Helpful Food Storage Tips

Be Practical: Store the food you eat, eat the food you store: It doesn’t make sense to buy food storage that your family isn’t accustomed to eating. Although it is true that there are many items, such as wheat, flour, oats and dried milk that are needed to sustain life. These items are already included in many of the foods that we enjoy each day. Become familiar with recipes that include ingredients contained within your food storage. This will not only enable you to become familiar with the preparation of foods within your food storage, it will allow you to rotate your food in a timely manner.

Store foods properly: Quality is best maintained by minimum exposure to light, heat, moisture and air. Items stored in a basement will last much longer than in your pantry or garage. Store them on shelves or on raised platforms rather than directly in contact with concrete floors or walls. Avoid storing items next to items that may impart an odor such as soaps or fuel.

Temperature: Where possible, always store your food indoors. Temperature affects shelf life the very most. Canned goods will store 2 to 3 times longer at 70^oF than they do at 90^oF. Most dry goods store indefinitely below 70^oF but for less time at higher temperatures. Temperature affects nutrition, texture, and taste.

Moisture: Dry goods should be below 10% moisture and kept dry. The more a container is opened, the more moisture is introduced. The humidity in the air the day food is dry packed or "home canned" can also affect the storage life. Weevil cannot grow in grain with less than 10% moisture. Beans with less than 10% moisture won't go hard as quickly. Non-fat dry milk should have no more than 2.8% moisture for the longest life.

Light: Store in opaque containers or in dark cupboards. Light fades colors, destroys vitamins, and speeds the rancidity of fats.

Air: Containers should have airtight seams and lids. If in doubt, seal with duct tape. Plastic buckets with rubber gaskets are airtight if the gasket has not been damaged. Insects cannot grow and multiply without air.

Use Variety: Add items for variety and nutrition in meal preparation. This will provide a more balanced nutrition and greater flexibility in cooking such as pasta, flour, canned goods, dehydrated or freeze dried foods, yeast, baking soda, baking powder and spices.

Use Labels: Label your containers with the date you purchased it.

Rotate Your Storage: Rotate as many items as you can by using something in your food storage at least twice a week. This will allow complete rotation of a years supply every three years and will help your family become accustomed to the items you have stored.

Store Water: Be sure to store water (at least 14 gallons per person for a 2-week supply): Soda/juice bottles will work for water storage or larger food grade plastic containers may also be used. For larger quantities you can purchase food grade water barrels in sizes of: 5, 15, 30, or 55 gallons. Water will need to be treated before storage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends 4 drops of bleach per-quart of water. Replace your water supply yearly.

Store Non Food Items: Food storage is only part of Emergency Preparedness. Don’t forget to store non-food items such as: medicines, toiletries soap, cleaning supplies, paper products, laundry detergent, and a limited amount of clothes.

Grow a Garden: Grow a garden so you can have fresh produce. Store and rotate seeds. If you don’t have garden space, try growing vegetables in pots etc.