Food Storage for Beginners

When I was a young newly married college student, I acquired a few months’ food supply despite budget and storage constraints. Here are some strategies that worked for my husband and me, as well as for others in our student ward.

Think small and simple. Since it was just the two of us, we didn’t store number 10 cans of food. Instead, I bought regular-size cans or packages, and we tried not to overstock large quantities of any particular item. I shopped the stores’ weekly ads for variety, which naturally helped me to rotate our supply.

Shop Church canneries and yard sales. Items sold at the cannery can be less expensive than what retail stores offer. And if you want canning equipment, I recommend buying it secondhand. You may need to have pressure cookers checked for safety at your local county agricultural extension office.

Store items under the bed. I obtained several flat boxes with two-inch sides from the grocery store. Then I grouped my canned goods by categories and identified the contents and purchase date on top of each can. When I pulled out a flat, I knew immediately if the item I wanted was there and which I should use first.

Periodically reorganize. By restacking, consolidating, or tossing unused items, I could always make storage space in my cupboards or closets. And when I cleared extra space, I tried to store items where I would most likely use them.

Tell others. Since my family and friends knew about my efforts to obtain food storage, they offered assistance. At the time, a ward member invited me to pick plums, and some family members gave me food storage items as presents.
MartaRae Northcutt, Tennessee