Finding a home for all of your foods is an important part of storing away enough supplies for the future!
Most people begin prepping by stocking up on staple items such as rice, pasta, dried beans, and canned goods. While these are great start points, it is not practical to have large amounts of these foods gathered at once.
Storing wheat products, like bread or bagels, can quickly get expensive if you don’t keep a steady supply on hand. Having to buy extra bags cost quite a bit more in money already!
It is much better to stock up on individual foods that can be stored either together or separately. This way, you will only need to purchase new boxes or other containers when you run out of space for the ones you have now!
Finding a home for all of your foods is an important part of storing away enough supplies for the future!
Here are some tips to help you learn how to store food efficiently. You may also want to check out our article: Tips For Budget-Friendly Ways To Start Surviving A Crisis.
The Best Way to Store Food for Preps
Storing your foods will determine how well you are as a cook! There are three main things that make up what we call the culinary hierarchy- in quality, quantity and timing.
The quality of the item is determined by whether it can be consumed without changing its flavor or texture. For example, storing carrots as a snack is fine, but leaving them exposed to air and moisture may cause them to become crunchy and/or spoil due to oxidation. This would decrease their taste and nutritional value.
Quantity is important because too little food means you’ll run out more quickly than expected, which could mean going hungry or having to start shopping again later when you reenter the market. You don’t want to run out before you find enough to eat!
Timing determines when an ingredient can be used so it does not lose its potency. Many oils like olive oil and sesame oil go bad if left at room temperature, so always keep a tight lid on yours until needed.
The best way to organize your stockpiles is according to the culinary hierarchy. Begin with high-quality items (like dried goods) and move down the ladder from there.
Store Food Properly
Storing foods in appropriate conditions is an important part of being prepared to survive a disaster or seasonably hungry day. As mentioned before, it’s important to know how to properly preserve stored foods so that they can be used later.
There are several types of containers that work well for different types of foods. Glass works best for some things like dried fruits and vegetables because it does not react with other ingredients in the food.
Certain materials such as plastic contain chemicals that could potentially migrate into the food. These additives are not harmful but should still be considered when choosing what type of container your food will stay in.
Don’t Overpack
Storing foods is a tricky process that can easily go wrong if you overdo it! If you have to, keep some of your stored goods in the refrigerator so they will freeze solid and retain their quality.
In fact, the temperatures in there are already close to boiling so many things will preserve their flavor and nutritional value even when frozen. Some examples include dried fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, and cooked grains.
You can also pack up individual servings in Ziploc bags or other containers with tight-sealing plastic covers to protect from moisture.
Freeze Foods
One of the best ways to organize your stockpiles is by organizing them according to what type of food they are. For example, if you know that you like dried fruits then start gathering those foods and putting them in a bag or container together.
Forums and blogs are a great way to get tips and tricks for storing and preparing nutritious meals during an emergency. You can also find lots of recipes online.
By stocking up on some basic supplies, you will have enough to survive for several weeks!”
Stocking up on nutritional supplements such as vitamins and minerals is another good idea. We all lose important nutrients when we eat less frequently, so buying extra of each helps restore our natural balance.
Organized storage is key to keeping your stockpile fresh and easy to access. Make sure to use durable containers and only add new products to an empty shelf or compartment.
And while we don’t want to overdo it on waste, make sure to check out how much leftover food you have before adding more to the cart. Some things, like fruits and veggies, can be re-used later once you’ve cleaned them.
Buy in Bulk
Storing foods in large quantities can be expensive, but it is worth it! Buying in bulk allows you to get better quality food at a much lower cost.
Many stores will give you an extra percent off if you spend $X on their products. By buying in bulk, you save money by not having to buy as many individual units of each food item.
The other benefit of stocking up in large amounts is that there is often a lot of leftover material which helps keep costs down.
Cook Ahead
One of the best ways to be prepared is by stocking up on foods that will not go bad or waste away. Foods that taste good and are easy to prepare can help you feel more relaxed in a crisis situation, especially if you have to flee your home.
Most people begin stockpiling at least a year before a disaster happens so that they can really start organizing their supplies. The difference between early preppers and late preppers is whether or not they actually organize their supplies.
On average it takes about one month to organize all of your supplies, but some may need longer depending on how organized they already are. Luckily, you can easily get started with this simple advice!
General tips: When storing your most important resources like food, make sure you know what product each bag/container contains. This way you will know if your pack has lost its integrity and if anything has gone rotten.
Never put fresh produce in an opened plastic bag or container unless it has also been stored in a dry place where there is air circulation. Fruits and vegetables should always be stored in closed containers with a tight seal to prevent oxidation and spoilage.
Reuse Leftovers
One of the best ways to save time in the long run is by reusing leftover foods. The next time you make pasta, rice or soup, there are virtually no limits as to what you can add onto your plate.
You may even be able to cook with some of these additions before they go into their second use!
Many grocery stores offer refreshments for purchase while still fresh so why not take advantage of that and pour some coffee into your pot, mix some milk into your cereal, etc?
The same goes for meat! If you have extra cooked chicken, roast it again at the same temperature until done and slice it up to put it back into the original container.
Not only will this conserve money, but it also helps preserve the nutritional value of the food. Many nutrients are lost when food is heated too high.
The Best Way to Store Food For Prepping
While some suggest buying lots of individual containers, we think that is not the best way to organize your supplies. In fact, we believe it can be expensive if you have a lot of things.
There are several easy ways to organize and stockpile foods in bulk.