May 2008 Preparedness Goals

I have gotten off track on the food storage goals. This month we are going to focus on our emergency kits. If you already have one you can focus on something else that you need, or you can add to yours or update the supplies. Emergency kits are commonly used in disasters, and it is important that everyone has one. You should start with the basics and move up. Here are three basic goals you should work in regards to your emergency kits. 1) Ideally you should have an emergency kit for each member of your family. The one exception … Continue reading

Special Considerations for Storing Baby Foods

If you have a baby in the house, it is important to consider what baby will need in an emergency. As with many stored foods, the nutritive value of canned foods slightly decreases over time. For most people this is not a big problem, but for infants those vitamins and nutrients are more crucial. It is also more important to keep your foods fresh and safe for feeding to baby. Here are some points to consider when storing food for babies and toddlers: Look ahead. Unless you want to have to update your baby’s emergency food supply every couple of … Continue reading

Maintaining Your 72-Hour Kit

Recently, my husband and I went through our 72-hour kit of food that we had’?t touched for probably two years. Not surprisingly, all of the food was pretty much inedible. I mean, I know beef jerky is suppose to be tough, but I don’t think it’s suppose to shatter into hundreds of pieces when you hit it against a hard surface. We realized that we should have been more responsible and replaced the food regularly. Had we experienced an emergency where we needed to use our kits, we would at least have had something, but it would have been pretty … Continue reading

Five Things to Consider When Storing Food for Young Children

When you plan food storage for your family, you need to take into consideration the needs of your children. If you have infants, toddlers or preschoolers you may want to take the nutritional needs and eating habits of children that are so young. Here are five areas that you should consider. 1) If you are planning on having a baby you may want to stock up on formula (at least enough for emergencies when you cannot nurse), baby food, diapers and wipes. While you can make your own baby food certain vegetables are not as safe to use, and so … Continue reading