There are so many opinions out there about how to build a food storage. And while they are all probably not a bad way to get started, there are some things that can help you along your food storage journey, regardless of why you’re building a food storage.
I started really trying to build my food storage after the worldwide craziness happened. It was hard, and I didn’t want to be a “hoarder”, but I knew that if I wanted my family to be able to eat the things we liked, I needed to buy a few extra of things here and there.
Having food storage gives me security that I know my family will be okay for a little bit, but it also helps not put as much pressure on the grocery stores if there is a reason for things to be running short on the shelves.
How long should my food storage last me?
This question really depends on you and your situation. Some people will say to have food on hand for 3 months. Others will say 6 months. While others will say you should have food for a year for your entire family.
However long you decide to have enough food for, there are some things you can do to help prolong the storage of your food. There are also things that can help with the convenience side of things as well.
Things to help you build your food storage.
There are 5 things that I believe will help you build your food storage. I have and use them.
Manual can opener
One of the easiest ways to build up a food storage is by buying canned food. Whether it’s 16 oz cans or up to #10 you may need to have a way to open them. Having a manual opener can allow you to open the cans, even if you don’t have electricity.
Mylar Bags
Mylar bags are a great way to store food for long term food storage. Some food can last up to 30 years when stored properly in mylar bags and using oxygen absorbers. There are a variety of sizes of mylar bags to choose from. I use quart size and gallon size more often. I also have 5-gallon sizes that I use to put in food grade buckets. They fit perfectly into 5-gallon buckets. I’ve got more info about mylar bags here.
5-gallon buckets
I use 5-gallon buckets with my short- and long-term food storage. I have gamma lids on my buckets, though there are other lids you can put on them I just prefer the gamma lids and the ease of being able to get into the buckets. I use them with some of my bulk items in my pantry such as flour and sugar. I can easily access the contents of the bucket when I need.
For long term food storage, you can put your quart and gallon sized filled mylar bags in them to store them. You can also store bulk items in the 5-gallon mylar bags in them, such as the same flour, sugar, rice or beans.
Canning jars and lids
A lot of people also can food as part of their food storage. Not only for emergencies, but that’s how they eat. They grow their own food and then they need to be able to preserve it until the next growing season.
You can also store dry goods in the canning jars. Glass is rodent resistant which is what makes it a perfect place to store food.
There are a few different sizes of canning jars: half-pints, pints, quarts and half gallon. Even if you don’t grow your own food, you can still can food. You can’t can in half-gallon jars, but I like to use those to store dry goods in.
Canning additives
Along with your canning jars and lids, there are other things you will want to have on hand when you make food to can. Such as: salt, sugar, pectin, ascorbic acid and citric acid. Vinegar is also good to have on hand for various uses, but I use it often when canning as well.
Get to it!
These 5 things will help you in your food storage journey. It’s important to remember to store foods in various ways. For example: if you eat beans, don’t just store dry beans. Also store canned beans. Have a variety in your food storage. And having these 5 things will help you do just that.
Thanks!
I’m so glad you’re here, looking for ways to help you in your food storage journey. It’s an amazing journey that has taught me so many incredible things. Things I share here and on TikTok, Insta and YouTube.
