emergency home food storage advice: store what you use

GUEST BLOGGER: KATHY RIGGS

​Being prepared with food, water, and fuel for an emergency situation is fairly common practice for many Utahans and other folks living in areas throughout the U.S. While ice storms, power outages, and closed interstate highways may seem unlikely today, peace of mind is worth a lot when considering the unknown possibilities for your local area.

---

​“Store what you use and use what you store” This is an adage that has gained momentum as individuals and families search for guidance in their attempt to adhere to a general standard yet find what is stated from “experts” do not fit their individual needs or dietary restrictions.
 
In short, there are three main components of food storage: Food supply (three-month and long-term), water supply, and a financial reserve.
 
There are other considerations as well but for now, those wanting to know what and how much food to store can begin fairly simply: Take the amount of food you would need to purchase to feed your family for a day and multiply that by 7. That is how much food you would need for a one-week supply (assuming you would eat the same foods every day, that is).
 
Most families have a basic rotation of around 6 menus they normally eat from every week/month. Pull out shopping lists, recipes, and anything else that will ensure you gather enough ingredients to prepare the items. Don’t forget staples such as spices, flour, sugar, etc.
 
An underlying guideline is to avoid going to extremes to establish an emergency food storage supply. It is not necessary to go into debt in order to get everything all at once. Start small and build a meal at a time, a week at a time, or whatever works best for your financial situation.
 
There are several blogs available to assist in building a food/emergency supply as well as information available at no cost from educational and faith-based websites (e.g. “Provident Living”). If you would like further guidance, contact your local USU Extension office.