What to Cook and Buy During an Emergency {Food Storage Tips + Over 40 Recipes}
I debated about whether to type up a post like this or not…but since pretty much every conversation and text message and email I’ve had in the last week has been related to the emergency right now, it feels a bit like the elephant in the room NOT to address it.
Brian and I are talking about all of the issues with our kids, seeking information from viable sources (social media posts from random people and even celebrities are not one of them, FYI :), and trying our best to manage all of the changes and information with rational, calm minds and take actions personally to help flatten the curve of this virus.
While alternately sometimes completely freaking out (ok, that’s just me).
Watching everything from schools to churches to sports teams shut down across the country is a bit discombobulating, to say the least.
We live in Idaho and there is only one very recently confirmed case, so our schools are still up and running. Other than some of our sporting events getting canceled (wrestling would be a natural breeding ground for any type of virus) and church indefinitely going home-based, things *mostly* feel normal except for long lines at the stores and shelves cleared of tp, paper towels, disinfecting wipes, etc.
I know many places across our nation and definitely throughout the world have it much, much worse. I’ve been thinking a lot about the particularly vulnerable children and adults in this emergency (those kiddos that rely on schools for two of their daily meals, working parents and single parents dealing with the adjustments of schools shutting down and/or loss of work themselves, just to name a few things).
It’s a difficult time, there is no doubt about that.
But today I wanted to address a question I’ve been getting over and over this week from readers about food storage, what foods to stock up on, and what recipes to cook.
I don’t have ALL the answers, but here are a few thoughts that can be a great starting place for a discussion about this.
Please chime in on the comment thread with your feedback and thoughts! We can all learn from each other.
Tip #1: Only Stock Up on Food You’ll Actually Eat
If you have never cooked with lentils before, don’t buy them in bulk. Even if creamed corn is on a case lot sale, I wouldn’t recommend buying it if it’ll make your kids gag. Don’t buy a 5-gallon bucket of wheat berries if you don’t have a way to grind it into flour.
Just because “people” say you need such and such in your “food storage” doesn’t mean that’s true for you personally. Food storage will look different for each and every family.
Identify the ingredients that you use often and are familiar with, and stock up on those.
Extra tip: if you have the time and/or budget, think outside the box a little and make sure you stock up on a few treats, too. It’s not a bad thing to consider chocolate chips a pantry essential! And little sweet extras in the pantry can help get through tough times.
Tip #2: Don’t Go Overboard
With everyone in a panic, it might be tempting to buy 1,245 boxes of mac and cheese. But…I don’t know…maybe consider not going to quite that extreme?
Try to be sensible about the quantities of food you are buying right now. What are the expiration dates? Is it humanly possible to eat all of it before it even expires? Do you have places to store it?
If you have accidentally participated in a bit of, ahem, overstocking, consider donating any excess, unexpired food to your local food pantry or shelter.
Tip #3: Start with two weeks and work up from there
If you don’t have much of a food supply at home, it might feel overwhelming to think of getting what you need. It might be helpful to simply start with a two week supply of food.
Write a list of the foods (even detailing an actual “menu” can help with this) that you and your family would need for two weeks and try to source at least that much.
I know right now this might be a bit tricky as some stores are running out of things like milk and eggs, but consider looking for replacement-type items or foods that are more shelf-stable. Powdered milk. Dried or freeze-dried fruits and vegetables. Canned fruits and vegetables.
Also check around with neighbors and friends in your area to find out if any local farmers have some of those precious commodities: milk, eggs, cheese.
Extra tip: over the next couple of weeks as we all practice more social distancing and *maybe* have a bit more downtime, consider putting together a longer term food storage plan that you can put in place once this particular emergency is more contained. I’m a HUGE food storage nerd.
Twice a year, I inventory our food storage to make sure we have the essentials to get us through, so if anyone is interested in more info about this, I’d be happy to put together a more detailed post about food storage in general (and share my nerdy spreadsheets dedicated to the cause).
Tip #4: Gather your favorite pantry staple recipes all in one place
Having a few solid pantry-friendly recipes that you can rotate through (yes, even fun baking recipes!) can help you actually look forward to eating through your food storage.
Print them out, staple them together, put them in a binder, bookmark them on your phone, add them to a Pinterest board – just keep them in one place so you can access them easily!
I’ve gathered a few of my favorite pantry staple recipes and included them below and also at this link.
*the key to pantry friendly recipes is to get comfortable making substitutions! Leave out the meat, sub in canned milk for milk or cream, sub in canned green chiles for fresh peppers, etc.
Please let me know in the comments any thoughts you have about food storage, cooking right now, and other tips helping you through the chaos of our current situation. Hang in there, friends!
232 Comments on “What to Cook and Buy During an Emergency {Food Storage Tips + Over 40 Recipes}”
Could I get your food storage info?!!
I would love your food storage tips and lists!!! Please post! Thankyou!
Also, I’d love to hear what others are doing for lunches during this time. I’m all about keeping it simple, but I need some new simple lunch ideas. This making three meals a day thing ….
probably not what you were hoping for, but we do 2 meals a day. A larger breakfast or brunch and then dinner. Some (sometimes) healthy snacks throughout the day.
Can I just say that I highly appreciate your cookie (specifically chocolate chip) to main dish ratio? That’s what my quarantine menu looks like!
Thank you! Yes! I’d love a more detailed post on food storage!
Please do a detailed post on long term food storage!!!!
Very interested:)
PLEASE share your food storage spreadsheets and exactly how you go about keeping track of what you’ve got. Thanks!
You are amazing! LOVE your site and your bread! (And helped me realize that yes, delicious homemade WHEAT BREAD is possible! And not *ahem* bricks! All I want for anniversary, birthday and Christmas is wheat grinder! (I currently steal my sisters occasionally)
But if you are willing to share your excel worksheets on food storage this Mama could seriously need some help! I am amazing at sticking to a budget, and using what I have….8 years of college with a growing family will do that to a girl! But that means keeping things well stocked and rotated so it doesn’t go bad…..well that is not my strong point! Thank you for your post!
I always know anything I make from your site will be a winner! Thanks, Mel!
Would LOVE to see more info in another post about food storage.
I’m a new mom, and we just finished college, so its difficult to spend massive amounts on extra food. If you have down time for food storage tips that would be amazing – especially for mommas on a budget!
Catherine, I hope you come back and see this. I’ve lived on a tight budget for years and know it is possible to have tasty healthy meals doing so. I’d be happy to share with you but I guess Mel would need to connect us somehow.
Janet
Yes, I would appreciate if you could please share your food storage notebook and spreadsheet system. It will be a valuable
Yes, please share with us your food storage tips and spreadsheets. We would love to see! Thanks for all you do!
I’d love your “nerdy” food storage inventory sheets, etc!
Please!!!
I would love to see your spread sheet on food storage and all your tips and trick! This whole virus scare has got me wanting to get my food storage in order. I have some shelf stable #10 cans but just feel like I don’t really know what I am doing.
You are a saint! I love every post and every recipe. I would truly be so grateful to learn more about your food storage strategy. That aspect of life is so overwhelming to me so I will be forever in your debt for sharing!
Thank you so much for offering ideas to help us during this difficult time, and most importantly thank you for your common sense approach!
Thank You Mel for everything you do for us. You are a life saver!!!
I agree 100% with only buying food you actually eat. I wasn’t raised eating Peanut Butter (I’m French) so I don’t care for it much but I love Nutella (now, I grew up eating that 🙂 and I call it a food storage staple 🙂 If/when we’re out of bread and Nutella, my 17 1/2 year old son thinks there is nothing to eat in our home! I also prefer canned beans versus dried ones so, even though it costs more, that is what I buy. One benefit of canned beans is that they don’t take much time to reheat. Also a big THANK YOU for the Tool Kit for Social Distancing: awesome resources 🙂
I’d love the food storage info and spreadsheet 🙂
Please I would love your spreadsheets for food storage and ideas! you’re ideas are great!
Hey, I have a question. I’m wanting to use a recipe that marinates chicken in plain yogurt and curry before grilling. I used a grocery delivery service and they substituted vanilla yogurt. Any ideas on how to over-power the vanilla taste? I was talking about it to my husband tonight and he said, ask your friend that has that food blog – I talk about you so much and use your recipes so much that he didn’t realize we have never met. 🙂
Haha Tammy, that’s awesome! Ok, that’s a tricky one because it’s not just the vanilla flavor but it’s also the sweetness. I would add soy sauce (and quite a bit of it)…I think those salty, warm flavors can help. Good luck!
I shared this post a couple of says ago from facebook, and it totally got reported and deleted! Just wondering if facebook deleted it off of your facebook page, because I was going to share it again, and I can’t find it.
It’s a dang good post with so many good recipes in it!
Yesterday I finally broke down and stocked up on groceries. Restaurants closed down citywide today so it was good timing. But I started laughing last night in bed thinking about how I had bought 2 bags of sugar (when I already have a bag at home). I think I felt peer pressure from the empty shelves of sugar. It’s especially funny because I gave up sugar for Lent – but I will be prepared to make cookies for all the neighbors!
I have been using your recipes for years! With recent required dietary changes I’ve found myself looking for lots of new recipes and always end up here because I know whatever I make will taste great for my whole family! Well except maybe one incredibly tough critic of a kid 😉 anyway- I am wanting to venture into more making my own pasta, and am also finding myself trying to find a way around eggs in baking/pasta as those are not something I am able to get at the moment. I’d also love any additional tips and helps for food storage!!!
This is an amazing post for recent days….and it list of huge beneficial for every people against coronavirus…..Thank you so much Mel…..!
Thank you, Mel! Any tips or systems you share would be great.
We have a decent supply but can you or commenters suggest options for milk (less than great memories of powdered milk) and replacements for fresh veggies??
I don’t know about milk – if we don’t have it we use powdered milk in baked goods and just go without otherwise – but as far as fresh veggies go, the two things I like to do are 1. keep frozen veggies on hand (they have way more nutrition than canned, though they don’t keep as long), and 2. plant a garden! It’s the best way I know to have fresh veggies available when you need them, regardless of what is going on at the grocery story. Oh- and sprouting can be a great fresh source for nutrients too, and is much faster than growing something yourself.
Emily, use the powdered milk in baking and puddings, making yogurt in crockpot. And if you google it, there should be a lot of recipes for a dry mix for cream of….soup, I use that a lot. Also, I take a can of tomato sauce and make tomato soup and add some dry milk to make it creamy.
I was late in the game of hearing about the craziness over toilet paper and such. Didn’t realize it was a problem until I went to buy toilet paper because we were about out ♀️ I do have a pretty good food storage though so we are good there! And we just got chickens in August and they have been laying for about a month now so I figured I’m good on eggs too… then I realized I hadn’t ever thought about food storage for the chickens! Yes I would love to hear about your system for your food storage but I’m also curious if you have any kind of system for your chickens (and other animals) for food storage???
Thank you for compiling this list of easy, pantry friendly recipes. I’m terrible at meal planning, so I frequently just cook whatever I have on hand – I can see that several of these recipes are going to become regulars! And I join in everyone else in saying, please share your food storage system and spreadsheets!
Hi there Mel, Love your stuff so, so much! I’d love to see your food storage suggestions but would REALLY love to see anything great you’ve found to help explain what’s happening to your kiddos. I overheard my sweet 9 year-old telling his little 7 year-old sister that “it’s Armageddon” the other day and I really want to address the scary unknown calmly to accurately explain what’s going on to my littles. I’m not sure if anyone’s asked that yet and think that this would be a wonderful forum to share resources, if anyone’s found anything really good. Blessings!
Yes please to the food storage post! I set up recipe binders years ago, following your templates and I still use them and love them.
Mel,
I first must say, I LOVE your site, and have loved it for more then 15 years!
Thanks so much for this post. Yes, the virus is the only thing everyone is talking about. That and the shortages in the store and the long lines getting to said shortages.
Whenever I get a “new recipe” my husband asks, “so is this Mel’s?” Hahaha! “Yes, as always!”
I would love to hear more of your thoughts on food storage and see your “nerd spreadsheets” if you’re willing to share.
Thank you again for so many amazing recipes that my family enjoys everyday!
thank you so much for taking the time to post this! I for one would LOVE a more detailed post about your food storage. I continue to get overwhelmed every time I try to put something together. love every single recipe I’ve ever made from your site. thank you!!
Mel,
I love your website and use it all the time in my menu planning. I have done food storage for years, but would love to see your spreadsheets. I have always struggled with how to keep track of what we have and what we need. Please share! And I love the food storage recipes…. I made my own list the other day with many of your recipes.
I join with the rest of the community here to say Thanks! You are amazing and we are so happy to have you as a friend! Stay healthy everyone and let’s focus on this extra time that we have with kids at home, and enjoy it 🙂
We live in a rather remote area in earthquake country, so I have always kept my pantry stocked for when “the big one” hits. I keep a spreadsheet for my two chest freezers, so I guess I qualify as a storage nerd. I have found the biggest problem with the spreadsheet is getting the rest of my family to mark off what they take out of the freezer! My system and pantry works well for me, but I would love to see yours to see how I can improve on mine. I love your site and have tried a lot of your recipes. Even my husband knows that if a new recipe is one of yours it will be a good one! Oh yes, I must add that on one visit from our grown daughter, she asked if I REALLY needed that many chocolate chips in the pantry!
Thank you Mel for the recipe ideas!! I would so love your spreadsheets! I want to be that kind of nerd too
Love that you keep plugging away at retaining that sense of normalcy while we all support each other during this. Love and prayers for your family and all.
Great post. I love food storage too and having regular recipe items. It’s definitely time to make a better inventory and I’d love your spreadsheets!
I’m in Ontario Oregon and they’ve closed the schools for two and a half weeks. Anyway, every grocery store around here is out of flour and sugar! But I have tons of pancake mix. I want to make your delicious buttermilk banana bread. What would the banana bread be using the pancake mix? The ingredients listed are: wheat flour, butter milk solids, nonfat dry milk, Salt, dextrose, monocalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, sugar. It says for pancakes add 3/4 cup cold water or milk, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and one egg to one cup of mix.
I meant “what would the banana bread RECIPE be when using pancake mix?”
Thank you so very much for your great blog today and all the time. I have never made a comment but I want you to know that I have used some of your recipes. I am 69 and still learning to cook! Being an athlete, I was made to practice and was not in the kitchen like my other two sisters who are fabulous cooks.
Be well and thank you again.
Can I suggest in addition to stocking up you have lots of ready to go’s in the freezer? I pray you and your family stay well, but, if you don’t you need ready meals. I do a lot of batch cooking (there’s just me and my husband) from Mel’s site. Yesterday I did a double batch of the barley pilaf recipe. Today I’m doing a double batch of cilantro lime rice. Tomorrow I’m doing cheesey orzo. I portion and freeze them for future. I already have pasta sauce, lasagne, soup, curry sauces and more made up and frozen. Mustn’t forget that awesome meat loaf of Mel’s either. I’ve bought salmon, steaks, pork chops and fish and they are all portioned. Not a big fan of frozen veggies, but…… This has saved me so many times (my husband has alzheimers) when I’ve gotten sick and need healthy meals available. My husband is having a bad day? No problem, I simply pull a meal out and we’re good to go. Thanks Mel for this site and it’s many tasty and healthy recipes – most of them are great for freezing.
I would love to learn more about food storage- and I would LOVE to see your spreadsheet. My college aged son spent his first day home from school explaining the advantages of putting the ingredients of every recipe into excel for tracking and rearranging my storage room- it’s like a giant game of Tetris in there! I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining because I absolutely love having him home.
Please do a detailed post on food storage.
I would love you to share a more detailed post on food storage in general and also for you to share your nerdy spreadsheets.
Thanks for being a bright spot and helping us all out!!
Yes! Please! I would love a post or a recipe list or a system or any information you want to go to the effort of sharing about food storage. Thanks for this post.
Thank you for sharing these helpful tips and I would love to see a post on your more in-depth food storage .
I would be interested in your food storage info. Also agree with you warnings about buying what you eat. We got a bit carried away after 9/11 and I’m still working my way through all that grain, but your WW blender pancakes are helping. Incidentally they work with a mixed grain blend as well.
I try to always keep canned beans and tomatoes, chicken, salmon and fruit available. With pasta, rice and dehydrated hash browns from Costco I can make a lot of different things out of that combination. I also try to always have some of the broth in qt. boxes and canned milk.
I keep track of stored items with a spreadsheet, so I can check easy if the store has a sale. I will be interested to see how your spreadsheet works.
Thank you for being a helpful voice of reason during the current times. I agree with the ‘what are people thinking’ question. Hoping you and your readers stay well. Praying for all coping with this, especially the health workers who are dealing with this.
Would love a more detailed food storage post!!
Mel,
Thanks so much for this post! First of all I have to say, I LOVE your site! I have been pulling recipes from it for years and now most of the recipes my family regularly eats are from YOU! I come here knowing that I’ll get tried and true recipes that my family will love. So huge HUGE tHaNk YoU! I would love to hear more of your thoughts on food storage and see your nerd spreadsheets if you’re willing to share. Food storage is something I’ve always aspired to be good at but mine is far from organized. Thanks so much again for this post and so many amazing recipes that my family enjoys on the daily!
Yes! I’d love more details on food storage not based solely on wheat and lentils…or creamed corn! Spreadsheets wanted!
I just happened to recently make a batch of your freezer burritos! They are so good. My husband comments every time he eats one how much he likes them. I have over 40 burritos in my freezer (along with other necessary food storage items, of course). Thank you for all the suggestions and recipes they are super helpful.
I would be interested in any food storage info you feel to share. I think about it frequently but don’t know how to go about it. If electricity was out for an extended period of time how do you make bread for pantry items like pb&h, tuna,chicken salad. Food frozen wouldn’t be good if it was out for awhile. I guess I am thinking about hopefully the worst that could happen
I would LOVE to learn more about how you do your food storage! My husband and I are still living in an apartment for one more year while we are finishing up college, and I have definitely felt underprepared during all of this! Thanks for this great post! 🙂
Such a helpful and thoughtful post! Thank you!!! I would love to hear about food storage. Our pantry is usually pretty bare (except for baking products.) We tried to do a reasonable stock-up – some tuna, canned veggies, peanut butter, etc. Of course I did have to buy some extra chocolate chips too! LOL!
Thanks again! Sending healthy wishes to everyone!
This post has been so helpful. Thank you for sharing! I’m excited to try some new recipes and get my kids in the kitchen with me over the next few weeks while they are out of school. I look forward to your post with a more in depth look at food storage. This has been a wake up call for me to get a little more prepared and organized with this subject in my own home.
This is a useful post, we live in a rural area in earthquake country and I have been wanting an organized way to plan if we are cut off for a time. It seems at this point that fear and media overhyping has caused more economic damage than the corona virus itself, hopefully as more time goes on this will change. Right now I’m breaking out the summer schedules since my son is off school for a month at least and I can see it turning into a video game marathon!
One more thing, I think it would be good to support local restaurants who are taking a hit, even though my kids have a cold right now(NOT coronavirus:) we are going to the chick fil a drive through to support them.
Another vote for a food storage post and your spreadsheets! Thank you for this post!
Yes please share your food storage spreadsheets and ideas! We have some food storage already, but I would love to take a more organized approach.
I would love the spreadsheet!
Thank you for this! Yes please do a food storage post!!
Mel we love you!!!
I would love a post on food storage! We have enough food for us for a year… it’s always nice to hear other tips and tricks!
“If anyone is interested in more info about this, I’d be happy to put together a more detailed post about food storage in general (and share my nerdy spreadsheets dedicated to the cause).”
I am extremely interested in seeing your nerdy spreadsheets and your food storage recipes! 🙂 Thanks so much for all of the delicious recipes, and please keep them coming!
I would love to see tips on food storage. I’m in the D.C. area, and there is NOTHING on grocery store shelves here. I was fairly well stocked, but I’m not sure if it is with all of the right things!! I have plenty of chocolate and wine, so at least we’ll be happy!
LOL! Chocolate and wine – always a good combination!
Thanks for this helpful post! I’d love more info about food storage/pantry because I had all but stopped keeping a pantry supply due to having so much waste from expired items.
This is my case too. Other than basics like flour, sugar, eggs, I pretty much just buy for specific recipes. Shopping to have a few things on hand felt like starting from scratch. Best of luck to you in the coming weeks. Stay healthy.
This is a great post. Thanks, Mel!
I’d love to see a post on your long term food storage!
I would love to learn more about your long term food storage plans!
I would love to see another post on food storage & also your spreadsheets!! I feel pretty confident about our storage so far, and I’d like to get better at rotating it.
Also, we are huge believers in “comfort” foods so are stocked up on chocolate chips, jellos (even though we rarely eat that usually!) and cake mixes. Thanks for that validation!
Yes please post your panty list and send spreadsheets. Love your blog and recipes are awesome. Always good and good basic ingredients!
I’ve made your oatmeal pancake mix earlier this week and I feel like it’s perfect for using staples. This might not be for everyone though, if you don’t have access to eggs and milk. We’re very lucky to still have those items in store! Thanks for addressing this topic Mel
I have watched and listened to the news like everyone and then thanked the the Lord for being in tuned for the more than 2 weeks of tp we all ready had in the garage and most of the other things we had in the closets up stairs. I didn’t have to run like crazy and worry to get any thing at the store. I don’t say this to be boastful or prideful.
We went thru a bad time about 10 years ago and because of this we learned a lesson about not being prepared for things to go south real fast. We aren’t over prepared. We have what we need to live on and rotate everything with dates on every can of food or package of food we buy ( my daughter Kim taught me this) I have a wheat grinder and wheat, so I can make my bread (and do most times). My freezer has nuts and butter, spices, dry milk, wheat enhancer, baking powder, soda, plus meat which are all rotated.
I’m still learning, but I’m not afraid and can still help my family if needed. I’m an old dog at 67 but know it’s never to late to learn new lessons in life. Thank you Mel for all you do to help others in keeping things in their perspective. You bring calm in a troubled world. (And great recipes and you hard work does not go without notice. You are admired by all who read your words and see what a great example you are!)
Feeling truly blessed to know you,
Linda
Thank you for sharing your talents and ideas with us! I would love to learn more from you. Please share your system and nerdy spreadsheets with us 🙂
I would also love to see a post about food storage. Thanks to you, I already have freezer burritos and cinnamon rolls in my freezer:) We love them!
I also have a new appreciation for my half gallon canning jars:)
Thanks for all you do!
Our schools just closed for 6 weeks, so we’re all feeling a little adrift right now. Uncertainty and excitement are mixed at our house! We have a decent amount of food storage, so I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine for several weeks if need be. I’d be interested in another in-depth look at your food storage ideas and plans. Stay healthy!
YES! My mom always had cake mixes on hand even tho she doesn’t like cake from a box- you never knew when you were going to NEED a treat and she told us that in an emergency situation (including job loss, etc) you will “NEED” a treat. 🙂 (consequently, we have lots of chocolate chips, cake mixes and brownie mixes. Also marshmallows and popcorn to make caramel corn. haha!)
I would add that food storage is important regardless of the world economic situation. I want way more than what we’re going to eat in two weeks in the house because what if you’re too sick on pay day to venture out to the store? Or you have a migraine (ME)? Or if the power goes out for a while? (Ice storms and a truck crashing in to a transformer come to mind. And “snack foods” are great for that!!) Or if there IS a natural disaster? Or you lose your job and can’t buy more for a while? Or or or! I would further add that when we were first married and didn’t have space or budget, we kept 3-4 cans of whatever we DID eat on hand, and the freezer was always full of various meats and veggies. That will still get you through a few days.
The day before our state shut down schools I “showed” my kids our nice size pantry in the kitchen and the food storage shelves downstairs, to help calm them down. I pointed out we might eat so much spaghetti and bean dishes we might hate them in a couple weeks, but we have a ton of food! None of it was bought this week, other than things I would have bought on pay day anyway. We keep two extra jars of pb on hand (because Sams Club sells them in packs of two!) We keep extra soaps and cleaning supplies on hand. Even as soon as we open a Sams Club size thing of chocolate milk powder another one is purchased. We will be OH KAY. in the food dept. 😉
Thank you for the recipes! Since this happened at 4pm last night I need to spend some time this morning come up with a menu that keeps us out of the stores as much as possible. 😉 Thank goodness my husband loves to make bread because I have three sandwich eaters!
*** As a side note. Our state is having schools stay open for grab and go breakfast and lunch options for those who need it. Hopefully other places can do that too.
When we were first married, times were pretty lean for awhile—some months, we could only spend about $75 on food for the two of us. I got pretty good at cooking from pantry staples!
Two of our favorites were this creamy bow tie pasta (you can use any pasta really) and these open-faced tuna salad sandwiches:
https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2017/07/18/creamy-bow-tie-pasta-aka-what-i-make-when-my-pantrys-almost-bare/
and https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2018/07/27/secret-family-recipe-open-faced-tuna-sandwiches-a-quick-meal-from-the-pantry/
I would love all the food storage info you’d be willing to share! I use your recipes often. I actually have a lot of food storage but not a lot of recipes to use it.
Thank you for this! I was already pretty well set, thankfully, but honestly went to the store for chocolate chips in bulk. I feel validated coming here! This little online community is the best. I would love, love, love a peek into your food storage system!
Thank you for this post! We’re in WA where the chaos has already hit. Your whole wheat blender pancakes and IP baked ziti are on our menu this week! We will likely refer to this list often over the next couple of months. I would be interested in seeing your food storage spreadsheets and longer term plan after this all blows over.
I’m feeling WAY underprepared and overwhelmed by where to even start. Please share your wisdom!
Tactful post and so true. Loved the part about donating to a food bank. That’s just good sense. I too have felt like what about people who can’t work from home or kids without meals and it makes me want to do something. Thanks for being a voice of reason I only check CDC) even if you are nervous. Bust out all the puzzles and outside play.
Not being of the Mormon faith, I always just assumed that the storage of extra food was a religious thing but a quick google search thing tells me it is just based on prudent living. I would be interested in the details of how you manage to keep stuff current, etc. Those of us with small basement pantries often find them out of date and useless. Any further info would be appreciated! Stay safe…..and healthy.
Same here, Beth! I’m a food blogger, so I have to keep a ton of things “in stock,” but with respect to personal use, I have the same experience you’ve described—and had made the same assumption. I would love some more information on how it can be made practical, short of buying a ton of freeze-dried ingredients that I would probably never use (and then forget I even had). Oh, and Mel, of course I love this post! I was considering addressing something similar myself and then there you were, already on top of it. ❤️
I would love a food storage plan or even food pantry staples list!! We have baby #3 arriving in the next 3 weeks (2 boys already, and I am pretty sure we have another) and I swear we are always running out of staples- I need to get more organized and buy larger quantities!
Please talk about food storage and your spreadsheets – I’ve done a few over the years and would love to see how someone else does it! And I picked up chocolate chips at Costco yesterday wondering if I really needed them – love that you validated that decision!!
Food storage doesn’t have to be a huge initial investment like some people think! I’m constantly restocking my pantry. It’s never an all-at-once thing. I watch for sales and that’s when I stock up. Or buy 2-3 items instead of just one (for example, if I’m getting low on soy sauce, I buy a couple extras to store in the pantry). If you have the mentality that you’re saving some for later, you can stock up a little at a time and it doesn’t add a lot of expense. Like you, I’ve learned to store what we eat and eat what we store. I have powdered eggs and milk and there have been multiple times where I started making something assuming I had eggs (or milk) because I always have those things, but realized I was down to my last egg or ran out of milk. The powdered varieties might not be good by themselves, but they work great for cooking! If anyone wants another resource, Jordan Page with Fun, Cheap or Free has great tips about how to prepare for emergencies and how to use what you have to cook your meals.
Wonderfully written post! Thanks to good timing, we are fairly well stocked except for one thing: we have no chocolate chips!!! ARGH!!! What was I thinking?! I’ve been working on improving my diet and exercise the last several months and am seeing results, so when I spent a whole five seconds contemplating picking up chocolate chips this week before the virus hit our state, I decided “No, I don’t need the temptation.” Now, I’m thinking, “I need the comfort – and a way to make Mel’s awesome cookie recipes!” Hahaha!
Just a little humor in this scary time.
Praying for health and sanity for everyone. Praying the Lord will be help us all see a positive side and cherish this much-needed break from our crazy schedules. Praying we can create some special memories for our kiddos and discover what it means to truly be a family again. And repeating over and over: “Wash your hands, kids!”
This post provides a lot of comfort and perspective. I really appreciate seeing which recipes can get us through, pantry staple recipes, and I especially love the varieties of breads and chocolate chip cookies!
Thanks Mel! I’m excited to try some of these recipes! Your muffin recipes (especially your applesauce oat muffins) are simply the best! I have found that 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed together with 3 tablespoons of cold water makes an excellent egg substitute in homemade bread items. I have subbed up to four eggs at a time this way and haven’t been able to tell a difference in the finished product. If you can’t find eggs right now, look for ground flaxseed. It’s really been a lifesaver for us!
What a great selection of delicious recipes! Especially in a time of illness or health concerns, good healthy food will keep you going. We are pretty much stocked up, year-round as it has always been my way. We are in Montana with only a couple of confirmed cases but will keep a healthy outlook and of course, wash Our Hands! Thanks.
That’s a lot of cookie recipes, I want to be at your house in an emergency! We loved making and eating your dark chocolate energy bites yesterday. Most of the family admitted to eating way too many, but my 8 year old felt left out that he had only eaten one. So we will have to make them again. Thanks for all your work on the blog Mel!
Would love your food storage spreadsheet!
Please, please, please do the longer term food storage post! I, too, am a huge food storage nerd, but as my father is a farmer and we get plenty of pork and beef from him, my plan is largely freezer based. This is fine as long as we retain power, but I do get nervous during hurricane season. Would love to see your strategies!
I would love your food storage spread sheets. I’m Fairly new to the concept and trust your opinions on it.
Thank you for your post!! I am in incredibly grateful that you are willing to share your talents. You have provided some excellent menu ideas that have become family favorites and now you have shared some food storage and preparedness wisdom. Thank you!! I would love to see your spreadsheet ideas as well!! You are amazing
Yes, please please provide more info in the future on how you do your food storage!! Regardless of anyone’s stance on coronavirus, it’s just a good idea to have at LEAST 2 weeks supply of food on hand. We have been trying to evaluate our food storage and get it to where it should be, and recently decided we needed to have some kind of a “menu” so we don’t just have a bunch of random stuff that we don’t really know what to do with… It is a bit overwhelming (and expensive) to know how to start with food storage so I’d love to see more on this at some point. I think you’ve got a pretty grounded, reasonable view on stuff- thank you for being brave enough to post on such a hot topic right now.
Thanks Mel for the awesome post! Our schools are closed for eLearning and then spring break. I know we are going to go a little stir crazy, but I’m planning on cooking and baking a lot. My grocery store had no bread yesterday, so I grabbed a few bags of flour to make my own. Hope you and your family stay well!
You’re the best Mel! And yes, PLEASE do a post on how you inventory your food storage!!! I’m pretty good about having a detailed chest freezer inventory, but I am on the hunt for a good way to inventory all the dry goods, hygiene items, etc. in my storage room. And I was so happy to see your weeknight pasta sauce near the top of your list, it’s my favorite! Thanks Mel.
I always have a stocked pantry so I am keeping on with my normal life. I am getting so frustrated with people buying things in ridiculous quantities and not leaving anything for anyone else. I can’t even do my normal shopping anymore!
This hoarding mentality is making the whole situation 100x worse than it needs to be! I went to Costco to buy parchment paper and there was a 50+ person line just to get in!! I didn’t even bother.
Hopefully people will stop the hysteria soon so I can buy a pack of chicken! Lol
Thank you for your loving voice of reason during this crazy time. Fear can make the worst come out of any of us. Good knowledge and information is the best way to alleviate that. Thanks for always being so generous in your giving of such helpful and practical information!
Mel,
I would love to know all about your food storage, spreadsheets, and organizing it. We have food storage so I’m not freaking out. But I do get worried if I let myself think about it too much. Or I sit and analyze how long it will last or if we have the right ratios of everything. And I really worry about all the kids and elderly people that won’t have the food and supplies that they need. And I just generally worry about those that don’t have food storage. Thank you so much for all your recipes and being willing to share them. I feel like we would be kindred spirits if we actually knew each other and lived close to each other. We seem to nerd out on all the same things, like neatly organized recipes, Food storage spreadsheets, and chore charts for kids. And my family is on a first name basis with you. And we talk about you like you’re part of the family.
Mel, this was very helpful to have a bunch of your “pantry staple” recipes in one place. Thank you! Take care.
Thank you for this post, Mel. I am not one to panic but decided to stop by the grocery yesterday to pick up a few items we actually needed. Imagine my surprise to find the entire parking lot full and empty shelves throughout the store! Lines stretched to the back. Holy Moley, I text my husband, I guess I should pick up more than the cheese I needed for dinner. Cat food! He typed back. The dog can eat what we eat. Well, the cat food was almost gone. Yes, what are people thinking? My diet choices are limited the next week or so as I prepare to have a throat biopsy done later this week. I just had one in January so I know what to expect. But no, I might be eating melted chocolate chips next week! Ha! Be safe, Don’t panic and wash your hands, everyone. We will get through this! Sans TP apparently.
Hi from Cork, Ireland where all our schools, colleges and child care facilities have been shut down for the next two weeks in hopes of stopping the coronavirus spread! My office is mostly going to be working from home though those of us in admin are going to skeleton staff to keep the doors open.
So even though I’m not necessarily in quarantine for these two weeks I still want to be out and about as little as possible so a massive thank you for your tips here.
All the best to you and yours (and to all the others in the comments too) we can get through this!
Mel, How truly precious you are and how blessed all of us are for having YOU in our lives!!!! This is wonderful what you have posted. I believe you have put many at ease. And you know what, you have made us all feel like one big family going through trying times together. And that my dear, is a gift that you have. This is great for young and yes, us old folks too. Thank you so much for this dear heart and God bless you. Prayers for all of us and our country. Great recipes too…. Many many email hugs to you Mel….
Claudia
I’d love to see your essentials inventory. Thank you for sharing all of your tips & recipes. I look forward to your posts.
Hey Mel!
Great article! I would love your pantry inventory list too! We are all set on meat and eggs cause we grow our own. But one thing I’ve been looking for at the store for a couple weeks now and they’ve been out is dried milk. My children love sausage gravy in the morning and We are going to stick by not leaving our property for the three weeks just out of courtesy any thoughts on a substitution if there’s no dry milk left anywhere LOL! I just told the kids we will not be drinking milk for a couple weeks and they were ok! But the gravey lol!!
My parents came through the Depression on farms, my mother’s family being sharecroppers, and that colored their lives forever. Storing food was just what they did, and I learned all the ways to grow food and keep food. As my children grew up and left home I’ve moved away from that discipline. Uhoh! It actually makes me uneasy when there isn’t a good supply of all the foods I use in the house, and that’s where I am now, at just the wrong time. Stores here are entirely crazy, and yes, people are buying ridiculous amounts of everything but food. I’m staying home because I’m in the age range that needs to be a little more careful. It is hard to think in a straight line to organize things during a crisis situation, and I applaud this work you’ve done. It’s a help to me as I try to make a grocery list for Instacart (a whole new world for me, and not one I relish the thought of.)
Thanks so much.
Mel, I absolutely love this post. Thank you for all you do, always! My family and I live in Seoul, South Korea, and have been watching the coronavirus unfold here for the past two months. We are entering week four of school closure and online learning. My husband and I are both teachers, and I’ve been able to work from home a lot these past three weeks, which has also given me more time for cooking. You need to know that your recipes are seriously giving us so much comfort! We have been enjoying your Super Simple Spicy Thai Noodles (always a favorite anyway) and your Beef and Broccoli Ramen a lot lately, and I plan to make several meals that you’ve suggested in this post. Again, THANK YOU, and stay safe and healthy, everyone!
Hi Mel! I was surprised to see that you debated doing this post as you have mentioned prepping and food storage before and you’re the expert as far as I know! Your website was the first place I checked yesterday morning (before the post was up), looking for solid advice as I made a grocery list and meal plan. Fortunately I’ve done done once a month cooking and such in the past so I ended up doing most of what you recommended anyway, planned for two weeks plus a few staples, didn’t buy lentils in bulk (), and stuck with recipes I know my family likes. Probably should have planned in more desserts and snacks, but I do think we’ll be fine, there’s a pretty good stash of chocolate chips in the pantry already.
Thankful for you and that God made you to naturally love learning and teaching, you’re a straight up blessing to the world. Thank you that you’re ready and able to put up posts like this. (Remember your running posts? I was motivated to try a couch to 5k for the first time ever because you made running seem doable.. and now I run half marathons regularly and it’s changed my life!) The world is truly a better place because you’re in it. Keep up the good work, and thanks for this post!
Food storage planning, stocking and using comes naturally too me . My mom was a good example.
I’m grateful for that, and the fact my kids are also doing great at this. My girls are truly your biggest fans Mel! Hopefully we can all learn from this situation and do better.
One thing I do and have helped others do, is start with a top 10 plan.
Make a list of the top ten FOOD items your family couldn’t do without. Ex.. water, peanut butter, formula.
Also the top 10 NON food items. ex.. TP , toothpaste, diapers
Think of your list as if they would be the only 10 things you would have.
Build a month supply of each , working until you have 3 months of every item on your lists. Then use and replace. While you continue to add a variety of items as you can afford to.
Building long term storage is great , but for most people what they need right now is just basic everyday items and your top 10 should cover those needs.
Love ALL your recipes!
I would love to see your food storage spreadsheets!! Especially since most of the recipes I make and love are from you! Plus, you are a genius. Thanks for taking the time to post this today Mel, it was a little bright spot in my day. I’m about where you are, not freaked out about the virus, but getting really worried about the crazy panic it has brought on and what it’s going to do to the economy, I’m so worried about people not being able to work because of all the shut downs and cancellations and how much $ businesses are losing. Also worried about the sweet little old ladies who now can’t go to the store to get their normal 2 weeks of groceries because all the crazy people have cleared everything out of the stores! You’re the best and I’m definitely making some of those cookies in the next 2 weeks!
I love everything about this post! Thank you so much, Mel. I feel like if we lived closer, we’d be food storage pals 🙂 and ps – your recipes rock.
I would add my vote to reading your thoughts/ideas/experience with food storage. I always enjoy benefiting from your preparedness and experience.
Thanks Mel for sharing so much to bless others, we appreciate you.
As my husband and I were considering things we wanted to accomplish in 2020, we both felt the urge to do a little “prepping”. Now here we are in the midst of a pandemic. We are wishing we had followed that leading a little more urgently! I’ve been doing some research whereas my husband is more prone to just buy things a little willy nilly ( There are currently 5 gallon buckets of rice and beans in my living room. True story.) Since I am the one who primarily plans and cooks meals, I want what we store to make sense, be nutritionally sound, and actually be food they will eat! Please send help! We are good for now but we would like for this to be a long term plan for our family’s future. We would be grateful for any suggestions, guidance, advice….whatever you got!!
You have been helping me feed my family for a long time now! I remember when you little girl was born!! My family knows that if it came from Mel, it’s going to be good!
Love and health to your family from mine here in Oregon (where things are getting a little tense)
Great Tips! I have lots of food storage, so I knew we’d be OK. However, I’m not great at keeping an updated inventory, or a plan to rotate it. Since Youth Conference, and the 90th birthday party we were to attend tomorrow were canceled, I suppose I should take some time to get a good inventory list, and see what I can make with what I have. Oh, and I have lots of baking supplies, so I’m sure we’ll be making lots of cookies.
Yes please post your more detailed list! I’d love it, and how you approach food storage in general. It is very overwhelming trying to get it all organized.
Will do, Tessie! Can’t guarantee when but with the assumed downtime the next couple weeks, I’ll see what I can get put together!
Thanks for posting this and I would love for you to share your nerdy food storage spread sheets!
I promise to post about them!
I would love your food storage knowledge and tips!
nikasue@gmail.com
I’ll get a post together!
Yes to a more detailed post!
Will do!
Thank you so much!! This made me feel so much better. Made a list of meals i can make already.
Happy to hear that, Laura!
Thank you so much for posting this. I would love more advice.
on food storage, I am at loss as to where to start and how to rotate it.
Hi! I’d love a copy of all your nerdy food storage spreadsheets! Haha! My email is aileenbluhm@yahoo.com Thank you!
I’ll update them and get a post put together!
I would love a more detailed post about food staircase and see all your spreadsheets!
I’ll get one put together!
Thank you so much Mel! This list of recipes is wonderful and a huge help. Also, thank you for being willing to talk about, in kind and honest terms, a serious issue affecting so many people. Just reading the other comments encouraging people to help one another has brightened my night.
I agree, Kristen! The comments are always my favorite part. The best people always show up in these comment threads.
Thanks so much for taking the time to put all of this amazing information on here for us.
I laugh because the only food storage I’m really good at is baking supplies! I’m always packing chocolate chips, flour (s), sugars, and butter. Pretty much the building blocks of life! Haha I could Seriously use some detailed spread sheets on how to have food storage that isn’t Just for baking
Haha, I’m good at the baking supplies, too Bri! I’ll get another more comprehensive food storage post put together soon, too!
Love this! I was scouting your site earlier this week looking for recipes I know we like that would work well with pantry staples. There are a few here I didn’t find. I did put the super bean burritos on my list. We love those ones! And I would for sure love to learn how you do food storage.
Thanks, Jessica! With the supposed downtime coming my way (??) I’ll definitely get a post together!
Thank you, rock star Mel! I came to your site today for the quinoa cookie recipe (we call them Horse Cookies because of their origin story) and found a big (virtual) hug and a whole lot of help! Here in the Bay Area we are on what feels like a long and unknowable journey, so I am happy to feel connected to others, and happy to have such tried and true, practical support from you and your readers.
Sending good wishes to everyone- let’s flatten the curve and take care of one another. <3
“long and unknowable” is a good description! Best of luck, Tina! I agree about flattening the curve and taking care of one another. Wise, wise words.
Most of your proteins have beans, which my husband is allergic too.
I’m sorry about that! You can usually sub lentils if he’s ok with those.
Lots of love from California! Thanks for checking in on all of us and giving some practical and calming action items for us to do. Thanks for the recipes and care! Stay healthy!
Look for recipes that use other sources of protein. I would suggest canned meats and fish such as chicken, tuna, salmon, sardines or even ham, oysters or whatever. I’m fond of the Costco chicken and their small cans of salmon and keep them on hand. I also keep canned milk and broth. With pasta or rice these make for simple easy meals from the pantry. Most of us have some things we eat that can be made from pantry ingredients.
Good luck, dietary restrictions can be limiting, but with time and practice you can work around them. I have some of my own and you have my sympathy.
I would love to see your long term food storage spread sheet. That would be wonderful!
I’ll get a post together and update my spreadsheets!
Yea, it was weird that there were plenty of chocolate chips. No flour, rice, dry beans, cheap pasta, or spaghetti sauce, tp, bleach or wipes, but plenty of chocolate chips. I personally went home with 6 small bags. What are people thinking? Lol.
Add me to the yay vote for food storage.
Haha, if I had a dollar for every time I’ve thought ‘what are people thinking?’ this last week…I’d be a very rich woman.
I would love, love, love, to hear more about your food storage tips, tricks, and ideas, please! And thank you for this!
Thankfully we have some long term food storage, but I’ve been a little nervous about this because I just found out I am pregnant with our first baby after years of trying. I feel so much more vulnerable while being pregnant we have been traveling to visit family so I am scared to come home to an empty fridge from everything I keep hearing about empty grocery stores.
Much love to you, Kim! And congratulations on your pregnancy.
Will do! Look for it soon-ish. 🙂
Great post! I would love to see what you do for food storage. I have great intentions, but the follow through is maybe lacking a bit Storage space issues.
I’ll get a post together and talk about some storage solutions!
I would love your food storage plan. I have lots of random stuff that I use but no system
I’ll try to get something put together soon!
Muffins! Thank you for the fresh ideas.
I would also love to have a good idea to track food storage.
I’ll hopefully get something posted soon!
I would be so interested in a food storage post with all of your thoughts! Also, this post is so awesome! Love thinking about how normal things can be by just making good food with pantry staples. ❤️ You rock my world.
Thanks, Jennifer!
Please, please, please share your food storage spread sheets. I have a good food storage going but I am always look for ideas of things to add and way to keep my rotations efficient
Will do!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share all this info! Your blog is my favorite and I really appreciate the help as I’ve been trying to bulk up our food storage and then actually use it before it goes bad. And dessert ingredients- why have I not stocked up on chocolate chips?! Thanks again Mel!!!
GO GET YOURSELF SOME CHOCOLATE CHIPS! 🙂
Hi Mel! I would love some of your tips and spreadsheets on food storage. I have been working on food storage for several years but its all very informal and I definitely don’t know what I’m doing! Thank you for this post, I was wondering what to cook with all of my pantry food!
I’ll get a post together, Katherine!
I did buy chocolate chips as part of my prep in case we got quarantined! Since we are well and now all at home, I’m excited to try some recipes I don’t normally make. We are going to bake and take to neighbors (to share and check up on them), my daughter is offering free babysitting, and I’m working with my son who is home from a closed college to use some of his Eagle Scout skills to provide activities for our neighborhood boys out of school. There are so many things we can do to help others, I’m glad you chose to use this blog. Thank you!
❤️ loved your comment. During Hurricane Harvey it was beautiful to see how the community reached out to one another. We can all do good within our own realm of influence.
You guys are amazing, Tammy! Thanks for inspiring me!
I’m reading the comments section in Winter of 2023. I hope this reply gets to you Tammy: You. Rock. I would have so appreciated to have a neighbor like you (or older kids! haha) at the time this post was written.
Your Quick and Easy Quinoa Enchilada Skillet Meal is another that uses mostly pantry staples and it can be made meatless.
Oh yes, you are right!
Will you add it to the collection, Mel? That way we won’t have to search for it beyond this post, which is fabulous, by the way. Thank you so much.
Mel, I love you to pieces Thank you for this!
Thank you so much, Jamie!
Thank you for sharing this! Yes, please share more tips. It’s been a goal for us the last couple years, but an out of state move, a new baby, and the foods we eat regularly having changed pretty drastically, have made it difficult to make a lot of progress. And I haven’t found an organizational system that works. Very much looking forward to your wealth of knowledge. We rely super heavily upon you for almost all of our meals. You are the best!
I loved this. I’m a food storage nerd too. I used to have spreadsheets, notebooks, inventories, you name it. Then my kids grew up and started leaving (one married, two on missions, and only two left at home) and I was kind of at a loss on how much I needed and what we eat now. However, I’m so grateful that we still have a pretty well stocked storage room and are able to share with our married son. I was super happy when he called me today to say that their small deep freeze was full and they had everything they needed to get through this interesting time. I’m going to send these recipes to our sons on missions so they have ideas on what to eat. Thanks for your calming voice in the midst of all the chaos. I’d love to see a post about how you do your food storage.
What a comfort, Kim! And much love and prayers for your sons on missions right now. I’ll definitely get my thoughts together on a comprehensive food storage post. I love talking about it!
I think I’ll try to do a series on food storage and spread it out over a couple of posts so it’s not too overwhelming. I’m glad so many people might be interested in it!
I would live a more detailed post about food storage in general and spreadsheets!
I’ll get started on that!
Thanks for Putting this to together!! I am excited to add try some of these and add them our rotation. I am big on only stocking up on food you will eat! I hate the idea of buying food that last 30 years but we will most likely never use.
I didn’t see your taco salad dippers on this list. It’s a great pantry staple meal we are having it tonight!
That’s a great one I forgot about! Thanks for reminding me!
Yes, I’d love all your “nerdy” food storage tips and info. Thanks Mel!
I’ll get it put together!
I would love to see your spreadsheets!! I just got back from the store and I wish I had seen this post first.
I’ll update it and put it in a post!
This is SO good! And YES please post food storage ideas!
Thanks, Kaitlyn! Will do.
As usual you’re awesome Mel! Well said! yes please share your food storage methods!
I will!
I would love to see more information on food storage.
I’m glad so many are interested in it! I’ll get some posts put together.
Please please share your spreadsheets!! I’ve been trying to deal with the extra stress of no school for 2 weeks (as of now) and I’m turning to my inner mama bear to cope
Oh man, good luck to you! You’ve got this!
Thank you Mel for this post! It has been so helpful. you are always such a great resource! I live in Louisiana and they just shut down schools for a month. It’s such an uncertain time and I just keep on buying groceries in fear of not having enough.
I think we are all feeling so many similar feelings. In some ways I hate that…but in other ways, it actually gives me a strange sense of solidarity. Millions of us struggling with the same stresses and anxieties even though we don’t know each other.
Hi, Mel. I just want to thank you for the inspiration through the years. Now when the hard stuff hits home, it does not feel so hard. Having the ammunition of food plans & food stored help it so families can easily come together & regroup. Again, thx for being such steadfast beacon of light~
Thank you so, so much, Lauren!
Thanks SO much for taking the time to put this together! I’m heading out to do a shop tonight, not so much for coronavirus preparedness, but because my kids are officially on spring break so we will be home mostly anyways. Who wants to go grocery shopping with 4 kids??? Not this momma! Thanks for sharing your wisdom and recipes!! I’ve been a faithful follower for many years now and just love your recipes!!
I have been stocking up slowly for about three weeks and I have freezer burritos on my docket for tomorrow because we are dangerously low. My husband just asked for Swig cookies. Can you guess what website we largely used to plan out all this food storage? Ha!
Haha. Love ya, Rachel. 🙂
Thank you, Tamara! Good luck with the next couple of weeks!
Yes! Please share your food storage info! And, thank you for this post. It is very helpful.
Thanks, Elizabeth!
Thank you for all your work!!!! I’d love to know all your nerdy info about good storage.
I’ll definitely get a post together!
These are such great recipes to use! We have a lot of these items in our food storage so these recipes will definitely be on repeat in our home!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Thanks, Paige!
I would love more tips and tricks on food storage!!
Will do!
Love this soooo much!! Food storage tips please
Yes, yes!
Please share your food storage techniques!! And thank you for this post! 🙂
I will, I promise!
As a fellow spreadsheet junkie, I want to see your spreadsheets! Good storage is always a balance for us. I try to store things we use, plus a few substitutes for fresh things (mostly powdered milk, but I think I need to find an egg sub) and a few preserved fruits and veggies.
Sounds like you are on the right track, Liz!
Hi Liz, I actually just looked up the other day what would be some egg substitutions for curiosity sake. There are quite a few options when it’s used in recipes: ground flaxseed + water, or applesauce, mashed banana, etc
Please yes post your food storage wisdom!!
I’ll get some thoughts/posts together!
Yes please on sharing the food storage spreadsheets!
Thank you for this awesome post!
Thanks, Amanda. Will do!
I love this list!! What a great resource, thank you!!
Thanks, Lisa!