Food Storage…..a word that, over the years, has become correlated with dark, unseen corners in hidden storage spaces. I’d be willing to go out on a limb here and bet that a large percentage of food storage gatherers buy their supply and tuck it away for years, never bothering to consider using it in everyday applications. I really can’t blame anyone for doing this, though. With food storage brands out there with names like “Rainy Day Storage,” who’d really want to eat this stuff on a regular basis?

Well, I’m proud to report that THRIVE Food Storage has begun to change this mold! With its great taste and high nutritional value, THRIVE foods will win your family’s taste buds over quickly! Many food storage foragers have begun to use THRIVE in their everyday menu planning—and that’s exactly what our intent was when developing this brand. THRIVE is high in quality, low in cost, and boasts exceptional taste.

When we developed THRIVE, we wanted to break the hesitation often associated with food storage. To accomplish this goal, we tested our food and changed vendors for each product several times over. We also sent THRVE home with our friends and family so they could test our food and let us know their thoughts. After several months of testing and planning, we came out with a product that you’ll be proud to use daily!

To make the deal even better, THRIVE foods all come with recipes on their labels! Each can is also color coded and clearly labeled so you’ll never be left guessing about the contents of your food storage cans (or what to do with the food inside).  

Of course, THRIVE is perfect for emergency use as well. A few weeks ago we had a customer call in to tell us she’d been caught in Hurricane Ike. At the time of her call, she was living off her THRIVE Food Storage purchased a short time before the hurricane struck.

If you are in the food storage planning stages and need help or advice, look over the Shelf Reliance website. Our site includes valuable information such as shelf life, the food storage preparation process,  and where and how to store your food. We also have a recipe database devoted to easy food storage preparation.

Consider trying THRIVE for both daily meal preparation and long term storage! Your family will enjoy great taste, and you’ll enjoy saving time and money.

THRIVE - changing everything you know about food storage.

September is National Preparedness Month. The Department of Homeland Security is sponsoring the month long event and recommends each citizen follow these four steps:
 
Get a Kit
Make a Plan
Be informed
Get Involved
 
For additional information on each step, visit http://www.ready.gov/america/npm08/intro.html
 
Not only is this month long campaign a national focus, local grocery stores in Utah are also encouraging preparedness through some amazing case lot sales going on right now. This month is the time to stock up on basic long term food storage. Harmons and Smiths are currently having a 2 week case lot sale and Macey’s case lot sale will begin in a few weeks.
 
My overall recommendation on purchasing at case lot sales is to first be very careful that the case lot prices are stock up prices. A stock up price is the best possible price for an item. This price does vary depending on many factors, and, unfortunately, many of my stock up prices have changed over the last year as the price of groceries has shot up.
 
I also really try to have a case lot mentality throughout the year….meaning, whenever I find an item that is a super hot deal I buy a large quantity of the item. This is a HUGE help to the budget. We have all seen the super shoppers at the case lot sales….they have 2-3 carts of food piled high with cases of beans, corn, tomato sauce etc. The bill is often over $500. I personally would rather spread that $500 out over several months rather than take the hit all at once.
 
I do love case lot sales, and I will buy several cases of canned goods; however, I make sure that the item is something that is a fantastic price.
 
Now, if you love case lot sales and have time constraints that prevent you from shopping the deals on a regular basis (and would rather shop the case lot sales for convenience), I do have some suggestions that will help ease the financial strain of the substantial grocery trip you will probably take this month.
 
Foremost, you need to think of your grocery budget as a “floating” budget. You set aside money each month for groceries. Some months you will not spend all of the money. Instead of absorbing that money back into the budget and spending it on something else, leave it in the grocery budget and add the same amount the next month as your normally would. If you are disciplined, you can slowly build up a grocery “slush fund.” This extra money is perfect for those BIG grocery bills that are usually budget busters. Again, you need to be disciplined. If you do get to the point where you want to spread out the big purchases throughout the year and deal shop on a weekly basis, you will a significant dip in your grocery budget each month. This is the fastest way to build up a grocery slush fund, but it does take more time.
 
I create several grocery lists on www.pinchingyourpennies.com each week that should help with the time issue. I find the deals for you, combine them with any available coupons and send that list to your email box each week. I strongly recommend joining the email list at http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/newslettersignup.htm
 
Follow these links for the Harmons and Smiths Case Lot sale information. I have rated the prices of each item and recommend purchasing in quantity only the 4 and 5 starred items.
 
Smiths:
 
http://pinchingyourpennies.com/coupons/store_sales.php?id=UT_Smiths_Sep03_Sep09
 
Harmons:
 
http://pinchingyourpennies.com/coupons/store_sales.php?id=UT_Harmons_Sep01_Sep07

So you’ve followed the emergency preparedness guidance of the experts by stocking up on food storage for yourself and your family. No matter what the future brings, your outlook is bright because you know you’re ready for even the direst times. But how long will your preparation efforts last? Do they have an expiration date? There are varying points of view on this topic, but the short answer is your food storage will have a “sustain life” shelf life of at least 20 years.

There are many conflicting opinions on this issue. The main problem with the lack of expiration date consistency is there are different levels of food expiration.  When your food is used within the “best if used by” range, you will experience its full taste and nutritional value. When your food is stored longer, chemical changes can occur. Over time, minerals and carbohydrates in food do not transform much. Proteins and fats, however, can deteriorate in quality and cause off-tasting food. Vitamins are also susceptible to heat, light, and oxygen destruction.

 Calorie intake is the most important life sustaining factor. Because calories do not mutate or fade drastically over time, the life of food storage products has more than one level.

If you want your food storage to have the best taste and highest nutrients, it is recommended that most items be used within 2-5 years. However, if you plan to use your food storage to sustain life, many items can last up to 20+ years. Once opened, most foods should be used within 6-18 months. However, many opened foods can remain life sustaining for up to 5 years if they are kept well covered and stored in a cool, dry area.

Please see the table below for our “best if used by” recommendations.

To maximize the taste, nutritional value, and shelf life of your food storage, follow these tips:

· Keep cans open for the least amount of time possible.

· To maximize freshness, keep oxygen absorbers in your opened cans.

· Scoop food out of your cans instead of pouring. Doing this will limit oxygen intake.

· Reseal your opened cans with their plastic coverings.

· Store your food in a dark, dry, cool place (a garage or cold storage area is highly recommended).

· Limit your opened cans’ contact with humidity.

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, harsh weather conditions caused a crop shortage. The crops that were left were in short supply, and with growing demand, prices began to increase. This left many people wondering how they were going to afford many basic foods.

On the other side of the world…

Media-induced panic no longer comes as a shock to me. In their quest for viewers and readers, the media often irresponsibly incites mass hysteria. You may recall the epidemic of Bird Flu that was rumored to kill us all and the SARS scare that kept so many people indoors…

Did you know that Bird Flu has killed less than 250 people in the last five years? And that SARS is responsible for less than 800 deaths? Malaria, on the other hand, is responsible for approximately 3 million deaths per year, as are diarrheal diseases. The simple truth is that you are more at risk of a getting hit by a car or being struck by lightening than you are of contracting either one of these diseases.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t worry about bad things happening. Worry keeps us in check; it helps improve our judgment in the face of danger. But raw panic without reason makes every situation worse.

Since the media is always looking for the next best scare, I would like to announce: The Food Storage Panic of 2008

The background story

Australia, one of the largest worldwide distributors of wheat and rice, has been suffering through a seemingly never-ending drought. Where rice and wheat fields once flourished, only dry dirt remains. Over the past few years, this has caused a decrease in 98% of Australia’s rice and wheat.

As exports have lessened, demand has significantly increased. Coupled with rising oil and commodity prices, the amount of available grains has caused quite a stir in several countries.

Fortunately for the U.S., wheat, rice, and other staples are thriving. Our market has had no problem keeping up with demand—until the mass hysteria started.

The problem

When the media equated Australia’s problems with a worldwide epidemic, we all started rushing to the grocery store to fill our shelves with the things the media told us we need most. Distributors, not planning on such a high demand, have become backed up on outstanding orders. In the spirit of keeping a loyal customer base, retailers have begun to place purchase limits on certain grains, not because of a food shortage, but because of a distribution deficiency and an inability to predict the sudden increase in demand.

Luckily, our outlook is bright. Grain manufacturers are working double-time and limits on food are certain to be short lived.

Let’s take this a step further

Even though we are not actually in a state where food is scarce, what would happen to you if the situation we have been recently scared into believing was true? What if there was a worldwide drought and wheat, rice, oats, and other staples were unavailable to the masses?

Would you be prepared? Would your cupboards be full, or would you find yourself looking into the eyes your hungry children trying to explain how the last bag of rice was clawed out of your hands at the empty grocery store?

Like I mentioned earlier, worrying can be good, but having knowledge and information is better. Are you prepared for hard times? Are you aware of your preparation options? Panic is never the right answer, so take a deep breath and create a good plan.