Our Budget Bought Our Year’s Supply

A few years ago, our family made an exciting discovery: we found that we could obtain a year’s supply of food within the framework of our modest grocery budget! Buying and living off a bulk food that can be used in many different ways saves money that can be put back into storage foods.

Our gold mine turned out to be soybeans. I attended an afternoon class on soybeans and was impressed by the hundreds of possible uses. Our greedy minds calculated everything we were going to make, from soy milk to soy sandwich spreads to soy nuts to soybean casseroles, and we hurriedly ordered two 100 pound sacks, using money that was budgeted for groceries.

For the next two months it was soybeans plus whatever we could get from our garden. The change in our diet was good for us: my husband lost fifteen pounds—looked and felt better than he had for years! We saved enough money to get a grain grinder and 2,000 pounds of fresh wheat. Now we could vary our menu with delicious whole wheat pancakes, cracked cereal, whole wheat bread (making a complete meal with milk and soup), sprouts, and other exciting possibilities.

Gradually we adapted the principle to other basic bulk items, such as rice, powdered milk, molasses, and case goods. Our grocery bill became less and less. It works so well, in fact, that you have to be careful, or misunderstandings may arise! After we moved to a new ward, one morning in priesthood meeting my husband was commenting to the brethren that there were many hidden blessings to be obtained by having a food supply. But when he mentioned that his wife spent only $15 a week for groceries, the brethren missed the point, and in a few days the bishop was at our home to see if we needed welfare aid! Joan E. Jones, Bennion, Utah