Storage of food

[Joyfilled]

Not sure if this should go here or not, but feel free to move it if it doesn't.

 

So....storage of food. We have long storage (dry beans, rice, wheat, etc) and short term (canned goods, both homemade and store bought). My question is for short term storage, mainly.

 

I'm wondering how you store yours. Do you put all your tomato products together, your soups together, your fruit together, or do you make meals? Put some canned tomatoes with pasta, etc. I'm now wanting to prep for a nuclear event that I pray will NEVER happen, not just for our sake, but the world's. We estimate that to be safe, we need to be in our basement for about 3 weeks, as we are downwind from Denver area, but don't live in an area where we would worry about a direct hit. We would worry about nuclear winter after. I want to have 3 weeks of easy to make meals, as we don't have easy access to cooking in our basement, and having a camping stove down there would be dangerous. We would come up to use the stove if we have electricity or use the grill or outdoor kitchen if not. Not ideal, but what we have.

 

What are your thoughts? I am a list maker, so have lists with meal ideas that would be relatively easy to put together. I plan on making dry mix for pancakes, biscuits, etc. I appreciate your ideas, you always seem to think of things that I don't!

[Jeepers]

The best way to do it is...the way that is easiest for you. You already knew that didn't you. 

 

I keep my storage with like products together. Corn in one stack, peas in one stack, green beans in one stack, carrots...well you get the idea. I have a 'slight'   case of OCD and I need things lined up in order. Plus it's easier for me to see if I have missing products. Those holes stick out at me like a sore thumb and need to be filled. 

 

But I did see where a woman put meals together and put each complete meal in a paper bag and sat them on her storage shelf. All she had to do was grab a bag and all of her ingredients, except for refrigerated items, were all right there. I kinda liked that idea and it looked nice on her shelf. But I still need to see what is missing to keep on top of things. 

[Joyfilled]

50 minutes ago, Jeepers said:

The best way to do it is...the way that is easiest for you. You already knew that didn't you. 

 

I keep my storage with like products together. Corn in one stack, peas in one stack, green beans in one stack, carrots...well you get the idea. I have a 'slight'   case of OCD and I need things lined up in order. Plus it's easier for me to see if I have missing products. Those holes stick out at me like a sore thumb and need to be filled. 

 

But I did see where a woman put meals together and put each complete meal in a paper bag and sat them on her storage shelf. All she had to do was grab a bag and all of her ingredients, except for refrigerated items, were all right there. I kinda liked that idea and it looked nice on her shelf. But I still need to see what is missing to keep on top of things. 

I'm a bit like you....I like to see what I have. But for the three weeks that I want to have easy meals put aside, it's really attractive to think of having it all in one bag. Bonus points for making it attractive! Do you know where you found that? Pinterest perhaps? Thanks for the idea!!

[Jeepers]

Wish I knew where I first saw the picture of it. It's probably on Pinterest now but when I saw it I wasn't even on Pinterest. It was that long ago. 

 

You know those little brown bags with a handle that you can buy apples in at fruit markets in the fall? They would be cute. Or pretty gift bags. Having a month of those stored away would be a good idea I think. Grab and go.    

[Midnightmom]

6 hours ago, Jeepers said:

But I did see where a woman put meals together and put each complete meal in a paper bag and sat them on her storage shelf. All she had to do was grab a bag and all of her ingredients, except for refrigerated items, were all right there. I kinda liked that idea and it looked nice on her shelf. But I still need to see what is missing to keep on top of things. 

 

RoseRed Homestead does that but not necessarily for herself. Those bags are "ready" for her to grab and give to friends and family who may be in need. This is not to say you couldn't do the same thing for yourself, but, it's hard to see through paper to know what kind of a meal you are grabbing.  

[Joyfilled]

6 hours ago, Midnightmom said:

 

RoseRed Homestead does that but not necessarily for herself. Those bags are "ready" for her to grab and give to friends and family who may be in need. This is not to say you couldn't do the same thing for yourself, but, it's hard to see through paper to know what kind of a meal you are grabbing.  

I think adding a cute tag would do it. But truthfully, it's in the basement where no one sees, so....I may need to stick with practical. What I want is to KNOW that I have a month or so of decent meals, ready to go, not just carrots and pasta and meat. I want to know that it will all blend into a meal, something good, nutritious and comforting. 

[mommato3boys]

Well, my storage is a mixture of ideas. My working pantry is arranged by hubby, in other words it is all just stuffed in the cabinet (OH MY OCD BRAIN) My storage is a little different since it is all over the apartment. You know I had to find room in this tiny apartment.  Long term is by product, yes, all my green beans are together, soups are together, and they are arranged by kind of soup, ie all veggie soup are together, all potato soup etc (you get the idea). Then my favorite, my oh crap I forgot to put something in the crockpot or I really don't want to cook. I too saw the bags with meals and incorporated those into my food pantry. I have about two dozen that I can grab and throw together a meal. It may be as simple as meatless spaghetti or mac&cheese tuna casserole. I call these my oh crap meals. They are not my favorite meals but they are my quick and easy meals. I went to the Dollar Store before it became the 5 Quarter store and bought the bags with handles and put everything needed for the meal in the bag. Wrote on the bag what the meal was and set it on the self above the washer. There is also a 5x7 index card in each with written instructions so that hubby can prepare the meal. Got to love him he tries LOL.  When I use one I take the bag go to the storage bins and gather the ingredients and restock the bag. One this helps rotate my food and two when the work day as whipped me good we still have a decent meal in minutes. 

 

I have learned one system will not work for everything. My working pantry is arranged by hubby because he does most of the cooking during the week and he likes things grouped a certain way. My food storage, we both agree, needs to be by item so we can see the holes. Then we have our camping food, aka get the heck out of Dodge meals, these are for when / if we have to grab and go in case of natural disaster or an emergency (and when we do weekend camping trips just to have a break). These are mostly no cook meals or take little to no prep and can be eaten cold ...camp food... like beanie weenies. soup, cheese and crackers, pop tarts, granola bars and beef sticks. We keep these in Bug Out Bags so they are easy to grab and go. The BOB has about 10 days worth of food for the two of us. I am trying to figure out how to make it a whole month. I figure it would take that long to get the supplies again if we are lucky. Then there is my oh crap bags as explained above. Food storage a multi facet system and it takes time to find one that will work for you. 

[Joyfilled]

1 hour ago, mommato3boys said:

Well, my storage is a mixture of ideas. My working pantry is arranged by hubby, in other words it is all just stuffed in the cabinet (OH MY OCD BRAIN) My storage is a little different since it is all over the apartment. You know I had to find room in this tiny apartment.  Long term is by product, yes, all my green beans are together, soups are together, and they are arranged by kind of soup, ie all veggie soup are together, all potato soup etc (you get the idea). Then my favorite, my oh crap I forgot to put something in the crockpot or I really don't want to cook. I too saw the bags with meals and incorporated those into my food pantry. I have about two dozen that I can grab and throw together a meal. It may be as simple as meatless spaghetti or mac&cheese tuna casserole. I call these my oh crap meals. They are not my favorite meals but they are my quick and easy meals. I went to the Dollar Store before it became the 5 Quarter store and bought the bags with handles and put everything needed for the meal in the bag. Wrote on the bag what the meal was and set it on the self above the washer. There is also a 5x7 index card in each with written instructions so that hubby can prepare the meal. Got to love him he tries LOL.  When I use one I take the bag go to the storage bins and gather the ingredients and restock the bag. One this helps rotate my food and two when the work day as whipped me good we still have a decent meal in minutes. 

 

I have learned one system will not work for everything. My working pantry is arranged by hubby because he does most of the cooking during the week and he likes things grouped a certain way. My food storage, we both agree, needs to be by item so we can see the holes. Then we have our camping food, aka get the heck out of Dodge meals, these are for when / if we have to grab and go in case of natural disaster or an emergency (and when we do weekend camping trips just to have a break). These are mostly no cook meals or take little to no prep and can be eaten cold ...camp food... like beanie weenies. soup, cheese and crackers, pop tarts, granola bars and beef sticks. We keep these in Bug Out Bags so they are easy to grab and go. The BOB has about 10 days worth of food for the two of us. I am trying to figure out how to make it a whole month. I figure it would take that long to get the supplies again if we are lucky. Then there is my oh crap bags as explained above. Food storage a multi facet system and it takes time to find one that will work for you. 

A lot of good ideas here....thank you!!

[Jeepers]

Over the years I had forgotten about the meals stored in a bag. But I can see the value in it. I like the idea of knowing I would always have a month of suppers on the shelf. Or if I was down sick all someone would have to do is grab a bag and fix a simple meal for me. Probably with leftovers to boot. Humm.  

[Joyfilled]

2 hours ago, Jeepers said:

Over the years I had forgotten about the meals stored in a bag. But I can see the value in it. I like the idea of knowing I would always have a month of suppers on the shelf. Or if I was down sick all someone would have to do is grab a bag and fix a simple meal for me. Probably with leftovers to boot. Humm.  

Yes!! I like the idea of knowing that I have a month worth of easy breakfasts, not just flour and baking powder. I want to know that a good meal can be put together with little to no preparation, for at least the first part of an emergency. I'm for long term storage, too, of course. But a month or so of ready to go meals I think would be good. Space, though.....🤔

[Cricket]

Y'all inspired me to inventory our chest freezer. My tracking was wayyyy out of date. I asked DH to help me, knowing I cant reach down into the bottom.

 

It took us almost four hours to empty, remove frost/ice, inventory, and repack. We were both so tired out that we just had sandwiches for dinner, but it was totally worth it! I'm trying to reorganize and re-inventory all my shelf-stable storage with the idea to plan meals accordingly, for even distribution of meal-types over the coming months. 

[Joyfilled]

2 hours ago, Cricket said:

Y'all inspired me to inventory our chest freezer. My tracking was wayyyy out of date. I asked DH to help me, knowing I cant reach down into the bottom.

 

It took us almost four hours to empty, remove frost/ice, inventory, and repack. We were both so tired out that we just had sandwiches for dinner, but it was totally worth it! I'm trying to reorganize and re-inventory all my shelf-stable storage with the idea to plan meals accordingly, for even distribution of meal-types over the coming months. 

That's awesome!! I think worth it to know what you have and be able to plan!! 😊

[Jeepers]

Way to go Cricket! One less job to think about that needs to be done.  

[Annarchy]

I’m not very organized.  DH is a picky eater, sorta.  “What’s for dinner?” is our daily conversation.  He doesn’t like to eat the same thing two days in a row.  
 

You have to be careful, when you open the freezers… avalanches happen regularly.  Lol. Most meats & veggies are vacuum sealed, enough for a meal each.  Leftovers are vacuum sealed & frozen, for quick meals.  One freezer has the quick meals, the other freezer has raw goods for creating meals.
 

Dry goods are generally stored in gallon, 1/2 gallon, quart & pint jars and big popcorn tins. They look pretty on the shelf.  It’s easy to see what we have or need.  However, to keep prying eyes from being snoopy, I made curtains to cover the shelves.  The tins look like a collection, no one needs to know what’s in them. 

 

 I also have towels draped nicely over the boxes of canned goods, then, put a case of cup of soup on top, for the prying eyes to be distracted.  

[Midnightmom]

2 hours ago, Annarchy said:

Dry goods are generally stored in . . . . . big popcorn tins.

 

I had a "collection" of popcorn tims at one time. They were stuffed with all of the "day after" candy that went on sale! However, my son, who stayed w/ me for several months consumed it all - so I got rid of the tins. Need to get some more now. Not for candy, but for all of the dry goods I am putting by to give to others since they are foods that I can't/shouldn't eat; things like beans, macaroni, canned fruits in syrup, etc. 

 

BTW - the "best" place I've found to get empty tins is the Goodwill store. But, you have to be selective and not take ones that are dented or rusted inside. It may take me a bit to get back to having as many as I used to have. (and I think the tins are smaller now too)

Edited May 12, 2022 by Midnightmom