* I just looked at this on my actual published page and it's a MESS! I will do my best to get this a bit more organized somehow (copy and paste it from somewhere else?) as soon as I can. So sorry!*
Many years ago my husband and I knew a family who had a big bookshelf in their basement that was filled with . . . FOOD. I remember looking at him and thinking, "What on earth are these people doing? They need something better to do with their time or something!" They had a large family to my mind at the time--four children--LOL now!--and she prided herself on shopping cheaply.
Fast forward to May of 2008. Stockpiling has become part of my life through The Grocery Game, and I LOVE saving money on groceries! I have been doing it for several years and introduced many others to the fun of surprising grocery cashiers with the amount of savings you can get (not to mention the number of coupons you can use--did you know you can use 2 coupons when you purchase things "Buy One Get One Free"? Yup!) Honestly, though, my mind hasn't had room for managing coupons this school year, and I've only recently returned to the idea of a stockpile. Now, though, I find I'm not alone, as economic forecasters everywhere are encouraging people to be prudent in their food storage.
I always wonder, though . . . what do we need? What will we really eat? Bags of dried beans would do little good around here, I'm afraid, as no one would eat them! I'm realizing that I should maybe consider trying to get my family used to at least some foods that would be more survival-friendly. Anyway, I found a couple of lists I wanted to share in order to help anyone else who'd like to start building a stockpile. We all know the Red Cross and everyone else tells us we need 72-hour kits anyway--for snowstorms and hurricanes and whatever else could happen. I think a 52-week supply is a *great* idea. These lists are from Mormon recommendations, in case anyone is wondering, and are meant as a suggestion--leave out anything you don't like, but at least it's a starting point! The first is monthly suggestions for creating 72-hour kits for each member of your family over the course of a year. They are meant to be stored in backpacks. You could start with *this* month . . . I think I'll do that, and purchase 2 months at a time so I'm done in 6 months rather than 12! Note: water is a given. I believe they say you should have 1 gallon of water per person per day--in my family, then, a year's supply would be . . . 365x9 . . . 3285 gallons of water! Wow! I need to research that more, because I've no idea *how* one should store water. Here's the list.
January
72 Hour Kit
Gather a change of clothing including underwear and shoes for each family member -- include warm coats and boots, or have them immediately accessible.
ax, shovel, bucket
utility knife
$20.00 cash
$5.00 change for pay phone
February
72 Hour Kit
1 gallon water per person
scriptures, personal documents-genealogical record,
wills, passports, insurance, contracts, birth certificates,
patriarchal blessings, etc.
March
72 Hour Kit
1 pound dried fruit or trail mix per person (Can use fruit leather)
1 package soda crackers per person (4 per box)
1 package graham crackers per person (4 per box)
2 liters tomato or orange juice per person (Note: these items will be rotated every 6 months - see September)
ALSO make a goal to always have fuel tanks on ALL vehicles at least half full
April
72 Hour Kit
4 granola bars per person
2 sticks beef jerky per person
1 package chewing gum per person
hard candies or lollipops--at least 12 per person (Note: these items will be rotated every 6 months - see October)
May
72 Hour Kit
Battery powered radio
Battery powered light
Batteries
June
. 72 Hour Kit
Container for holding kit. Large garbage cans with wheels OR a back pack for each family member recommended. Find a place in your home that is easily accesible for storing the kit. You need to be able to grab it at a moments notice to leave your home. Note: your first aid kit is also part of your general storage, but your general storage CANNOT be part of your 72 hour kit. When you need it there may not be time to gather it together for transport.
July
72 Hour Kit
Prepare blankets (the silver foil ones)
Gather items to entertain your family and include in kit - UNO cards, coloring books and crayons, x-stitch kit, etc. Be sure to include paper and pencils. Camp stove or portable BBQ and fuel, mosquito repellent
$25 cash
August
72 Hour Kit
1 can tuna per person
1 can pork and beans per person
1/2 pound dried milk per person
2 packets hot chocolate mix per person (or 1 lgr. can per family)
2 instant soup packets per person (these should be rotated every year)
disposable plates, cups, bowls and flatware
pet supplies - be sure to include dishes, leash and extra water
September
72 Hour Kit
1 pound dried fruit or trail mix per person (can use fruit leather)
1 pkg. soda crackers per person (4 per box)
1 pkg. graham crackers per person (4 per box)
2 liters tomato or orange juice per person (Note: these items will be rotated every 6 months-see March)
October
72 Hour Kit
4 granola bars per person
2 sticks beef jerky per person
1 package chewing gum per person
hard candies or lollipops-at least 12 per person(Note: these items will be rotated every 6 months-see April)
Check batteries for light and radio. Replace if needed.
November
72 Hour Kit
soap
toothbrushes and toothpaste
shaving supplies
infant needs
disinfectant
aluminum foil
December
72 Hour Kit
garbage bags
candles
matches
can opener
Now for the 52-week supply . . . This one is broken down into weekly suggestions. I'll again probably do 2 weeks at a time, so I'm done in 26 weeks (that means . . . mid-December) rather than 52.
52 Week List
Wk -Item to Buy
Amount
1-Nuts
2 lbs (1 kg) per person
Buy them on sale after Christmas. Drug stores are often a good source. Dry roasted keep best. Freeze bagged ones.
Bleach - 1 gal (4L) per person, Laundry soap - 20 lbs (9 kg) per person.
2-Detergents, Bleaches, Cleansers
3Medicine Chest: Feminine Products, Pepto Bismol, Cough Syrup, Tylenol, Calamine Lotion, Kaopectate, Ipecac, Sunscreen, etc.
--Dispose of all outdated medications
4Canned Meats: Tuna, Spam, Dried Beef
5First Aid Supplies: Band-Aids, Antibiotic Ointment, Ace Bandages, Steri-strips, etc.
6-Fill Your Water Jugs--
7Peanut Butter
8Solid Vegetable Shortening
9Juices
--Avoid watered products. Get 100% juice.
10Toothpaste, Floss, Razors, Shaving Cream
11Mixes: Cake, Pancake, Muffin, etc
12Spices and Herbs
--Look for bargains at health food stores or ethnic food stores.
13Rice
14More First Aid: Gauze Patches, Swabs, Cotton Balls, Tape, etc.
15Pasta
--Select a variety. Counts toward grain total
16Dry Milk
17Sewing Kit: Thread, Pins, Needles, Buttons, Snaps, Zippers, Tape Measure, Scissors
--Consider your family's needs.
18Flour
19Dry or Canned Soup
20Gelatin or Pudding Mixes
21Garden Seeds
--Buy locally, if you haven't mail- ordered them. Get only what you will plant and eat. Consider what you can preserve and eat.
22More Flour
23Cord, Twine or Light Rope; Flashlights and Batteries
24Cheese
--Grate and freeze for casseroles or soups.
25Paper Towels, Aluminum Foil, Garbage Bags, Freezer Bags, etc
26Vinegar
--If you make pickles, have several gallons on hand
27Condiments: Mustard, Mayo, Relish, Worcestershire
28Jams and Jellies
--Buy what you will not make yourself
29Canned Goods
30Canned Milk
31Back to school and office supplies
32Baking Powder, Soda, Cornstarch, Baking Soda
33Tomatoes: Juice, Sauce, Whole or Paste
--Buy or make it. Counts as part of vegetables
34Canned Fruit
35More Canned Fruits and Vegetables
36Sugar, extra
37Vegetables
38Dried Beans, Peas
39Sweeteners: Honey, Molasses, etc
Ten or more containers
For canning, get canning salt.
Hand soap -15 per person, Toilet Paper - one roll per week
44Hard candy for Halloween
--Leftovers will make a good addition to your 72 hour emergency kit.
45Vitamins
46Baking Items: Cocoa, Coconut, Nuts, Chocolate Chips, etc
47Rolled Oats, Corn Meal, Cream of Wheat
--Counts as grains
48Sugars: Brown, White, Powdered
--Counts toward 100 lbs (68 kg) per person total
49Vegetable and Olive Oils
50Candles and Matches
--Put in a sturdy box (preferably fireproof) and in a cool place you can locate in the dark.
51Popcorn
--Purchase large bags. Counts toward grains
52Merry Christmas!
--Give yourself a great gift--security.
Of course, one of the best things you can probably do all summer is to keep your gas tank FULL. After all, those prices aren't going down weekly, they're going UP, so you might as well save a few dollars by staying ahead! And for anyone wondering, my plan for security is to pray and share. Obviously most people are NOT going to prepare for a major downturn in the economy, even as we slide down now. I figure the best way to keep from being stolen from will be to share with those around us willingly. And pray that God multiplies whatever we've been able to store! For a Biblical reference for stockpiling, see . . .
Prov. 30:25 The ants are a people not strong, but they put by a store of food in the summer . . .
Prov. 21:20There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man swallows it up.
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