7 Mistakes of Food Storage

"I'm lost, but I'm making record time" - Allan Lamport

There are two truisms about food storage:

1. It is absolutely essential; 3 days minimum, preferably a week or longer
2. It is quite easy to waste a lot of money on food storage

I recommend reading the article 7 Mistakes of Food Storage by Vicki Tate to learn more about what to avoid when building a food store. The mistakes include:

1. Lack of Variety
   Don't buy only wheat or just one type of meal to eat every day.
2. Lack of Staples
   Buy cooking oil, shortening, baking powder, soda, yeast, and powdered eggs so you have the basics for baking.
3. Lack of Vitamins
   Old stored food may be vitamin poor. Buy some vitamin supplements.
4. No "Fun" Foods
   It is important to have enjoyable "psychological foods" like candy bars, jello and cake mixes to chase away the blues.
5. Lack of Balance
   Don't bulk buy just one food item at a time - for example: this year we buy wheat, next year we stock up on beans. If you bulk buy like this, you may have to live on just the wheat and beans when disaster strikes before you've had time or money to purchase everything. Instead, buy a little of everything so if you have to use it now, you're ready for the short term.
6. Improper Containers
   Moisture, insects, and rodents can destroy your food storage. A bad bag of rice brought a tiny breed of moth into our house which then started eating all of our boxed pasta in "sealed" cupboards. We've also had bags chewed open by mice. Food should be stored in heavy plastic buckets/containers or steel cans/drums.
7. Never using your storage
   Use your food store before it goes bad. Also learn now how to cook what you've stored while times are good and you can practice without stress.

Bottom Line

If you are spending time and money on food storage, then make sure your time and money are well spent. Avoid the mistakes above. Buy food quality buckets and storage containers to protect your food. Buy a mix of items and include some "fun" things to eat. Don't forget the vitamins!