Simple and Steady---Building a Gradual Food Storage System for your family....

Good morning to you,
 and happy Monday!

I have been overwhelmed and blessed by the many many comments and emails you wonderful folks have sent me over the last four days. It is always a blessing to know that something you write is helping so many. It is also a blessing to know that you have laid out a simple path for someone that they could not have done for themselves, and I am perfectly happy to do it again today for those of you that want a little slower approach to building a solid base of food storage for your family.

If you are just joining us, here are the last three days of this series that we have been posting for readers with questions on getting started on doing what we do here at The Welcoming House:

Day One: How to Get Started building a Food Pantry and Why...

Day Two: Top Three Mistakes in Food Storage...

Day Three: Building Food Storage Turbo Style..

In talking with the Handy Hubby last night, we were not hard pressed to come up with how we would have changed things a little bit when we started. Neither one of us would have focused quite so much on the "appliance side" of things, although they have contributed significantly, and we also would have made sure to learn the grocery cycles and get the most bang for our buck instead of two large shopping trips a year to Sam's Club for a few years, squeezing pennies to get as much as we could for the time ahead.

However, all in all, we both think that we have learned so much in this whole journey to being a little more self-reliant, that it leads to spilling this whole philosophy out in other areas of your life.

Call it a prudent way of living.

Or a prudent lifestyle.

While now it has a million names attached to it, and people either look at it with suspicion and wondering if you are batty, or have never really heard of living the way we do, as I have said before...this way of life used to be extremely common.
It made sense. 
It was a common sense lifestyle for the average person.

It is sad we have lost touch with that. Really.

For those of you who want to learn how to have a three month cushion of food for your food storage pantry, in case you hit hard times, or natural disaster has an impact, then today is for you. Giving you a gradual list and example with which to purchase things, one month at a time for three months. However, you do it, four purchases (weekly), or two (bi-monthly), you will quickly have a filling food storage pantry that will provide a good cushion for your family. Set aside a small closet of space, places under the bed, or a sturdy shelf that you can purchase from a big box store built for storage and tuck it in an out of the way spot.

In another ten months you will be blessed 
by what comes off that shelf.

*Remember to mark the cans and boxes.

*Remember to freeze the grains for 24-48 hours first.

*Store grains, or other bagged foods, in 5 gallon food-grade buckets that you can purchase at any Menards or Home Depot, and make sure they have locking lids so as to keep out any nasty pests that might want to take over your food storage. You might also want to consider putting things like boxed meals into small totes with lids. That also keeps out bugs or pests.

Organize as you go. We use baskets for the smaller items, such as drink mixes/puddings/jellos,
and label our shelves so we know at one glance what is where.

Here we go!
Blessings to you and yours, 
~Heather 

3 months of Food Storage 
(for a family of four) 
in ten months:

Month One: 
10 lbs All purpose flour, 2 lbs cornmeal, 5 lbs bag of rice, 2 1-lb packages of pasta, 1 4-lb bag of sugar, 1 large jar jelly, 1 gallon vegetable oil, 1 5-lb box dry milk or NIDO instant whole milk, 2 boxes hot chocolate mix, 1 container instant coffee creamer, one bottle ketchup, 1 container of baking powder, 1 jar baking yeast, 2 pkgs/8cans beans, 1 bag of lentils, 12 cans each of your choice of veggies and fruit, 3 large jars spaghetti sauce, 4 boxes jello, 4 boxes potato meal starters, 2 seasoning, 2 brownie mixes, 1 bag chocolate chips, 4 "Kool-Aid" packets or 1 container drink mix

Month Two: 
10 lbs bread flour, 1 large container of Old Fashioned oats, 5 lb bag of long-grain rice, 2 1 lb packages of pasta, 1 large container of honey, 1 1 lb bag of brown sugar, 1 large container shortening or coconut oil, 1 5-lb box of dry milk or NIDO, 2 boxes of teas (think Mint or Apple Cinnamon) or 1 container of coffee, 1 container instant coffee creamer, one bottle mustard, 1 box baking soda, 1 container salt, 2 pkgs/8 cans beans, 1 bag split peas, 12 cans each of fruit and veggies, 4 large canned soups, 4 boxes instant pudding, 4 boxes Hamburger or Tuna helper, 2 seasonings, 2 cake mixes, 1 can frosting, 1 box instant potato flakes, 8 cans tuna in water.

Month Three: 
10 lbs all purpose flour, 2 lbs cornmeal, 5 lb bag of long grain rice, 2 1-lb packages of pasta, 1 4 lb bag of sugar, 1 large container of shortening or coconut oil, 2 5-lb boxes of dry milk or NIDO, 1 large container of hot chocolate mix, 1 container instant coffee creamer, one bottle ranch, 1 container baking powder, 1 gallon white vinegar, 2 pkgs/8 cans beans, 1 bag 15-bean soup mix, 12 cans each veggies and fruit of your choice, 3 large jars spaghetti sauce, 4 boxes of jello, 4 boxed potato meals, 2 seasonings, 2 muffin mixes, 1 bag chocolate chips, 1 box raisins, 4 KoolAid packets or 1 large container of drink mix.

Month Four: 
10 lbs bread flour, 1 large container quick oats, 5 lbs of brown rice, 2 1-lb packages of pasta, 1 4-lb bag of sugar, 1 large jar jelly, 1 gallon vegetable or olive oil, 3 cans evaporated milk, 2 boxes of teas (think Earl Grey and Chai) or 1 container of coffee, 1 container of instant coffee creamer, one bottle ketchup, 1 box baking soda, 1 jar yeast, 2 pkgs/8 cans beans, 1 bag lentils, 12 cans each of fruit or veggies of your choice, 4 boxes of pudding, 4 large canned soups, 4 boxes of Hamburger or Tuna Helper, 2 seasonings, 2 brownie mixes, 2 cans sweetened condensed milk, 2 jars of cheese sauce

Month Five:
10 lbs AP flour,  2 lbs cornmeal, 5 lbs of brown rice, 2 1-lb packages of pasta, 1 large container of honey, 1 bag of dark brown sugar, 1 large container of shortening or coconut oil, 1 5 lb box of dry milk or NIDO, 1 large container of hot chocolate, 1 container of instant coffee creamer, one bottle mustard, 1 container baking powder, 1 container salt, 2 pkgs/8 cans beans, 1 bag split peas, 1 gallon bleach, 12 cans veggies or fruit of your choice (each), 3 large jars of spaghetti sauce, 4 boxes of jello, 4 boxes of potato meals, 2 cake mixes, 1 can frosting, 2 boxes hot cereal,

Month Six: 
10 lbs of bread flour, 1 large container of Old Fashioned Oats, 5 lb bag of long grain rice, 2 1-lb packages of pasta, 1 4-lb bag of sugar, 1 container molasses, 2 large containers of PB or Alternative, 1 5 lb box of dry milk or NIDO, 2 boxes of teas (think raspberry and sleepytime teas) or 1 can coffee, 1 container instant coffee creamer, one bottle ranch, 1 box baking soda, 1 gallon white vinegar, 2 pkgs/8 cans beans, 1 bag 15-bean soup mix, 12 cans each of fruit or veggies your choice, 4 boxes instant pudding, 1 box raisins, 1 bag coconut, 1 box potato flakes, 2 jars cheese sauce

Month Seven:
10 lbs all purpose flour, 2 lbs cornmeal, 5 lb bag of long grain rice, 2 1-lb packages of pasta, 1 4-lb bag of sugar, 1 large jar of jelly, 2 containers of mayonnaise, 3 cans evaporated milk, 1 large container of hot chocolate, 1 container instant coffee creamer, 1 container baking powder, 1 jar baking yeast, 2 packages/8 cans beans, 1 bag lentils, 1 gallon bleach, 12 cans each of veggie or fruit your choice, 4 large canned soups, 3 large jars spaghetti sauce, 4 boxes of jello, 2 muffin mixes, 1 container craisins, 4 boxes instant stuffing, 4 Kool Aid or 1 container drink mix

Month Eight: 
10 lbs Bread flour, 1 large container of quick oats, 5 lbs of long grain rice, 2 1-lb packages of pasta, 1 4-lb bag of sugar, 2 large containers of Peanut Butter or alternative, 2 salad dressings, 3 cans evaporated milk, 2 boxes of teas (you know the drill now) or 1 can coffee, 1 container instant coffee creamer, 1 box baking soda, 1 container of salt, 2 pkgs/8 cans beans, 1 bag split peas, 12 cans fruit or veggies your choice (ea), 4 boxes of pudding, 2 brownie mixes, 1 bag chocolate chips, 1 box instant potato flakes, 8 cans of tuna in water, 3 bottles juice, 4 large canned soups

Month Nine:
10 lbs all purpose flour, 2 lbs cornmeal, 5 lbs brown rice, 2 1-lb packages pasta, 1 4-lb bag sugar, 2 containers may., 1 5-lb box of dry mil or NIDO, 1 large container of hot chocolate,1 container instant coffee creamer,  1 gallon white vinegar, 2 pkgs/ 8 cans beans, 1 bag 15-bean soup mix, 12 cans each of fruit and veggies of your choice, 3 large jars spaghetti sauce, 4 boxes jello, 2 cake mixes, 1 can frosting, 1 container instant drink mix, 10 packets of taco or other seasoning

Month ten:
10 lbs all purposed flour, 1 large container of old fashioned oats, 5 lbs of Brown rice, 2 1-lb packages of pasta, 1 4-lb bag of sugar, 1 large jar of jelly, 2 large containers of peanut butter or alternative, 2 salad dressings, 2 5-lb boxes of dry milk, 1 large container of hot chocolate, 4 large canned soups, 1 container salt, 2 pkgs/ 8 cans  beans, 12 cans each veggies and fruit of your choice, 4 boxes instant pudding, 2 large boxes of cheap tea bags, 2 muffin mixes, 1 container raisins, 4 boxes stuffing, 1 box instant potato flakes,  2 jars Alfredo sauce.

Just remember, most of the mixes, including pudding, and boxed or bagged mixes can be made even cheaper by combining ingredients. I made many different mixes available to you in my Master Mix Way book, and the Fall Sale is STILL going on, where you can get the book for around $5 with the code FallBonanza.
 Click Here to check it out!!!