Food Storage Do-Over Week 12: Comfort Foods

We are excited to be starting week 12 of our Food Storage Do-Over 2015! If you didn’t catch last week’s post which talked about fruits and vegetables you can see it here.

Remember this is a 17 week process that we will be going through together. If you want to join in with the group on Facebook click here. If you’d like to receive email notifications of each week’s do-over assignment you can join our mailing list here. Or you can always post in the blog comments with your progress as well! It is so much more fun and motivating doing it as a group so find a way to connect!
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In BabyStep 9: Comfort Foods we discuss supplementing your core long term food storage items any comfort foods that would be pleasant to have should you be forced to live off your food storage for a long time (chocolate, pickles, spices, condiments, etc).

If you are brand new to food storage, you may not have thought about the logistics of actually having to LIVE off of your storage. If you have no spices to flavor your soups, they won’t be very enjoyable. If you add a few treats or desserts your kids may have a much easier time adjusting. Here are some tasks to help you get started on your comfort foods:

To Do This Week

Pick a few favorite desserts and purchase the ingredients you would need to make them
Make a list of snacks and treats that your family likes. Stock up on them!
Make a plan for spices. Start with having at least one spare of each spice in your pantry. You can buy these over time as spices can be expensive.
Make a plan for condiments. Start with having at least two spares of everything you use (mustard, ketchup, soy sauce, etc.) For things you go through quickly, maybe store a few extras.
Consider buying a Foodsaver to help repackage chocolates, crackers, etc. You can really extend the shelf life if you seal them in bags or in canning jars.

Comfort Food Ideas

Home-made popcorn in a pot
Mashed potatoes with instant potatoes and GRAVY
Hard Candy
Chocolate
Pudding (made using dry milk)
Granola bars
Fruit snacks for children
Chicken noodle soup in a can (for if you get sick)
Kool-aid
Condiments (ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, salsa, pickles)
Spices (inventory what spices you use and store an extra one or two of each)
No-bake cookies or “bites” (view recipe)
Rice Krispie Treats
Chocolate and butterscotch baking chips for homemade cookies or snacking
Peppermint tea bags
Ovaltine
Danish dessert (w/frozen raspberries)
Homemade peach pie
Homemade cinnamon rolls

These are all just ideas. Obviously they aren’t all that healthy, necessary to sustain life, or totally “food storage” types of foods – but hey, everyone needs a little comfort food sometimes! Adjust to meet your own families needs and preferences.

Don’t forget to come over and share your progress in our Food Storage Do-Over Facebook Group!

If you already have a lot of food storage, you may have many comforts already on hand. Let’s take some time this week to inventory, re-evaluate, re-purchase, and add to our supplies! Here are some tips to help you think of ways you can do that:

Spices:

Take an inventory of your spices, make sure you have at least one spare of each spice
Consider printing out a list of ways to make your own spice mixes to save on the number of things you need to store (store extras of the core ingredients)
Take some time and organize your spice cabinet, maybe consider getting a new spice rack to help make things easier to find

Condiments:

Take an inventory of your condiments, make sure you have at least two spares of each one
Look into ways to make your own condiments using basic storage ingredients (this ebook may help)
Make sure to have an inventory tracking plan in place so you can replenish when you open one up to start using it

Desserts/Snacks:

Take an inventory of your desserts and snacks, add any items you may be running low on (cake mixes, brownies, etc.)
Look at the shelf life of your snack items. Do you need to consider repackaging for longer term storage? (Foodsaver vacuum sealers can help with that)
Make a list of shelf stable family favorite desserts and store ALL of the ingredients you need for them

Don’t forget to come over and share your progress in our Food Storage Do-Over Facebook Group!

	SPICY SHELF: This spice rack and organizer will make your spice storage space in your pantry much more organized.
	FOODSAVER VACUUM SEALERS: These are great units for repackaging crackers and cookies in bags, or vacuum sealing chocolates, nuts, and other candies in canning jars.

helpful
Here are some resources both from us and all over the web that can help you if you want more depth on any areas or are looking for even more ideas of items to include in your plans. It’s always a good idea to look at multiple approaches and decide what will work best for you! And don’t forget to check out the discussions on our facebook group to catch anything we are missing or see what others are doing!