Food Storage Checklist #10 (Baking Ingredients--Sugars)

To Do:

• Read more about sugar.
• Make some treats for your family to rotate through your sugar.
• Update your 3-month supply sheet.

 To Purchase:

• 40 lbs of white sugar.
• one extra of the cleaners you use most often (all-purpose, Windex, etc.).
• something from your 3-month supply list.

Sugars

• Powdered Fruit Drink comes in many different flavors and can be used in daily use and in times of emergency as stored water can have a funny taste. Powdered drink mixes can be stored for up to 3 years if unopened.
• Brown Sugar can be used in many baked goods and even some bread recipes. It can be stored up to 6 months. Be careful to seal it tightly between uses if you have opened your sugar. Some people choose to store white sugar and molasses to make their own brown sugar to avoid dealing with shelf life issues.
• Molasses and Corn Syrup are used as sweeteners in many recipes. Store according to your families needs. Molasses may be something you have never used, nor ever will use. If this is the case, don’t feel the need to store it. If you choose not to store brown sugar, you will want to store MORE molasses in order to make your own.
• Flavored Gelatin is used in molded desserts and salads and to thicken cold soups.
• Jams or Preserves will be covered later (Fruits and Vegetables)
• Granulated Sugar is used in almost all food storage recipes and is very important to store. Sugar has a shelf life of 20+years.
• Honey is another sweetener found in a lot of food storage recipes. Honey is more expensive then sugar and usually acts as a substitute for sugar in breads. Some people feel it is healthier to use honey than sugar.

*From FoodStorageMadeEasy

Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie

Mix together:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Coat 12 cups thinly sliced tart apples (Granny is a good pie choice) with the mixture.

Put into a ready 9-inch pie pastry. 

Add crumb topping:
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour

Cook at 425* for 1 hour.

Food Storage Checklist #9 (lentils, dry soups, & peanut butter)

To Do:

• Learn more about lentils and dry soup mixes.
• Try out a lentil soup recipe.
• Try sprouting some lentil seeds and taste them.
• Make something yummy with peanut butter.  
• Update your 3-month supply inventory sheet.

To Purchase:

• 5 lbs of lentils.
• 5 lbs of dry soup mix.
• 4 lbs of peanut butter.
• a few packages of non-food items.
• something from your 3-month supply list.

Legumes

Things to Keep in Mind:

• Beans, peas and lentils are the richest source of vegetable protein and are a good source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
• Utilizing dried beans and soaking them overnight is the best way to get the true bean flavor and a smooth texture
• When legumes are eaten with grains, nuts or seeds, a complete protein can be formed which can suitably replace meat, fish, poultry, eggs or dairy.
• Legumes aren’t just used for soups. Some other uses are:
  • Grind into bean flour for white sauces
  • Mash up cooked beans to replace butter/oil in recipes
  • Grow into sprouts for a fresh “vegetable”
• One easy way to start using dried beans is to use them in place of canned beans in your normal recipes (see conversion chart below)
• Generally, legumes will keep indefinitely when stored in a cool, dry place.
• Meats can be used to supplement or replace legumes as a protein source in your storage. Meats can be stored in the following ways:
  • Canned meats (either purchased or home-canned)
  • Dehydrated meats (beef or turkey jerkey, either homemade or store-bought)
  • Freeze-dried meats (many varieties available to purchase)
  • Fresh meat from animals you raise
• Determine the quantities of each food item you will need to store. 

Helpful Hints

Since the bulk of the recommended legume storage is beans, here is a basic summary of Do’s and Don’ts.
BEAN DO’S:

• Store dry beans in a cool, dry place.
• Lightly rinse packaged dry beans; sort through them and remove any pebbles, seed pods, leaves or twigs.
• Soak your beans! It reduces cooking time by about one half, and saves vitamins, minerals and proteins which can be lost during prolonged heating — exceptions are lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas which may be cooked from their dry state.
• Soak beans in plenty of water. Use a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of water to beans 
• Place presoaked beans in a pot and cover with fresh, cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer them for the indicated length of time until they are soft and tender.

BEAN DON’TS:

• Store dry beans in the refrigerator.
• Add baking soda to hasten soaking or cooking time as it will decrease the nutritional content of the beans.
• Add salt or any product high in calcium, magnesium or acid to the soaking or cooking water or beans will not soften (products with these elements should be added to cooking water or any recipe calling for partially cooked beans only after beans have reached desired tenderness).
• Use microwave to cook dry beans – microwaving is fine for reheating beans that are already cooked, but dry beans need to be simmered slowly in lots of water to soften, tenderize and rehydrate properly.

Dry Soup Mix

• Soup mixes are used to flavor soups made with your beans.
• There are many types such as chicken base, beef base, ham base, onion soup mix, cream based.

Dried Beans Overview

Dried beans are a great source of protein, especially when combined with a whole grain. They have a long 30 year shelf life and can be used for many things. Here is a list of the most common types of dried beans:
Pinto beans, Black beans, Red beans, Navy beans, Kidney beans, Garbanzo beans, Great northern white beans, Lima beans, Mung beans, and Soybeans

Alfalfa

Alfalfa is a member of the pea family and is typically eaten as sprouts.
Uses: Alfalfa sprouts can be used to top sandwiches and burgers similar to lettuce. They are also good thrown into salads or soups. You can even set them on a plate and use as an edible garnish for a main meat dish.
Health Benefits: Alfalfa contains high levels of phytoestrogens, saponins, and antioxidants.

Lentils

Lentils are small, flat legumes that come in a wide variety of colors such as red, green, brown, yellow, etc.
Uses: Lentils can be flavored many different ways. You can make a sweet salad by combining them with fruits, or a savory soup or casserole. They can also be used as a meat filler or substitute to add bulk to your meals.
Health Benefits: Lentils are high in fiber and magnesium, yet low in calories and fat.

Split peas

Split peas are regular peas that have been dried after harvesting. After they are dried and the skins removed, they split naturally. They can usually be found in both yellow and green varieties.
Uses: The most common use for split peas is the famous split pea soup. You can also make a puree of cooked split peas as a side dish, or make “dahl”, a traditional Indian dish.
Health Benefits: Split peas (like lentils) are high in fiber and low in calories and fat. They also provide a good source of 4 minerals, 2 B-vitamins, and isoflavones.

Diagrams/Charts

 

Non-Food Items

Things to keep in mind:

• Store a year’s supply of all household items that you normally buy at the grocery store.
• Build up your supply by buying these items in large quantities when they are on sale, then only replace your stores when they go on sale again.
• Make sure you store the things particular to your family’s needs, this list might not include everything that YOU normally use.
• Don’t be afraid to use creative storage ideas for these items. A huge supply of toilet paper could go in a garage, attic, etc.

Items to Consider Storing:

Personal Hygiene

• Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Deodorant
• Facewash/Bodywash/Soap
• Shaving/Aftershave

Paper Products

• Toilet Paper
• Paper Towels
• Feminine Products
• Diapers/Wet Wipes
• Kleenex
• Paper Plates/Plastic Utensils/Napkins (can save on water in an emergency)

Cleaning Products

• Laundry Detergent
• Dishwasher Detergent
• Bleach
• All-Purpose Cleaner
• Items to make your own household cleaners

First Aid Items

• First Aid Kits 
• Hand Sanitizer
• Face Masks
• Prescription medications
• Cold medicine
• Natural Medicines

Pet Care Products

• Dog/Cat Food
• Extra Water for Pets
• Kitty Litter

Miscellaneous Items

• Light Bulbs
• Board Games/Cards (something to do in case the power is out)
• Candles/Kerosene Lamps
• Needles/Thread (for basic mending)

Food Storage Checklist #8 (white flour & oats)

To Do:

• Learn more about white flour.

• Learn more about oats.

• Use your white flour to make a comfort food like cinnamon rolls.

• Make a comfort food item like granola bars.

• Make some oatmeal cookies.  Substitute whole wheat flour for half (or all) of the flour. 

• Update your 3 month supply inventory sheet.

To Purchase:

• 25 lbs of white flour

• 25 lbs of regular rolled oats

• 1 lb of baking soda

• some extra toothbrushes and some spare tubes of toothpaste

• something from your 3 month supply list

Katherine's Potato Soup

This post is especially for my friend, Dola.  She had her gall bladder removed a few weeks ago, and I took her this potato soup.  This is from memory, and I never follow a recipe when I make this, but it should be pretty close.  :)

1.  Boil about 5 lbs of peeled and diced potatoes until fork-tender.
2.  Cut up about 1/2 lb of diced carrots.  Cook them separately, since they cook differently than potatoes.
3.  Cook 1 package of bacon (I used turkey bacon).  Cut the bacon into small, bite-sized pieces.
4.  Make a roux by blending about 3 tbsp. oil or melted butter with about 3 tbsp. white flour.  Then add 3 cups of milk all at once and whisk it continually until the mixture thickens.
5.  After the potatoes and carrots and bacon are done, drain the potatoes and carrots and add them all to a big pot and add the white sauce.  Add about 3 more cups of milk, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 can of creamed corn.  Stir until heated through and the milk/white sauce is well blended.
6.  Add 2-3 cups grated cheese.  Stir until melted and well blended.
7.  Eat!

Food Storage Checklist #7 (Comfort Foods)

To do:

• Read more about powdered milk.
• Replace the milk in at least one of your recipes with powdered milk.
• Update your 3-month supply inventory sheet of what foods you already have stored.

To Purchase:

• 12 lbs of dry milk (remember to double this amount if you can only find instant dry milk).
• 3 lbs honey.
• some comfort foods.
• something from your 3-month supply list. 

Milk

• Nonfat Dry Milk is less expensive than regular milk so it’s a great idea to rotate it into everyday usage. To make your nonfat milk taste better, try adding 1 tsp of sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla to a gallon.
• Evaporated Milk can be stored in cans, or made from nonfat dry milk. To make a 12 oz can of evaporated milk from dry milk, mix 1‐1/2 C. Water and 1/2 C. + 1 T. Dry Powdered Milk and blend very well.

 

Condiments

Condiments
ketchup
mustard
relish
mayonnaise
peanut butter
barbecue sauce
soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce
teriyaki sauce
olive oil
vinegar
horseradish
cranberry sauce
applesauce
hot sauce/chili sauce
taco seasoning

Spices/Herbs

Spices
It is recommended to get a few spare bottles of spices/herbs that you
commonly use. This will ensure you have enough for your long term
cooking needs, and also give you the convenience and cost-savings in the
short term. Don’t go overboard on buying too many bottles though, as
spices can lose their flavor over time.

Common Spices/Herbs

Herbs*
Basil
Bay Leaves
Chives
Cilantro
Dill
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Tarragon
Thyme

Spices**
Allspice
Black Pepper
Caraway
Cardamom
Celery Salt/Seed
Chili Powder
Cinnamon
Cloves
Coriander
Cumin
Fennel
Fenugreek
Garlic Powder/Salt
Ginger
Mustard Seed/Dry Mustard
Nutmeg
Onion Powder/Salt
Paprika
Red pepper flakes
Saffron
Turmeric
Vanilla
White Pepper

* Herbs are the leafy, green plant parts used for flavoring purposes, and may be used fresh or dried, typically cut into very small pieces.

**Spices are dried and often ground or grated into a powder. Small seeds, such as fennel and mustard seeds, are used both whole and in powder form.

Comfort Foods

Some things about Comfort Foods:

• Comfort foods can help ease your stress during rough times

• While not considered “life sustaining” foods, they can considered “sanity-sustaining” foods. This is especially important if you have young children.

• A few normal foods or delicious snacks now and then can really help a difficult situation.

• The advice to use what you store, and store what you eat applies to comfort foods as well. Try a new thing each week or month to build up your stores of ideas for comfort items using food storage and then store the ingredients for them.

Ideas:
Home-made popcorn in a pot
Mashed potatoes with instant potatoes and GRAVY
Hard Candy
Chocolate
Pudding (made using dry milk)
Granola bars
Fruit snacks for children
Chicken noodle soup in a can (for if you get sick)
Kool-aid
Condiments (ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, salsa, pickles - store a spare or two of each)
Spices (inventory what spices you use and store an extra one or two of each)
No-bake cookies ingredients
Rice Krispie Treats
Macaroni & cheese dinners
Chocolate and butterscotch baking chips for homemade cookies or snacking
Peppermint tea bags
Homemade cinnamon rolls

The Benefits of Beans

Low Calorie Food
When added to boiling water, bean flours thicken in only 1 minute and can become a pefect white sauce base for lots of recipes. By replacing bean flour in cream and soup recipes you lower the calories dramatically because you take out the butter.

Great Protein
Beans are an excellent source of protein, forming a complete protein when combined with rice, corn, and many other foods. Getting protein this way can help you avoid some of the fatty meat proteins.

High in Fiber
One cup of beans provide the same amount of fiber as 3 standard doses of Metamucil. Not only do they give you the fiber, they are much more pleasant to eat and can be prepared with endless variety of tastes.

Low in Fat
Nearly all beans contain only 2-3% fat! You can even add oils to some recipes without going above even the 10% fat level recommended by Doctors.


Lower Cholesterol
Did you know that beans can help lower your cholesterol level? Not only do they contain NO cholesterol, they actually help the body get rid of what is considered bad cholesterol.

Beans Do's and Don'ts

Bean Do’s
• Lightly rinse packaged dry beans; sort through them and remove any pebbles, seed pods, leaves or twigs.
• Soak your beans! It reduces cooking time by about one half, and saves vitamins, minerals and proteins which can be lost during prolonged heating — exceptions are lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas which may be cooked from their dry state.
• Soak beans in plenty of water. Use a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of water to beans.
• Place presoaked beans in a pot and cover with fresh, cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer them for the indicated length of time until they are soft and tender.
• Store dry beans in the refrigerator.

Bean Don’ts
• Add baking soda to hasten soaking or cooking time as it will decrease the nutritional content of the beans.
• Add salt or any product high in calcium, magnesium or acid to the soaking or cooking water or beans will not soften (products with these elements should be added to cooking water or any recipe calling for partially cooked beans only after beans have reached desired tenderness).
• Use microwave to cook dry beans - microwaving is fine for reheating beans that are already cooked, but dry beans need to be simmered slowly in lots of water to soften, tenderize and rehydrate properly.

*Info From FoodStorageMadeEasy

Food Storage Checklist #6 (Legumes)

To Do:

• Read the Do's and Don'ts of Beans and the Benefits of Beans
• Try replacing canned beans with dried beans in one of your soup or chili recipes.  
• Try using mashed white beans in place of oil in one of your baked goods recipes.
• Update your 3-month supply inventory sheet of what foods you already have stored.

To Purchase:

• 30 lbs of dried beans (black, pinto, navy, chick peas, kidney, white northern, garbonzo, etc.)
• 4 lbs of shortening
• 1 qt. of salad dressing
• a few extra boxes of laundry detergent
• something from your 3-month supply list 

Some things about beans:
• Beans, peas and lentils are the richest source of vegetable protein and are a good source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
• Utilizing dried beans and soaking them overnight is the best way to get the true bean
flavor and a smooth texture
• When legumes are eaten with grains, nuts or seeds, a complete protein can be formed
which can suitably replace meat, fish, poultry, eggs or dairy.
• Legumes aren’t just used for soups. Some other uses are as follows: Grind into bean
flour for white sauces; Mash up cooked beans to replace butter/oil in recipes; Grow into
sprouts for a fresh “vegetable”
• One easy way to start using dried beans is to use them in place of canned beans in your
normal recipes.
• Generally, legumes will keep indefinitely when stored in a cool, dry place.
• It is recommended that one adult stores roughly 60 lbs of legumes/ year to sustain life.

Types of Legumes:
Dry Soup Mix:
• There are many types of soup mixes to make soups such as chicken base, beef base, ham base, onion soup mix, cream‐based, etc. Soups are a great way to use legumes.
Lentils:
• Lentils have a high nutritional value, second only to soy beans in protein content.
• The lentil is a cousin of the bean and is used as an additive in soups and chili.
• There is no need to soak lentils before cooking.
Dry Soy Beans:
• Dry soy beans provide an excellent source of protein.
• They are light tan or yellow in color.
• Standard soaking methods apply.
Dry Split Peas:
• Types include yellow and green. Yellow split peas have a milder flavor and are good to use in dishes where you want to hide the richer, green pea flavor.
• Dry split peas are most commonly used in thick soups and stews.
• There is no need to soak split peas before cooking.
Dry Beans:
• There are a large variety of dry beans, some black, red, pinto, kidney, garbanzo, lima
• Dry beans are very versatile, we will be posting lots of recipes which you can use them in. Store the varieties that your family normally eats.
• In general the larger the bean the longer they need to soak; and the longer you soak beans, the faster they cook.

*Info From FoodStorageMadeEasy

My Homemade Twix Bars.

1. Cream together 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
2. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 cups flour and mix well.
3. Pat into a 9" x 13" greased baking pan. Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes.
4.  Carefully spoon hot caramel filling onto shortcake crust.
5.  Place 4-6 chocolate bars on the top and let it melt; spread with a knife once melted.
6.  Refrigerate!!  

Caramel Filling
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon white flour
1/2 cup butter
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine brown sugar, flour, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil, stirring, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Barley

What is barley?
Barley is a grain with short, stubby kernels and a hull that is difficult to remove.  It is often used in soups or stews as a filler and to add some extra chewiness.  It is a good source of fiber and niacin, and is also low in fat with no saturated fat or cholesterol. 

Types of barley
Similar to rice, there are two types of barley, a refined (white) variety and a "whole grain" variety.  The most common is the white, highly processed "pearl" barley that has had most of its bran and germ removed along with its hull.  It is the least nutritious form of barley.  The second variety is called "pot" or "hulled" barley and it has been subjected to the same milling process as pearled, but with fewer trips through the polisher.  Because of this, it retains more of the nutritious germ and bran.

What type should we store?
Since pearl barley is so highly processed (similar to white rice), it has a much longer shelf life than pot barley.  If you enjoy barley and plan to store a fair amount of it, then definitely store mostly pearl barley.  However, if you are going to be using it a lot and rotating through it on a regular basis, it would be beneficial to store at least some of it in the pot barley variety in order to have the benefit of additional nutrients.

Where do we buy barley?
I find bags of pearl barley at the grocery store near the beans and rice.  You can also purchase boxes of Quaker Quick Barley, which is found in the same section and typically easier to find than the bags.


I often add barley to vegetable beef soup or other similar soups.

*Info from FoodStorageMadeEasy

Cornmeal & Popcorn

Types of Cornmeal:
Steel ground: The most common type of cornmeal, it has the husk and germ almost all removed.  Because of this, steel ground cornmeal has less flavor and nutrients but does have a very long shelf life. This is the type you will typically find at the grocery store.
Stone ground: This type of cornmeal retains more of the husk and germ but because of this it is more perishable than steel ground. Cornmeal can be found in white, yellow, red, and blue. Yellow and white are most common.

Types of Corn:
The basic types of dried corn used for food storage are: flint, dent, and popcorn. All can be used fairly interchangeably but flint is a little better for cornmeal, dent is better for corn masa, and popcorn is the most versatile since it can be popped for a snack OR ground into meal or flour. Corn can be found in white, yellow, red, and blue. Yellow corn is often recommended over white, since white corn doesn’t contain carotene (which converts into vitamin A). Yellow dent corn is very common at food storage stores, but popcorn can easily be found at grocery stores.

Corn/Cornmeal Shelf Life:
Cornmeal: Between 6 and 18 months. Store in a cool dry place to help prolong this.
Corn: 8 years or more if stored in a sealed airtight container with an oxygen absorber.

Corn/Cornmeal Uses:
Dried corn can be used as a vegetable in stews, popped into popcorn, or ground into flour or cornmeal. Corn flour is most commonly used to make corn masa which is a dough used to make tortillas. Cornmeal (fresh ground or store bought) can be used to make delicious cornbread or corn cakes. It can also be made into hominy or grits.


I love these recipes that use cornmeal:
Tamale Pie in a Skillet
Yummy Sweet Cornbread

*From FoodStorageMadeEasy

Oats

Types of Oats:
For long term food storage purposes you should consider storing one of three varieties of oats:

• Steel Cut Oats - This variety is often sold in bulk, in #10 cans, and in emergency preparedness stores. These are oat groats which have been cut into chunks with steel blades. They’re not rolled and look like coarse bits of grain.

• Rolled Oats - This variety is your typical grocery store variety. Rolled Oats are made by steaming oat groats and then rolling them flat. They take longer to cook than quick cooking oats, but retain more flavor and nutrition.

• Quick Cooking Rolled Oats - Quick cooking rolled oats are not to be confused with “instant oatmeal” where you just add water and microwave. They are simply rolled oats that have been rolled a little bit flatter to reduce the cooking time.

Health Benefits of Oats:
Oats are considered a “whole grain” because both rolled and cut oats retain their bran and their germ. Whole grains are recommended to be at least 50% of your daily grain intake due to their benefit to cardiovascular health, weight management, and other nutritional advantages.

Uses of Oats:
Oats are not just for oatmeal! Oats can make DELICIOUS oatmeal cookies, homemade granola bars, topping for a fruit dessert, etc. It can also be used as filler for meat dishes (my meatloaf recipe calls for oats) and can even be sprouted if you have some unhulled (or whole) oats in your storage.

So pick up some oats from the grocery store, try using them in some new recipes, especially those that use all shelf-stable ingredients, and then start stocking up!

*From FoodStorageMadeEasy

Marinara Sauce

In a food processor, puree the following and place in a large pot to simmer:

40-50 tomatoes
1 package of mushrooms
1 bunch of celery
1 1/2 lbs carrots
3 onions
3 cloves of garlic
any other vegetables, such as bell peppers, zucchini, etc.
4 cans tomato paste
1/3 cup salt
1 Tbsp pepper
2 Tbsp sugar
5 Tbsp oregano

Simmer for about 5 hours, stirring every now and then.  Makes about 5 quarts.