As seen with our last food storage plan, there are many ways to organize your stockpiles. This article will go into more detail about how to organize your cans!
Canned foods have become very popular in recent years. They are usually low-cost per can, but they may be expensive when organized properly. The best way to store canned goods is by organizing them by type or category of food.
This makes it easy to find what you need later since it is already sorted. Also, different-sized jars and containers hold an appropriate amount for all of the same types of food so you never run out of space due to length.
There are some things that cannot be stored efficiently in a box or bag set. For example, water and air do not mix, therefore, if you put your water in a container that has holes, it will not stay fresh as long. Having a constant source of drinking water is important during times of crisis.
That’s why having a homemade purification system is one of the most crucial parts of being prepared. There are several ways to make this happen, and we will discuss two of the easier ones here.
Long term Food Storage Tips
When it comes to long term food storage, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Create a storage plan
Now that you have your supplies, what to do with them is up to you! There are two main ways to store your stockpiles: in-depth organized bins or by item type.
The first way is organizing by food group or category. For example, if you organize foods that taste good, then beverages come after because they typically contain more water. You can also organize by nutritional value or how much of each nutrient an average person needs for daily consumption. This is very helpful in keeping track of your stock ware as well as knowing which ones go down data-wise.
Your second option is to organize by item type. This could be things like pasta or cereal, canned goods, dry goods, and so on. Using this method helps keep it simple as you only need to remember one thing at a time! Both of these organization methods can easily be done using index cards or other paper products.
Both of these prepping strategies are great starting points to get familiar with before moving on to additional ways to manage your supplies.
Create a storage locker
Now that you have your supplies, what to do with all of those extras is up to you! If you would like to keep some of these items organized, then you can use our website as a way to store them or give us a call at 1-844-244-1050 and we can help you create a storage area for each item.
A great way to organize all of your food stock-up products is by organizing them into categories and keeping it organized at home, work, school, etc. Having a list in place is helpful in maintaining this organization.
For example, if you are buying lots of eggs, chocolate, and rice, you could put all three together in one category called ‘Baking’. You could also make another category such as ‘Chocolate’, and under that make individual sub-categories such as baking mix, bar so on.
This helps save time in the long run because you don’t need to sort through everything multiple times to find what you want.
Buy storage containers
Ever since I started stocking up, storage is one of my biggest priorities. It’s easy to buy cheap plastic bins at Walmart or Costco, but they are not ideal food stock.
I have wasted too much money on them due to their poor quality insulation and lids that do not seal properly.
There are several different types of food-grade storage containers available online and in stores. They all cost around the same price, however, you get what you pay for!
I will go into more detail about some of my favorites later in this article, but first, let me tell you about another important part of your prepping kit – your cooking equipment.
Cooking is an integral part of any survival situation, so don’t forget it by buying only those bowls and spoons made from disposable materials. You can also purchase good-quality pots and pans.
These are harder to find now because people are purging leftover stockpiles of goods, but still worthwhile to invest in if you can afford it.
Buy food storage shelves
Having an ample supply of food at your disposal is one of the most important things you can do as a prepping individual. Luckily, you don’t have to spend a large amount of money to start storing up here and now!
All it takes is going to a garage sale or thrift store and finding some sturdy plastic trays or shelf units that make for good long-term storage. These wouldn’t cost too much more than $10 each!
You can also visit online sites like Amazon where you can find low-hanging baskets, plate racks, and other grocery stocking supplies in great quantities and very inexpensively.
Mix up your storage items
It’s not enough to only store food, you also need to know how to use it. So instead of stocking up on a variety of foods, buy several types of each ingredient in large quantities.
This way, you will have plenty of each food item for years to come without having to go through expensive re-stocking processes every time.
Stock up on the basics such as sugar, rice, pasta, and dried beans so that you never run out of these products. Then purchase some dry meat, peanut butter, and if possible, whole wheat or brown-bagged bread to satisfy your hunger while you are waiting for your next meal!
After all, we can always enjoy our favorite snacks while preparing new dishes. Many people start eating after they wake up in the morning, which is great because they begin their day with an adequate breakfast.
Making sure you are well stocked at night is another important part of being prepared. Most households eat dinner around 6 pm, making the six hours between bedtime and lunch very busy. By storing appropriate amounts of food, you will be sleeping more soundly knowing there is at least one good meal planned for later.
Store your food storage items
While some might suggest buying a large quantity of a certain item, like dried beans, this is not the best way to prepare for an emergency. Buying too much of one product can create inventory waste if you have to discard part of it.
Dried bean stockpiles are very expensive due to the high packaging costs per pound. Even after taking these cost differences into account, you will spend more money in long-term stocking up than if you were to buy only a few varieties at one time.
This is because people with different needs and tastes will probably want different types of beans. A basic cookbook that anyone could use would be enough variety for most individuals, but investing in a good cooking guide or even better, someone’s recipe book, would be a more practical investment purchase.
After eating through your initial stock, chances are there won’t be many leftovers which further adds to the wasted money issue. Since grocery stores don’t usually carry a lot of nutritional foods, you also risk wasting valuable nutrition that you may need later. If you know of a great source for cheap healthy snacks, try sharing that information!
The last reason why buying lots of one type of food is wasteful is because you will probably eat them all before the next big batch comes around. This cuts down on how much leftover space the panty has, and therefore, how much additional food you save.
Tips for starting and running a food storage program
As we continue to highlight different ways to start a food storage plan, here are some tips to help you along in your journey!
Running a food storage program is not easy, but it is possible with the right guidance and resources. Decide what level of preparedness you want to have before investing in supplies.
You do not need to buy every can, jar, box, and a bag of food at once, especially if you are just getting started. Try buying one or two items per week until you feel comfortable enough to add another item to your collection.
With each purchase, read the labels to see whether these goods will still be good after several years. Some things go bad much faster than others – make sure you know which ones!
General recommendations talk about how many months’ worth of food you should hoard, but nothing that says when you should actually start stocking up. This depends on your lifestyle, whether there is likely to be a lot of natural disaster events, and your budget.
By having a general idea of when to begin stockpiling, you’ll be more prepared when you do decide to get serious about storing food.
Store your food storage items
Storing your food stock up is an easy way to start prepping. When investing in your storeroom, make sure you know what type of can or bag it goes into!
There are several different types of containers that have different shelf-life lengths. This matters because if a can doesn’t get used within its expiration date, you will need to either use it or trash it.
Shelf life length depends on the material the can is made out of as well as how much oxygen there is in the air when the can is opened. Obviously, the longer the can hold no oxygen, the shorter its lifespan!
By having a variety of cans, you will be certain to never run out of our most popular foods during a crisis! Luckily, we have gathered some helpful information about the best food storage containers here for you to choose from.