(photo from providentliving.org)
"For over 100 years we have been admonished to store up grain. 'Remember the counsel that is given,' said Elder Orson Hyde, 'Store up all your grain, and take care of it! . . . And I tell you it is almost as necessary to have bread to sustain the body as it is to have food for the spirit.' From the standpoint of food production, storage, handling, and the Lord's counsel, wheat should have high priority. Water, of course, is essential. Other basics could include honey, or sugar, legumes, milk products or substitutes, and salt or its equivalent. The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah."
--Elder Ezra Taft Benson (Oct. Conference 1973)

Friday, March 13, 2009

How to Store

(Click on the title of this blog to be directed to providentliving.org)
Food Storage is an investment and we should protect that investment through proper storage. My personal ideal for storing my grains and beans and such is in food grade plastic buckets with lids that seal tightly. Another good method, especially for things like dry milk is to store in #10 cans such as those you can obtain from the LDS cannery. This method will take up more room because you will need so many cans but especially if space is limited, it may be what you need to be able to spread your storage throughout your house.

"Unacceptable containers for storage include garbage cans, garbage bags, cleaning containers, bleach bottles, kitty litter containers, etc. New galvanized garbage cans lined with a food-grade liner (the liner must say it is acceptable for food on the package) is an acceptale way of storing large quantities of grains and other foods."

"Be cautious when using containers which are food grade, but once held food which had a strong odor or flavor. For example: empty pickle bottles collected from food service establishments (restaurants, schools, etc.) are acceptable storage containers but they may make the food stored in them smell and taste like pickles."

"Mylar bags are easy to stack and (if carefully opened) may be resealed. Bags may develop pin hole perforations allowing storage conditions to be sacrificed and bags are not rodent proof." (pg. 10-2 of "Use It or Lose It" by Low and Hendricks, published by USU Extension, SLC, UT)

"Ideal storage conditions will help extend quality of food stored. The ideal situation does not exist in every home. When the ideal is not available--do the best you can. It is better to have some food stored in poor conditions and rotated than no food stored.

1. Cool--Usually a range between 50* to 70*F is acceptable.
2. Dry
3. Dark
4. Well-ventilated--Place items 6 inches off the floor, away from walls, away from heating vents and ducts, pipes, etc.
5. Secure shelves in case of earth quake.

(pg. 10-5 "Use It or Lose It" by Low and Hendricks, published by USU Extension, SLC, UT)

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