Home food storage can literally save a family in crisis, whether it's because of an earthquake or an unexpected and lengthy unemployment. But without a long term food storage system, it's not very useful and many things end up going to waste. A handful of essential pieces of food storage equipment can help it all stay organized.
Survival Food Supplies
Basic food storage staples include versatile items for cooking such as flour, rice, beans, and pasta. Pre-assembled survival food kits may be a comfortable jumping-off point for newbies to home food storage. For a more specific list of good foods for long term storage, please see Emergency Preparedness Food List.
Remember that whatever shelf stable foods a family likes and uses are excellent survival food supplies. Regardless of what's on a list of basic food storage supplies, people shouldn't stockpile tuna fish if they can't stand the taste, nor should they store wheat if they don't own a grinder and know how to use it. Always store a hand operated can opener with food storage, as well.
Types of Long Term Food Storage Containers
Food can be stored in many different ways. Depending on the moisture content of the food and the preferences of the person doing the canning, foods can be preserved with any of the following methods:
- Commercial canning – store bought canned fruits, vegetables, and meats are inexpensive and readily available in stores. They can make up a significant portion of a one year food storage.
- Home canning – this type of canning is done at home in Mason jars. It is more expensive than commercially canned foods, but is a good option for people who enjoy canning as a hobby or want to preserve foods from their home vegetable gardens.
- Dry pack canning – #10 tin cans are filled with approved dry foods and an oxygen absorber packet, then canned with a dry pack canning machine. This method provides extremely long shelf lives.
- PETE plastic containers – airtight polyethylene terephthalate bottles labeled PETE or PET can be washed and filled with dry food storage items, topped with a desiccate packet, and sealed
- Large plastic buckets – if no other canning method is available, dry foods with less than 10% moisture content can be packed with dry ice in a food grade plastic bucket.
Regardless of the canning method, all items should be placed in optimum food safety conditions to decrease the likelihood of premature spoiling.
Food Storage Organization Systems
Food storage shelving is an absolute necessity for safe storage. Food that is in direct contact with a basement floor, for example, runs the risk of being contaminated by moisture. Containers also should not be stacked too high. They might fall, meaning hours of re-organizing products by date. A weighty stack could also mean damage to containers on the bottom.
Other Emergency Preparedness Products
Labels and stickers can be used to make the dates on long term food storage items more visible, but they should always be written directly on the can or container with a magic marker. That way the date will always remain with the food item if the label falls off or is torn.
Water as Food Storage Equipment
A sizable storage of drinkable water is also necessary in any serious food storage pantry. Almost all shelf-stable foods will require water to be prepared or cooked, and in the event that the water is out the food storage will become useless. Check current water storage guidelines to decide how much to store.
Successful food storage requires a healthy knowledge about the necessary food storage supplies and equipment. Gather items ahead of time, don't forget the can opener, and consider trying a "test run" where the food storage is exclusively used for a few days to evaluate what food storage supplies are still lacking.
Jenny Evans - Jenny Evans is a freelance writer and editor specializing in parenting and the family. She is also the Mormonism Topic Editor for ...
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