I've been cooking every meal almost every day for 35 years. The shut down was like nothing to me, because I was used to it. I had friends that were like, this is killing me, for us it was just another "thing". The food shortages, however, was my "wakeup call". I'm awake! I have learned over the years that variety of food is very important. I've enjoyed your how to can meat in a pint jar videos the most, because now with only hubby and myself we can really enjoy a variety that way. I learned a long time ago after reading all of the "Tightwad Gazette" books that meat should be part of the meal, like in soups. That got us through many difficult times. Thank you for all of your hard work. We're prepped as much as we can be, and the rest is in Gods hands.
Growing up we were so poor one winter all we had were split peas and lentils. We were fortunate if the neighbor gave us their ham bone so I know a thing or two about food fatigue.
Years ago, I made the mistake and stored my can goods in my garage. Here in Southern California it isn't unusual to have temperatures at 115 to 120 degrees outside. That means in side my garage it can get even hotter. One day we had a fire inside the house. So as they came to repair the damage I had to remove my can goods from the garage. That is when I realized that all the liquid in my can goods had evaporated. My spinach was nothing but dried spinach, light as a feather. The same for my soups, fruits, even my soda - all dried out and gone. This fire was a wind fall for me because I was able to show the damage and blame the fire on it. So now I store everything inside the home where there is a climate control available to keep my can goods at a constant temperature. Cool temperatures is O.K. but hot you will taste the difference or end up with what I had, dried leaves.
Many years ago when my hubby made shelves for our pantry, he made the center section wide and accessible from both side. I put canned goods in on one side, pushing them across where I can use the oldest first from the other side. It works great.
Great advice. I’m gluten free and purchased 50 lbs of my gf bread flour. I broke it down into paper bags in the amount I need to make a loaf of bread. Then vacuum sealed the bags and put into buckets.
@@bertieboatright1206 what I did was list 8 meals with chicken, 8 with beef, 8 with pork, 8 with eggs, 8 no meat, 8 with fish, and 8 soups. It made it easier
@@AFrayedKnotMame I did mine for 31 days of dinners & just repeat each month. 5 recipes each for chicken, ground beef, fish, vegetarian, pork & roasts/steaks. 1 day a week is the cook's night off & we just eat leftovers. I also plan on substituting some meals for the seasons (more salads & lighter meals in warmer months & heartier casseroles & stews for the colder months.)
@@cathyrowe594 I love you ladies! Your meal plans are awesome! Mine would need adjustments like more variety. There's just my 20 year old granddaughter and myself. She's gone most of the time. She doesn't like beef or pork, but will come running for a good chicken dinner! For just myself, I have to freeze portions of everything I make.. Makes it easy for me! 💕
@@cookiemama4 You can easily substitute an extra chicken day for a beef or pork day or maybe have a soup & sandwich day instead. With the 5 recipes for each type of meat you don't repeat a meal in the month. You'll eat each meal only 12 times a year! (not counting skipped recipes for holidays, birthdays, dinners out, etc.) Some meals also get skipped because of how the days of the months fall; 30 vrs 31 & what day the month starts on. (I assigned each meat/protein to a particular day of the week so Monday is chicken & Tuesdays are ground beef & cook's night off is the day before I usually grocery shop so the fridge gets emptied.) That gives you the opportunity to swap them around a bit. You can also vary the meals by changing up the side dishes. Example; roast chicken with green beans & mashed potatoes one time & the next month roast chicken with stuffing, corn & cranberry sauce.
I finally realized my dream of a small cabin in the woods, but my dream put me 9 hrs from all my fam n friends. I've offered my place as a bugout destination, but I know that by the time any of them decide they need to leave the comfort of their own homes, it will be too late to get to me- thus I've encouraged them to prepare for themselves. That said- I'm on my own. I've been canning meals so that I can have variety in meals without having to make a potfull that I'm then stuck eating for days until gone. I can open a pint or half pint of pepper steak or bbq pork or burger gravy etc n eat it for only a day or two over rice or pasta or potato flakes.
@@dianeconeby6887 I love my cabin! I miss fam n friends, n get north to visit 2-3xs a year, but I trust God has His reasons for bringing me here. I know it's His will as no one else on the planet has ever gotten the deal I ended up with from total strangers- a free n clear deed in my name while still making payments with zero interest n nothing down, and I've never even met the guy I'm buying from; only spoken over the phone. I pray my loved ones can get here if need be, and am fully prepared for them, but it will be what it will be.
Back in the day when my son was about nine he told us that if we had chicken one more time for dinner he was going to run away 😳. I think he had food fatigue 😁.
I have been buying alot of the packets of gravy, chicken, turkey, beef and country gravies you just add 1 cuo of water! I figured this can change the flavor up a bit! Takes up less room than the cans of gravy.
Same here. Have a container of them. The only reason I have about 4 jars of gravy, is because I know I can reuse those jars for dry items and reseal them. They’re a cute, in between size. Like a between half a pint and a pint, which might be OK for larger size spices.
Thank you for this video. It helped me realize one more way that God is blessing me. I am allergic or reactive to most foods, and only eat 8 things. It has been this way for several years now, and when you commented about food fatigue, I thought that I must be broken because I haven't ever experienced that. Then I realized that I am not broken, I am blessed.
I also have severe food allergies, some intolerances, and a bladder disease which makes eating some food impossible unless you like being in excruciating pain for days! I have more than 8 foods, but only my supper ever varies (and it rotates amongst about 11 meals). Breakfast and lunch have been the same for over 10 years. I too must be blessed!
we live where it is dry and hot which means sunshine, so I have used a big table cloth to cover my huge book shelf of canned and dried goods and covered the book shelf for a darker place
When you buy things, write the expiration date on the front label with medium-size marker. That way you can see it easily and not have to repeatedly look for that tiny date stamp.
Yes, I finally learned. Have a Sharpie on top of my fridge just for that. But when younger I used to think it was silly that my grandfather put those orange pressure label things on most everything he bought (like the ceiling fans had them). But is great. For spices, vac packed foods, freezerd food, and canned stuff.
Great advice. Can I suggest having an outside of the home cooking source such as a camping/propane stove so at least you can warm those canned items if power is lost.
"I'll put the stuff together and work on killing myself on my own. I don't need any help." Honestly the best sentiment I have heard in a long while. Thank you for that chuckle.
Lisa has nailed the subject. Came back to, after viewing dozens of prep videos. Here's the deal... 85% of every preppers sites expands of specifics. Watch others, then come back to this. Listen to each sentence. Play it back several times. Make notes. Everything is here. I spent about 80 hours researching. You sum it up. No BS people... watch all othe others, then come back to this video:) Keep It Simple..... here 'tis....
Great information. I write the expiration date (big) in marker, on the front of the cans. I can look without having to move things to check the top of the can.
I have a big garden, My favorite is my bitty Korean hibachi and small wok. I eat stir fry outside all summer, to avoid heating my house. I also dehydrate outside, same reason. My wok is my fast food machine. I make big batches of rice and freeze them in one cup jars for my wok lunches. Cooking for one. I like canning in cold weather, makes the house cozy. My kiddos like picking their own favorites when eating at my house. It's kinda like the buffet line.
Thank you. I watched this when you first put it out. I'm 73 and I'm watching again. I know we can forget after a while. Regarding the comfort food. I lived in South Florida and raised our children there . Every time a hurricane was seriously approaching I baked a large batch of chocolate chip cookies and it became a habit each hurricane season. You have to stay inside so long during and after a serious storm and arr not able to go outside for sometimeswhat seems like an eternity. . The children were comforted and distracted as they enjoyed snacks. Your points were excellent!
I don't have a pressure canner, but I think that is very clever to consider the uses of the liquid within the jars for reconstituting foods. Very clever indeed!
Leisa… we learn a lot from your videos… you explain everything so good and simple and also your smile and warmth is contagious… thanks for everything… regards from Monterrey, México
I clean out my freezers, refrigerator, pantry, back-up pantry, in March and again in September. Mark all cans, bottles, bags etc. With a sharpie as I purchase items - with "best by" month/year. Make a list of what i have, what needs to be used up soon, and what needs to be restocked. Suggestion: Now I have yet to do this, but get together with a few family members or friends and trade food items you each have to much of and is nearing end of shelve life.
I have felt this ALMOST OBSESSIVE URGE to " get to know my nooks and crannies " in my ENTIRE home. I started with doing inventory in my bathrooms. Then in my kitchen. Ive been working on my food storage and found quite a bit of things our family doesn't like. I cooked up the items and fed them to my chickens. They appreciated hot meals on cold days. Ive encouraged a friend to do the same, she's given me her unwanted items, for my chickens. This is an awesome process that once seemed SO DAUNTING! Ty for sharing 💚🌱
having the water to reconstitute the food is a great point. alot of people miss that. I should go back through my storage and calculate what I need. rather than just guessing
I pretty much only store the foods that my family likes and that includes special treats. It just seems to me that if things get very lean it’ll be very nice to be able to pull out a special treat for an occasion and it will be appreciated tenfold.
I have been building up my food stock, not only with some 30 year shelf life foods (those basics of rice, beans, potatoes, etc.), but I match it up with all of the variety at the local supermarkets. Definitely have a ton of spices. But, also, the way I’ve been dehydrating is to fill quart jars of different things, one each. Everything from spinach flakes to to dried Brussels sprouts to dried blueberries (try keeping your hands outta that!). Once I’m done filling these jars, for whatever jars I still have left, I’ll start over. But, I want o have as much variety stocked up as I can and, now that I better understand food preservation, it’s a no-brainer. As a single person, it can be easy to throw out food sometimes. Like, you may have food in the fridge, which obviously won’t last more than a few days sometimes, but you don’t feel like cooking, who’s gonna know and you feel like picking up Taco Bell tonight. This is a big food/money waste. So, all in all, even if SHTF never arrives, storing food long term makes your mind think in a more preserving way. If you have a lot of variety, you also feel you have more options at home, than you do at a restaurant sometimes. Another thing though is that I consider moving. I’m an apartment dweller. The reality is that, it doesn’t matter how much food I’m able to dehydrate, can and store, which includes plenty of dehydrated vegetables, it isn’t sustainable. There will be a limit to sustainability, if you live in colder climates, because you may not be able to grow year round, but I don’t know that I would rely upon being able to order vegetables in a #10 can off the net, if the supermarkets go bare. As some of us have found, there is no food source that can’t run out of items. Trust me though. Growing things is definitely not me. I kill air plants. But, the reality is that, no matter how much stuff you’re able to can, if things were to go bad long term, you’re going to have to find a way to replenish it for sustainability. That may be why we see so many moving towards homesteading. They just know they have to be able to grow their own food and raise their own livestock. Raising livestock is not ever going to be easy for someone like myself. If you’re of a more urban upbringing and/or an animal lover, but you eat meat, you’ll probably either have to learn how to process animals yourself or know where you can send them for processing.
I just purchased 20 buckets with lids, off our local FB Marketplace. So I have a bucket dealer! LOL He said he gets 5-10 buckets a week! I have 150 pounds of flour to break down. This has truly been the year of new skills for me. Thank you Leisa for all that you do! You and a couple others keep me motivated!
@@dianeconeby6887 The last time I bought a new bucket at Winco In Spokane, Wa. The bucket was $4.87 the lids were 3.97. From the guy I bought these buckets from they were $3 each lids included
@@dianeconeby6887 You can go to Home Depot and look at their buckets. They are the same size. But you want to get a food grade bucket. Depending where you go the lids may be included. Check out a grocery store that serves food and ask. They may have some for free. Fast food restaurants too. :-)
I went a bit sideways with my buckets. I spent the extra to get black, square buckets. I will have to make gaskets for them myself. Sure, most would ask why, if I could get buckets cheaper or for free. But, it’s because I have to look at the ugly things. I don’t have a big pantry or some other hidden space to keep them, where I’d wouldn’t have to look at them all the time. I’m an apartment dweller and, for now, they’re all stacked in the tub, until I can clear space or move the heck up out of here. Moving has been made difficult by not knowing if/when my employer will return us to the workplace.
hahahah I was 5 yrs old during that snow storm of 78. My mom didn't have a car so we walked everywhere we went. I remember falling into a snow drift and my mom and grandma having to dig me out. I asked my daughter to count how many cans of cocoa powder we had in the cabinet. She got frustrated with me about it. I said stop and think of a world without brownies. Within in 3 mins she comes back and says 'we have 1 and half, I think we're low and we're low on chocolate chips, we have 4 yellow and 4 chocolate cake mixes for our backups when you don't want to make it from scratch'.
Herbs and spices also have some amazing nutrient profiles; for example oregano has vitamins A, C, E, Folate, etc., along with a variety of minerals like calcium, zinc, copper and manganese.
Thank you for this, very practical, clear, concise, most helpful! You are the first person I've heard talk about diversity in food preservation methods as backups to your backups - I hadn't thought of this. I am new to all of this, once again, many thanks!
I used to work retail for years and always hated checking dates so what I have done is write all the dates on all my cans . That makes it easy for me and I also keep an inventory record of everything.
I know this was posted 2 yrs ago, but the message is even more important today, December of 2022. I realized during the lockdown that, although hurricane preparation s important, when our SHTF with the lockdown, I was so glad I always have had a fairly well-stocked pantry. But that lockdown really made me start thinking about Ave on the long term. I started gardening, slow but it’s coming along. I also am not too proud to buy some of the things I need to can, like green beans, sweet potatoes, etc. now when I sock up for the short term, I usually buy double - one to use now and one to can. And have unashamedly bought meats on sale and spend the next two or three days canning it. All will be ok if we don’t panic, work together and remember the time may come when a bag of beans becomes tradable. And the other blessing is that those beans can be planted in a container and grown for more beans. Blessings to everyone!😊
Extreme heat ruins food in no time. I live in AZ, and just moved here from WA State 5 years ago. When we were moving in my husband and I put some 25 yr shelf life food in the garage, just not thinking. We found it last year and decided to try one of the meals. 🤮 There are no words to explain how bad it was.
Thank you for your video. I just went through the 16 Milk Crates filled back when I first started hoarding and was desperate. I sorted out the assorted good, Home canned here store bought here, fish here and dehydrated everything there. 7 cans of Del Monte fruit compromised. And A bunch more assorted cans and tins put into the eat now pile. I'm so water rich, I mean water spoiled, .. and still I have ten gallons stashed in the deep dark with a "empty" 45 gallon barrel in the barn. From what you're saying, .. I'm set. Doing some flour tomorrow in one gallon Mylar with Oxy's. You know, God willing. The store brand was gone and I wanted two but settled for just one of the $18 stuff. Man, it's time to get packing. I finally bit the bullet bought 10 buckets with lids for $100 this spring. This is after washing and filling about fifty over the years that I bummed for free,... and they new ones are all full. That's reminds me two turkeys in the freezer that have to come out to thaw and fit into jars. It's a good thing I like cooking, but even then, I know what you mean. Everyone can and will burn out sooner or later. Oh yeah, I found a large Cheese Whiz jar filled with chocolate caramel cups and an Oxy, you'd never know they were three years old by the look of them so I put them back. The fox got the rooster and left the four hens then the hawk took a hen so I locked them up and the racoon broke into the chick hutch and killed 7 of the 10 chicks I had hatched to keep the flock going. Man, ... nothing like raising dead stock. So my birds are locked up tight and I think they are getting used to it. Nothing can get them now besides a two legged critter and that's probably next,.... At least I have a rooster or two coming up and the one surviving hen chick. Oh well, next year a double hatching. Have a great one.
We live in Arizona. I use black out curtains in our food storage room and run the ceiling fan and the A.C. most of the day to keep the canned food at a decent temp. So far, so good. We store some food by vaccum sealing, some we have dehydrated and vac sealed and some is stored in tubs and jars. We use the crock pot weekly and the Microwave daily and air fryer to avoid heating the house up in the summer and we have a Sun Oven and a rocket stove for emergencies. Praying for us all that the food problems don't last too much longer.
I absolutely love your videos! You have taught me so much, and your knowledge definitely helped us get through the first wave of this insanity... thank you for ALL that you teach those who will listen!
You are such a blessing! I'm so glad to have found your channel. I'm grateful that you are sharing your knowledge!! I'm 40 and just learning to prepare as beat I can. Between your channel and Mary's Nest my life has been enriched and I feel like I can survive through these tough times and flourish going forward! 💗
You mentioned “cooking fatigue “, I have it also. Hubby and I are in high risk group so we have not gone out to eat anywhere since March 8. No take out either. I love to cook so I think I lasted longer than most, but I have had it. I am ready to poke death in the eye and go get a sub from our local sub shop. LOL
I agree with you, but beans and rice (as an example) will take on any flavor that you add to them. Wing sauce, BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, Mexican cuisine flavors, etc. To me, they are pretty much a blank canvas in and of themselves....and you can flavor to them in so many ways to be palatable and enjoyable.
I'm probably going to sound like a broken record but thanks a billion for sharing these tips. I've always had a few extra items in my pantry but with Covid well you know everything got kicked up a few notches. Also, I never bought any broth until you mentioned it. Can use it in place of water, very smart. Pls keep sharing for newbies like myself.
Re: food fatigue. I have heard some home canners say they also will keep a small selection of some store bought sauces. You may mske your own bbq sauce, but having a bottle of X Just offers a bit of a change . Or maybe you make a mean curry chicken from scratch.... having a jar of biryani or korma to save you from monotony may be a wildly underrated 'must have' luxury item.
having the liquid for reconstituting and cooking is exactly why I can tomato water. All of that watery liquid that most people skim off & dump down the drain goes in a jar and gets processed for the pantry.
Excellent list! Thank you for sharing. By now I have most of these down without a thought. I keep a variety of dehydrated, frozen, freeze dried, and store bought cans (still looking for that elusive pressure canned I can afford! Lol!), Plus the foods I have water bath canned. I will buy bulk when I can and break it down to usable easier stored sizing, zipper bags in buckets, dry goods I use often in 3gal food grade buckets, mason jars, freezer. I even have picked out in the last few months and found really great pricing on #10 cans of corn, peas, green beans, and my favourite Italian green beans! Ranging in price of $2, $1, and 99¢ each! All with dates expiration dates a year or further out. I only buy 3 of four fans each time I find such a deal, because while I want to make sure I have an emergency pantry on top of my regular one, I want others to eat as well. I had a couple #10 cans from before that were getting close to date so we opened them up and portioned out for our dinner then I drained the rest and dehydrated the rest to use as soup filler. Also thinking about taking some of those green beans and whirring them into powder to add to meatloafs. Also, a habit I picked up From working in large kitchens: I date all shelf goods with the date I bought them (also repackaged foods to be frozen). It helps me kind of keep track of how long it takes me to go through certain items.
I've gotten stuck with a few things we don't eat. I had bought them for special recipes and never made the dish. When I realized they were nearing a best buy date. I googled a recipe to use it up.
I’m from the south. Arkansas to be exact but you are my people. You are amazing and hilarious 😂 but I appreciate all your humor and your teaching. I’m 54 and I pressure canned for the first time on Memorial Day. With your help I wasn’t scared and I think it’s turned out well. Ugly chicken and green beans.
My main problem is having to keep preps in boxes. Next year my goal is shelves. None of my cans are over 2 years yet. I just have felt that actually having the foods are the most important until I see how things go after first of year. I have put bulk items in buckets. I have guest room I’m excited in turning into my prep room but shelving is not cheap and I’m unable to build shelves. I’m working on making my own family cookbook so we can make many dishes we like out of our preps and my grown kids can reference to in my absence. I would hate to take my recipes I have in my memory to the grave and my family not know how to make them.
Thrift shops have book cases, metal shelving, etc. Totes can be bought to use. Habitat sometimes have boards & metal shelf holders. Old doors can become shelves. You can use concrete blocks to set them on. Pallets can be turned into shelves & sometimes they are free. Pantry room does not have to be gorgeous. Furniture can be converted into storage. My pantry is a room from a converted garage. I have a couple of huge entertainment centers. Places that have no doors, I made curtains to keep light out. I have a set of indoor/outdoor string lights. It doesn't put strong light out. I can turn them on by plugging in @ door. They are strung across room. This is enough light to do what I need to. I have picked up metal shelving units @ thrift. I got 2 metal pieces from a old white stove. I paid $5 for both. I made tables to hold my manual equipment like grinders. One holds my dehydrators. Shelves underneath holds items I use for the equipment. The tops of entertainment centers hold my empty mason jars. The room has a high ceiling. I have a couple of doors I plan to turn them into a huge center shelving unit. I want to be able to place jars in on 1 side & use from the other to rotate. You can use what you have or can get. Sorry this was so long. God bless.
Good idea, family cook book. I also thought about multiple copies of recipes to put in each bucket with all ingredients for each dish in there in case bucket needs to go home with adult child or neighbor. Understand storage and I had same thoughts, just get it while I can and work on storing it as we go. Check out auctions, estate auctions especially, estate or garage sales first hour on the last day, as prices are 50 to 75 off. I have picked up great deals on shelves, uugggglllyy but very sturdy and my food sitting on them makes them look just fine. Also, old decorative suitcases work good for mylar bags and folks don't imagine food in them. Old musical instrument cases, school lockers, holiday popcorn tins, are other things fairly rodent proof. You can fit tons of stuff under beds, furniture, behind the couch, stacked up in corners of closets till you get some shelves. Find a business closing and buy some of their hinged lidded totes. These are the absolute BEST for storing mylars. Also, metal doctors office wide drawered file cabinets or even regular ones if doing mylar or dehydrated jarred stuff. Just a few ideas.
@@kathyburson8191 you gave me a lot of good ideas! I’m not worried about ugly I have made a many things look great with spray paint. Funny you mention holiday cans I have one Christmas popcorn tin full of salt and one full of sugar that didn’t fit in buckets till I can get more.😆
The reason some tinned food has sooner use by dates is because supplies were held up for months and also some stores knew prices were going up so they held the food in their warehouses for too long hoping to get higher prices
Another great topic. I learn so much watching your channel. I like how you don't just say do this do that, but explain the why behind it. In March I woke up to the fact I prep food. Living in rural IA with three kids (all adults now, not living at home) my biggest fear was not able to feed them.
New subscriber, thank you for this measured, and common sense conversation on how to store, save, choose the foods you may need for your own situation. All excellent suggestions for those of us who have never really stored food for long term. And water! Yes and perhaps water purification may be needed as well.
My Acct is connected to my sons. For some unknown reason. But I just wanted to say, your so easy to listen to and fun to watch. Your so very knowledgeable with all this. I’m very new at prepping. I’m still trying to figure out where I can put everything. We live in a small house in SC. Hot here a lot. I’ve been buying as much as I can every cpl weeks. My husband and I are retired and on fixed income. Our oldest daughter and granddaughter and son live w us too. Scary times we live in, but you make it seem very easy to stock up and prep. God bless and stay safe. Peggy
@@StoptheChaos7 I had to make an excel spreadsheet! I use that for other things as my "reminder list"! I also email the file to myself in case i lost the file someday
Thank you for sharing these tips! ❤️ vacuum sealing vanilla wafers is such a great idea. I haven’t gotten/made any comfort foods for our food storage. What a great reminder! Could you do a video on canning/storing homemade comfort foods, please?
I make my 5 gallon buckets with a variety of meals. Make sure you add meal appropriate drinks-is, orange drink & coffee w breakfast, tea & punches w dinner. Sweeter coffee creamer etc. Freeze dried is in our long term, world is upside down kinda thing. Good video
If I did not know better, I honestly would say we are sister's . Yes I already have five sister's , so one more would still be a blessing. 😊 We do think a lot alike that's for sure. I am now hooked on your video's.
Great video! I've been prepping for decades but you forget and it was a great reminder list for me. I have a good X Caliber dehydrator but I don't use it because I have two freeze dryers. I store my freeze-dried food in the canning jars and vacuum seal them. In 1999 I filled a big storage room with canning jars and lids and whatever and now I've gone through most of that and unable to find more jars. I really don't like the mylar bags but I'm having to make do. Thankful I have a a backup Supply. Looking forward to seeing more videos. Like I said they're really good reminders for me take care and have a wonderful day. God bless.
@@debbiemalott2945 I've seen quite a few videos on freeze dryers and yes, they are expensive. If you have the money, it's worth it (from what I've seen. Although, again, you would need liquid to rehydrate). The freeze dried food is light weight, takes up less space and lasts much longer. Unfortunately most of us can't afford it. Maybe if you had a couple (or a few) friends to go in on it...? 🤔
On the other hand if you store foods you don’t like too much it will be there when the disaster comes! My husband and I put away a lot of favorites and when we had a bad snow storm for two weeks we went to dig in to our food stash and there was one package of top ramen left because we had gradually eaten all the good stuff over a period of time! We have no self control whatsoever! Believe me, beans and rice would have still been there, haha ,
All good points! I'd be in trouble with beans and rice, as I don't much care for either. I've stored a few of each, since I could eat them occasionally, but otherwise I store only foods I really like. I got a bunch of free buckets with covers from Kroger's bakery many years ago. Just had to clean out the frosting bits. They throw them away if folks don't ask for them.
One of best moves I made was buying food shelves from chinese restaurant closing down. I paid $30 per rack for great strongest inches around put in one bedroom now.an aldis
I suggest that getting low on food supplies, Indian fry bread is easy and only needs flour, baking powder and oil. You can sprinkle powdered sugar on it, drizzle honey, or any seasoning for different flavors. Tractor Supply is good.
If possible, i would suggest storing preps in a couple of different areas around your home and/or property in case one area fails. For eg. some people have their laundry and pantry in one room, what if it floods? Etc, etc.
Food fatigue is real, but not for everyone. I have a limited rotation of meals already. When I started stocking up, I got new things. I started trying them and found I didn't like them. The variety in your storage needs to match the variety of your normal diet. I truly can live on the same five meals forever.
I don't have kids or a spouse nor any family alive. All I have to worry about is me and my food is quite good my caregiver and her son love it so I share with them! I made maybe being soup with ham hocks on Friday with her help and she took home enough to last them a week! It truly warmed the cockles of my heart. :-)
This is a GReat video!! I am pleased with how I scored but yet it is because I am not new at this and I am OLD. 😂 You gave concise absolute information that the newbie might not think about. Thanks so much for the info.
Thank you for such a great playlist , God bless you Im 56 but learning to pressure can & prep even more for me & my husband. Great informative content . Josette Tharp Texas 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Spot on advice! I meal plan based on what I think were going to want this month and, I am not super restrictive with "taco Tuesday", that can create food fatigue as well. I learned this from you, buy what you eat and have what you need to make those meals. One of my kids celebrated their first pandemic birthday; I like to make sure if it's someone's birthday they get to pick the meal, I was worried - I had everthing I needed. That's why I thank you for sharing your advice❤️
I keep my store bought items Marked with month and year so I can see those dates when rotating. I keep a fan moving the air in my storage space always on from spring to early fall it keep the room at 55-75 even in summer as I live on the coast. My rule of thumb is the lower food stored the lower the temps. Store your supplies/ sundry dry good at the top of your storage shelves. And I keep all my shelves covered so no one sees what I have and it keeps e sunshine out and darkness in. Today after canning I realized I’m in need of more canning supplies and more meat to can. Great video for the potatoes and carrots too. Thanks. Love your information 🌻 I store my supplies in my garage as its connected extend to my kitchen and it has a good constant temp.
Hi Leisa, I watch a lot of prepping videos and I have to tell you that I love yours! I’m a few years older than you, ok, maybe 20🤣 and have been prepping since Y2K, so 20 years. Not always seriously prepping, depending on what is or isn’t going on, but I am seriously prepping now. I’ve lived thru various presidents from Eisenhower to Trump, was a democrat back in the JFK days, voting for Trump for the 2nd time, this time around. I just see the hand writing on the wall. Didn’t mean to get political, but am seriously worried for the country no matter who gets elected! That being said, I would seriously encourage people to get ready, not only for civil unrest, but for possible Grand Solar Minimum, etc. Learn to garden, learn to can, learn to cut up meat, and various other skills, mending, cooking, because, if you don’t have what you need, you can at least barter or become an asset to those who do, just sayin🤗
I wish I’d known you sold Thrive stuff, I just bought one of those Pantry Plus organizers. I’ve had a couple now for over 10 years now, and they’re still as great as when they were new. They actually have improved them and make them out of sturdier plastic now :) We love the Thrive FD peas and the Onions. I wish we liked the potato flakes better lol.
You are so needed right now. Thank you. There really is so much to learn. All of the different things we must know is sometimes so exhausting. But you and other preppers help so very much. I've been prepping for 3 years now. I'm better off but still no where near where I would like to be. Thanks once again for sharing all your hard work. Much love.
When I bring my groceries home I check their expiration date and write it on the front of each item then put in pantry according to the dates. Make keep things in order easier.
I've been cooking every meal almost every day for 35 years. The shut down was like nothing to me, because I was used to it. I had friends that were like, this is killing me, for us it was just another "thing". The food shortages, however, was my "wakeup call". I'm awake! I have learned over the years that variety of food is very important. I've enjoyed your how to can meat in a pint jar videos the most, because now with only hubby and myself we can really enjoy a variety that way. I learned a long time ago after reading all of the "Tightwad Gazette" books that meat should be part of the meal, like in soups. That got us through many difficult times. Thank you for all of your hard work. We're prepped as much as we can be, and the rest is in Gods hands.
Pentunia, you rock!
When I was a "young" wife, the tightwad Gazette was a Godsend for stretching money. Everyone needs a copy!
We have the same sort of stuff all the time we don’t get sick of it
Granmom wants to say you should remember buy bulgur it strengthens the meatless varieties and Farina is great replacement for grits.
Growing up we were so poor one winter all we had were split peas and lentils. We were fortunate if the neighbor gave us their ham bone so I know a thing or two about food fatigue.
Years ago, I made the mistake and stored my can goods in my garage. Here in Southern California it isn't unusual to have temperatures at 115 to 120 degrees outside. That means in side my garage it can get even hotter. One day we had a fire inside the house. So as they came to repair the damage I had to remove my can goods from the garage. That is when I realized that all the liquid in my can goods had evaporated. My spinach was nothing but dried spinach, light as a feather. The same for my soups, fruits, even my soda - all dried out and gone. This fire was a wind fall for me because I was able to show the damage and blame the fire on it.
So now I store everything inside the home where there is a climate control available to keep my can goods at a constant temperature. Cool temperatures is O.K. but hot you will taste the difference or end up with what I had, dried leaves.
Many years ago when my hubby made shelves for our pantry, he made the center section wide and accessible from both side. I put canned goods in on one side, pushing them across where I can use the oldest first from the other side. It works great.
"God give me a cookie and don't make me have to bake it"! I feel that. Great video very informative thank you!!
Great advice. I’m gluten free and purchased 50 lbs of my gf bread flour. I broke it down into paper bags in the amount I need to make a loaf of bread. Then vacuum sealed the bags and put into buckets.
I created an 8 week meal plan with no meals (dinners) repeated. Then I based my food storage off that meal plan.
Hope. You don’t mind if I copy you . This is a great idea.
@@bertieboatright1206 what I did was list 8 meals with chicken, 8 with beef, 8 with pork, 8 with eggs, 8 no meat, 8 with fish, and 8 soups. It made it easier
@@AFrayedKnotMame I did mine for 31 days of dinners & just repeat each month. 5 recipes each for chicken, ground beef, fish, vegetarian, pork & roasts/steaks. 1 day a week is the cook's night off & we just eat leftovers. I also plan on substituting some meals for the seasons (more salads & lighter meals in warmer months & heartier casseroles & stews for the colder months.)
@@cathyrowe594
I love you ladies! Your meal plans are awesome! Mine would need adjustments like more variety.
There's just my 20 year old granddaughter and myself. She's gone most of the time. She doesn't like beef or pork, but will come running for a good chicken dinner! For just myself, I have to freeze portions of everything I make.. Makes it easy for me! 💕
@@cookiemama4 You can easily substitute an extra chicken day for a beef or pork day or maybe have a soup & sandwich day instead.
With the 5 recipes for each type of meat you don't repeat a meal in the month. You'll eat each meal only 12 times a year! (not counting skipped recipes for holidays, birthdays, dinners out, etc.) Some meals also get skipped because of how the days of the months fall; 30 vrs 31 & what day the month starts on. (I assigned each meat/protein to a particular day of the week so Monday is chicken & Tuesdays are ground beef & cook's night off is the day before I usually grocery shop so the fridge gets emptied.) That gives you the opportunity to swap them around a bit.
You can also vary the meals by changing up the side dishes. Example; roast chicken with green beans & mashed potatoes one time & the next month roast chicken with stuffing, corn & cranberry sauce.
I finally realized my dream of a small cabin in the woods, but my dream put me 9 hrs from all my fam n friends. I've offered my place as a bugout destination, but I know that by the time any of them decide they need to leave the comfort of their own homes, it will be too late to get to me- thus I've encouraged them to prepare for themselves. That said- I'm on my own. I've been canning meals so that I can have variety in meals without having to make a potfull that I'm then stuck eating for days until gone. I can open a pint or half pint of pepper steak or bbq pork or burger gravy etc n eat it for only a day or two over rice or pasta or potato flakes.
I cant get the gamma lids on the buckets. Got any suggestions
@@laurierich5161 try Amazon.com
@@laurierich5161, A rubber mallet is part of my preps.
Your cabin sounds nice. What a shame you are not near your family. Maybe they will eventually come to join you
@@dianeconeby6887 I love my cabin! I miss fam n friends, n get north to visit 2-3xs a year, but I trust God has His reasons for bringing me here. I know it's His will as no one else on the planet has ever gotten the deal I ended up with from total strangers- a free n clear deed in my name while still making payments with zero interest n nothing down, and I've never even met the guy I'm buying from; only spoken over the phone. I pray my loved ones can get here if need be, and am fully prepared for them, but it will be what it will be.
Back in the day when my son was about nine he told us that if we had chicken one more time for dinner he was going to run away 😳. I think he had food fatigue 😁.
I have been buying alot of the packets of gravy, chicken, turkey, beef and country gravies you just add 1 cuo of water! I figured this can change the flavor up a bit! Takes up less room than the cans of gravy.
been doing the same thing for that reason, change it up here and there
Same here. Have a container of them. The only reason I have about 4 jars of gravy, is because I know I can reuse those jars for dry items and reseal them. They’re a cute, in between size. Like a between half a pint and a pint, which might be OK for larger size spices.
Good idea
Store what you eat- eat what you store! This is the first rule I ever learned.
Thank you for this video. It helped me realize one more way that God is blessing me. I am allergic or reactive to most foods, and only eat 8 things. It has been this way for several years now, and when you commented about food fatigue, I thought that I must be broken because I haven't ever experienced that. Then I realized that I am not broken, I am blessed.
My son has Aspergers and is very picky when it comes to food. I store food that he will eat.
I also have severe food allergies, some intolerances, and a bladder disease which makes eating some food impossible unless you like being in excruciating pain for days! I have more than 8 foods, but only my supper ever varies (and it rotates amongst about 11 meals). Breakfast and lunch have been the same for over 10 years. I too must be blessed!
we live where it is dry and hot which means sunshine, so I have used a big table cloth to cover my huge book shelf of canned and dried goods and covered the book shelf for a darker place
Curtains work too.
When you buy things, write the expiration date on the front label with medium-size marker. That way you can see it easily and not have to repeatedly look for that tiny date stamp.
Yes, I finally learned. Have a Sharpie on top of my fridge just for that. But when younger I used to think it was silly that my grandfather put those orange pressure label things on most everything he bought (like the ceiling fans had them).
But is great. For spices, vac packed foods, freezerd food, and canned stuff.
you have been such a pleasant voice during this madness. thanks for being here!
Great advice.
Can I suggest having an outside of the home cooking source such as a camping/propane stove so at least you can warm those canned items if power is lost.
So true 👍🏽
I was wondering what I needed most right now, and this is it! Thank you for mentioning it. We do need another way to cook.
Don't forget a can opener
"I'll put the stuff together and work on killing myself on my own. I don't need any help." Honestly the best sentiment I have heard in a long while. Thank you for that chuckle.
Lisa has nailed the subject. Came back to, after viewing dozens of prep videos. Here's the deal... 85% of every preppers sites expands of specifics. Watch others, then come back to this. Listen to each sentence. Play it back several times. Make notes. Everything is here. I spent about 80 hours researching. You sum it up. No BS people... watch all othe others, then come back to this video:) Keep It Simple..... here 'tis....
Great information.
I write the expiration date (big) in marker, on the front of the cans. I can look without having to move things to check the top of the can.
I have a big garden, My favorite is my bitty Korean hibachi and small wok. I eat stir fry outside all summer, to avoid heating my house. I also dehydrate outside, same reason. My wok is my fast food machine. I make big batches of rice and freeze them in one cup jars for my wok lunches. Cooking for one.
I like canning in cold weather, makes the house cozy.
My kiddos like picking their own favorites when eating at my house. It's kinda like the buffet line.
I use a wok! Amazing what to do with it!
Thank you. I watched this when you first put it out. I'm 73 and I'm watching again. I know we can forget after a while.
Regarding the comfort food. I lived in South Florida and raised our children there . Every time a hurricane was seriously approaching I baked a large batch of chocolate chip cookies and it became a habit each hurricane season. You have to stay inside so long during and after a serious storm and arr not able to go outside for sometimeswhat seems like an eternity.
. The children were comforted and distracted as they enjoyed snacks. Your points were excellent!
Wow on the cooking pasta in sauce.
I don't have a pressure canner, but I think that is very clever to consider the uses of the liquid within the jars for reconstituting foods. Very clever indeed!
Leisa… we learn a lot from your videos… you explain everything so good and simple and also your smile and warmth is contagious… thanks for everything…
regards from Monterrey, México
I clean out my freezers, refrigerator, pantry, back-up pantry, in March and again in September. Mark all cans, bottles, bags etc. With a sharpie as I purchase items - with "best by" month/year. Make a list of what i have, what needs to be used up soon, and what needs to be restocked. Suggestion: Now I have yet to do this, but get together with a few family members or friends and trade food items you each have to much of and is nearing end of shelve life.
That's a good plan. I should probably put an "Eat What You Got" sign on my fridge and freezer! (and make sure my canning stuff is rotated)
I love this channel. Nice people hang out here!
I have felt this ALMOST OBSESSIVE URGE to " get to know my nooks and crannies " in my ENTIRE home. I started with doing inventory in my bathrooms. Then in my kitchen. Ive been working on my food storage and found quite a bit of things our family doesn't like. I cooked up the items and fed them to my chickens. They appreciated hot meals on cold days. Ive encouraged a friend to do the same, she's given me her unwanted items, for my chickens. This is an awesome process that once seemed SO DAUNTING! Ty for sharing 💚🌱
having the water to reconstitute the food is a great point. alot of people miss that. I should go back through my storage and calculate what I need. rather than just guessing
I pretty much only store the foods that my family likes and that includes special treats. It just seems to me that if things get very lean it’ll be very nice to be able to pull out a special treat for an occasion and it will be appreciated tenfold.
I have been building up my food stock, not only with some 30 year shelf life foods (those basics of rice, beans, potatoes, etc.), but I match it up with all of the variety at the local supermarkets. Definitely have a ton of spices. But, also, the way I’ve been dehydrating is to fill quart jars of different things, one each. Everything from spinach flakes to to dried Brussels sprouts to dried blueberries (try keeping your hands outta that!). Once I’m done filling these jars, for whatever jars I still have left, I’ll start over. But, I want o have as much variety stocked up as I can and, now that I better understand food preservation, it’s a no-brainer.
As a single person, it can be easy to throw out food sometimes. Like, you may have food in the fridge, which obviously won’t last more than a few days sometimes, but you don’t feel like cooking, who’s gonna know and you feel like picking up Taco Bell tonight. This is a big food/money waste. So, all in all, even if SHTF never arrives, storing food long term makes your mind think in a more preserving way. If you have a lot of variety, you also feel you have more options at home, than you do at a restaurant sometimes.
Another thing though is that I consider moving. I’m an apartment dweller. The reality is that, it doesn’t matter how much food I’m able to dehydrate, can and store, which includes plenty of dehydrated vegetables, it isn’t sustainable. There will be a limit to sustainability, if you live in colder climates, because you may not be able to grow year round, but I don’t know that I would rely upon being able to order vegetables in a #10 can off the net, if the supermarkets go bare. As some of us have found, there is no food source that can’t run out of items. Trust me though. Growing things is definitely not me. I kill air plants. But, the reality is that, no matter how much stuff you’re able to can, if things were to go bad long term, you’re going to have to find a way to replenish it for sustainability. That may be why we see so many moving towards homesteading. They just know they have to be able to grow their own food and raise their own livestock.
Raising livestock is not ever going to be easy for someone like myself. If you’re of a more urban upbringing and/or an animal lover, but you eat meat, you’ll probably either have to learn how to process animals yourself or know where you can send them for processing.
Well said.
I bought a bunch of Goya ham seasoning to go with all them beans , kinda like the 15 beans mix in a bag.
I just purchased 20 buckets with lids, off our local FB Marketplace. So I have a bucket dealer! LOL He said he gets 5-10 buckets a week! I have 150 pounds of flour to break down. This has truly been the year of new skills for me. Thank you Leisa for all that you do! You and a couple others keep me motivated!
25 pounds of flour will fit in a 5 gal bucket. FYI. :-)
What is the normal price of these buckets and do you have to buy the lid separately?
@@dianeconeby6887 The last time I bought a new bucket at Winco In Spokane, Wa. The bucket was $4.87 the lids were 3.97. From the guy I bought these buckets from they were $3 each lids included
@@dianeconeby6887 You can go to Home Depot and look at their buckets. They are the same size. But you want to get a food grade bucket. Depending where you go the lids may be included. Check out a grocery store that serves food and ask. They may have some for free. Fast food restaurants too. :-)
I went a bit sideways with my buckets. I spent the extra to get black, square buckets. I will have to make gaskets for them myself.
Sure, most would ask why, if I could get buckets cheaper or for free. But, it’s because I have to look at the ugly things. I don’t have a big pantry or some other hidden space to keep them, where I’d wouldn’t have to look at them all the time. I’m an apartment dweller and, for now, they’re all stacked in the tub, until I can clear space or move the heck up out of here. Moving has been made difficult by not knowing if/when my employer will return us to the workplace.
hahahah I was 5 yrs old during that snow storm of 78. My mom didn't have a car so we walked everywhere we went. I remember falling into a snow drift and my mom and grandma having to dig me out. I asked my daughter to count how many cans of cocoa powder we had in the cabinet. She got frustrated with me about it. I said stop and think of a world without brownies. Within in 3 mins she comes back and says 'we have 1 and half, I think we're low and we're low on chocolate chips, we have 4 yellow and 4 chocolate cake mixes for our backups when you don't want to make it from scratch'.
😅😅😅
❤️❤️
This is seriously the most brilliant prepper video I have ever watched. Made me laugh out loud a few times too. You are spot on here! Thank you!!!
Herbs and spices also have some amazing nutrient profiles; for example oregano has vitamins A, C, E, Folate, etc., along with a variety of minerals like calcium, zinc, copper and manganese.
Thank you for this, very practical, clear, concise, most helpful! You are the first person I've heard talk about diversity in food preservation methods as backups to your backups - I hadn't thought of this. I am new to all of this, once again, many thanks!
I used to work retail for years and always hated checking dates so what I have done is write all the dates on all my cans . That makes it easy for me and I also keep an inventory record of everything.
I know this was posted 2 yrs ago, but the message is even more important today, December of 2022. I realized during the lockdown that, although hurricane preparation s important, when our SHTF with the lockdown, I was so glad I always have had a fairly well-stocked pantry. But that lockdown really made me start thinking about Ave on the long term.
I started gardening, slow but it’s coming along. I also am not too proud to buy some of the things I need to can, like green beans, sweet potatoes, etc. now when I sock up for the short term, I usually buy double - one to use now and one to can. And have unashamedly bought meats on sale and spend the next two or three days canning it.
All will be ok if we don’t panic, work together and remember the time may come when a bag of beans becomes tradable. And the other blessing is that those beans can be planted in a container and grown for more beans. Blessings to everyone!😊
A trick is to date the cans when you start stocking them. i usually put month and year on lid
I love your common sense approach. Thankyou
Wonderfully done. Thank you. My comfort food means: give me the chocolate and nobody gets hurt. :)
So true!
Extreme heat ruins food in no time. I live in AZ, and just moved here from WA State 5 years ago. When we were moving in my husband and I put some 25 yr shelf life food in the garage, just not thinking. We found it last year and decided to try one of the meals. 🤮 There are no words to explain how bad it was.
Thank you for your video.
I just went through the 16 Milk Crates filled back when I first started hoarding and was desperate. I sorted out the assorted good, Home canned here store bought here, fish here and dehydrated everything there.
7 cans of Del Monte fruit compromised. And A bunch more assorted cans and tins put into the eat now pile.
I'm so water rich, I mean water spoiled, .. and still I have ten gallons stashed in the deep dark with a "empty" 45 gallon barrel in the barn.
From what you're saying, .. I'm set.
Doing some flour tomorrow in one gallon Mylar with Oxy's. You know, God willing. The store brand was gone and I wanted two but settled for just one of the $18 stuff. Man, it's time to get packing.
I finally bit the bullet bought 10 buckets with lids for $100 this spring. This is after washing and filling about fifty over the years that I bummed for free,... and they new ones are all full.
That's reminds me two turkeys in the freezer that have to come out to thaw and fit into jars.
It's a good thing I like cooking, but even then, I know what you mean. Everyone can and will burn out sooner or later.
Oh yeah, I found a large Cheese Whiz jar filled with chocolate caramel cups and an Oxy, you'd never know they were three years old by the look of them so I put them back.
The fox got the rooster and left the four hens then the hawk took a hen so I locked them up and the racoon broke into the chick hutch and killed 7 of the 10 chicks I had hatched to keep the flock going. Man, ... nothing like raising dead stock.
So my birds are locked up tight and I think they are getting used to it. Nothing can get them now besides a two legged critter and that's probably next,.... At least I have a rooster or two coming up and the one surviving hen chick. Oh well, next year a double hatching.
Have a great one.
We live in Arizona. I use black out curtains in our food storage room and run the ceiling fan and the A.C. most of the day to keep the canned food at a decent temp. So far, so good. We store some food by vaccum sealing, some we have dehydrated and vac sealed and some is stored in tubs and jars. We use the crock pot weekly and the Microwave daily and air fryer to avoid heating the house up in the summer and we have a Sun Oven and a rocket stove for emergencies. Praying for us all that the food problems don't last too much longer.
Hi. Got notification. I write on the top of the can in large sharpie the year of best buy date.
That's a great idea!
We do the same, but write it on the label facing outward. So when you look at the shelf, you can see the dates. Shalom and Blessings!
With freeze dried food, I put the date the can is opened too so know to use it before its not good.
I absolutely love your videos! You have taught me so much, and your knowledge definitely helped us get through the first wave of this insanity... thank you for ALL that you teach those who will listen!
You are such a blessing! I'm so glad to have found your channel. I'm grateful that you are sharing your knowledge!! I'm 40 and just learning to prepare as beat I can. Between your channel and Mary's Nest my life has been enriched and I feel like I can survive through these tough times and flourish going forward! 💗
You chose two great channels. May I also suggest The Purposeful Pantry, Prepper potpourri, and Deep South Homestead. :-)
@@jumpoffa5011 thank you for the suggestions. I will check them out. 👍
@@theresamahle6018 :-)
@@theresamahle6018 Homestead Corner is a good one too.
Also, Homestead Heart, Rain Country and Alaska Prepper. Have fun! 😁
You mentioned “cooking fatigue “, I have it also. Hubby and I are in high risk group so we have not gone out to eat anywhere since March 8. No take out either. I love to cook so I think I lasted longer than most, but I have had it. I am ready to poke death in the eye and go get a sub from our local sub shop. LOL
I agree with you, but beans and rice (as an example) will take on any flavor that you add to them. Wing sauce, BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, Mexican cuisine flavors, etc. To me, they are pretty much a blank canvas in and of themselves....and you can flavor to them in so many ways to be palatable and enjoyable.
I learned breaking down, bulk food into smaller portions growing up, but didn’t understand why until I was on my own
I'm probably going to sound like a broken record but thanks a billion for sharing these tips. I've always had a few extra items in my pantry but with Covid well you know everything got kicked up a few notches. Also, I never bought any broth until you mentioned it. Can use it in place of water, very smart. Pls keep sharing for newbies like myself.
Re: food fatigue. I have heard some home canners say they also will keep a small selection of some store bought sauces. You may mske your own bbq sauce, but having a bottle of X Just offers a bit of a change . Or maybe you make a mean curry chicken from scratch.... having a jar of biryani or korma to save you from monotony may be a wildly underrated 'must have' luxury item.
having the liquid for reconstituting and cooking is exactly why I can tomato water. All of that watery liquid that most people skim off & dump down the drain goes in a jar and gets processed for the pantry.
Excellent list! Thank you for sharing. By now I have most of these down without a thought. I keep a variety of dehydrated, frozen, freeze dried, and store bought cans (still looking for that elusive pressure canned I can afford! Lol!), Plus the foods I have water bath canned. I will buy bulk when I can and break it down to usable easier stored sizing, zipper bags in buckets, dry goods I use often in 3gal food grade buckets, mason jars, freezer. I even have picked out in the last few months and found really great pricing on #10 cans of corn, peas, green beans, and my favourite Italian green beans! Ranging in price of $2, $1, and 99¢ each! All with dates expiration dates a year or further out. I only buy 3 of four fans each time I find such a deal, because while I want to make sure I have an emergency pantry on top of my regular one, I want others to eat as well. I had a couple #10 cans from before that were getting close to date so we opened them up and portioned out for our dinner then I drained the rest and dehydrated the rest to use as soup filler. Also thinking about taking some of those green beans and whirring them into powder to add to meatloafs.
Also, a habit I picked up From working in large kitchens: I date all shelf goods with the date I bought them (also repackaged foods to be frozen). It helps me kind of keep track of how long it takes me to go through certain items.
I've gotten stuck with a few things we don't eat. I had bought them for special recipes and never made the dish. When I realized they were nearing a best buy date. I googled a recipe to use it up.
I’m from the south. Arkansas to be exact but you are my people. You are amazing and hilarious 😂 but I appreciate all your humor and your teaching. I’m 54 and I pressure canned for the first time on Memorial Day. With your help I wasn’t scared and I think it’s turned out well. Ugly chicken and green beans.
You did it!!! Congrats!!!
@@SuttonsDaze what advice do you have for the terrified 1st timer with alot of meat to raw pack? It's ridiculous how scared I am.
@@sillylilysallykaye4917 Simple. Trust the process. It works if you follow it.
@@SuttonsDaze OK. Ill give it a go.
Yiou are the type of neighbor I would love to have. I live alone and the folks living near me don't know what is going on.
I ALWAYS ROTATE BY THE BEST BUY DATE AND ALIGN ROTATION ACCORDINGLY. I WRITE THE MONTH-YEAR ON THE FRONT OF THE CAN WITH A PERMANENT MARKER.
My main problem is having to keep preps in boxes. Next year my goal is shelves. None of my cans are over 2 years yet. I just have felt that actually having the foods are the most important until I see how things go after first of year. I have put bulk items in buckets. I have guest room I’m excited in turning into my prep room but shelving is not cheap and I’m unable to build shelves. I’m working on making my own family cookbook so we can make many dishes we like out of our preps and my grown kids can reference to in my absence. I would hate to take my recipes I have in my memory to the grave and my family not know how to make them.
Thrift shops have book cases, metal shelving, etc. Totes can be bought to use. Habitat sometimes have boards & metal shelf holders. Old doors can become shelves. You can use concrete blocks to set them on. Pallets can be turned into shelves & sometimes they are free. Pantry room does not have to be gorgeous. Furniture can be converted into storage. My pantry is a room from a converted garage. I have a couple of huge entertainment centers. Places that have no doors, I made curtains to keep light out. I have a set of indoor/outdoor string lights. It doesn't put strong light out. I can turn them on by plugging in @ door. They are strung across room. This is enough light to do what I need to. I have picked up metal shelving units @ thrift. I got 2 metal pieces from a old white stove. I paid $5 for both. I made tables to hold my manual equipment like grinders. One holds my dehydrators. Shelves underneath holds items I use for the equipment. The tops of entertainment centers hold my empty mason jars. The room has a high ceiling. I have a couple of doors I plan to turn them into a huge center shelving unit. I want to be able to place jars in on 1 side & use from the other to rotate. You can use what you have or can get. Sorry this was so long. God bless.
Good idea, family cook book. I also thought about multiple copies of recipes to put in each bucket with all ingredients for each dish in there in case bucket needs to go home with adult child or neighbor. Understand storage and I had same thoughts, just get it while I can and work on storing it as we go. Check out auctions, estate auctions especially, estate or garage sales first hour on the last day, as prices are 50 to 75 off. I have picked up great deals on shelves, uugggglllyy but very sturdy and my food sitting on them makes them look just fine. Also, old decorative suitcases work good for mylar bags and folks don't imagine food in them. Old musical instrument cases, school lockers, holiday popcorn tins, are other things fairly rodent proof. You can fit tons of stuff under beds, furniture, behind the couch, stacked up in corners of closets till you get some shelves. Find a business closing and buy some of their hinged lidded totes. These are the absolute BEST for storing mylars. Also, metal doctors office wide drawered file cabinets or even regular ones if doing mylar or dehydrated jarred stuff. Just a few ideas.
That is good thinking ahead.
@@kathyburson8191 you gave me a lot of good ideas! I’m not worried about ugly I have made a many things look great with spray paint. Funny you mention holiday cans I have one Christmas popcorn tin full of salt and one full of sugar that didn’t fit in buckets till I can get more.😆
@@elizabethcope1502 great ideas, thank you!
The reason some tinned food has sooner use by dates is because supplies were held up for months and also some stores knew prices were going up so they held the food in their warehouses for too long hoping to get higher prices
Another great prepping video....thank you Leisa....
Really appreciate your time and help!! Love the practical, non-judgmental advice for the beginner. We are not dumb, just learning new skills! 😁
We were all new to this at one time ❤
Another great topic. I learn so much watching your channel. I like how you don't just say do this do that, but explain the why behind it. In March I woke up to the fact I prep food. Living in rural IA with three kids (all adults now, not living at home) my biggest fear was not able to feed them.
New subscriber, thank you for this measured, and common sense conversation on how to store, save, choose the foods you may need for your own situation. All excellent suggestions for those of us who have never really stored food for long term. And water! Yes and perhaps water purification may be needed as well.
My Acct is connected to my sons. For some unknown reason. But I just wanted to say, your so easy to listen to and fun to watch. Your so very knowledgeable with all this. I’m very new at prepping. I’m still trying to figure out where I can put everything. We live in a small house in SC. Hot here a lot. I’ve been buying as much as I can every cpl weeks. My husband and I are retired and on fixed income. Our oldest daughter and granddaughter and son live w us too. Scary times we live in, but you make it seem very easy to stock up and prep. God bless and stay safe. Peggy
@@StoptheChaos7 I had to make an excel spreadsheet! I use that for other things as my "reminder list"! I also email the file to myself in case i lost the file someday
If any room has wall space, store canned goods in stacked cardboard boxes, cover with tablecloth/sheet. Use as a side table or desktop.
Thank you for sharing these tips! ❤️ vacuum sealing vanilla wafers is such a great idea. I haven’t gotten/made any comfort foods for our food storage. What a great reminder! Could you do a video on canning/storing homemade comfort foods, please?
Can I do Oreos??
I make my 5 gallon buckets with a variety of meals. Make sure you add meal appropriate drinks-is, orange drink & coffee w breakfast, tea & punches w dinner. Sweeter coffee creamer etc. Freeze dried is in our long term, world is upside down kinda thing. Good video
Thank you for being realistic and reasonable! 🙂
A very helpful video, much appreciated ! *Love and Light*
If I did not know better, I honestly would say we are sister's . Yes I already have five sister's , so one more would still be a blessing. 😊 We do think a lot alike that's for sure. I am now hooked on your video's.
Great video! I've been prepping for decades but you forget and it was a great reminder list for me. I have a good X Caliber dehydrator but I don't use it because I have two freeze dryers. I store my freeze-dried food in the canning jars and vacuum seal them. In 1999 I filled a big storage room with canning jars and lids and whatever and now I've gone through most of that and unable to find more jars. I really don't like the mylar bags but I'm having to make do. Thankful I have a a backup Supply. Looking forward to seeing more videos. Like I said they're really good reminders for me take care and have a wonderful day. God bless.
K Wayne, what kind of Freeze dryers do you have? Are they expensive? Do you use your Excalibur dehydrator too ? My dehydrator just gave out.
@@debbiemalott2945 I've seen quite a few videos on freeze dryers and yes, they are expensive. If you have the money, it's worth it (from what I've seen. Although, again, you would need liquid to rehydrate). The freeze dried food is light weight, takes up less space and lasts much longer. Unfortunately most of us can't afford it. Maybe if you had a couple (or a few) friends to go in on it...? 🤔
On the other hand if you store foods you don’t like too much it will be there when the disaster comes! My husband and I put away a lot of favorites and when we had a bad snow storm for two weeks we went to dig in to our food stash and there was one package of top ramen left because we had gradually eaten all the good stuff over a period of time! We have no self control whatsoever! Believe me, beans and rice would have still been there, haha
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All good points! I'd be in trouble with beans and rice, as I don't much care for either. I've stored a few of each, since I could eat them occasionally, but otherwise I store only foods I really like. I got a bunch of free buckets with covers from Kroger's bakery many years ago. Just had to clean out the frosting bits. They throw them away if folks don't ask for them.
One of best moves I made was buying food shelves from chinese restaurant closing down. I paid $30 per rack for great strongest inches around put in one bedroom now.an aldis
I suggest that getting low on food supplies, Indian fry bread is easy and only needs flour, baking powder and oil. You can sprinkle powdered sugar on it, drizzle honey, or any seasoning for different flavors. Tractor Supply is good.
Loved this! Thank you!
My mason jar vacuum attachment finally shipped today! I'm so excited to vacuum seal some dry goods in jars!
Where did you find one Jennifer??!! Ive been searching and cant find them anywhere. Ebay had them for 100$ average but i cant justify that price.
Jennifer W They're great!
Same!!!
Where did you buy this?
@@dianeconeby6887 They go in and out of stock on Amazon.
If possible, i would suggest storing preps in a couple of different areas around your home and/or property in case one area fails. For eg. some people have their laundry and pantry in one room, what if it floods? Etc, etc.
So much good information I hadn’t thought of!
I absolutely love you Liesa! I wish you were my neighbor! Thank you so much for this!
Food fatigue is real, but not for everyone. I have a limited rotation of meals already. When I started stocking up, I got new things. I started trying them and found I didn't like them. The variety in your storage needs to match the variety of your normal diet.
I truly can live on the same five meals forever.
I love beans and rice, rice and beans. You can add different seasonings.
I don't have kids or a spouse nor any family alive. All I have to worry about is me and my food is quite good my caregiver and her son love it so I share with them! I made maybe being soup with ham hocks on Friday with her help and she took home enough to last them a week! It truly warmed the cockles of my heart. :-)
This is a GReat video!! I am pleased with how I scored but yet it is because I am not new at this and I am OLD. 😂 You gave concise absolute information that the newbie might not think about. Thanks so much for the info.
Thank you for such a great playlist ,
God bless you
Im 56 but learning to pressure can & prep even more for me & my husband.
Great informative content .
Josette Tharp
Texas 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Hi
I'm 75 and am waiting for my canner to arrive!!
Thank you !!! I hope people open up and get willing to learn from people like you.
I can’t wait for it to go on sale. I am going to the store and paying full price to try this!
Spot on advice! I meal plan based on what I think were going to want this month and, I am not super restrictive with "taco Tuesday", that can create food fatigue as well. I learned this from you, buy what you eat and have what you need to make those meals. One of my kids celebrated their first pandemic birthday; I like to make sure if it's someone's birthday they get to pick the meal, I was worried - I had everthing I needed. That's why I thank you for sharing your advice❤️
Variety is the BIGGEST takeaway for me!! I have been trying to keep a good variety of foods stocked. Thank you for this!
I keep my store bought items Marked with month and year so I can see those dates when rotating.
I keep a fan moving the air in my storage space always on from spring to early fall it keep the room at 55-75 even in summer as I live on the coast.
My rule of thumb is the lower food stored the lower the temps. Store your supplies/ sundry dry good at the top of your storage shelves. And I keep all my shelves covered so no one sees what I have and it keeps e sunshine out and darkness in.
Today after canning I realized I’m in need of more canning supplies and more meat to can.
Great video for the potatoes and carrots too. Thanks. Love your information 🌻 I store my supplies in my garage as its connected extend to my kitchen and it has a good constant temp.
Hi Leisa, I watch a lot of prepping videos and I have to tell you that I love yours! I’m a few years older than you, ok, maybe 20🤣 and have been prepping since Y2K, so 20 years. Not always seriously prepping, depending on what is or isn’t going on, but I am seriously prepping now. I’ve lived thru various presidents from Eisenhower to Trump, was a democrat back in the JFK days, voting for Trump for the 2nd time, this time around. I just see the hand writing on the wall. Didn’t mean to get political, but am seriously worried for the country no matter who gets elected! That being said, I would seriously encourage people to get ready, not only for civil unrest, but for possible Grand Solar Minimum, etc. Learn to garden, learn to can, learn to cut up meat, and various other skills, mending, cooking, because, if you don’t have what you need, you can at least barter or become an asset to those who do, just sayin🤗
I make hamburger and rice burritos with taco seasoning. I make cheesy rice I make rice pudding. I make tons of rice and spices rice in home made soups
I wish I’d known you sold Thrive stuff, I just bought one of those Pantry Plus organizers. I’ve had a couple now for over 10 years now, and they’re still as great as when they were new. They actually have improved them and make them out of sturdier plastic now :) We love the Thrive FD peas and the Onions. I wish we liked the potato flakes better lol.
Use a sharpie to write on the packaging the date you bought the item. It helps.
I put use by date on all can goods that come into the house makes it easy at a glance.
You are so needed right now. Thank you. There really is so much to learn. All of the different things we must know is sometimes so exhausting. But you and other preppers help so very much. I've been prepping for 3 years now. I'm better off but still no where near where I would like to be. Thanks once again for sharing all your hard work. Much love.
This was perfect to send to my daughter that just began her pantry this year. Thank you!
When I bring my groceries home I check their expiration date and write it on the front of each item then put in pantry according to the dates. Make keep things in order easier.
I use a permanent marker and put date and year on my purchase canned foods. Really easy to read
I do the same