One of the main events on my vacation was a family reunion picnic for my mom’s family. The morning of the picnic, my mom and I got together with two of my mom’s sisters for breakfast. One of the topics of conversation was an apparently crazy and sensational email that their other sister had sent out saying that it was time to stock up on two years of food supplies complete with a list of what those food items should be.
My mom commented that the list my aunt had sent out was a modified version of a list used by the Mormon church. I’m not a Mormon, but rather an atheist and a statistics geek who’s overly eager to mathematically compare myself to other people so I jumped right on looking this list up.
With a little bit of help from Google, I came across a Food Storage Calculator from About.com. The calculator is set to calculate a one year’s supply.
Food freshness is important to me so I feel that 3 months worth is the appropriate amount of food to have in the house and I’m calculating just for myself so I put in 0.25 people so I could see what it recommended for one person for three months. The amounts it spit back at me still appeared on the high side since they’re expressed in large units like pounds and gallons and I’m used to thinking of most of these food items in terms of ounces or cups.
Some of the items listed like mayonnaise, lima beans, and lentils are not things I’m ever going to stock up on because I don’t like them. But other items on the list like pasta, rice, flour, sugar, peanut butter, and salad dressing are every day items that I do always have in my kitchen.
For the items I do have in my kitchen, I eyeballed and estimated how much I actually have at this time and then converted my numbers to the same units the calculator was using. Much to my surprise, the calculator had actually suggested very reasonable amounts that were well in line with what I had determined were appropriate amounts to store. Any items that I found myself way outside the guideline on were items like beans and rice where I know I only have enough for one more meal and am on the lookout for a good price on or salad dressing which I’ve gotten so many bottles of free that I know I don’t need anymore.
My food stored vs. the Mormon church recommendations for three months
The quantities used over time behind the Mormon guidelines are right on target. Take it with a grain of salt though and only stock up on the items on the list that you actually use and figure out on your own how many months or years worth of food stored is the right amount for you.
How does your stockpile measure up against the calculator‘s quantities?
Related posts:
- Food Futures: Can Your Pantry and Freezer Save You Money?
- Master Shopping Lists
- Are Fish Really a Greener Food Option?
- Blog Action Day: Climate Change and Food Choices
- Devil’s Food Cupcakes from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes
 Subscribe via RSS |  Subscribe via Email | learn more about subscribing |
{ 6 comments }
I love stocking up too, and it’s not just because I am a Mormon! The current recommendations from the Mormon church are to have a 3 month supply of the foods you consume every day (obviously not perishables,) and then a year’s worth of basics like wheat and beans.
.-= Marisa M´s last post ..#56 This mower is REELY great. =-.
I am a Mormon, so I just thought I’d add that the church has changed its recommendations from having a year supply of food to having a three-month supply of items that you use regularly and a longer term supply of things like wheat, rice, and beans. Having a three-month supply is good for financial security (if you lost your job, you could still eat for three months) and having a longer term supply of other foods would keep you alive in a major crisis. The most important thing, though, is to have a week or two worth of water saved.
.-= Erin aka Conscious Shopper´s last post ..Weekend Ramblings: Housing =-.
I didn’t know about the caluclator. I am in the process of stockpiling some healthy foods like unrefined sugar, and organic, unbleached flour….and I am with you on the lentils and the limas, I don’t like those either, going to forgo in that area.
Thanks for the calculator tip, I am going to check this one out. Abbie
Excellent lead! Thanks for this information. I definitely will compare my stash with these recommendations.
On the water stash: you can buy those plastic carboys (I guess that’s what you’d call them) at water stores and fill them with tap water. It’s a good idea to pour the stored water on your plants once a month and refill with clean water, so as to ensure you’re not stuck with stale H2O in an emergency.
While the new LDS guidelines sound like they’re easier to follow, in the current economy three months’ worth might not be enough. This afternoon a sales guy in Costco’s computer told me that he’s been out of work for six months! Despite steady applications for new jobs, he hasn’t even had a nibble. He makes $100 a weekend working at the Costco…
.-= Funny about Money´s last post ..Funny knocks off Paul’s geeky air-conditioner =-.
I’m not a Mormon but I strongly believe in stocking up on wheat, rice, and beans. I also like to stock up on meats as well because you can always store them in the freezer. great article!
.-= Jessie´s last post ..Smoked Turkey Bacon, Havarti, and Tomato Panini =-.
I’m not a Mormon, just a vegetarian and musician. I majored in minimum wage in college, and am still living on a student’s income and budget. Stockpiling has always been important to my survival, especially cat litter and paper towels. I have always recommended that people write down the cheapest price and get six months worth of the most expensive items such as toothpaste. If I hadn’t learned this from my Meemee, I don’t know what I’d do…
I love your site and thank you for all the useful information…
Memphis, TN
Comments on this entry are closed.