Is there a way to put a false floor off the the ground in the mechanical room? So the drain will still work, but lets you level it out for more shelves or useable space or whatever? Just a thought, don't come for me! lol Love your vids👍🇦🇺
Frugal Fit Mom If you see this use your lentils to thicken a soup,or stew. I just toss in a 1/2cup or more if I’m cooking BIG. FAB in Slow Cookers to soak up the extra liquid & add goodness. No one ever seems to know.
I live in an apartment in NY, so we're very limited in space. When covid hit us, my husband and I bought two pantry cabinets online which we put in our dining room, plus we used all our kitchen cabinets to store food. Best decision we ever made! We were able to share food with family members that couldn't find rice, or pasta or beans. We felt safe knowing we could feed our children because we had everything we needed. Storing food not only saved us money, but it kept us safe from having to constantly go out to shop. We will keep this up, for sure!!
Christine, Loved this video. My grandmother always taught us to have food on hand and buy up like you do. She was a child during the depression and never wanted anyone to go hungry like they did. She passed away in July and when we cleaned out her apartment we found tons of canned food under the bed she was saving for this winter. When you talked about storing under the bed it brought back memories of how she always had enough when people would come unexpectedly because she always planned to have extra food on hand. Sorry for the book, Keep making the great videos.
I think the easiest way to do food storage is just think of it as an extended pantry. There's nothing down in my food storage that we don't normally use. I try to keep a year of food on hand so for instance when ketchup goes on sale to a point that's a really good price I buy a Year's worth and it goes on the Shelf. When are toothpaste goes on sale I buy a Year's worth and it goes on the shelves. That way, by the end of the year I have really gotten everything at rock-bottom prices. Over time your pantry is built. It was so nice when everything happened to not even have to go to the store. We had everything we needed between our deep freezers the refrigerator in my garage, the garden and on the shelves. I also had enough to help some other people out with things like yeast and toilet paper. Which we still cannot find in my area believe it or not. It is coming in but it's like brought up immediately. I also stock things like paper towels laundry detergent and other household items that we use on a regular basis it just makes life a lot easier
Every January I stock up for the year on non-food items, TP, toothpaste, etc. I was super grateful that when all this went down those weren't things I had to worry about and I could focus on the items we were running low on. I live in NJ and we did get hit hard, especially in the beginning. This whole thing has definitely made me change my mindset to include a lot more items during my January stock up, which now may become a bi-annual thing.
*Nodding along* Ditto. Only thing that caught me out in March was my trying to work down my flour and yeast supply...I had to grab a big bag of flour & a jar of yeast after searching for a week. I still have a year's supply of laundry soap and most toiletries. Unlike years past, I'm trying to not let my supplies run quite as low so I've grabbed a couple of big packs of TP so we're good until about March. I need to start checking the shelves for my favorite brand of Clorox wipes as I'm down to about a 3 months supply.
@@sarahsmith9084 Don't forget about the high end grocery stores in the wealthy neighborhood. When all the regular grocery stores were out of things like rice, pasta, flour, sugar etc. I found them all at the ritzy stores. It seems the rich do not intend to cook anything from scratch. lol
We’ve always been labeled “crazy” for having food storage 😔 but a 1 income family with 4 mouths who depend on us we need to be prepared. You never know. We’d rather be prepared than be up a Creek with no paddle.
I have always felt safest when I had plenty of food on hand because I knew that come what may, I can feed my family. People have called me a food hoarder for years, and boy am I proving them right these days! My food storage has really expanded since I saw the increased need back in February, and I keep adding to it every week.
For years I lived on a farm in the middle of a mountain range and we would have times where ice blocked the roads and we couldn't get out to get supplies. I learned a lon time ago to keep a stock pile of food.
I'm super lucky to have a huge pantry, and last year my husband built new shelves in, floor to ceiling and extra sturdy. We're only a family of 4 but I buy everything in bulk and have a ton of food. Really helped when lockdown hit!
I always keep extra food. When I was just starting out. We had a tight budget. No food in our home, at all. Friends helped, food pantry, and just eating a lot less. It was horrible. I say I would never be in that place again. We have helped friends and our kids when times were tough with the storage. Yes. Pick up a little at a time and what you like. Great video!!!!
I have always had a stockpile. Since I moved out on my own. I grow up in a large family. We didn't have a lot of money and never really had extras. So even when it was just me I always have had extra on hand. I always encourage people to keep things on hand. Even extra personal care items are awesome to have. I am single and I have a chest freezer! I think this pandemic is teaching people you never know. You could have a job loss, divorce, ect. And as said in the video, only buy what you will actually use!
Try this with your lentils: put a cup (two cups for your family) in a slow cooker with a jar of marinara sauce and a package of chicken sausage links. Add garlic, salt and pepper. To veg it up, add chopped carrots, onion, green pepper. I think it's really good.
I love the way you introduce yourself in the beginning of each video - it catches new folks up immediately on who you are I have said it before but worth repeating ( @ least I think so) , you have taught me a great deal about finances, and I have proof to show for it ! Thanks for the videos. I grew up on first an island then in a small town outside of a small City and to a former farming family so " stocking up" was just " the way" of doing things
I find lentils (especially split red ones) to be exccelent for adding to soups that will be pureed. If I make a vegetable soup such a tomato or pumpking it is a great way to add more protein.
That is exactly what I do. If I have to use up veggies that are about to go bad, I will roast them, throw them in with cooked lentils and puree it all into a soup.
Yes! Only buy for storage what your family will eat! I can't believe how many posts I see now asking "What should I make with this? I've never bought it before but I saw it in everyone else's cart so I bought it too.". So much panic shopping food is now going in the trash.
My in laws always have a year worth of foods and that is just family tradition and a big garden every year good enough for a whole community, friends, family and neighbors. So it’s also traditional for me to keep enough every year for 6 months (dry and can goods) to over winter till my wild weeds and spring garden to come in. I never count my freezer stash as that can spoil. Been wanting to prep since Y2K, been actively prepping for 10 years. Way before Covid.
Thanks for the info, Christine! I like being prepared but during the quarantine, realized I wasn’t. I started stocking up on paper goods and cleaners when they were on sale, then added tuna, peanut butter, crackers, etc. When ground beef or chicken are on sale, I stock up and freeze them then watch Christine for recipe ideas. 🥰
Lived in Alaska for several years and stocking up was what you did and it carried threw when we moved back to the lower 48. Also my parents grew up thru the depression and I was raised in a home that my mom canned pretty much everything and always had things stocked up. So it was pretty natural for me anyway. Thankful for that.
I had a kind of “hah! I’m not crazy” when shelves started emptying. We buy in bulk and friends and family have always commented on how full our pantry is. It just makes me feel safe in one area of life. Like I don’t have to worry about food if the stores run out or if a hurricane takes out our power for a week. We have food
Melanee Miner I used to keep a spreadsheet with everything earlier on when I was trying to build the stockpile and we had less income. Now I just buy to replace what we use and I don’t keep track with spreadsheets anymore.
Yep. I finally felt vindicated for my food and toiltries storage. I would've preferred COVID19 didn't happen, of course, but at least now others understand what purpose it serves (beyond the obvious $$ saved).
7 years ago my oldest was born severely premature and we had so little money because of medical bills that eating so little affected my milk supply. As soon as we bounced back a little I have dedicated $20-$100 per shop to adding to our storage and 25% of our tax refund replenishes our bulk items yearly. It has saved our butts numerous times over the years. Once our car needed a large repair so we put the grocery budget into that for 6 weeks. 4 years ago we all got the flu and both kids were hospitalized and we used the grocery budget to pay off the deductible. We live in a small town and when covid hit we didn't have to drive out if state looking for food like many of our neighbors. Not to mention if we are a little light around Christmas or a birthday we just don't grocery shop one week and buy gifts instead. The experience that made us decide to live this way was awful and terrifying, but I am so grateful for the lesson because it made the coming years much much easier.
For my family having a food storage has always been a necessity. We are extremely low income so when we can afford to stock up we do. We utilize an extra coat closet, we've put book shelves in our kitchen behind our island and that type of thing to hold the extra. It is for us the difference between a satisfying, nutritious meal and not. Thanks for your tips.
I grew up in the midwest, so stocking up was part of prepping for bad weather or a natural disaster if the roads were not navigable. We just got a deep freezer last year and had been slow to put it to use. I was prepared earlier this year because of a snowstorm that fizzled out. it's been a godsend. Now I'm just trying to be diligent and mindful to prep for this fall and winter. Which just means buying 2-3 extra of something and ROTATING! lol All the stores in my small town are small versions of all the usual. It's kinda ridiculous what isn't stocked and yet I can go one town over and they are good. Ironically we have a brand new Costco in town and and we have a Winco in the next town as well. So those trips I bring the cooler so I can hit the grocery tri-fecta. lol Can I just say... I love dried beans. I mean they are so easy. They taste so much better but WHY DO I FORGET TO SOAK THEM (yes I've used my Instant Pot). It never fails I forget to soak them overnight. Geesh. I swear. sometimes. it's not rocket surgery. lol
I’m alone and I still have a big pantry. I go to the grocery store every two weeks just for the perishable products. With this pandemic I dont want to go out to often, just for work. And it’s good to for the winter . You don’t have to be stoked in the big freezing days with a lot of bags of food to move. I live in Quebec and it’s freeking cold in the winter here so........I’m very happy about my big pantry. Thank you for this video, love your chanel.
Living in a climate that has harsh winters we always started stocking up around September. Light winter last time so still had some left and was very happy we did when the virus hit. Hubby ran out early the day President Trump mentioned it and went to 3 stores and stocked us up really well. Scariest day of his life shopping he said. Everyone was manic. It helped immensely as he would pick up a few items every few weeks to keep us stocked. While some items are back in stock I put together Wal-Mart delivery orders for non perishables once a month. I am blessed with a large walk in pantry which has been wonderful since our area does not have basements. I do put everything I can into plastic containers so they stay fresh longer. Have a wonderful week.
Loved the video!! I agree that making a stick pile is not hard but it can become overwhelming to someone who is new to it. Tip: don’t panic, take a deep breath, and like Christine said, buy what you already eat. Y’all are awesome!!
When covid hit i was on vacation so I was more worried about being able to go home rather than food , iv always bought like if I had a family even tho its just my husband and I, but being form puerto rico iv always just bought more incase of an emergency such as a storm or job lose , it comes in handy in times like covid when they have no food on the shelfs or when I lost my job last year , fema actually recommends people store enough for an emergency
I keep buying the containers with cashew nuts in it from Walmart with the black lid so then once the cashews are done I keep the container for storing other dry goods. Not only did I get free containers but they all match. Love it.
Always have food on hand. I told my parents a few weeks before covid hit to go stock up (we had been following it since January). My mom laughed at me... people in this country are way too comfortable and complacent, they don’t realize the how close they are to going hungry when an emergency strikes.
Lentils. Contrary to directions I soak lentils for a couple hours and drain rinse and then I cook them for 20 to 25 minutes in a lot more water than you think you need and when they're done I drain. My favorite way of using lentils is mixed with ground beef half-and-half and sloppy Joe sauce. I also like it half and half with ground beef or ground turkey or ground sausage and spaghetti sauce. A third way that I make it is mixed half-and-half with ground beef in stroganoff. I think you get the message that I'm using it to stretch my ground meat.
The 'Realness' in your video's is really awesome. Most video's on youtube are all pretty and perfect and fake. I absolutely love your video's. Thank you for making them and for the content you produce.
Grew up with a « magasin » (French word for store) in our basement in case of emergency of whatever sort, and hubby grew up 1hr away from town, so they also had quite the food storage. It was only natural for us to build a storage pantry when we got married, and have used it multiple times ever since ❤️ from job losses, to not being bothered to go to the store with 2 young kids, to store shelves being empty from people panic bulk buying. It really is something everyone should be doing!
My lentil soup is much desired by anyone who tastes it (she said, modestly). Took me about 5 years to perfect the recipe and it's so simple! I will share, just to see if you have a desire to try again. This is the large sized recipe. Makes a LOT (which I freeze a lot of). BIIIIG Tupperware bowl! 2 pkgs lentils, (soaked at least 3 hours) and remove husks. Run water in them in the bowl and gently squish your fingers through, then siphon off top layer and repeat. 6 stalks celery, chopped 5 large carrots, chopped 2 med-lg onions, chopped (Trader Joe's has tubs of these 3, already chopped) 8 teaspoons minced garlic (or more/less to taste) 1 t. black pepper ( you can add more after cooking) 1-2 t. salt (or to taste, you can add more after cooking) One pound bacon, most fat removed with kitchen scissors, the rest cut into 1/2# pieces Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. (amount of water equal to amount of mix) I mix all this up and vacuum seal the mix without adding the water then freeze the mix. Four cups of mix into a pot with four cups water makes a pot of soup. I do one cup, two cup, etc for single meals (like for friends that live alone) Just do an equal ratio of mix to water. Last batch I took 5 cups of mix out before I put in the bacon, and gave to a friend with a vegetarian daughter. The son-in-law ate two huge bowls which amazed and delighted the daughter, who refers to her S-I-L as an insatiable carnivore. lol I hope you try my recipe. Thanks for another cool video!
I can't believe how empty your storage looks where is all your stuff. There is a reason you are my favorite UA-camr. You are so real and down-to-earth and funny. I just love vlogust, I get to see frugal fit mom everyday.
I always have a full pantry upstairs for everyday and a huge pantry in the basement for long term. When my kids were young we stored baby milk, pampers, wipes then box milk, crackers and all the stuff they love to eat. I hate running out of milk. Now we are prep with rice, oil, and everything we love to eat. Making sure to keep condiments and spices/herbs. We are packed with gf foods and low carbs like quinoa, hemp etc. Freezer packed with meat, fish, shrimp and one for frozen veggies that we harvested and was given to us. So, we are all set for whatever. I wish I have all the jams you have. I love Jams. Now my kids think I am so wise for always having a pantry. 😔
Love your storage. So jealous. In MO which means a constant battle with every pest imaginable. If you're stuck with a bunch of green lentils, try Egyptian koshari. Amazing pantry meal for carb lovers and fills up even a big family for cheap.
I used to have so much emergency storage that friends joked about moving in when the zombie apocalypse comes. Then we had to move very quickly, and almost everything had to be thrown away because we didn't have the time or space to take it with us. It's been almost 3 years but I didn't start to rebuild until the last couple of months. I've been going slowly and just buying a little bit more than we need at each shopping trip. We have a similar sized chest freezer, and an extra fridge, and it's comforting to know again that we don't have to worry. Also, you can turn eggs non-perishable. Cost the shell in mineral oil and put back in the carton. The oil fills the pores in the shell so oxygen can't get inside, and it seriously extends the life of the eggs. They last unrefrigerated for 6 months, in the fridge st least a year. Not joking, have used year old oiled eggs with zero rot. The oil mimics the membrane that gets washed off in US production. In other countries they wash the eggs right before use, so eggs aren't refrigerated. I started doing this because, at the time, we weren't using many eggs and I wanted to pick them up when they were cheap and have them last until I could use them. You can buy them in giant bulk containers and not waste a single one, even if you're eating them slowly or have a small family!
When the initial store clearing happened, the only things I bought was like celery, carrots, onions, a carton of eggs & a carton of milk. I knew I had enough on hand from buying sale items to go for a month or more. Meat in the freezer was lower than I'd like, but with the right recipes it could stretch. Personally I think the amount of salt you recommended is a lot...but I only buy salt like once every 3-5 years. Between celery salt, onion salt, seasoned salt, kosher salt & table salt we probably only buy 1 of those a year. Not huge salt eaters here, but I'm also not claiming to be on a low salt diet & eating salty processed garbage daily either... I also know I only use about 5lbs of flour a year so having 1 5lb bag as backup when I get low is plenty. Same with sugar...1 4lb bag as backup is enough for a very long time. I use more brown sugar than white, so 1 backup bag when it's cheap or I get low. Know your prices is a good tip too. (Or be extra and know about when stores typically do sales on items.) My stockup price for canned tomatoes is 50 cents. Skinner brand pasta often cycles through sales between 25 cents and 40 cents for 12oz. Same for cheese, it often goes on sale for 99 cents to 1.99 per 8oz. Butter if its $2.50 or less per pound I'm there (and I've got like 9lbs in the freezer atm...😳) cream cheese goes on sale for $0.99-1.49 a brick for Philadelphia brand...and I've somehow got 4 bricks of that atm that I need to use...chocolate gooey butter cookies & cream cheese potatoes look to be in the lineup soon. Knowing sale cycles let's you know to pick up just 1 item you absolutely need right now or try to wait out the 2 weeks until a sale. I've run out of coke right now. I dont expect a sale until labor day, then maybe Halloween (that's been hit or miss in the past), then Thanksgiving, Christmas and new years. My sale price for coke is $2.50 per 12 cans or less. If absolutely desperate a 2 liter for $1 can suffice (don't do that often, and we dont buy off brand...yuck), but we prefer cans. But I flat out refuse to buy 3 cases for $14.99. Thanksgiving through Christmas tends to have a lot of really good sales. Cans of name brand corn for 25 to 40 cents a can, canned tomatoes for 25 to 45 cents a can for name brand, rice & pasta mixes, crackers, canned soup. But if you buy in bulk on sales, check your food dates. Furthest away date down to a storage room or furthest back in your pantry, and check your dates monthly to know you need to eat a can of soup for lunch asap or make spaghetti this week to use up a can or package of something.
My kids (teens) have thought I was insane in food storage, but transportation issues, recession, and pandemic food storage might have changed their minds a little. During recession when they were a lot smaller, younger, I lost my banking job, their father nearly lost his (automotive industry) and with no or little funds, he and I were going without so they could eat (they dont really know or remember cause they were so little). I finally had to say "When was the last time you did without food because we didnt have it?" Yea, I rest my case.
I'm a huge food storage believer ever since my Dad lost his job decades ago and my parents storage came in to save our butts. I started small, like adding 1 additional can each time. Needed 2 cans of beans, I'd get 3. It adds up really fast. I'd also agree with getting things you'll eat on a regular basis.
Even in a well insulated place, buckets shouldn't sit directly on concrete. Moisture can still form condensation in the buckets. Same with plastic tubs with clothes, books, etc, trash bags with fabric stuff in them & stuff in cardboard boxes. Concrete wicks moisture up from the soil underneath it & that moisture can cause mold even in very dry climates. Always put stuff on something so it's not direct contact with concrete & there's some air circulation under it. Source- I used to manage self storage facilities in Texas & Colorado. (And surprisingly Metro Denver area is actually a high desert with low humidity) I've seen a lot of stuff that was ruined when people put things straight on concrete.
I've traded your recommended list and would love to add things like powdered eggs, baking soda, canned soups for sauces and casseroles, dried/canned/frozen fruit, cereal, oats and seeds, nuts, honey and butter. By what you would normally use plus one and if they are on sale buy more, they freeze well
People back before the Great Depression can the food, not only for the winters but for food shortages.So what's going on isn't new.I've always stocked .
I want to start, I have metal shelves in my extra bedroom. Buuutttt,they're filled with craft stuff. Lol! The garage is a no go. It has 4 motorcycles, 1 four wheeler, 1 go cart, 2 bikes, 1 giant smoker, 1 gas grill, lawn equipment all my husband's tools and workbench. Im surprised all that fits. I need a bigger house, haha!
I will add a couple things. Regardless of whether you have critters or not I would keep dry goods in storage containers because honestly you never know from bugs to even water damage. Then i would keep appliances and anything that is cardboard off the floor because you never know if you will have a water leak or flooding and if its at least in a bucket there's a much better chance your foods won't be ruined and even so its a lot easier to dispose of. And making freezer jam in my opinion tastes so much better than the other kind
Love your shelves. I found some heavy duty shelves on our FB market place for $10 for 2, they hold 3 deep quart jars and have 6 shelves , best thing for my canning . I put between 750-900 jars a year .
Food storage is also really important if you live somewhere like New Zealand or California. We have earthquake boxes - non-perishable foods, and a couple of extra BBQ gas bottles.
A good way to use up jams and jellies is mix with a packet of dry onion soup mix until it makes a paste and spread it over chicken and pop it in the oven. I serve over rice with some veggies and it’s a winner at our house :)
I love to use my lentils in a lasagna soup. It is so quick and easy. Just some tomato base, onion, garlic, a cup of veggies, a fourth a cup of lentils, spices and noodles, then top with cheese. So good.
Yum! I have to try it. Reminds me of an Italian dish that my aunt taught me. It consists only of pasta and lentils (just googled it, it's called pasta with lentils, lol). It's more like a thick soup. Maybe pasta is the answer to Christine's lentils dilemma.
Glad I'm not the only mother doing this. I am storing a stash of dishes, bowls and pots/pans for when my college-aged, dorm-living daughter moves into her own apartment. So she won't starve, and won't spend money she doesn't have on takeout food.
We like to get Gossner milk for storage. It's shelf stable and doesn't taste gross like powdered milk! It lasts well past its expo date too! We tend to rotate through them when we run out of fridge milk and replace them as we use them. Here in MO we have all the bugs and critters. We keep most of our stuff in gal and half gal glass jars or food storage buckets.
Rotate your storage - #1 way to keep them from going to waste. Don't buy more than you can use before it expires. For example, I buy peanut butter during my yearly stock up shop in early December. The peanut butter I buy always has an expiry date of July the following year. So, I only buy as much peanut butter as I can eat before it expires. Food storage is only frugal if you actually eat what you store before it expires. Yes, some things keep past their expiry, but not everything keeps the same length of time or in as good of condition. I found a lonely can of tomatoes the other day that I had overlooked - it was from 2018. The can's lid seemed to move too much...so into the trash it went. It sucks to throw away food so always rotate your storage.
Our house has a 2 bedroom apartment in the basement which includes a huge kitchen, so we use our 2nd kitchen for food storage. It’s packed. I need to buy big shelves so I have more space lol. We have everything from soups, pasta, Mac and cheese, baking supplies, rice, cereal, snacks.
In a pot , add cream of mushroom, chicken and celery soup and onions pour it over baked chicken put back in oven, it becomes the gravy , just add a table spoon of flour to soup b4 pouring over chicken, cook some rice and a vegetable. Great dinner
Also cereal I put in mylar that expired by the box date in 2019 is still crisp and fresh as we are opening this year. Just an idea. I slip the bag into mylar, slit top, insert oxygen absorber then seal the mylar. Same for my saltines if you want to store them
After knowing what true hunger feels like, I started “hoarding” food every chance I got. People thought I was crazy but it was so helpful when we had 2 medical emergencies and funds got tight!
I agree about being prepared in case of any kind of emergency. I’m a single woman who adopted a little boy when he was a newborn. When he was 6 years old, I ruptured my Achilles’ tendon and was off work for 9 months. I was so grateful to have a fully stocked pantry and deep freezer as it took about 3 months to start receiving my disability payments. We ate out of the pantry and freezer and every 2-3 weeks a family member would shop for fresh dairy, produce and bread as I was in a cast from toe to hip for 6 months! I still keep a stocked pantry and freezer and no one questions me now!
Lots of great ideas here. I've been using the same style shelves for about 10 years now. They hold a lot. Since they're wired shelves with lots of openings on the side and in the shelves themselves, you don't have to worry about any food getting stuck in the dark back corners where you won't find it for a long time. I have wire 12 pack soda can storage holders on mine that I use for small cans. It's a great way to rotate stock & see what's what without labeling the tops. I'm also working down my pantry as I do every summer before a big stock-up in the fall. I was also working my freezer down for a 1/4 cow, but discovered that even though I ordered during the usual fair season...I won't be getting my beef until late November or early December - eep! That's COVID19 for ya...everybody else is now doing what I've been doing for the past few years. Thank goodness I wasn't too far down on ground beef!
I live in a one bedroom apartment so would never be able to have this much but I definitely was creative with my cabinets during the pandemic and had extra food stashed. Running low but might stock up again in case of a second wave here in ny. I am also spoiled and live one block from the Trader Joe’s I work at part time so felt prettY confident storing minimal food here until this disaster.
When you’re stock piling food. Make sure it does not need to be frozen or kept cold. And if it’s a mix. Make sure it’s “just add water”. This way you’re not in a bind when you go to make it and you don’t have milk and eggs because your fridge went down.
I think I died in a previous life during a food shortage as growing up, we were never short on anything and I have a massive stockpile for 1 person. LOL Which helps cuz I'm still unemployed and having no luck so far....your videos have inspired me to start picking up manager special and reduced items and it's a fun game at the store!!
We live in hurricane area so everyone has food storage only we call it hurricane food. Of course, we have a lot more stress food like chocolate. Food you can fix on a outdoor grill if the power goes out.
When you make rice you can add a little millet to change things up a bit. Maybe like 1/4 millet, 3/4 rice, bang in the rice cooker, same amount of water if it was all rice, go.
I use macaroni or mini Penne couple x per week for casseroles. Use coc soup bunches. Had a son allergic to rice. Love angel hair for baked spaghetti or chicken florentine for my spinach lovers
You can mash the lentils and add to your taco meat, chili or try some in a hummus. Take $5 to Dollar Tree and you can get 1 lb pink salt, pepper, 2 jar pasta sauce, 1 2lb box pasta to add to your pantry.
We live in the same town as you and have had critter problems. It's near the farms/fields/river though, so that contributes to the critters. It's also a house from before the flood. I grew up in Houston, so it's not like we're getting loads of roaches, but there are field mice, lots of spiders, creepy bugs with pincers. they haven't gotten too near the house but there are a couple of stray cats and lots of rockchucks too.
Our food storage saved our bacon when we couldn’t find anything. The only thing we struggled with was yeast, but I also had some natural starter that I had hibernating in the freezer.
I like lentils. We love pasta, but only have it once every week or two, and then its usually out to dinner at a restaurant. Canning is wonderful but only if you use it. Looks like you have plenty to last you for a while.
A simple inexpensive meal you can stock up supplies for quickly is ramen noodles and canned mixed veggies. I made this soup a lot when we had an extremely low food budget. Ramen may not be the healthiest thing but the veggies do help that out.
I would say mites that develop in oats and grains should be your biggest concern bug wise. Also regrading the lentils: lentil bolognese if you aren't into indian meals, even if you mix it with meat mince. Cottage pie or savoury mince is a great one to mix in with mince if you really dislike them. Adding just a bit into soups should get rid of it slowly. Blending cooked and adding as a thickener could work also
Same fridge in our garage! Works like a champ as opposed to the expensive LG in the kitchen that is apparently our means of meeting every appliance repairman in the area 🤪
Food Grade Storage Buckets - go.magik.ly/ml/zrgw/
Gamma Seal Lids - go.magik.ly/ml/zrh2/
Frugal Fit Mom - I’ve also found these at Lowe’s and Home Depot
Is there a way to put a false floor off the the ground in the mechanical room? So the drain will still work, but lets you level it out for more shelves or useable space or whatever? Just a thought, don't come for me! lol Love your vids👍🇦🇺
Frugal Fit Mom If you see this use your lentils to thicken a soup,or stew. I just toss in a 1/2cup or more if I’m cooking BIG. FAB in Slow Cookers to soak up the extra liquid & add goodness. No one ever seems to know.
What makes a bucket “food grade”? When I click the link the page doesn’t actually say that they are food grade. Does it even make a difference?
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I live in an apartment in NY, so we're very limited in space. When covid hit us, my husband and I bought two pantry cabinets online which we put in our dining room, plus we used all our kitchen cabinets to store food. Best decision we ever made! We were able to share food with family members that couldn't find rice, or pasta or beans. We felt safe knowing we could feed our children because we had everything we needed. Storing food not only saved us money, but it kept us safe from having to constantly go out to shop. We will keep this up, for sure!!
We live in Northern Nevada in a smaller house and I store food everywhere. It comes in handy especially in today’s time.
@@wordsalad01 Absolutely. In these trying times, everyone has to work together to get through this.
@@wordsalad01 Yeah, under the beds come in handy. Tip don't store the good stuff under a kid's bed. 😂
@@wilmasantos3255 great planning on your part!! 👍
@@jenscats808 Thank you!
“Wife to a dude” lmao I love it
I replayed that part lmao
Could be relevant. I'm a wife to a woman. Twice as much need for sanitary products.
😂
thebestwillow exactly. Same at my daughter and daughter in law’s house. Twice the need there.
HAHA I laughed out loud
Christine,
Loved this video. My grandmother always taught us to have food on hand and buy up like you do. She was a child during the depression and never wanted anyone to go hungry like they did. She passed away in July and when we cleaned out her apartment we found tons of canned food under the bed she was saving for this winter. When you talked about storing under the bed it brought back memories of how she always had enough when people would come unexpectedly because she always planned to have extra food on hand. Sorry for the book, Keep making the great videos.
💗💗💗💗
Grind your lentils up and add it to your gravies and sauces as a thickener. It’s a way to use them up
@2k GoDsZ so cook them?
I use potato flakes for this too!
I eat mine for breakfast instead if hot cereal. It has more protein.
I think the easiest way to do food storage is just think of it as an extended pantry. There's nothing down in my food storage that we don't normally use. I try to keep a year of food on hand so for instance when ketchup goes on sale to a point that's a really good price I buy a Year's worth and it goes on the Shelf. When are toothpaste goes on sale I buy a Year's worth and it goes on the shelves. That way, by the end of the year I have really gotten everything at rock-bottom prices. Over time your pantry is built. It was so nice when everything happened to not even have to go to the store. We had everything we needed between our deep freezers the refrigerator in my garage, the garden and on the shelves. I also had enough to help some other people out with things like yeast and toilet paper. Which we still cannot find in my area believe it or not. It is coming in but it's like brought up immediately. I also stock things like paper towels laundry detergent and other household items that we use on a regular basis it just makes life a lot easier
A gal after my own heart! Everyone says that when the "Big One" hits (NW earthquake), they're coming to MY house!!
Every January I stock up for the year on non-food items, TP, toothpaste, etc. I was super grateful that when all this went down those weren't things I had to worry about and I could focus on the items we were running low on. I live in NJ and we did get hit hard, especially in the beginning. This whole thing has definitely made me change my mindset to include a lot more items during my January stock up, which now may become a bi-annual thing.
*Nodding along* Ditto. Only thing that caught me out in March was my trying to work down my flour and yeast supply...I had to grab a big bag of flour & a jar of yeast after searching for a week. I still have a year's supply of laundry soap and most toiletries. Unlike years past, I'm trying to not let my supplies run quite as low so I've grabbed a couple of big packs of TP so we're good until about March. I need to start checking the shelves for my favorite brand of Clorox wipes as I'm down to about a 3 months supply.
@@sarahsmith9084 Don't forget about the high end grocery stores in the wealthy neighborhood. When all the regular grocery stores were out of things like rice, pasta, flour, sugar etc. I found them all at the ritzy stores. It seems the rich do not intend to cook anything from scratch. lol
Yep always buy on sale!! Especially meat! I literally feel like I struck gold when I can find grass fed meats at dirt cheap prices.
We’ve always been labeled “crazy” for having food storage 😔 but a 1 income family with 4 mouths who depend on us we need to be prepared. You never know. We’d rather be prepared than be up a Creek with no paddle.
@@ATX_737 thank you for your encouragement! Much appreciated ☺️ peace and blessings to you!
I have always felt safest when I had plenty of food on hand because I knew that come what may, I can feed my family. People have called me a food hoarder for years, and boy am I proving them right these days! My food storage has really expanded since I saw the increased need back in February, and I keep adding to it every week.
It's just like life insurance, except it can actually save you and your families lives.
For years I lived on a farm in the middle of a mountain range and we would have times where ice blocked the roads and we couldn't get out to get supplies. I learned a lon time ago to keep a stock pile of food.
Food storage is very practical! I do it. However only Jesus keeps me safe! God will always provide all our needs.
Older military wives in 50's, 60's, & early 70's kept their pantries full. They ony got a paycheck 1xmo.
I'm super lucky to have a huge pantry, and last year my husband built new shelves in, floor to ceiling and extra sturdy. We're only a family of 4 but I buy everything in bulk and have a ton of food. Really helped when lockdown hit!
I always keep extra food. When I was just starting out. We had a tight budget. No food in our home, at all. Friends helped, food pantry, and just eating a lot less. It was horrible. I say I would never be in that place again. We have helped friends and our kids when times were tough with the storage. Yes. Pick up a little at a time and what you like. Great video!!!!
Red lentils are great for bulking up chili and spaghetti meat sauce. I add them to pretty much any ground beef recipe when we’re low on meat.
Love how realistic this is depending how big families are. Some people think it’s hoarding, but even FEMA suggests to have some sort of food supply.
It's not hoarding if you get a little extra with each shopping trip but it's not a good idea to fill an extra cart up every time you shop
Those that claim hoarding are people who do not prepare & do not take responsibility for being stupid.
I have always had a stockpile. Since I moved out on my own. I grow up in a large family. We didn't have a lot of money and never really had extras. So even when it was just me I always have had extra on hand. I always encourage people to keep things on hand. Even extra personal care items are awesome to have. I am single and I have a chest freezer!
I think this pandemic is teaching people you never know. You could have a job loss, divorce, ect.
And as said in the video, only buy what you will actually use!
Try this with your lentils: put a cup (two cups for your family) in a slow cooker with a jar of marinara sauce and a package of chicken sausage links. Add garlic, salt and pepper. To veg it up, add chopped carrots, onion, green pepper. I think it's really good.
How long to cook? Please and thank you 🙏🏼 @green tree
@@annaleedaughterofyhwh7767 I cook mine 6 hours on low.
I love the way you introduce yourself in the beginning of each video - it catches new folks up immediately on who you are
I have said it before but worth repeating ( @ least I think so) , you have taught me a great deal about finances, and I have proof to show for it !
Thanks for the videos.
I grew up on first an island then in a small town outside of a small City and to a former farming family so " stocking up" was just " the way" of doing things
I find lentils (especially split red ones) to be exccelent for adding to soups that will be pureed. If I make a vegetable soup such a tomato or pumpking it is a great way to add more protein.
Red lentils are the best for soups. They make them so filling!
That’s a good idea! I love lentils but one of my kids only really likes puréed soups. This would be a good way to sneak in a little more nutrition!
That is exactly what I do. If I have to use up veggies that are about to go bad, I will roast them, throw them in with cooked lentils and puree it all into a soup.
Because red lentil cook to mush, they make great tacos, either alone, or used to cut ground beef
I love red lentils....really don'e like the brown lentils though.
Yes! Only buy for storage what your family will eat! I can't believe how many posts I see now asking "What should I make with this? I've never bought it before but I saw it in everyone else's cart so I bought it too.". So much panic shopping food is now going in the trash.
My in laws always have a year worth of foods and that is just family tradition and a big garden every year good enough for a whole community, friends, family and neighbors.
So it’s also traditional for me to keep enough every year for 6 months (dry and can goods) to over winter till my wild weeds and spring garden to come in. I never count my freezer stash as that can spoil.
Been wanting to prep since Y2K, been actively prepping for 10 years. Way before Covid.
Thanks for the info, Christine! I like being prepared but during the quarantine, realized I wasn’t. I started stocking up on paper goods and cleaners when they were on sale, then added tuna, peanut butter, crackers, etc. When ground beef or chicken are on sale, I stock up and freeze them then watch Christine for recipe ideas. 🥰
I can’t get enough of your videos. Just love your honesty around everything!!!! Love your Channel !
Lived in Alaska for several years and stocking up was what you did and it carried threw when we moved back to the lower 48. Also my parents grew up thru the depression and I was raised in a home that my mom canned pretty much everything and always had things stocked up. So it was pretty natural for me anyway. Thankful for that.
I had a kind of “hah! I’m not crazy” when shelves started emptying. We buy in bulk and friends and family have always commented on how full our pantry is. It just makes me feel safe in one area of life. Like I don’t have to worry about food if the stores run out or if a hurricane takes out our power for a week. We have food
It's just like life insurance, except it can actually save you and your families lives.
Do you habe a spreadsheet or anything to keep track?
Melanee Miner I used to keep a spreadsheet with everything earlier on when I was trying to build the stockpile and we had less income. Now I just buy to replace what we use and I don’t keep track with spreadsheets anymore.
Yep. I finally felt vindicated for my food and toiltries storage. I would've preferred COVID19 didn't happen, of course, but at least now others understand what purpose it serves (beyond the obvious $$ saved).
7 years ago my oldest was born severely premature and we had so little money because of medical bills that eating so little affected my milk supply.
As soon as we bounced back a little I have dedicated $20-$100 per shop to adding to our storage and 25% of our tax refund replenishes our bulk items yearly.
It has saved our butts numerous times over the years. Once our car needed a large repair so we put the grocery budget into that for 6 weeks. 4 years ago we all got the flu and both kids were hospitalized and we used the grocery budget to pay off the deductible. We live in a small town and when covid hit we didn't have to drive out if state looking for food like many of our neighbors.
Not to mention if we are a little light around Christmas or a birthday we just don't grocery shop one week and buy gifts instead.
The experience that made us decide to live this way was awful and terrifying, but I am so grateful for the lesson because it made the coming years much much easier.
For my family having a food storage has always been a necessity. We are extremely low income so when we can afford to stock up we do. We utilize an extra coat closet, we've put book shelves in our kitchen behind our island and that type of thing to hold the extra. It is for us the difference between a satisfying, nutritious meal and not. Thanks for your tips.
Nice preps. I buy grits, oatmeal, cold cereal, powdered milk, corn beef hash, Rice-A Roni, couscous, tomato sauce, dry kidney beans, cornmeal, beef tamales in the can, tuna, red salmon, Idahoan instant potato, Sabritones, green beans, hominy, Mazola corn oil, turkey sausage and bacon. shrimp,catfish, chicken wings, Stove Top stuffing cornbread. Pepsi, water, Schweppes ginger ale. I order groceries online, and have them delivered.
Couldn't find a freezer for months in 2020 and kept looking and finally got one. It has made a huge difference for us on meat storage.
Try some indian style dal for lentils. You can google the recipes. Serve it with rice or naan.
My favorite go-to for lentils as well, so flexible and delicious!
I grew up in the midwest, so stocking up was part of prepping for bad weather or a natural disaster if the roads were not navigable. We just got a deep freezer last year and had been slow to put it to use. I was prepared earlier this year because of a snowstorm that fizzled out. it's been a godsend. Now I'm just trying to be diligent and mindful to prep for this fall and winter. Which just means buying 2-3 extra of something and ROTATING! lol All the stores in my small town are small versions of all the usual. It's kinda ridiculous what isn't stocked and yet I can go one town over and they are good. Ironically we have a brand new Costco in town and and we have a Winco in the next town as well. So those trips I bring the cooler so I can hit the grocery tri-fecta. lol Can I just say... I love dried beans. I mean they are so easy. They taste so much better but WHY DO I FORGET TO SOAK THEM (yes I've used my Instant Pot). It never fails I forget to soak them overnight. Geesh. I swear. sometimes. it's not rocket surgery. lol
I always forget to soak beans the night before and end up having to change the menue for that day. Good to know I'm not alone, lol.
right now meat is on sales check your stores weekly. I stock up in late summer for the winter
I NEVER SOAK MY BEANS. I CAN THEM HARD WITH WATER, THEN WHEN I NEED THEM THEIR ALREADY COOKED.
I’m alone and I still have a big pantry. I go to the grocery store every two weeks just for the perishable products. With this pandemic I dont want to go out to often, just for work. And it’s good to for the winter . You don’t have to be stoked in the big freezing days with a lot of bags of food to move. I live in Quebec and it’s freeking cold in the winter here so........I’m very happy about my big pantry. Thank you for this video, love your chanel.
Living in a climate that has harsh winters we always started stocking up around September. Light winter last time so still had some left and was very happy we did when the virus hit. Hubby ran out early the day President Trump mentioned it and went to 3 stores and stocked us up really well. Scariest day of his life shopping he said. Everyone was manic. It helped immensely as he would pick up a few items every few weeks to keep us stocked. While some items are back in stock I put together Wal-Mart delivery orders for non perishables once a month. I am blessed with a large walk in pantry which has been wonderful since our area does not have basements. I do put everything I can into plastic containers so they stay fresh longer. Have a wonderful week.
We are also a family that kept stored things prior to the pandemic and it was nice to be able to have enough food and supplies to share.
Loved the video!! I agree that making a stick pile is not hard but it can become overwhelming to someone who is new to it. Tip: don’t panic, take a deep breath, and like Christine said, buy what you already eat. Y’all are awesome!!
When covid hit i was on vacation so I was more worried about being able to go home rather than food , iv always bought like if I had a family even tho its just my husband and I, but being form puerto rico iv always just bought more incase of an emergency such as a storm or job lose , it comes in handy in times like covid when they have no food on the shelfs or when I lost my job last year , fema actually recommends people store enough for an emergency
So am I the only person that buys snacks in those containers just for the container the snack is a bonus
Smart! I need to do that ha
I’ve done that too. My husband used to buy spices in glass jars just because he liked the little glass jars.
Lol, so glad I'm not alone in having a container 'thing'.
I keep buying the containers with cashew nuts in it from Walmart with the black lid so then once the cashews are done I keep the container for storing other dry goods. Not only did I get free containers but they all match. Love it.
Always have food on hand. I told my parents a few weeks before covid hit to go stock up (we had been following it since January). My mom laughed at me... people in this country are way too comfortable and complacent, they don’t realize the how close they are to going hungry when an emergency strikes.
What a blessing things went the way they did when building your home.
Lentils. Contrary to directions I soak lentils for a couple hours and drain rinse and then I cook them for 20 to 25 minutes in a lot more water than you think you need and when they're done I drain. My favorite way of using lentils is mixed with ground beef half-and-half and sloppy Joe sauce. I also like it half and half with ground beef or ground turkey or ground sausage and spaghetti sauce. A third way that I make it is mixed half-and-half with ground beef in stroganoff. I think you get the message that I'm using it to stretch my ground meat.
The 'Realness' in your video's is really awesome. Most video's on youtube are all pretty and perfect and fake. I absolutely love your video's. Thank you for making them and for the content you produce.
Grew up with a « magasin » (French word for store) in our basement in case of emergency of whatever sort, and hubby grew up 1hr away from town, so they also had quite the food storage. It was only natural for us to build a storage pantry when we got married, and have used it multiple times ever since ❤️ from job losses, to not being bothered to go to the store with 2 young kids, to store shelves being empty from people panic bulk buying. It really is something everyone should be doing!
My lentil soup is much desired by anyone who tastes it (she said, modestly). Took me about 5 years to perfect the recipe and it's so simple! I will share, just to see if you have a desire to try again. This is the large sized recipe. Makes a LOT (which I freeze a lot of). BIIIIG Tupperware bowl!
2 pkgs lentils, (soaked at least 3 hours) and remove husks. Run water in them in the bowl and gently squish your fingers through, then siphon off top layer and repeat.
6 stalks celery, chopped
5 large carrots, chopped
2 med-lg onions, chopped (Trader Joe's has tubs of these 3, already chopped)
8 teaspoons minced garlic (or more/less to taste)
1 t. black pepper ( you can add more after cooking)
1-2 t. salt (or to taste, you can add more after cooking)
One pound bacon, most fat removed with kitchen scissors, the rest cut into 1/2# pieces
Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. (amount of water equal to amount of mix)
I mix all this up and vacuum seal the mix without adding the water then freeze the mix. Four cups of mix into a pot with four cups water makes a pot of soup. I do one cup, two cup, etc for single meals (like for friends that live alone) Just do an equal ratio of mix to water. Last batch I took 5 cups of mix out before I put in the bacon, and gave to a friend with a vegetarian daughter. The son-in-law ate two huge bowls which amazed and delighted the daughter, who refers to her S-I-L as an insatiable carnivore. lol
I hope you try my recipe. Thanks for another cool video!
I can't believe how empty your storage looks where is all your stuff. There is a reason you are my favorite UA-camr. You are so real and down-to-earth and funny. I just love vlogust, I get to see frugal fit mom everyday.
lentils are a great addition to extend meat... great in meatballs .. Cook them and add to uncooked meat
That extra fridge is a great blessing.
I always have a full pantry upstairs for everyday and a huge pantry in the basement for long term. When my kids were young we stored baby milk, pampers, wipes then box milk, crackers and all the stuff they love to eat. I hate running out of milk. Now we are prep with rice, oil, and everything we love to eat. Making sure to keep condiments and spices/herbs. We are packed with gf foods and low carbs like quinoa, hemp etc. Freezer packed with meat, fish, shrimp and one for frozen veggies that we harvested and was given to us. So, we are all set for whatever. I wish I have all the jams you have. I love Jams. Now my kids think I am so wise for always having a pantry. 😔
Love your storage. So jealous. In MO which means a constant battle with every pest imaginable.
If you're stuck with a bunch of green lentils, try Egyptian koshari. Amazing pantry meal for carb lovers and fills up even a big family for cheap.
I have been buying extra food for years. I just started reorganizing my shelves.
I used to have so much emergency storage that friends joked about moving in when the zombie apocalypse comes. Then we had to move very quickly, and almost everything had to be thrown away because we didn't have the time or space to take it with us. It's been almost 3 years but I didn't start to rebuild until the last couple of months. I've been going slowly and just buying a little bit more than we need at each shopping trip. We have a similar sized chest freezer, and an extra fridge, and it's comforting to know again that we don't have to worry.
Also, you can turn eggs non-perishable. Cost the shell in mineral oil and put back in the carton. The oil fills the pores in the shell so oxygen can't get inside, and it seriously extends the life of the eggs. They last unrefrigerated for 6 months, in the fridge st least a year. Not joking, have used year old oiled eggs with zero rot. The oil mimics the membrane that gets washed off in US production. In other countries they wash the eggs right before use, so eggs aren't refrigerated. I started doing this because, at the time, we weren't using many eggs and I wanted to pick them up when they were cheap and have them last until I could use them. You can buy them in giant bulk containers and not waste a single one, even if you're eating them slowly or have a small family!
When the initial store clearing happened, the only things I bought was like celery, carrots, onions, a carton of eggs & a carton of milk.
I knew I had enough on hand from buying sale items to go for a month or more. Meat in the freezer was lower than I'd like, but with the right recipes it could stretch.
Personally I think the amount of salt you recommended is a lot...but I only buy salt like once every 3-5 years. Between celery salt, onion salt, seasoned salt, kosher salt & table salt we probably only buy 1 of those a year. Not huge salt eaters here, but I'm also not claiming to be on a low salt diet & eating salty processed garbage daily either...
I also know I only use about 5lbs of flour a year so having 1 5lb bag as backup when I get low is plenty. Same with sugar...1 4lb bag as backup is enough for a very long time. I use more brown sugar than white, so 1 backup bag when it's cheap or I get low.
Know your prices is a good tip too. (Or be extra and know about when stores typically do sales on items.) My stockup price for canned tomatoes is 50 cents. Skinner brand pasta often cycles through sales between 25 cents and 40 cents for 12oz. Same for cheese, it often goes on sale for 99 cents to 1.99 per 8oz. Butter if its $2.50 or less per pound I'm there (and I've got like 9lbs in the freezer atm...😳) cream cheese goes on sale for $0.99-1.49 a brick for Philadelphia brand...and I've somehow got 4 bricks of that atm that I need to use...chocolate gooey butter cookies & cream cheese potatoes look to be in the lineup soon.
Knowing sale cycles let's you know to pick up just 1 item you absolutely need right now or try to wait out the 2 weeks until a sale. I've run out of coke right now. I dont expect a sale until labor day, then maybe Halloween (that's been hit or miss in the past), then Thanksgiving, Christmas and new years. My sale price for coke is $2.50 per 12 cans or less. If absolutely desperate a 2 liter for $1 can suffice (don't do that often, and we dont buy off brand...yuck), but we prefer cans. But I flat out refuse to buy 3 cases for $14.99.
Thanksgiving through Christmas tends to have a lot of really good sales. Cans of name brand corn for 25 to 40 cents a can, canned tomatoes for 25 to 45 cents a can for name brand, rice & pasta mixes, crackers, canned soup.
But if you buy in bulk on sales, check your food dates. Furthest away date down to a storage room or furthest back in your pantry, and check your dates monthly to know you need to eat a can of soup for lunch asap or make spaghetti this week to use up a can or package of something.
Mz Stitcher thank you!!! You provided way more helpful info in your comment than this whole video!
My kids (teens) have thought I was insane in food storage, but transportation issues, recession, and pandemic food storage might have changed their minds a little. During recession when they were a lot smaller, younger, I lost my banking job, their father nearly lost his (automotive industry) and with no or little funds, he and I were going without so they could eat (they dont really know or remember cause they were so little). I finally had to say "When was the last time you did without food because we didnt have it?" Yea, I rest my case.
I'm a huge food storage believer ever since my Dad lost his job decades ago and my parents storage came in to save our butts.
I started small, like adding 1 additional can each time. Needed 2 cans of beans, I'd get 3. It adds up really fast. I'd also agree with getting things you'll eat on a regular basis.
Even in a well insulated place, buckets shouldn't sit directly on concrete. Moisture can still form condensation in the buckets. Same with plastic tubs with clothes, books, etc, trash bags with fabric stuff in them & stuff in cardboard boxes. Concrete wicks moisture up from the soil underneath it & that moisture can cause mold even in very dry climates. Always put stuff on something so it's not direct contact with concrete & there's some air circulation under it.
Source- I used to manage self storage facilities in Texas & Colorado. (And surprisingly Metro Denver area is actually a high desert with low humidity) I've seen a lot of stuff that was ruined when people put things straight on concrete.
I've traded your recommended list and would love to add things like powdered eggs, baking soda, canned soups for sauces and casseroles, dried/canned/frozen fruit, cereal, oats and seeds, nuts, honey and butter. By what you would normally use plus one and if they are on sale buy more, they freeze well
People back before the Great Depression can the food, not only for the winters but for food shortages.So what's going on isn't new.I've always stocked .
ME TO .
She just meant like it is now suddenly a "trendy" thing and not that people didn't stockpile.
I want to start, I have metal shelves in my extra bedroom. Buuutttt,they're filled with craft stuff. Lol! The garage is a no go. It has 4 motorcycles, 1 four wheeler, 1 go cart, 2 bikes, 1 giant smoker, 1 gas grill, lawn equipment all my husband's tools and workbench. Im surprised all that fits. I need a bigger house, haha!
I will add a couple things. Regardless of whether you have critters or not I would keep dry goods in storage containers because honestly you never know from bugs to even water damage. Then i would keep appliances and anything that is cardboard off the floor because you never know if you will have a water leak or flooding and if its at least in a bucket there's a much better chance your foods won't be ruined and even so its a lot easier to dispose of. And making freezer jam in my opinion tastes so much better than the other kind
Christine rocking the gun show! Looks great, wonderful content and strangely addictive.
We live in North Carolina and boy. are you right about bugs and critters! I appreciated this approach- it seems reasonable, not overwhelming.
Love your shelves. I found some heavy duty shelves on our FB market place for $10 for 2, they hold 3 deep quart jars and have 6 shelves , best thing for my canning . I put between 750-900 jars a year .
Food storage is also really important if you live somewhere like New Zealand or California. We have earthquake boxes - non-perishable foods, and a couple of extra BBQ gas bottles.
We have always kept extra food and house hold items forever. My grandparents and parents have always done it to.
A good way to use up jams and jellies is mix with a packet of dry onion soup mix until it makes a paste and spread it over chicken and pop it in the oven. I serve over rice with some veggies and it’s a winner at our house :)
I love to use my lentils in a lasagna soup. It is so quick and easy. Just some tomato base, onion, garlic, a cup of veggies, a fourth a cup of lentils, spices and noodles, then top with cheese. So good.
That sounds good!
Sounds yummy. I like that it's a small amount of lentils. I'm going to try. I have a couple of bags. Thank you.
Yum! I have to try it. Reminds me of an Italian dish that my aunt taught me. It consists only of pasta and lentils (just googled it, it's called pasta with lentils, lol). It's more like a thick soup. Maybe pasta is the answer to Christine's lentils dilemma.
Glad I'm not the only mother doing this. I am storing a stash of dishes, bowls and pots/pans for when my college-aged, dorm-living daughter moves into her own apartment. So she won't starve, and won't spend money she doesn't have on takeout food.
Oh I wish we lived closer! I would love to cook you a couple of my favorite lentil recipes! Thanks for sharing your food storage.
My husband and I were just talking about this last night.
We are going to stock up.
Better hurry. Food shortages are coming
@@madeleinet6224 THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED...
My minimalism side is at odds with my preparedness side. Haha! I'm envious of your basement setup! Nice!
We like to get Gossner milk for storage. It's shelf stable and doesn't taste gross like powdered milk! It lasts well past its expo date too! We tend to rotate through them when we run out of fridge milk and replace them as we use them. Here in MO we have all the bugs and critters. We keep most of our stuff in gal and half gal glass jars or food storage buckets.
Rotate your storage - #1 way to keep them from going to waste. Don't buy more than you can use before it expires. For example, I buy peanut butter during my yearly stock up shop in early December. The peanut butter I buy always has an expiry date of July the following year. So, I only buy as much peanut butter as I can eat before it expires. Food storage is only frugal if you actually eat what you store before it expires. Yes, some things keep past their expiry, but not everything keeps the same length of time or in as good of condition. I found a lonely can of tomatoes the other day that I had overlooked - it was from 2018. The can's lid seemed to move too much...so into the trash it went. It sucks to throw away food so always rotate your storage.
In the past years, didn't store much in the way of food but I need store TP and Paper towels when they were on-sale. I was so happy I did this.....
When your cooking your beans and the beans are almost done add some lentils. Good way to use them up and you won’t need any extra steps to cook them.
Our house has a 2 bedroom apartment in the basement which includes a huge kitchen, so we use our 2nd kitchen for food storage. It’s packed. I need to buy big shelves so I have more space lol. We have everything from soups, pasta, Mac and cheese, baking supplies, rice, cereal, snacks.
In a pot , add cream of mushroom, chicken and celery soup and onions pour it over baked chicken put back in oven, it becomes the gravy , just add a table spoon of flour to soup b4 pouring over chicken, cook some rice and a vegetable. Great dinner
Great video and thanks so much for simplifying how get started with an emergency food pantry. Blessings from Georgia! 🍑🤗❤
Also cereal I put in mylar that expired by the box date in 2019 is still crisp and fresh as we are opening this year. Just an idea. I slip the bag into mylar, slit top, insert oxygen absorber then seal the mylar. Same for my saltines if you want to store them
This is something that we are working on in our home and this was so helpful. I love how practical all of your tips are.
After knowing what true hunger feels like, I started “hoarding” food every chance I got. People thought I was crazy but it was so helpful when we had 2 medical emergencies and funds got tight!
I agree about being prepared in case of any kind of emergency. I’m a single woman who adopted a little boy when he was a newborn. When he was 6 years old, I ruptured my Achilles’ tendon and was off work for 9 months. I was so grateful to have a fully stocked pantry and deep freezer as it took about 3 months to start receiving my disability payments. We ate out of the pantry and freezer and every 2-3 weeks a family member would shop for fresh dairy, produce and bread as I was in a cast from toe to hip for 6 months! I still keep a stocked pantry and freezer and no one questions me now!
Lots of great ideas here. I've been using the same style shelves for about 10 years now. They hold a lot. Since they're wired shelves with lots of openings on the side and in the shelves themselves, you don't have to worry about any food getting stuck in the dark back corners where you won't find it for a long time. I have wire 12 pack soda can storage holders on mine that I use for small cans. It's a great way to rotate stock & see what's what without labeling the tops. I'm also working down my pantry as I do every summer before a big stock-up in the fall. I was also working my freezer down for a 1/4 cow, but discovered that even though I ordered during the usual fair season...I won't be getting my beef until late November or early December - eep! That's COVID19 for ya...everybody else is now doing what I've been doing for the past few years. Thank goodness I wasn't too far down on ground beef!
Your Basement Pantry looks nicely organized. Good video 😊
That was the best introduction I’ve ever heard you give! Your wife to dude mom to for kids like to eat lots of carbs that you’re storing your house.
Thanks for your content. I look forward to your posts. You and your family are so great.
I live in a one bedroom apartment so would never be able to have this much but I definitely was creative with my cabinets during the pandemic and had extra food stashed. Running low but might stock up again in case of a second wave here in ny. I am also spoiled and live one block from the Trader Joe’s I work at part time so felt prettY confident storing minimal food here until this disaster.
Blessings to you and your family and thank you for the video.😁
Awesome video. I have been building up my stockpile over the past twelve months or so. You are an inspiration to me
Love seeing your videos! I’ve been watching since the beginning of the year and I’ve learned so much. Thank you for sharing.
When you’re stock piling food. Make sure it does not need to be frozen or kept cold. And if it’s a mix. Make sure it’s “just add water”. This way you’re not in a bind when you go to make it and you don’t have milk and eggs because your fridge went down.
I think I died in a previous life during a food shortage as growing up, we were never short on anything and I have a massive stockpile for 1 person. LOL Which helps cuz I'm still unemployed and having no luck so far....your videos have inspired me to start picking up manager special and reduced items and it's a fun game at the store!!
We live in hurricane area so everyone has food storage only we call it hurricane food. Of course, we have a lot more stress food like chocolate. Food you can fix on a outdoor grill if the power goes out.
When you make rice you can add a little millet to change things up a bit. Maybe like 1/4 millet, 3/4 rice, bang in the rice cooker, same amount of water if it was all rice, go.
I use macaroni or mini Penne couple x per week for casseroles. Use coc soup bunches. Had a son allergic to rice. Love angel hair for baked spaghetti or chicken florentine for my spinach lovers
Thanks for sharing! Valuable information in these uncertain times! 😬🙂😍
I've always kept extra pasta can goods as a just in case. I buy my stuff when it's on sale
Great video! Thanks for the peek at your food storage
You can mash the lentils and add to your taco meat, chili or try some in a hummus. Take $5 to Dollar Tree and you can get 1 lb pink salt, pepper, 2 jar pasta sauce, 1 2lb box pasta to add to your pantry.
We live in the same town as you and have had critter problems. It's near the farms/fields/river though, so that contributes to the critters. It's also a house from before the flood. I grew up in Houston, so it's not like we're getting loads of roaches, but there are field mice, lots of spiders, creepy bugs with pincers. they haven't gotten too near the house but there are a couple of stray cats and lots of rockchucks too.
I think we don't have issues because we are in a neighborhood instead of by a field and our house is newer than the flood. :)
Love this! Thank you for this video! I have always stocked up some but I am starting to organize it a bit better
Our food storage saved our bacon when we couldn’t find anything. The only thing we struggled with was yeast, but I also had some natural starter that I had hibernating in the freezer.
I like lentils. We love pasta, but only have it once every week or two, and then its usually out to dinner at a restaurant. Canning is wonderful but only if you use it. Looks like you have plenty to last you for a while.
A simple inexpensive meal you can stock up supplies for quickly is ramen noodles and canned mixed veggies. I made this soup a lot when we had an extremely low food budget. Ramen may not be the healthiest thing but the veggies do help that out.
I like to add shredded cabbage to ramen! About equal parts cabbage and noodles, and it doesn’t feel quite so unhealthy 😀
I would say mites that develop in oats and grains should be your biggest concern bug wise.
Also regrading the lentils: lentil bolognese if you aren't into indian meals, even if you mix it with meat mince. Cottage pie or savoury mince is a great one to mix in with mince if you really dislike them. Adding just a bit into soups should get rid of it slowly. Blending cooked and adding as a thickener could work also
Adding lentils to soups and stews is typically how I use them. I like to use them in lieu of potatos to bulk recipes up.
Same fridge in our garage! Works like a champ as opposed to the expensive LG in the kitchen that is apparently our means of meeting every appliance repairman in the area 🤪