But What’s For Dinner?

Food StoragePresented by Susan Barker

January 2014

“We believe that helping our neighbors prepare helps us all to be safer.”

Disclaimer:Use the information we present at your own risk. Our presentations are not meant to be a comprehensive look at the various topics, but rather an overview to help you become enthused and to look further at your personal preparation. We encourage the use of resources provided to help you obtain a deeper understanding of each topic.

Copyright© 2014 Community Preparedness Group. All rights reserved.

3 Types of Food Storage

144 hour emergency

3 months supply

Long term supplyThis presentation will focus mostly on long term food

storage.

LDS Church Websitehttps://www.lds.org/topics/food-storage/longer-term-food-supply?lang=eng#6

“THREE-MONTH SUPPLY”Build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a few extra items each week to build a one-week supply of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply until it is sufficient for three months. These items should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage”.

“DRINKING WATER”Store drinking water for circumstances in which the water supply may be polluted or disrupted”.

“FINANCIAL RESERVE”Establish a financial reserve by saving a little money each week and gradually increasing it to a reasonable amount.”

“LONGER-TERM FOOD SUPPLY”For longer-term needs, and where permitted, gradually build a supply of food that will last a long time and that you can use to stay alive, such as wheat, white rice, and beans.These items can last 30 years or more when properly packaged and stored in a cool, dry place. A portion of these items may be rotated in your three-month supply.

144 Hour Emergency

Preparedness

Do you have the food you need to survive this in your emergency back pack?

144 hour

2 Emergency Back Packs – Food/Supplies

I have two backpacks in the trunk of my car. One with food, water and a water purifier. The other has clothing, shoes and equipment like flash light, etc. I also have a small tent, and a sleeping bag.My car will probably be where I am – at work or at home.

In your back pack, food should be able to “open and eat” and be able to sustain you for 144 hours.

This type of food can be very expensive especially if you have a large family - but the most valuable thing you could have in an emergency! This type of food would have to be rotated yearly. Most families suggest changing their

emergency food once a year at Conference time. I’d suggest October because of the bulk sales in the fall.

There are also a variety of emergency food ration bars that are 1200 to 3600 calories.

This includes 24 2400 calorie bars * High in All Recommended VITAMINS (100% RDA Vitamin A, E, B5, B12, Pantothenic Acid, Niacin, Copper, C, D, Calcium, Folate, Biotin, Iodine, & Zinc. 4% RDA of Iron) * Meets SOLAS 74/83 Requirements * 5 Year Shelf Life * Non-Thirst Provoking * Withstands Temperatures of -22 deg F to 149 deg F*

Absolutely No Cholesterol or Tropical Oils * U.S. Coast Guard Approved 160.046/A28/0 Finally!!! Not only a food ration that tastes great but it's also very nutritious. After years of research and development, the food bars are great tasting food rations that have a five year shelf life and are U.S. Coast Guard approved under the new licensing requirements of 1995.

On Ebay:1 – 1200 calorie bar $3.331 – 2400 calorie bar $4.151 – 3600 calorie bar $5.95Buying larger quantities reduces price per unit

3 Month Supply

Most of us could eat what was in the refrigerator, then the freezer, then in our cupboards and sustain our family for a good period of time. But do you have enough for your whole family for 3 months? Notice the Church suggested getting a 3 months supply and then work toward a years (long term) supply.

What we have … (Example) What we need… (Example)

22 cans soup 10 can beef stew 35 cans fruit 26 cans vegetables 14 cans tuna fish 3 boxes cereal 16 boxes Mac & Cheese

8 frozen pizzas 3 pot pies 2 pkgs fish filets 4 pkgs french fries 3 frozen vegetables

___ cans soup ___ beef stew ___ fruit ___ vegetables ___ tuna or chicken

I’d be cautious about the amount of frozen food – what if the power goes out.

Take An Inventory!

Some calculations for 3 months(13 weeks = 3 months supply) 13 weeks = 91 days

Mac and Cheese 2 for $1 (.50)x 13 = $06.50 Spaghettio’s .90 x 13 = $12.00 Beef Stew 2.00 x 13 = $26.00 Soup 1.00 x 13 = $13.00 Can Vegetables .50 x (7 x 13 = 91) = $45.50 Can Fruit .50 x 91= $45.50

You can see this is going to get pretty pricey if done all at one time. Make a plan, watch the sales, and buy a little extra each week. Maybe your budget is $10 for food storage, continue each week until you build up food that your family will eat. Add in your oats, rice, beans, etc from food storage to save money and start using your older food storage.

This is taken as part of a One Year Supply System by Wendy Dewitt

For a reference, I found 6 websites that have some great information about food storage. I will present some tips and

ideas from these sites along with my own ideas.

http://www.sunoven.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EverythingUnderTheSun.pd

http://www.provident-living-today.com/Bulk-Food-Storage.html

http://local.honeyville.com/index.html

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-pro-s-and-con-s-of-canning

http:///www.budget101.com/

http://www.iwillprepare.com/

Why a Long Term Food Supply ?

Could this ever happen?Why would it happen?

How long would it take to empty the shelves?

Wendy Dewitt - Video on YouTube about Food Storage (Area Canning Rep for Church in AZ)

http://www.sunoven.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EverythingUnderTheSun.pd

She has a 26 page book on above website that she gives full permission to copy and share.

THE SYSTEM: Have 7 breakfast and 7 dinner recipes/menus. X’s 52 weeks = One years’ food storage. Cook your largest meal (dinner) in the middle of the day (sunlight) and bake bread, etc to have as an evening snack.

Top 10 The System Worse Case Scenario Equivalency Page (page 23-24) Storage Space: 1 year 1 person under twin size bed Pressure Cooker Solar Oven Food Saver

(I would probably use this method for a 1 to 3 month supply – Not a full year because of cost, space, and rotation needs and it does not seem to use long term storage food)

Top Ten

Wendy Dewitt gave some fun Top 10 quotes and then some facts about the scenario. These are paraphrases from her presentation. You can see the actual Top 10 on the Video. A couple of points are:

“With all the Church’s food, in silos, farms, canneries, etc. they would have enough food to feed 4% of the church members”.

“Less than 10 - 20% of members have food storage”. (depending on area, I think we are in better shape here in our area?)

“Members always talk about someone coming to their house with a gun to get your food – You don’t want to become the guy with the gun because you didn’t prepare”.

“The Government will come and help.NOT LIKELY. It depends on how wide spread the disaster is to determine when we will get help other than ourselves and our immediate community. We are on our own”.

The System – by Wendy Dewitt

Basically she suggests that you choose 7 of your favorite dinners (she personally has 14). Put them down on note cards and list every ingredient for that dinner. Then make a master shopping list with all ingredients that you need for all dinners. Then buy each of the seven dinners 52 times and date item when purchased. She has suggestions for re-canning many of the products to make the shelf life longer. She has many suggestions for canning.

In her book, she has an equivalency chart to help figure out how many containers of something you might need if you have so many tsp so many times.

She suggests storing food storage under your beds. Great use of space.

She talks about canning, use of a pressure cooker, a food saver, and the sun oven.

(Again you could begin with a shorter time period in mind)

Wendy Dewitt continued

She suggest having two main meals a day. Breakfast and then a mid day large meal probably cooked in the sun oven. She suggests making bread, rolls, etc with the heat of the noon time and then having that later for a night snack, meal. It is probably wise to have 2-3 different ways to cook, have light, etc.

Long Term Food StorageBeans, Wheat, Rice, Milk, Oats, Honey, Salt, Oil

Daily ration of food storageNo wonder we are not excited about eating this!

http://www.provident-living-today.com/Bulk-Food-Storage.html

“The picture below shows you how much food you’ll get to eat everyday”

“You get 1 cup Wheat, 1 cup Oatmeal, 1/2 cup Rice, 1/3 cup beans, 2 Tbs Oil, 1 glass Milk (2 T powdered milk), 1/3 cup honey, and 2 tsp salt per day. Your daily menu might look something like this”:

“Breakfast: Hot oatmeal with honey & milkLunch: Tortillas and Sprouted WheatDinner: Rice and Beans”

Daily ration of food from food storageIs that dinner !?!

This website gives step by step suggestions of what to add to your food storage

One Year Supply For 1 AdultMormon Food Storage

http://www.provident-living-today.com/Bulk-Food-Storage.html

“STEP 1:IF I HAVE Wheat, Powdered Milk, Oil, Salt, Honey or Sugar, WaterI CAN MAKE Popped Wheat ,Steamed Wheat, Sprouted Wheat, Cooked Cracked Wheat, Tortillas

STEP 2IF I ADD Yeast, Baking Powder, Powdered Eggs, Baking SodaI CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Custards, Puddings, Pancakes, Cookies, Waffles, Muffins, English Muffins, German Pancakes, Crepes, Egg Noodles, Pasta, Breads, Biscuits, Crackers, Mayonnaise. A lot more options huh? Keep reading.

STEP 3:IF I ADD Powdered Butter, Tomatoes, Powdered CheeseI CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Meatless Dinners, Meatless Casseroles, Cream Sauces These really add flavor.”

One Year Supply For 1 AdultMormon Food Storage - continued

“STEP 4:IF I ADD Unflavored Gelatin, Canned Milk, Canned FruitsI CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Jello Salads, Whipped Cream Desserts, Baby Formula, fruit dishes Mmm, now we have desserts.

STEP 5:IF I ADD Soup Base, Rice, Legumes (Beans), Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, Alfalfa Seeds, Sesame SeedsI CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Hearty Dinner Soups, Chili, Rice Puddings, Refried Beans, Rice Dishes, Fresh Sprouts, Gluten This would really expand your dinner menu in an emergency.

STEP 6:IF I ADD Canned Meats, Dried PotatoesI CAN MAKE THESE ADDITIONS: Dinners, Casseroles, Sandwiches. This may not sound like a lot but a meaty flavor can make all the difference.

STEP 7:EXTRAS: Oats, Raisin, Nuts, Peanut Butter, Granola, Juices, Corn Starch, Soup Mixes, Spices & Flavorings, Lemon Powder or Juice, White Flour, Shortening or Margarine, Cream of Tartar, Junket Rennet Tablet, Molasses, Karo Syrup, etc. These are small things that you could do without but really add variety to your diet.”

Long Term Food Storage But where and how do we use all that extra stuff?

This is how I built my supply:Augason Farms/Morning Moo sold at Macey’s or Walmart. Honeville Farms in Brigham

City.Canning Rep for the Ward – Order food monthly

Watch for sales!

At the beginning of last year I began buying a can of Augason Farms food once a week or two when something was on sale.

But I never opened my cans!

I started to get a nice collection of specialty canned foods

With my various cans ofAugason Farms food and our Church’s regular canned food I thought I could add a little variety if we ever had to eat our food storage.

But still never opened a can!

I also bought jars at Walmart to organize our kitchen cupboards.

The beginning of the summer, I cleaned, organized and inventoried our food storage room.

I couldn’t believe how helpful this was!

I was so amazed at what I had and what I didn’t have!

It gave me a very clear idea of what I needed to buy and what I definitely did not need to buy right now.

From the Cannery 44 cans of ______ 26 cans of ______ 32 cans of ______ 5 cans of ______ 11 cans of ______

Specialty Cans 2 cans potato soup 3 cans creamy wheat

A trip to Arizona changed everything!

My sister and her husband took trip to Alaska for 6 weeks. They took a small trailer so space was limited. She took some classes with Chef Tess at Honeyville farms. Even though most of the meals are put in jars, Tess also demonstrates how to do meals in mylar bags. My sister and her husband ate just about every meal for 6 weeks out of their mylar bag meals. She shared one meal with me and it was so good! She had Chef Tess’ first book and I read it while there. I came home and stopped in Brigham City at the Honeyille Farms store and bought dried tomatoes, mixed vegetables and quick cook beans to add to my supply. When I got home…

I opened my cans!

Chef Tess with Honeyville Farms

Meals in a Jar !Thank you, thank you. thank you !!!

On website go to Blog –

Scroll down right side with recipes to find Videos-

Scroll down videos to “meals in a jar” to see how see makes her meals!

List of recipes - at bottom of each page, be sure to click on “older posts” to see more recipes!

Chef Tess: Honeyville Farms http://local.honeyville.com/index.html

Chef Tess has put out two booksBut many of the recipes are on line listed under the Blog.

Cans Canning Jars Mylar Bags

All about Storage and Containers

Storage ConditionsFood Storage Packing - Do-it-yourself Facts & Myths By Denis Korn

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-pro-s-and-con-s-of-canning

“There are six conditions to be aware of when storing food for emergency preparedness food storage”

Temperature- “The cooler the better. 40 degrees-50 degrees would be great. Room temperature (65 degrees-72 degrees) or below is generally fine. Avoid above 90 degrees for extended periods of time.”

Moisture- “The lower the better. Moisture can deteriorate food value rapidly and create conditions that promote the growth of harmful organisms.”

Oxygen – “A high oxygen environment causes oxidation, which leads to discoloration, flavor loss, odors, rancidity and the breakdown of nutritional value in foods. Without oxygen, insects cannot live, nor can aerobic (oxygen dependent) organisms.”

Infestation – “Examples include rodents, insects in all their stages of growth, mold, microorganisms, and any other creatures that get hungry – large or small. “

Handling – “Rough handling can not only damage the food itself, but it can also adversely effect and compromise the integrity of the container in which the food is stored”.

Light – Food should not be stored in direct sunlight. Both for the potential of high temperature, and its affect on food value. “

For complete information go to Denis Korn’s website

#10 Cans with Oxygen Absorbers

Shelf life in Cans:

Apple slices 30 yrs Pinto beans 30 yrs White flour 10 yrs Macaroni 30 yrs Dry Milk 20 yrs Oats 30 yrs Potato flakes 30 yrs Potato pearls 1.5 yrs Pancake mix 2 yrs Rice 30 yrs Spaghetti 30 yrs Sugar 30 yrs Red Wheat 30 yrs White Wheat 30 yrs Cocoa mix 2 yrs Fruit drink mix 2 yrs

www.providentliving.org (LDS Church website)

Pros and Cons of JarsFood Storage Packing - Do-it-yourself

Facts & Myths

By Denis Kornhttp://www.examiner.com/article/the-pro-s-and-con-s-of-canning

Dry Canning Pros:

“Excellent for long term food storage. The atmosphere within the jars, with the proper sealing, can remain oxygen free indefinitely.

Glass is non-permeable for gas and vapor – a zero transmission rate.

Difficult for rodents or animals to penetrate. Easily obtainable and relatively inexpensive. Canning jars can be used for at least ten

years.” People like them because they can see

what’s in them.

Dry Canning Cons:

“Very fragile – must be stored and handled with care.

Practical only in smaller size containers. Things like floods where jars are

submerged, earthquakes and fires can destroy the canned goods.”

Sometimes the seals come loose so check your cans often.

If they break, your food is going to be filled with glass and will be noneatable.

Pros and Cons of Mylar Bags By Denis Kornhttp://www.examiner.com/article/the-pro-s-and-con-s-of-canning

Pros: “The variety of available sizes offers

flexibility in choices of quantities to store.

Costs are reasonable. Can be effective as a short term

oxygen free container. Small pouches of food can be very

useful for bartering and distributing among those in need during in an emergency.”

Takes up little space to store Light weight for camping, hiking,

trailers.

Cons:

“Not recommended for very long term packaging of products for an oxygen free environment. Shelf life of pouched foods is recommended for 3 to 10 years

Excessive or rough handling, loss of seal integrity, and pressure of sharp edges on the pouch from the products within can create “pin holes” (microscopic holes in the pouch material)

Rodents and other creatures can easily penetrate pouch material.

An industry standard for the shelf life of foods packed in a laminated pouch with a solid foil barrier is generally between 4 and 7 years. It could be longer if the pouch is free of any damage.

Because the container now has an oxygen absorber, an atmospheric pressure differential has been created . This means there will be an extra “pulling effect” on the seams and closures of the containers to “absorb” the outside atmosphere. This is another reason for proper handling.”

If no electricity, you cannot heat and seal bags.

Oxygen Absorbers

The first patent for an oxygen scavenger used an alkaline solution of pyrogallic acid in an air-tight vessel.[5][6]

Modern scavenger sachets use a mixture of iron powder and sodium chloride.[6] Often activated carbon is also included as it adsorbs some other gases and many organic molecules, further preserving products and removing odors.

When an oxygen absorber is removed from its protective packaging, the moisture in the surrounding atmosphere begins to permeate into the iron particles inside of the absorber sachet. Moisture activates the iron, and it oxidizes to from iron oxide. Typically, there must be at least 65% relative humidity in the surrounding atmosphere before the rusting process can begin. To assist in the process of oxidation, sodium is added to the mixture. Sodium acts as a catalyst, or activator, causing the iron powder to be able to oxidize even with relative low humidity. As oxygen is consumed to form iron oxide the level of oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere is reduced. Absorber technology of this type may reduce the oxygen level in the surrounding atmosphere to below 0.01%.[2][3] Complete oxidation of 1 g of iron can remove 300 cm3 of oxygen in standard conditions. Though other technologies can remove more, iron is the most useful as it does not cause odor like sulfur compounds or passivate like aluminium compounds. Many other alternatives are not food safe.[6] The moisture requirement of iron-based scavengers makes them ineffective in moisture sensitive applications.

The performance of oxygen scavengers is affected by ambient temperature and relative humidity.[7] Newer packaging technologies may use oxygen scavenging polymers to prevent accidental ingestion of oxygen scavengers.[6]

Benefits of Oxygen Scavengers[edit] Helps retain fresh-roasted flavor of coffee and nuts Prevents oxidation of spice oleoresins present in spices themselves and in seasoned

foods Prevents oxidation of vitamins A, C and E Extends life of pharmaceuticals Inhibits mold in natural cheeses and other fermented dairy products Delays non-enzymatic browning of fruits and some vegetables Inhibits oxidation and condensation of red pigment of most berries and sauces Oxygen deprivation contributes to a pest-free environment in museums Oxygen scavenging technology can quickly reduce oxygen levels in sealed

containers to below 0.01%[8]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_scavenger

Oxygen AbsorbersOnce you open a package, you must reseal it quickly! The whole package will

be used up in less than an hour and then they will be

no good.

“Reduces oxygen in an airtight container down to 0.1% or less to prolong a product’s shelf life.

It prevents oxidation and mold, bacteria, microorganisms, insect infestation and the like, which thrive in an oxygen-rich packaging environment.

Done properly, it is simple to use. Keeps food products from losing their freshness,

color, taste, flavor, wholesome goodness, and important nutritional value when exposed to oxygen.

The oxygen absorber is safe to use. They have been tested and found to be practically non-toxic. The LD50 Value of the contents is safer than salt.

The major component of “Ageless” is powdered iron oxide, an odorless material that in its sachet has no effect on the foods in the container.

The sachet can be discarded through ordinary disposal methods, with no special treatment required.

Depending on the size of absorber used it will take 1 to 4 days to have produced an oxygen free (<0.1%) atmosphere.”

Advantages of an “Ageless” oxygen absorberhttp://www.examiner.com/article/the-pro-s-and-con-s-of-canning

Another source said to only use metal lids with oxygen absorbers.

Plastic (PETE) Bottles

“PETE is the same plastic in foil pouches molded to form rigid bottles. The bottles are identified on the bottom, next to the recycle emblem, with the letters PET or PETE. This type of container has acceptable short-term (1-2 years) oxygen barrier qualities and can be used with oxygen absorbers to store bulk dry foods. The low oxygen content of the sealed containers protects the stored food from insect infestation and helps preserve product quality. These containers are well suited for products that are rotated on a regular basis, while still providing a few years of storage capability. Use only PETE bottles that have been previously commercially packaged with food. Bottles need to have screw-on lids with plastic, not paper or foam, lid seals. Verify that the lid seal will not leak air by placing a sealed empty bottle under water and pressing on it. Wash and rinse bottles to remove any residue. Drain and dry bottles. Place an oxygen absorber packet into each bottle. Fill bottles with bulk dry products that are low in moisture and oil content. Wipe top sealing edge clean. Screw lids on tightly. Tape the lid edge to prevent loosening”.

Pete Jarshttp://foodstorage.pbworks.com/w/page/12969824/Packaging

Mylar Bag Meals

We began experimenting with a combination of food and came up with some very inexpensive meals. I bought my mylar bags at the church cannery. You can cut them to different sizes. I prefer into fourths, but with a larger family you could cut them in half. I found cloth boxes at the dollar store that will hold up to 10 mylar bag meals each. The bottom shelf to the left has 110 meals (that

serve 2 – 4 people each) in that much space!

Complete Mylar Bag MealsJust add water and cook

Potato SoupTaco SoupBeef StewChiliSpaghettiMac and CheeseChicken Pot PieShepherd's PieRice, bean fajita

casseroleRice pudding

Creamy Veggie SoupCheesey PotatoesEggs, Sausage, Potato

CasseroleHash browns and EggsBrown gravy potatoes

with cornSpanish riceCheese, Broccoli with

RiceCreamy potatoes with

peas

Complete Recipe Ingredients:

Quick cook dried beans Instant rice Small Macaroni Diced or sliced potatoes TVP type meats (Personally I only like the taco

meat and the sausage) Creamy Potato Soup Broccoli Cheese Soup Cream base soup mix Dried Tomato Dried Cheese Dried mixed vegetables Dried peas and corn Vegetable soup mix

Facts: Most of these canned items are quick cook and a little more expensive. They are not canned at the church cannery.

I bought them either at Macey’s , Walmart or Honeyville Farms.

No more Cream Soup Base Budget101

I ran out of cream soup base mix and found they no longer make it! Panic! I used it in many of my recipes. And others have been wanting copies of the recipes I’ve made.

I went on the internet and found an amazing site:

http:///www.budget101.com/

There are hundreds of mixes on this site!

Problem = A New Solution!

These are just some of the soup mixes !There are 179 Spice Mixes/137 Ramen Noodle Recipes

Bean Soup Mix Beef & Barley Vegetable Soup Mix Beef Chili Soup Mix Beef Vegetable Soup Starter Mix Black Bean Soup Mix Boston Baked Beans Mix Cajun Corn Soup Mix Calico Bean Soup Mix Chicken Noodle Soup Mix Colorful Soup Mix Country Soup Mix Cream of Anything Soup Mix Cream of Whatever Soup Mix Creamy Cheese Soup Mix Creamy Tomato Soup Mix Cup of Veggie Soup Mix Curry Soup Mix Dehydrated Soup Mix Dozen Bean Pot Soup Mix Dreaming of a White Christmas Soup Mix Farmhouse Soup Mix Fat Free Cream Soup Mix Four Bean Chorizo Chili Mix Four Corners Soup Mix French Market Soup Mix Friendship Soup Mix Holiday Split-Pea Soup Instant Cheesy Soup Mix Instant Potato Soup Mix

Layered Bean Soup Mix Layered Patchwork So Love Soup Mix Low Sodium Cream of Chicken Soup Mix Mexican Bean Soup Mix Minestrone Soup Mix Mushroom Barley Soup Mix MYO Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup Mix MYO Vegetable Soup Mix Onion Soup Mix Painted Desert Chili Mix Palouse Soup Mix Pasta Soup Mix Poor Woman's Soup Potato Soup Mix Rainbow Bean Soup Mix Snowman Soup Mix Split Pea Tortellini Soup Mix Sun Dried Tomato & Penne Soup Mix in a Jar Texas Two-Step Soup Mix Tomato Soup Mix - Single Serving Tortellini And Sun Dried Tomato Soup Trailblazer Bean Soup Mix

An example: Instant Potato Soup Mix

Instant Potato Soup Mix1 3/4 cups instant mashed potatoes 1 1/2 cups dry milk 2 tablespoons instant chicken bouillon 2 tablespoons dried minced onion 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or Sage 1/8 teaspoon curry powder or Cumin1 teaspoon Seasoning salt

Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag and shake to mix.

To Use: add 1/2 cup mix in soup bowl & add 1 cup boiling water. Stir until smooth. Does not list author of recipeSome recipes do list who made them.

If these were new items, I would put 1 1/2 cups in a mylar bag with an oxygen absorber. Write on front – Potato Soup, add 3 cups water and date sealed. I would store this with long term storage.If from older food storage, I would put in a PETE jar and write ½ mix to 1 part water and use it!

This soup mix tastes exactly like the Augason Farm’s Creamy Potato Soup Mix except the Augason Farm’s soup has some potato dices added to mixture.

But what are the ingredients:

Dry Milk! Potato Flakes! Plus some seasonings.

LOOK FAMILIAR !

Now how many cans of dry milk and potato flakes are sitting in your food storage?

Open those cans!!

New Plan – Actually using LDS Canned Food!!!

Food Storage from the church cannery

BeansRiceMacaroniSpaghettiPotatoesCarrotsOnions

I will be making mixes to add to my older canned food. The only difference will be that I will not reseal them in mylar bags. They are already old.

Remember my plastic jars I bought a year ago to organize my kitchen, well they just happen to be PETE jars – who knew. These are some of the best jars to seal and keep out oxygen. If they had metal lids I could add an oxygen absorber and seal for years. But my food is already old. It will be made into mixes that I use all the time!

I’ll add it to my longer cooking time canned foods and start using all my storage! Now that’s what’s for dinner!

Mixes to add to stored items.

In my original mylar bags, everything is in the bag to make a complete meal. I will save these for long term storage. If I need them in an emergency they are ready to go.

Now I’m making mylar bag mixes that I can add to those church canned foods.

This will all be at least at half the cost and I can use them all the time!

A can of instant pinto beans at honeyville is about $15. A can of Pinto beans at the cannery is about $5. The difference is that I will cook the pinto beans according to instructions. Then add the rest of the mix to make my complete meal. When pricing, the same is true with rice, potatoes, macaroni.

Some mixes may be sealed in mylar bags and others stored in PETE jars depending on the contents. (Age of mixture and moisture content will be the determining factor)

You cannot seal with an oxygen absorber anything with more than a 10% moisture content. The church site emphases at least three times it will cause botulism and you will get sick. Oxygen absorbers are only for dried foods!

Demonstration…

1. Long term complete meals in glass jars. (Seal only currently bought food items)

2. Long term complete meals in mylar bags. (Seal only currently bought food items.)

3. LDS Canned Food + Mixes stored in PETE containers for normal everyday use.

(Food you have stored for longer periods of time)

Option 1: Beans, Rice, etc used out of original can and mixes stored in small PETE container/or Mylar bag.

Option 2: Complete meals stored in a PETE container for everyday use.

Family/Friends Report: We gave our married children and some friends samples of our complete Mylar Bag Meals and asked for their opinions. This is what we found…

One family liked the Mac & Cheese, then the Taco Soup and then the Spaghetti.

Another family thought there was too many spices in everything – they like a little blander food, especially so do their children.

One friend said the Chili was great. She added cooked hamburger to it and even her picky kids ate it.

A son said, “It was better than I thought it would be. We actually added more spices to the Bean/Rice Fajita Casserole and added chips and cheese”.

A “daughter in law” liked the Mac & Cheese and the Spaghetti (but maybe without the peppers).

A friend said surprisingly, “That’s not bad” referring to the Taco Soup. “Another daughter in law”, “The taco soup was really good”. I asked her if it

was too spicy. She said “No, it was just right.”

But that’s what’s great about these dinners! You can make them however you and your family likes! Add spices or cut them out. Add peppers or not. It is how you want to make them.

Recipes

The next few slides contain recipes that we have put together with dry ingredients to store in mylar bags. Pint Jars can hold slightly more, so add about ¼ to ½ cup of something to fill the jar.

These recipes are experiments and will probably be fixed up in the future as we continue to try more things.

If you try any of these recipes, try about a ¼ or ½ of the recipe at a time and see what you think. Then when making a full recipes you can adjust to your taste. Add more or less of something you like or don’t like.

Check out your favorite recipes that you make all the time, and then see if you can make it with dry ingredients!

Check out Honeyville Farms recipes – there are hundreds of them. Some are totally dry ingredients, others have a combination of dry and wet ingredients.

Go to You Tube and type in “dry meals in jars”. There are quite a few people out there putting up their recipes.

Recipes for ¼ size mylar bags or pint jarsSeal by adding oxygen absorber

Spaghetti 1 cup pasta ¼ c dry peppers 1 TBLS spaghetti sauce mix 2 TBLS dry tomato 1 tsp Italian Seasoning 1 tsp garlic & herb seasoning (Opt ¼ c dry meat) Add 2 ½ to 3 c water Cook and simmer 15/20 min

For pint jar:Add ¼ - ½ c more pasta to filled to top + 1 tsp dry tomato

Mac & Cheese 1 c macoroni 2 TBLS cream soup base 1 TBLS dry milk 2 TBLS powder cheese 1/8 tsp pepper Add 2+ cups water Cook and simmer 15/20 min

For pint jar:Add ¼ - ½ c more pasta to fill to top of jar + 1 tsp powder cheese

Spice/sauce mixes from budget101.com

Spaghetti Sauce Mix 1 tbsp dried onion 1 tbsp parsley 2 tbsp dried peppers ¼ tsp garlic 1 tsp sugar ¾ Italian seasoning ½ tsp each: oregano,

basil, rosemary, thyme, and sage.

You may add or delete depending on your taste.

Taco Seasoning Mix6 Tsp. Chili Powder5 Tsp. Paprika4 1/2 Tsp. Cumin3 Tsp. Onion Powder2 1/2 Ts Garlic Powder1/8 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Measure all ingredients into a ziploc bag, seal and shake well Store in cool, dry place for up to 6 months. Seven teaspoons of mix equal a 1.25 oz. pkg. of purchased taco seasoning mix.

Recipes for ¼ size mylar bags or pint jarsSeal by adding oxygen absorber

Rice/Bean Fajita Casserole 2/3 c rice 1/3 c quick cook beans 2 tbsp taco meat 2 tbsp dry tomato powder 2 tbsp peppers 1 tbsp taco seasoning Add 2 ½ - 3 cups water Cook and simmer 15/20 min

Pint jarAdd ¼ - ½ c rice or beans to fill to top of jar + 1 tsp tomato powder

Taco Soup ½ c quick cook beans ½ c veggie mix ¼ c taco meat 2 tbsp dry tomato powder 2 tbsp dry peppers 1 tbsp taco seasoning 1 tsp dry onion Add 4 cups water Cook and simmer 1/5-20 min

Pint Jar Add ¼ - ½ c beans or veggies

or mix to fill top of jar + 1 tsp tomato powder

Recipes for ¼ size mylar bags or pint jarsSeal by adding oxygen absorber

Brown Gravy Potatoes w/Corn

1 c diced potatoes 3 tbsp brown gravy mix 1 tbsp dry milk ¼ c dry corn ¼ c dry taco meat 1/8 tsp pepper Add 3 – 3 ½ c water Cook and simmer 15/20 min

Pint Jar Add corn or potatoes to fill

to top of jar.

Beef Stew ½ c carrots ½-3/4 c potatoes ½ c taco meat ½ c dry peppers 1 tbsp beef bouillon 1 tbsp dry onion 1 tbsp onion soup mix 1 tsp chili powder 2 tsp corn starch Add 4 c water Cook and simmer 15-20 min Pint Jar Add potatoes to fill to top of

jar

Recipes for ¼ size mylar bags or pint jarsSeal by adding oxygen absorber

Chili ¾ c quick beans 3 tbsp taco meat 2 tbsp dry tomato powder 2 tbsp dry onion 2 tbsp dry peppers 1 tsp beef bouillon 1 tsp Chili powder 1 tsp taco seasoning Add 3 c water Cook and simmer 15/20 min

Pint JarAdd ¼ - ½ c more beans to fill to top of jar + 1 tsp dry tomato

Creamy Potatoes w/Peas1 c diced potatoes2/3 c potato soup mix¼ c dried peas1/8 tsp pepperAdd 3 cup waterCook and simmer 15/20 minPint JarAdd ¼ - ½ c more potatoes or peas to fill to top of jar

Soup Mixes – store in PETE jars

Creamy Potato Soup 1 ¾ c instant mashed potatoes 1 ½ c dry milk 1 tbsp chicken bouillon 2 tbsp dry onion 1 tsp dried parsley 1 tsp pepper 1 ¼ tsp thyme or sage 1 ¼ tsp curry or cumin 1 tsp salt (I added another cup of milk

and potato flakes to this recipe, we found the spices to be pretty strong)

Use: ½ c mix to 1 c water

Cream Base Soup Mix 2 C powdered milk

3/4 C cornstarch1 tbsp chicken bouillon granules2 t dried onion flakes1 t crushed dried thyme1 t basil - crushed dried1/2 t pepper

take 1/3 C mix and 1 C water, cook and stir until thickened.

I reduced the amount of chicken bouillon in recipe from 1/4 c to 1 tbsp – personal taste

GET YOUR STORAGE OUT AND OPEN IT. TRY SOME OF THE MIXES AND MAKE UP SOME RECIPES. TAKE SOME OF YOUR REGULAR FAVORITE MEALS AND SEE IF THEY CAN BE CONVERTED INTO DRY INGREDIENTS FOR LONG TERM STORAGE.

WE’VE TRIED SOME AND JUST THREW THEM AWAY BECAUSE WE DIDN’T L IKE THEM. JUST MAKE EVERYTHING IN SMALL QUANTITIES SO YOUR NOT WASTING EXPENSIVE ITEMS.

EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT LIKES AND TASTES. JUST TRY UNTIL YOU FIND THE ONES YOUR FAMILY LIKES AND STORE SOME MEALS.

Experiment !!!

Quick Tips

Choice of Potatoes: Diced potatoes can be used in more variations than either hash brown, sliced potatoes or potato flakes.

I use small salad macaroni for all pasta dishes. They fit better into the mylar bags without puncturing the bag like sharp noodles or spaghetti can do. On sale .88 a bag. One bag has 4 cups of pasta. That’s only .22 cents for pasta in your mylar meal bag plus other ingredients!

If your soups/stews/etc. are too thin or watery, add one teaspoon of potato flakes at a time until desired thickness.

Eggs: Knox jello can be used as eggs in an emergency. 1tsp gelatin= 1 egg 1 oz gelatin=12 tsp 1 pound gelatin=192 eggs. Making one egg: Combine 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin with 3 Tablespoons of cold water and stir until dissolved. Then add 2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of hot water and stir.

Shelf life: Shortening Powder - 10 yrs, canned shortening - 3 yrs, and oil - 1 yr. Check and compare items!

Eggs (storing fresh eggs for up to 1 year) Rub warmed mineral oil on your hands and coat the entire surface of the fresh egg with the oil. Replace egg in the egg carton with the point down. In cold climates they can be stored in a cool, dark place. Found this info on quite a few sites, even one site that quoted how they preserved eggs in the late 1800’s. I’ve never tried this! Just curious.

Look at the list of the first 100 things to go off the shelf in an emergency, put a copy in your purse and buy one thing every week/month depending on your budget and cost of items. Highlighted in red – foods.

100 Items to Disappear First 1-25 http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)2. Water Filters/Purifiers3. Portable Toilets4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar10. Rice - Beans - Wheat11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.) 15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric) 16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.17. Survival Guide Book.18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)22. Vitamins23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)

100 Items to Disappear First 26-50http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm

26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels 31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit35. Tuna Fish (in oil)36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)37. First aid kits38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)41. Flour, yeast & salt42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)

100 Items to Disappear First 51-75http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm

51. Fishing supplies/tools52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams53. Duct Tape54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes55. Candles56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags58. Garden tools & supplies59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies 60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)67. Board Games, Cards, Dice68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase

100 Items to Disappear First 76-100http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm

76. Reading glasses77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)78. "Survival-in-a-Can"79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)85. Lumber (all types) 86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.89. Lantern Hangers90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts91. Teas92. Coffee93. Cigarettes94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)95. Paraffin wax96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.97. Chewing gum/candies98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs100. Goats/chickens

One More Amazing Website !

http://www.iwillprepare.com/

This site is by Jon Sherman of Gilbert, Arizona. It looks like he has been teaching preparedness classes for 2 or 3 years. He covers just about every topic you can think of.

Many of our classes will be using some of his information because it is so thorough and good.

New things on my most wanted list!

Check out Mayday ration barsDehydratorSun ovenWood burning stove in our home

Conclusion

I love making these meals. Pretty funny since I hate to cook. I’d rather paint my kitchen than cook in my kitchen. But it has been very comforting and rewarding to make these meals and have them ready to go if we need them. I like the mylar bags best. They are small, inexpensive, light weight and take up less space. Some how I accidently did a lot of things right. I’m so excited to make meals out of our 15 year old flour, beans, rice, wheat, milk, macaroni and spaghetti. Couldn’t figure out why I canned so many things in 1999 – oh yea, remember Y2K. But everything I’ve opened is still okay!

What about breakfast? It will be pancakes, oats, creamy wheat, 9 grain cereal, rice, cracked wheat, honey, sugar, and dry milk and cocoa. Sounds okay. Augason Farm’s scrambled eggs are great. And then the hash browns and the imitation sausage are pretty good. I like the idea of two meals a day, plus bread or rolls for an evening snack/meal.

I hope this gives you some excitement, encouragement and desire to try new things. It has been a lot of fun and our family feels more secure for the future. Hopefully there will not be any disasters where this is our only survival, but we must plan and prepare. The best case scenario is that we will have a great supply of food for our retirement. Thanks, Susan