Food Storage for $5 a Week

[AZ Prepper]

Food Storage for $5 a Week

This list should be a basic amount to sustain 2 people for one year. For every 2 people in your family, add $5 more and double the amount of the item you are buying that week.

Some costs may have changed, but the general concept and close estimate should still be valuable.

Week 1: 6 lbs salt
Week 2: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week 3: 20 lbs of sugar
Week 4: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 5: 50 lbs wheat
Week 6: 6 lbs macaroni
Week 7: 20 lbs sugar
Week 8: 8 cans tuna
Week 9: 6 lbs yeast
Week 10: 50 lbs wheat
Week 11: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 12: 20 lbs sugar
Week 13: 10 lbs powdered milk
Week 14: 7 boxes macaroni & cheese
Week 15: 50 lbs wheat
Week 16: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week 17: 1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins
Week 18: 10 lbs powdered milk
Week 19: 5 cans cream of mushroom soup
Week 20: 50 lbs wheat
Week 21: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 22: 20 lbs sugar
Week 23: 8 cans tuna
Week 24: 6 lbs shortening
Week 25: 50 lbs wheat
Week 26: 5 lbs honey
Week 27: 10 lbs powdered milk
Week 28: 20 lbs sugar
Week 29: 5 lbs peanut butter
Week 30: 50 lbs wheat
Week 31: 7 boxes macaroni & cheese
Week 32: 10 lbs powdered milk
Week 33: 1 bottle 500 aspirin
Week 34: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week 35: 50 lbs wheat
Week 36: 7 boxes macaroni & cheese
Week 37: 6 lbs salt
Week 38: 20 lbs sugar
Week 39: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 40: 50 lbs wheat
Week 41: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week 42: 20 lbs sugar
Week 43: 1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins
Week 44: 8 cans tuna
Week 45: 50 lbs wheat
Week 46: 6 lbs macaroni
Week 47: 20 lbs sugar
Week 48: 5 cans cream of mushroom soup
Week 49: 5 lbs honey
Week 50: 20 lbs sugar
Week 51: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 52: 5 lbs wheat

Some weeks you will have leftover change. Save the change each week in a kitty to be used for the weeks you may exceed $5 (like wheat, milk, etc). Also, if you find something on sale, you may want to skip ahead and purchase that item and cross it off the list.

After you have completed this list, you will end up with:
-500 lbs of wheat
-180 lbs of sugar
-40 lbs of powdered milk
-12 lbs of salt
-10 lbs of honey
-5 lbs of peanut butter
-45 cans of tomato soup
-15 cans of cream of mushroom soup
-15 cans of cream of chicken soup
-24 cans of tuna
-21 boxes of macaroni & cheese
-500 aspirin
-1000 multi-vitamins
-6 lbs of yeast
-6 lbs of shortening
-12 lbs of macaroni

[AZ Prepper]

These are some great ideas for those who are on a limited budget but can still do a little at a time...

[AZ Prepper Lady]

I love these kind of calendars. It just tells me that there is no excuse not to have food storage. Everyone can do something to prepare, even if it small. Thanks!

[Northmountain]

I've added a Disaster Supplies calendar (http://www.ldspreppers.com/local_links.php?catid=1&linkid=26) to the Links and Downloads section. It covers weekly purchases of food storage and disaster preparedness items over a 26-week period.

It is a good reference list to help you create your own calendar.

[Kelly Alwood]

Where is the cheepest place to buy O2 obsorbers and Mylar bags?

[Northmountain]

Check at the closest Bishop's Storehouse / Cannery / Dry Pack Their prices are typically hard to beat.


Where is the cheepest place to buy O2 obsorbers and Mylar bags?

[cynicist]

I have found that these guys are pretty good on price and shipping.

www.sorbentysystems.com (http://www.sorbentysystems.com/)

[lilyloohoo]

If you live near a Church Distribution Center, they also sell Mylar Bags and O2 Absorbers. If don't live near one, they do ship these as well (I have no idea about shipping since I am blessed to have one down the road and I just walk in and just buy them.)

You can find these at www.ldscatalog.com (http://www.ldscatalog.com) or http://www.ldscatalog.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView
(Mylar (foil pouches) are item #81381000 and O2 are item #81382000)

The Mylar Bags are 7-mil-thick pouches (11" x 13") and come in a box of 250 for $94 -- $94/250=$.38 each!
The O2 Absorbers will store up to 1 gallon of food and come in a package of 100 count for $12 -- $12/100=$.12 each!

I usually cut the Mylar Bags into halves or fourths using my paper cutter. I like to make and dehydrate my own ready-made meals for backpacking and 72 hour kits. I use these items above to package and print my labeling on Water-Proof labels I buy at the Office Supply Store. I hope this helps out with your preparations!!!

FOR THOSE ON THIS BOARD: I am happy to mail you a sample bag (free of charge -- just my way of helping out my neighbors) so you can see if you like the quality. Just send me a PM with your name/address and I will send one out to you!!!

[ssprepper]

I used some of the mylar bags from the cannery cut in half to make some dehydrated soup starters, put a oxy. absorber in it, put a label on how to cook it, and gave it out to like minded friends for Christmas. I also want to make some home made mre's from them. There are some you tube videos form a guy who did this very thing with not only his family, but also a whole ward. You can find him under kmikesell. He has a lot of really good videos on many different subjects.

[tacticalintelligence]

Check at the closest Bishop's Storehouse / Cannery / Dry Pack Their prices are typically hard to beat.
I second that. I was able to get all the mylar bags and O2 absorbers at cost (to the church) at the storehouse. Beats any price available on the internet.

[AZ Prepper]

With the O2 absorbers, I also purchase them from the storehouse in the large bag. I then get out my food sealer and prepare a bunch of small bags just big enough to hold 5 O2 absorbers. Once they are all prepared, I open the big bag, quickly start stuffing 5 of the O2 absorbers in each and use the food sealer to suck the air out and seal them shut immediately. This way, when I need some absorbers, I can open one of these packs and have 5 to use and don't waste as many. If I'm filling a 5 gallon bucket, the 5 absorbers are perfect. If I'm storing in a bunch of 1 gallon PETE jars, I try to do 5 of them. Even if I don't, the waste is much less this way.

[Sharpshooter]

Azprepper, I have been doing the exact same thing. Prep up small bags, 5 per bag. works great. And here I thought I was being original. :)

[atasteofcreole]

Remember the sodium in those commercial cans are VERY high, plus their shelf life isn't that great. I work in a grocery chain. You don't want them going bad on you. It is better to go bullion or kosher consomme. More versatile and less chance of spoilage. Goya has some very inexpensive cubes.