My Long Term Food Storage Plan

 

I’ve been thinking about it for a good long time, ever since I set up the new storage system for my long term food storage (LTFS) in the downstairs spare bedroom.  I think the biggest question we have to ask ourselves is “what do I truly need in my LTFS and how much of each item should I have on hand”.  My goal is to only have what I like to eat and enough of it to last one year for one person.  I no longer need to be prepared for more food than what I need to feed myself.

 

There are other things to consider when planning and setting up or maintaining one’s LTFS.  Mainly how long will each item last, how it should be stored and how will it be used.  I know that if I properly store rice and oats it will last much longer than a bag of flour or a liter of olive oil as they tend to not last as long on the shelf.  Therefore, I can store more oats and rice but should limit the amount of flour and oil.  I know that I can afford to ignore rice and oats, but will need to use and rotate flour and oil on a regular basis.

 

How much of each item to keep on hand is a big question I often ask myself.  I sat down one day and made a spreadsheet of each item I wanted to keep in my LTFS and then to figure out how much I simply did the math.  I determined how often I would use each item in a month and then multiplied that by twelve months and then by however many people I was trying to feed.  For example:  Green beans are eaten once a week so I need to have 4 cans X 12 months X 1 = 48.  I eat tuna once a month so I know I need to keep 12 cans on hand.  I eat chicken one a week so I need 48 cans.  Also, knowing how many servings are in a can helps predict how long each can will last and how many meals can be prepared in order to determine how often it will be eaten.

 

Before I go to the grocery store I will shop my LTFS to fill my pantry.  Then I add the items I removed to my shopping list to be replaced.  When I buy those items I place them in the back of the shelf and move older items forward so I am constantly using up the older stock.  If the items are home canned I will make a note to add those items to my home canning list to be replaced as soon as reasonably possible.  Having my spreadsheet not only helps me devise a plan and know how much of each item I should be stocking but it also helps me to keep track of it and know at a glance exactly what I have on hand.

 

I think it is also important to know why it is that one would want to keep a LTFS in their home.  We all have similar reasons, but we also have different reasons for why this would be appropriate.  For me, I keep a LTFS so that I never have to go to the grocery store.  Perhaps the weather is bad for an extended period of time or I’ve come down with a cold or the flu.  Maybe my cash flow is a little thin or, God forbid, we have another pandemic.  Since I can’t predict the future I plan ahead to make sure I’ve got my bases covered as best I can.

 

As with many of my spreadsheets, including my pantry list and the freezer inventory sheet, I would be happy to share this one as well.  If you would like a workable copy of my excel LTFS spreadsheet just email me and I will happily send it to you.