Food Storage and Rotation Tips
Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan your food storage rotation:
· Store wisely
Store items that will keep for a long time. This will greatly reduce the food rotation burden. Also, don't store more than you need! True, storing a little extra seems like a good thing to do. Just remember, the more you store, the more you will need to rotate in order to keep it fresh.
· Put a date on everything! Whether you buy it from the store or you can it
yourself, date it! Knowing when something was put away is essential to knowing when it needs to be consumed. Even if you can't determine when a store-bought product was canned, just writing the purchase date on the can will help.
· Establish a method If you stock a pantry with canned goods, put new purchases
in the back and withdraw older cans from the front. Sloped shelves can be constructed that let newer cans roll forward as the oldest cans are taken. If you have a separate cold storage, establish regular times for withdrawing foods. Or establish a schedule for restocking your pantry from a longer-term storage area.
· Make your food storage easy to get to This may sound trivial, but when it
comes to food storage: out of sight is definitely out of mind. And, when it's easier to drive down to the grocery store than to get to your stored food, guess where you'll head most of the time!
· Estimate a rate of consumption Keep in mind that each year you will need to consume one half of anything with a two-year shelf life. Likewise, you will need to consume one third of anything with a three-year shelf life, an so on.
· Learn from your experience Letting your family sample what you have stored will
help you determine what to store in the future. Let's face it, if all those dried lima
beans haven't moved after two years, they probably won't make anyone really
happy during an emergency either.
· Grow your own Consider providing for at least part of your needs from your garden. That way, if you ever do have to live from your stored food, you can supplement with fresh produce from the garden.
Prudent methods of food storage are learned over many years. Taking time to learn good
methods and plan your storage will pay off in the long run. Learning how to use food
storage items in your daily diet is part of this learning process. A more self-sufficient
lifestyle results when we learn to properly produce, process, store, and use food.
Food Storage Rotation
Rotation ensures that your food is always acceptable in quality by reducing the chance for insect, rodent, or chemical spoilage. Food losses can be prevented by rotation. Even freeze-dried goods sealed in cans under nitrogen should be rotated within 3 to 5. The following information provides general guidelines for items stored in cans.
18 - 24 Month Shelf Life
Wet-pack canned foods (if not acidic or "old" goods purchased on sale. Non-acidic canned goods include tomatoes and vegetables.)
Boxed goods (pastas, mixes, puddings, gelatin, etc.) placed in sealed containers (to prevent loss from moisture or weavil)
Foods in foil-lined bags (such as onions and potatoes) if kept tightly closed
2 year Shelf Life
Foods containing butter fat, egg yolk, milk fat, peanut oil
Peanut Oil
Brown Rice
Yeast
Bouillons and Soup Bases (in a jar)
[These foods can last up to 5 years if packaged with "controlled atmosphere packing" which means that all oxygen has been removed from the can before sealing.]
5 Year Shelf Life
Bouillons and Soup Bases (in a can)
Garlic granules or powder
Pasta products
Onion granules or powder
Whole Wheat Flour
Freeze Dried Foods (5-7 year shelf life. After opening can, cover with tight lid and use within 6 to 8 weeks)
Dehydrated Foods (5-7 year shelf life. After opening can, cover with tight lid and use within 6 to 24 months)
Extracts
5 to 10 Year Shelf Life
Dessert Mixes
Drink Mixes
Milk, Regular, Non-Fat
Rolled Oats
Potatoes, granulated, without milk
Baking Powder
Making soda
Breakfast drinks
Corn Meal
Corn Starch
10+ Year Shelf Life
Potatoes (diced, flaked, shredded, sliced)
Vegetables (salad blend, soup blend, vegetable mix)
Egg Whites
Fruits
Meat Substitutes
Onions
Peppers
White Rice
Shortening Powder
Tomato Crystals
Cracked Wheat
Spices
20+ Year Shelf Life
Dry Beans
Beef Jerky
Honey
Multi-purpose Food
Dry Peas
Salt
White Sugar
Wheat (whole kernel, hard, dry - less than 12% moisture content
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