How are you coping w/ rising food prices?

[LuxLiving]

I do Ima!


Of course practicality must come into play and people who are trying to do a food storage plan are always encouraged to store what they eat and eat what they store by rotating it through their regular meals.

If your family wouldn't touch tuna with a ten foot pole you'd probably swap it with some other form of canned or storable protein. People who don't do regular sugar would of course store their sweetener of choice.

Do they sell steak in a can Ima???

[Aleta]

LuxLiving: That is a great list and a website with alot of information. As for tuna, I also make a tuna fish casserole. What I get from that list is that you can adjust what your tastes are.

For Hurricane time, I start buying earlier than the June start date. For sure you won't like what's left over when a hurricane watch and warning is announced. You certainly won't like the long lines either. But that is a good plan that could actually let you buy things a litlle at a time. I think that weekly I'd look for items on sale that is on that list. Or things that have coupons and is on sale also.

[LuxLiving]

Right Aleta, that list is for people who would be doing baking from scratch. If a person can't grind wheat and make it into bread then, yeah, they need to store what works for their family and to work it into their every day buying.

I do a lot of baking and I have a wheat grinder. So, it would work for me if I was starting from scratch. The idea to present it is that some people say it's too much to do or unaffordable to get a year's worth of nutrition in the home storage so they do nothing. This format showed that it was easy to break it down into an affordable, doable plan.

If someone is wanting to stock up their pantry due to the rising grocery costs then you would obviously want to store what works for you.

[stressedmama]

Aldi's has great prices if you have one close by. I've found that making a monthly dinner menu is also helpful. As prices go up I find that I need to pencil in more low cost dinners like spaghetti and chili. If I stick to my menu, I also wind up spending less at the grocery stores because I'm not picking up one of everything and impulse buying.....well I don't impulse buy to much! I can usually spend $80 per week for food and diapers for 2 adults and 2 young kids (not including baby food/formula).

This is my first post on the forum, but I have been reading it for awhile. Thanks for all the good advice!

[Aleta]

When people think about investing , they forget about commodities. I don't have to go out and buy commodities. All I have to do is to buy items before they go up in price and store items before inflation starts kicking in and I'm in the commodities market. Most people don't think about that. Of course, you don't want to store so much as to have to rent a storage faciilty.

[LuxLiving]

Welcome stressedmama, I shop at Aldi's too - with my list and menu in hand.

[LuxLiving]

Right Aleta - on this month's Stock Up shopping list is more corn oil, popcorn, oatmeal, rice, flour, coffee, various pastas, canned meats and jarred cheese products. All which will likely be rising in prices soon if they haven't already.

No, I don't cook or bake w/corn oil. The boys use it to make home-made on the stovetop popcorn. I use EVOO for everything else.

[mom-from-missouri]

The list is outdated, at least in my area, you can't buy the honey, sugar, peanut butter or wheat for $5 anymore.

[Aleta]

mom-from-missouri: I think that you take the $5 and buy what you can. I'm sure that a few months ago could have bought more. Also, some areas are less expensive than others. In the list , they said whatever you had left over to put it away for the next week. I take that to mean that some items might be higher the next time.

I don't really think that you can keep up with the grocery prices right now. I try to buy items when they are on sale and with coupons.

These lists are a good starting point and you can change and adjust them as you must.

[LuxLiving]

Sure inflation just eats our lunch doesn't it?? I think you might assume that you need to double the amount to $10 and you could probably achieve the list on that amount...AND then put whatever you don't spend back in the kitty to be used for the next go round.

[mom-from-missouri]

The first time I saw the stock up list, it was $3 a day!!

I have done it and sort of still do, but I add more soups and other canned meats besides tuna, such as ham, salmon, neat sticks and chicken. I also added rice, corn meal, oatmeal and various dried beans.

Then, I also buy fruits and veggies by the case if we have used up what we grew or to to supplement the garden. This list alone has no fruits or veggies, which is why the have the vitamens on the list.

I also saw this list in another publication where they added items to be bought, such as fishing license, line and hooks (no mention of a pole-was a basic list). I guess they figured you could supplement as it also had a guide on mushrooms, nuts and plants that could be gathered and eaten for free.

All good information for us-never know what the future holds. In America we are lucky. In some countries they still gather their food wild...

[LuxLiving]

Sure, there are lots more extensive lists out there - this was just a starter.

[mom-from-missouri]

I think this list would be an eye opener to some people-such as those who I get behind line in at the stores -- you know the ones--their carts are full of chips, soda, beer, twinkies, and 100% prepared meals.

It is a good list of the basics. Sort of like the supply lists when pioneers went west!

[Aleta]

LuxLiving: Thank you. It is a great list and if there are any others out there that have any other lists, maybe they can post them.

My husband is Latin and therefore - I have to stock up on Latin related foods as well including the on the stove expresso pots. So, every one's lists are different.

[LuxLiving]

For those interested in more info about food storage = this lady has some good monthly buy lists inside her older newsletters. It is written from an LDS perspective. For the record, I'm not a LDS, but there is loads of good info in her archives.

NurseHealer.com

Here's another short list:

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently directed the release (April 2007) of a new pamphlet on food storage titled "All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage" The counsel they have given is to obtain a three-month supply of food that is part of your normal diet, store drinking water, have a financial reserve and store a year's supply of foods that will store for extended periods. The following is a guide to obtaining a three-month supply of foods in your normal diet.

One Month Supply
of Shelf Stable
Grocery Store Purchased Foods
For one person
Based on the MINIMUM (1600 calories) recommendations in the Food Pyramid

18 ounce box oatmeal*
1 pound rice*
20 ounces pasta*
5 pounds flour*
1 pound popcorn*
34 (15 ounce) cans vegetables
26 (15 ounce) cans fruit
2 pounds Velveeta
4 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk*
3.2 pounds powdered milk (powder to make 4 gallons)*
1 jar (18 ounces) peanut butter*
4 (6 ounce) cans tuna
4 (5 ounce) cans chicken
4 (5 ounce) cans ham
8 (15 ounce) cans cooked dry beans*
oil*
shortening*
nuts
sugar*
syrup*
jam*
molasses*
salt*
*also considered a “basic” food storage food

NOTE: For a 2400 calorie diet, add 1 more box of oatmeal, 1 pound of rice, 40 ounces of pasta, 1 pound of popcorn, 17 cans of vegetables, 8 cans of fruit, 1 can of chicken, 1 can of ham and 5 cans of cooked dry beans.