Food Storage - How Can I Afford It?

Food Storage – How can I afford it?

This is a question that many people struggle with.  A lot has to do with the manner in which you think of food storage.  Often, when people think of the extra money they would have to spend in order to get food storage, they weigh the cost against the likelihood of an emergency situation happening.  If you think of food storage in those terms, you are likely to never be able to accumulate much food storage.  On the other hand, I think of food storage as insurance.  Yes, insurance is very expensive and in most cases, you never have the occasion to collect a benefit. However, in those cases where something does happen, you are very glad that you had the insurance.  In the case of food storage, I have never been confronted with a catastrophe where I needed to survive on my food storage.  On the other hand, our family has gone through several periods of unemployment in which the food storage has come in very handy.

Think of your food storage as a Home Store.

1.   Store only the things your family eats on a regular basis.

2.   Rotate your storage by using and replenishing it on a regular basis

3.   Replenish your storage by purchasing food when it is on sale whenever possible

Build your home store on a budget not an emotion:

1. Decide on a budget you can spend each week or month to build and replenish your home store
2. Never let fear be your motivation for purchasing your food storage
3. Watch the ads for the best prices and use your budget to purchase in larger quantities
4. Join a plan such as the Shelf Reliance Q to gradually build your home store on a steady yet gradual basis.  Shelf Reliance has monthly specials that can be put into the Q, which will save you money  (To Learn more about the Shelf Reliance Q, please click the tab above)

Be Wise with your Home Store purchases:

1. Store what you eat, eat what you store
2. Label each item with the date of purchase
3. Organize your storage so that the oldest item gets used first
4. Store item properly to avoid spoilage – Cool, dark, dry space in proper containers
5. Keep the storage area clean to prevent pest infestation
6. Periodically re-evaluate your Home Store.  Make sure it is meeting the needs of your family and your lifestyle

Be determined:

1. Set a goal, stick with it, make it a way of life

My lifestyle today has changed significantly from that of my parents.  My mother, for the most part, processed her own food storage by freezing, bottling and drying her own garden produce.  She used basic staples to cook with.  Today, life is much faster passed.  It requires most mothers to work outside the home.  Prepared foods, boxed mixes and frozen meals have become a way of life.  Under these conditions, building and maintaining a useable food storage program is challenging.  My solution to this challenge is freeze-dried food.  It is nutritious, appealing, delicious, convenient and easy to prepare.  It is wonderful for food storage because it has a very long shelf life.  I purchase them through the Shelf Reliance Q.  Please click the tab above to learn more about the Q.  If you would like to set up your own Shelf Reliance Q, please visit my website at: