[BackyardRambo]

Many of the people I see talking about food storage basicly just purchase a couple dozen MRE's and throw them in the garage or something, maybe some buy a bucked of beans and rice, and do the same.

Personally I prefer food rotation rather than outright storage.

Basicly what I do is, for storage purposes I only buy food that lasts for a couple months at least, and it also has to be something I eat on a regular basis. When I've figured out what I'm going to get, I calculate how much of it I need for a certain period of time, like 6 months for example. Then I go ahead and buy x months worth of the food, and I begin using the supplies right away. After about a week I top up my supplies, and start eating that which I put in last, and then top it up again, etc.

This way most of my food supply always stays as fresh as possible, and I don't lose any money, I actually might save a lot concidering food is getting a lot more expensive.

How do you guys handle your storage? Mylar bags and food grade buckets or rotation? Or both?

 

[lanahi]

All food storage involves rotation unless it is in #10 cans of dehydrated or freeze dried foods. You eat what you put in FIRST, not last, so the oldest stores are eaten first.
This isn't an either/or situation where you either store them or rotate them.

 

[OhioMan]

Both, we rotate all the food and water. We can't do all of it because of the volume. In 2 years from now and TS hasn't HTF we plan on making a donation to a food pantry.

Rice/Wheat/Bean in mylar/buckets will remain however

btw...we mark everything with a black maker for dates, they are also stacked according to when they were bought

 

[MikeK]

I buy a lot of dehydrated foods in #10 cans. I also store beans and grains in buckets. I suppliment this with what I dry or can, plus what I stock from the grocery store.

To me, rotation is the only method that makes sense. Sticking it away in the corner to age is just inviting disaster when you need it most. Both from the food losing nutritional value, and from the digestive system not being used to the food. The less disruption we put our bodies through during this stressful time, the better.

The big rule "store what you eat and eat what you store" caused me to integrate the new foods into my daily diet. I had to learn to use the dehydrated foods in my normal cooking. That alone was probably the single most valueble skill I've picked up. Dried foods are wonderful to cook with, but they require different cooking techniques. This is best learned ahead of time. It's also the only way to find out what foods you don't like. No sense storing them if you have to choke them down. I don't like most TVP nor dehydrated sweet corn. Glad I learned that now.

"Store what you eat". Well, I eat a lot of bread, tortillas, etc. So I stored wheat. The folks storing nothing but rice are missing the boat in a big way. I store rice too because I eat a lot of rice. If I didn't, I wouldn't store it, or I would start eating it. I store barley too, because I use a lot of it. I don't eat a lot of oats so I don't store a lot of oats.

I've found that buying the dehydrated foods have cut my food costs immensely. Their per serving cost is far less than that of canned food from the store and most of them taste better (there are some notable exceptions, of course).

This is a big part of why I'm so against freeze dried foods. They're far more expensive, far more bulky, and in the case of the premade foods like "spaghetti" and such, they don't allow home cooking. While their convenience would be handy in a short term crisis, appetite fatigue will set in sooner or later. I know, I tried that path too! I can see maybe a month worth of freeze dried if you have the money to spare, with the rest being dehydrated, home canned, and store bought. Otherwise, they are a waste of finances that could have gone toward other preps.

 

[sailinghudson25]

I do both. I have some things well stored that should keep for 10-15 years. All of it is in sealed 5 gallon buckets.

I do rotate canned goods, home made canned stuff, loose bagged rice and beans, grains other than wheat like rye, millet, and oats. Oil, seasoning, and so on.

I kinda find the longer term stuff a bit difficult to keep track of, so thats why I leave it alone. My family is leaning towards eat what you store mentality. I have a mother in law with some digestional medical issues. The majority of dry storage items like beans and salt in canned foods gives her additional probems with her ailments.

I will rotate the long term stuff once it gets up there in age like 5 years or so. Got awhile before that happens

 

[OhioMan]

I buy a lot of dehydrated foods in #10 cans. I also store beans and grains in buckets. I suppliment this with what I dry or can, plus what I stock from the grocery store.

To me, rotation is the only method that makes sense. Sticking it away in the corner to age is just inviting disaster when you need it most. Both from the food losing nutritional value, and from the digestive system not being used to the food. The less disruption we put our bodies through during this stressful time, the better.

The big rule "store what you eat and eat what you store" caused me to integrate the new foods into my daily diet. I had to learn to use the dehydrated foods in my normal cooking. That alone was probably the single most valueble skill I've picked up. Dried foods are wonderful to cook with, but they require different cooking techniques. This is best learned ahead of time. It's also the only way to find out what foods you don't like. No sense storing them if you have to choke them down. I don't like most TVP nor dehydrated sweet corn. Glad I learned that now.

"Store what you eat". Well, I eat a lot of bread, tortillas, etc. So I stored wheat. The folks storing nothing but rice are missing the boat in a big way. I store rice too because I eat a lot of rice. If I didn't, I wouldn't store it, or I would start eating it. I store barley too, because I use a lot of it. I don't eat a lot of oats so I don't store a lot of oats.

I've found that buying the dehydrated foods have cut my food costs immensely. Their per serving cost is far less than that of canned food from the store and most of them taste better (there are some notable exceptions, of course).

This is a big part of why I'm so against freeze dried foods. They're far more expensive, far more bulky, and in the case of the premade foods like "spaghetti" and such, they don't allow home cooking. While their convenience would be handy in a short term crisis, appetite fatigue will set in sooner or later. I know, I tried that path too! I can see maybe a month worth of freeze dried if you have the money to spare, with the rest being dehydrated, home canned, and store bought. Otherwise, they are a waste of finances that could have gone toward other preps.

Yes, couldn't agree more on the storing rule " Store what you eat and eat what you store" that is rule #1 for me

well said Mike:thumb:

 

[BackyardRambo]

Well, I am aiming towards having 3-6 months worth of rye crisp bread (what the vikings used to eat during their raids), rice, olives, olive oil, salt, pepper, curry powder, paprika powder, cayenne red pepper powder, oregano, tea, maple syrup & honey (lasts ages), cashew nuts, pistachioes, vitamins & minerals (multi-vit., vit. D, vit. C, zinc, calcium); all of these I consume almost on a daily basis and those supplies are rotated frequently.

Then I also have a lot of frozen veggies, berries, moose meat and Ikea meat balls (yummie) in the freezer.

And some canned stuff I don't consume that much of, like canned veggies, meat, mushrooms etc. aswell. They are basicly only for emergency storage.

But on a daily basis I eat a lot of fresh organic vegetables, chicken and some organic yoghurt with muesli and banana pieces (sometimes also with strawberries and blueberries) for breakfast; those are hard to store for extended periods, however I will keep eating the stuff as long as I can.

Water we have enough of here. Two wells, one remains unused, and one big freshwater lake. Abundance!

Both, we rotate all the food and water. We can't do all of it because of the volume. In 2 years from now and TS hasn't HTF we plan on making a donation to a food pantry.

... and then after you've donated the food all hell breaks loose! lol