Wednesday Why:   Small space storage ideas; Wednesday Why:    College students having food storag

Places around the home or apartment:  cupboards/pantry, spare/guest bedroom, under tables/desks, under beds, in closets, in basements, if necessary:  garage or attic (not ideal because of the heat and such)

Be sure to take into account temperature, moisture (humidity) and light--in general most foods store best and the longest in dry dark and cool places.

where are you going to get the food storage

local stores, online, local farms, home garden, canning/freezing/drying on your own

How:  

how are you going to organize & inventory your food storage

There are many ways to inventory and organize your food, do what works for you! 

how are you going to rotate your food storage

Plan how you are going to use and rotate your food 

how much

determine how much of an item you will need for a specified amount of time

do you know how to use the food

If you aren’t allergic to any longterm food storage items, it is a good idea to store them and learn how to use them

What:  

what are you going to store and what is your budget

What items will be part of your long-term food storage and what items as part of your short term food storage, store only what you will eat and use, don't go into debt for food storage.

Who:  

who is going to be involved, who is going to be doing the shopping, canning, gardening, etc.

Will each person participate or will most of the planning, organizing, obtaining and using be up to you; what will each person’s role be