with Simply Prepared: A Guide to Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage
I. Why home storage?
—A. David A. Bednar, October 2020
—B. J. Rueben Clark, Jr., April 1937
—C. Gordon B. Hinckley, October 2001
—D. 1 Timothy 5:8
—E. Ezra Taft Benson, October 1973
—F. Hebrews 11:7
—G. W. Don Ladd, October 1994
—H. Brigham Young
—I. Thomas S. Monson, May 2001
—J. Proverbs 21:20
—K. The First Presidency, April 2007
—L. Russell M. Nelson, October 2020
II. Home storage – part of a way of life
—A. Spencer W. Kimball 1976
—B. Should not be strange and different – how much change would there be if you had to live on food storage? (Food Storage as a Way of Life)
—C. 4 kinds of food storage – emergency, 3-month, basic storage, expanded storage
—D. Emergency – for 72-hour kits, hurricanes, etc. whenever you can’t get to a store for a short amount of time and probably have limited fuel and water
—E. 3-month – Pres. Hinckley 2002
——1. A supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet
——2. Benefits of canned food
——3. One month supply based on USDA My Plate (worksheet)
——4. $5/week plan
——5. Using a rotating menu plan
—F. Basic storage – what is it?
——1. Life sustaining foods that store well
——2. Unfair stereotype – wheat, honey, powdered milk, salt, pinto beans – very unimaginative!
——3. 300 lbs. grains, 60 lbs. beans, 20 lbs. fats and oils, 60 lbs. honey or sugars, 75 lbs. milk, 5 lbs. salt, seeds or vitamins or 400 lbs. grains and 16 lbs. milk
——4. Foundation of a good food storage program
——5. Why Basic Storage?
——6. Home Storage Center plan
——7. $5/week plan
——8. Worksheet
———a. Allows you to adapt the general principles to your specific situation
———b. Review instructions
———c. When filled out, set up a plan
———d. Always have a nutritionally balanced storage
—G. Expanded storage (includes the 3-month supply and emergency food supply)
——1. Foods and other daily essentials to supply total nutritional needs and allow for variety and personal preferences in diet and living
——2. Begin with fruits and vegetables high in vitamins A and C
——3. Add spices, leavenings, and other items that make basics more versatile
——4. Then add meat and other foods
—H. Individual considerations (Adapting, Basic Principles)
——1. Tastes – educate taste buds, if necessary
——2. Special diets (Celiac)
——3. Number of people
——4. Ages of people
——5. Cost
——6. Availability
——7. Storage conditions
——8. Activity levels
——9. Shelf life – good storage methods can lengthen shelf life
—–10. Nutrition
III. How to afford it – W. Christopher Waddell, October 2020*
—A. Budget
—B. Re-examine financial priorities
—C. Tax return
—D. Bonus
—E. Garden – can, freeze, or dry excess and use money saved
—F. Home storage Christmas
—G. Shop sales and stock up
—H. Use bulk purchases to cut food bill
—I. Use protein sources other than meat to save money
—J. Sell luxury items
—K. Forgo vacations until storage is obtained
—L. Month’s supply – James E. Faust 1986
IV. Where to get it
V. How to store
—A. Conditions – light and temperature affect nutrition, texture, taste, appearance
——1. Cool – canned goods last 2 to 3 times longer at 70 than 90
——2. Dry
——3. Dark
——4. Airtight – weevil cannot grow without oxygen and moisture (< 10%)
—B. Containers
——1. Size – amount and space available
——2. Cost – are they reusable?
——3. Availability
——4. Material
———a. Opaque
———b. Pest resistant
———c. Withstands climate
——5. Airtight
———a. Full undamaged gaskets
———b. Fully welded seams or no seams
——6. Examples
———a. HDPE buckets (Short-term, Long-term, Dry Ice Treatment) – get a lid lifter
———b. #10 cans (Long-term)
———c. Canning jars – dry packing (Long-term) and dry heat processing (Short-term)
———d. Mylar pouches (Long term, Using a Mylar Pouch Sealer, Pouch Requirements)
———e. PETE bottles (Short-term, Long-term, Dry packing in PETE)
—C. Inside house
—D. Date packaging so you know when the food was purchased
VI. How to use – learn ways to make it easier so you will use it
—A. Cook grains whole or get a grain mill
—B. Bread machines (with whole grain setting) and heavy-duty mixers
—C. Grain rollers
—D. Crockpots and pressure cookers
—E. Manual can opener
—F. Recipes – on-line, books
VII. Water
—A. 72-hr – 3 gallons/ person
—B. Emergency supply – 14 gallons per person; more for babies
—C. Containers
VIII. Non-food – don’t force yourself to have to choose between food and necessary non-food items
IX. Learn from others – One of the reasons we have the scriptures is to learn from the experiences of others so we won’t make the same mistakes.
—A. Some non-food items are just as important as food items
—B. Learn how to use stored food before you have to know
—C. Learn to cook economically before you have to
—D. Rotate your supplies
—E. Having to use seldom tried stored food does not automatically make it more palatable and change your tastes
X. Do it! – commit and doors will open
—A. D&C 29:34
—B. W. Christopher Waddell, October 2020 (“aspects of a spiritual foundation”)
—C. Listen to the Spirit
——1. Let it guide you for your family
——2. home storage is an individual matter
——3. W. Christopher Waddell, October 2020 (“as we embrace spiritual principles”)
—D. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Pick 1 or 2 things – easy ones are salt and 72-hr water supply.
—E. W. Christopher Waddell, October 2020 (“in an ever-changing world”)
—F. Marion G. Romney October 1976
—G. 1 Nephi 3:7
XI. Questions and answers