Storing A Year’s Worth Of Food Plus A 14-Day Non-Perishable Food Plan

Before embarking on the task of storing food for the long term, it is crucial to be aware of the complexities involved. In order to achieve success in your long-term food storage endeavors, it is necessary to begin with a meticulously crafted plan and ideally conclude with a pantry that is abundantly stocked.

Why Store a Year’s Worth of Food

If you are uncertain about why you truly desire to begin hoarding food for a long period, here are several reasons that might assist you in making a decision.

Save Time – Storing food whether it be for a week, a month or a year will help save you time in the long run. Having food stored on hand will minimize the time you spend at stores, and in some cases minimize the time it takes to prepare meals.
Save Money – When you buy items in bulk you are saving money because most times the price per unit is lower than when purchased individually. Growing your own produce can save money as well, you are paying for the cost of seeds or transplants.
Emergencies – Emergencies can be natural disasters, a pandemic, the loss of a job, or a major injury. Many things can fall into this category. Having your food stored long-term means that you will have less to worry about at the time something like this occurs.
Environmental Friendly – Buying things in bulk and preserving uses less packaging and causes less waste. Canning jars can be used over and over again, and there are now reusable lid alternatives.

Where to Begin When Storing a Year’s Worth of Food

If you have made the decision to take charge of your food security and want to give long-term storage a try, I strongly recommend starting off with a modest approach. Numerous individuals make the error of diving headfirst into long-term food storage, only to find themselves overwhelmed and dealing with wasted food.

Tips Before You Start Storing Food:

Don’t try storing an entire year’s worth of food from scratch. Start small: plan for 1 month of storage and then build from there.
Keep track of your inventory and storage space.
Buying in bulk can save you time and money.
Store a few key ingredients at a time in bulk, and then move on to a different one.
If you have never preserved your own food, ease into it. Don’t depend on home-preserved food entirely until you have learned the ins and outs.
If buying fresh produce in bulk, buy in-season to help reduce the cost.
Have a Plan! Figure out what food you will store, how much you will need, and how you will store it.

How to Create a Customized Plan to Store a Year’s Worth of Food

Prior to purchasing or preserving your storage items, it is important to begin with a well-thought-out plan. This plan will assist you in getting organized and avoiding feelings of being overwhelmed. Take a moment to grab a pencil and paper, and carefully write down all the necessary details.

Creating Your Customized Food Storage Plan:

To start off a successful plan, it is crucial to establish practical and achievable objectives while having a clear understanding of the desired outcome. Commence by jotting down your goals for the immediate future, long-term goals, and the driving force behind your actions.

Make a list of your family’s eating habits and identify the most frequently used recipes and foods. Concentrate on obtaining these items, as the objective is to stock up on items that your family will consume.

How much storage space do you possess? Your objective is to accommodate a year’s supply of food, however, you must take into account the amount of storage space available and identify potential areas where additional space can be created if necessary.

Begin the process of food storage by examining the contents of your pantry, freezer, and root cellar (if applicable) to assess what items you currently possess. It is advisable to remove all items, evaluate the ones you utilize, and determine which ones can be eliminated. Subsequently, arrange your pantry and freezer, and subsequently construct an inventory sheet to monitor your supplies and identify any necessities. The inventory sheet does not have to be elaborate; a simple sheet of lined paper will suffice.

When planning, it is important to determine whether you will grow your own produce, raise meat, preserve food, or purchase everything. You have the option to do any or all of these activities. For instance, if you are only able to raise chickens but still want farm-fresh produce, you can visit a farmers’ market. Customizing your plan to suit your specific circumstances is crucial due to the numerous combinations and possibilities available.

Organizing and Creating Your Long-term Storage Space

Prior to considering what and how much to store, it is essential to ensure that you possess sufficient long-term storage space for your food. As part of your planning process, you should have already compiled a list of available storage areas and assessed your current inventory. Now, it is crucial to proceed with creating, cleaning, and organizing these spaces.

When determining the available storage space for a year’s worth of food, it is important to take into account the various storage locations that can be utilized for your food items.

Different Storage Space Ideas to Consider:

Cupboards
Pantry /Larder
Root Cellar
Closets
Basements
Extra Refrigerator
Freezer
Outbuildings

Another option for organizing bigger storage spaces is to divide them into smaller containers. It is crucial to remember to label these containers to avoid any confusion later on.

Containers to Help Organize Your Storage Space:

Baskets
Crates
Totes
Boxes
Shelves
Glass Jars
Food Grade Buckets

After determining the precise amount of storage space available, the next step is to calculate the quantity of food that your family will need to store. Is it possible for your storage space to accommodate the necessary amount of food? Let’s discover!

What Food Should You Store for Your Family?

A common error individuals commit when storing food for a long duration is acquiring non-perishable goods without taking into account whether they will be consumed. As previously stated, it is crucial to prioritize storing items that your family will genuinely consume, as this will effectively reduce food waste in the future.

After noting down your plan, which involved jotting down favorite recipes and assessing the foods your family regularly eats, it is now important to dissect these recipes into fundamental lists of ingredients. This will enable you to accurately determine what to include while making purchases or preserving items for later use.

When purchasing most of your stored food, prioritize items with a long shelf-life such as canned goods, pasta, rice, and dried beans to avoid the disappointment of stocking up on items that go bad quickly.

Long-term Food Storage Items Include:

Grains (Wheat berries have a longer shelf-life than ground flour, but a grain mill will be needed)
Oats
Rice
Dry Beans
Pasta
Canned or Frozen Vegetables
Canned Sauces
Dehydrated Fruits
Dried Herbs
Nuts
Peanut Butter
Honey
Salt
Fats and Oils
Canned or Frozen Meats

Breakfast Ideas

These breakfast meal recipes included in this food storage and meal plan are simple, nutritious, and satisfying.

Pancakes and Syrups: Make pancakes according to the directions on the pancake mix. Serve with syrup.
Oatmeal: Make oatmeal according to the directions. Serve with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and craisins, or mix in a teaspoon of jam or jelly to sweeten.

Lunch Ideas

There are a total of 14 lunches, with each lunch being served for seven days.

Soup: Each can of soup serves 1-2 people. Plan accordingly when preparing and serving so soup isn’t wasted. Store left-over soup when possible.
Chicken or Tuna Salad: Mix chicken or tuna with mayonnaise. Add chopped pickles to the salad, or serve pickles on the side.
Serve ½ box of crackers and 1 29-oz can of fruit with each lunch.

Dinner Ideas

Each dinner is repeated for 2 consecutive days, resulting in a total of 14 dinners.

Spaghetti: Cook 1 lb of spaghetti according to package directions. Heat 1 jar of spaghetti sauce and 1 can of vegetables. Serve spaghetti with sauce, and vegetables on the side.
Hawaiian Haystacks: Prepare ½ lb of rice according to package directions (makes about 5 cups of cooked rice). Make the chicken sauce by heating 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 can of water (use an empty soup can measure), and 1 can of chicken (drained) in a saucepan. Open 1 can of mandarin oranges and 1 can of pineapple chunks. Serve chicken sauce over rice and top with oranges, pineapple, and a sprinkle of coconut. Original recipe: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/hawaiian-haystacks/
Chili or Stew and Cornbread: Heat chili or stew. Make cornbread according to package directions with these substitutions, if needed: 1 egg = ¼ cup applesauce, 1 cup milk = ½ cup evaporated milk plus ½ cup water, 1 part butter = ¾ part canola oil.
Nachos and Spanish Rice: Heat 1 can of refried beans and ½ can of nacho cheese sauce. Make Spanish rice according to package directions using oil in place of butter, if necessary. On four plates, divide and layer tortilla chips, refried beans, nacho cheese sauce, and salsa. Serve with Spanish rice on the side.
Shepherds Pie: Prepare ½ box of instant mashed potatoes according to package directions, and set aside. In a saucepan, heat 2 cans of roast beef, 1 can of tomato sauce, and 1 can of green beans (drained). Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and/or onion powder to taste, if available. Pour heated beef mixture into a casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. *Original recipe: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/easy-shepherds-pie/
Beef or Chicken Chow Mein: Prepare ½ lb rice according to package directions. Heat Chow Mein in a saucepan. Serve chow mein over rice. Season with soy sauce.
Easy Chicken Casserole: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with aluminum foil and spray foil with non-stick cooking spray, if available. In a bowl, whisk together 1 can cream of chicken, 1 can cream of mushroom, 1 can cream of celery, 1 can French onion soup, and 1 can of water (using an empty soup can measure). Pour half of the soup mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Add instant white rice evenly over the soup mixture. Drain 2 cans of chicken. Evenly add chicken on top of rice. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the chicken and rice. Be sure the rice is completely covered. Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil, sealing it well around the edges of the pan. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the aluminum foil cover from the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir the casserole before serving. Be careful not to tear the foil on the bottom of the pan. Original recipe: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/easy-chicken-casserole/

Meal Substitution Ideas

Aside from the 14-day meal plan, you have the opportunity to accumulate essential pantry goods and other favored food items for your family.

Storing: Ingredients for your favorite family recipes that can be stored such as flour, sugar, baking soda, beans, pasta, and rice.
Pasta: Canned beef ravioli, ramen noodles, and macaroni and cheese.
Freezer Meals (if freezer space is available)
Stove Top Stuffing
Muffin and cornbread mixes
Instant mashed potatoes
Peanut butter and honey/jam on crackers
Cereal, if milk or powdered milk is available

Essential Preparedness Items in Addition to Food

Naturally, this shopping list solely concentrates on food, emphasizing a fundamental selection of groceries and a meal plan. Feel free to incorporate more items based on your personal and familial requirements. Presented below are some suggestions for additional essentials that you might find useful to keep in stock.

Medications: Prescription medications and over-the-counter medications that are used in your family.
Toiletries: Make sure to have all your needs for the shower/bath to be able to care for your body.
Cleaning supplies: Think of what you need for your home and what you use on most days as well as weekly cleanings.
Water: This can be bottled water as well as gallon jugs of water. If you need distilled water and other types of water make sure to have those as well. The water also needs to be for humidifiers and any other medical equipment.
First aid supplies: Create a first aid kit with all the emergency needs that are needed for fire, flood, cuts, and injuries that may happen to your family.
Animals: Don’t forget to store food and water for your pets!

Snacks

Crackers
Dried fruit like raising, cranberries, apricots, mangoes, and apples
Fruit snacks
Hard candy
Nuts
Popcorn (unpopped)
Peanut butter
More canned and bottled fruits

Drink mixes (add water only)

Hot cocoa
Hot apple cider
Crystal Light or other generic drink mixes
Kool-Aid (requires sugar)
Tang
Country Time powdered lemonade

Desserts

Ingredients for your favorite dessert recipes that can be stored easily
Cake mixes
Cans of frosting
Brownie mixes
Cookie mixes
Packaged cookies (can be stored for about six months)
Pudding mixes (if you have access to fresh milk, canned milk, or powdered milk)
Jello Mixes

Tips for Building Food Storage

The most important thing to remember in food storage is to build a supply of food that your family actually eats. Don’t run out and buy 50 pounds of wheat if you aren’t sure what you’ll ever do with it.
Add to your supply gradually and soon you’ll have a surplus of items that will be beneficial to your family when the time comes that you actually need them.
Think in terms of storing meals, not just food, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Gradually build your food storage by shopping sales and buying bulk items as your budget allows.
Use and rotate your food storage in your daily cooking, replenishing items as they go on sale.
Don’t forget non-food items in your storage plan. Stock up on medications, toilet paper (ahem), toiletries, diapers, etc.
Prepare a place to store and rotate food.