I've started my food storage... where do I go from here?

~ Food Storage: Achieving your Goals~

Many of you have already started your food storage. You already have a plan, you’ve already made progress…Here are some important points I’d like to make to help you fine tune what you may already be doing.

1) Tracking your food storage. This helps you know how much you have of each item in your food storage, what you’ve used and what you need to buy. A good tracking plan goes hand in hand with rotation.
2) Rotation is the key for a successful food storage plan. Label your containers with the date you purchased it. Learn to cook with the items you store, it makes rotation easy. Rotate as many items as you can by using your food storage at least twice a week. This will allow complete rotation of a years supply about every three to four years and will help your family become accustomed to the items you have stored.
3) Store foods properly. Try to keep a minimum exposure to light, heat, moisture and air. The shelf life can be greatly diminished if foods are not stored properly.
4) Grow a garden so you can have fresh produce.
5) Don’t forget about non-food items. Have an extra supply of vitamins, medications, diapers, toiletries etc...
6) Variety. Adding variety to the items you store will help give you more options as you use your food storage. Psychological foods. Psychological foods are the goodies—Jello, pudding, candy, etc. - These may sound frivolous, but if you needed to live on your storage for an extended amount of time, these items would help normalize the situation. These are especially important if you have children.