three-month supply summary

We've now completed the steps for gathering a three-month supply. Shopping for the items on your three-month supply menu can take as little or as long as you can afford.

"Build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a few extra items each week to build a one-week supply of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply until it is sufficient for three months. These items should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage." (All Is Safely Gathered In: Home Storage)

There are many ways to gather a three-month supply. You have to figure out which method is best for you. Though it may be tempting to copy someone else's menu or shopping list, it is important that your menu choices be based on your family's "normal, daily diet" not someone else's. You do not need to store wheat or beans for your three-month supply, though you can if this is the type of food that you normally eat.

Most of the supplies that you need for your three-month supply should be available at your neighborhood grocery store. There are some local and/or online retailers including but not limited to local recreation/camping stores, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Walton Feed, Shelf Reliance, and Emergency Essentials that sell dehydrated or freeze-dried products that you may choose to store in place of fresh products.

Here is a summary of our three-month supply goals:

Breakfast:
Create a breakfast menu.
Make a shopping list.
Go shopping.

Lunch:
Create a lunch menu.
Make a shopping list.
Go shopping.

Dinner:
Create a dinner menu.
Make a shopping list.
Make copies of your menus and shopping lists and keep shopping.

Let me know how you are progressing by checking in using the poll to the right.

goal 2(i) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Making a shopping list for your lunch menu.

Now:
Copy your menu/shopping list and start shopping.

Congratulations! Even if you don't have your shopping done -- or even started, you now have a three-month supply menu and shopping list. In my opinion, making these lists is the hardest part of the process. Make several copies and keep one in your purse, diaper bag and/or car. Start watching for sales, set aside a little money to use on food storage, and buy a few cans at a time when you can. Eventually, and probably before you even know it, you'll have your three-month supply!

goal 2(h) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Create a dinner menu.

Now:
Making a shopping list for your lunch menu.
[Remember to adapt your menu for three months.]



(Here is how I came up with my own shopping list)

My Dinner Menu:
A. Chili (need 78 servings - 5 servings each for 16 meals)
B. Black beans & rice (78 servings)
C. Burritos (78 servings)
D. Wild Rice Soup (78 servings)
E. Taco Soup (78 servings)
F. Chicken Alfredo (78 servings)
Green Beans/Canned Corn (465 servings)
Canned Peaches/Applesauce (465 servings)

Three months = 93 days. I need to feed a family of five for 93 days. That means I need to have 465 dinner servings (93 multiplied by 5). There are six meals on the lunch menu, so I divide the 465 breakfast servings by 6 meals (465 divided by 6). So, I need 78 servings of each dinner menu item.

My DINNER product list:
Cans of Chili (32 cans)
Black Beans (32 cans)
Rice (78 servings +78 cups)
Refried Beans (32 cans)
Tortillas (ingredients - flour (48 cups), salt (1 container), baking powder (1 pkg), oil (16 oz.), water)
Salsa (3 bottles)
Long Grain Rice (16 boxes)
Flour (8 cups)
Freeze-dried onions (1 package)
Freeze-dried/Dehydrated carrots (#10 can)
Ham (or other meat)
Powdered Milk (#10 can)
Canned Corn (16 cans)
Pinto Beans (16 cans)
Canned Tomatoes (16 cans)
Alfredo Sauce (16 packages)
Canned Chicken (16 cans)
Pasta (78 servings)
Green Beans/Canned Corn (93 cans)
Applesauce/ Peaches (93 meals worth)

My Inventory:
Cans of Chili (32 cans)
9 cans
NEED 23 cans!
Black Beans (32 cans)
48 + cans
DONE!
Rice (78 servings +78 cups)
1 bucket +
DONE!
Refried Beans (32 cans)
36+ cans
DONE!
Tortillas
ingredients -
flour (48 cups)
1 bucket +
DONE!
salt (1 container),
1 container +
DONE!
baking powder (1 pkg),
1 large container +
DONE!
oil (16 oz.),
1 48 oz container +
DONE!
water
DONE!
Salsa (3 bottles)
1 bottle
NEED 2 bottles
Long Grain Rice (16 boxes)
3 boxes
NEED 13 boxes
Flour (8 cups)
3 buckets
DONE!
Onions (1 package)
11 ounces of dehydrated onions
DONE!
Carrots (#10 can)
#10 can
DONE!
Ham (or other meat)
NEED 30 servings!
Powdered Milk (#10 can)
#10 can +
DONE!
Canned Corn (16 cans)
4 cans
NEED 12 cans!
Pinto Beans (16 cans)
2 cans plus 2 #10 cans of dried beans
DONE!
Canned Tomatoes (16 cans)
17 cans
DONE!
Alfredo Sauce (16 packages)
21 packages
DONE!
Canned Chicken (16 cans)
I have chicken, but have already counted it towards lunch menu.
NEED 16 cans of chicken!
Pasta (78 servings)
I have pasta that has already been counted towards the lunch menu.
NEED 16 meals worth of pasta!
Green Beans/Canned Corn (93 meals)
48 cans of green beans
NEED 45 cans of green beans or corn!
Applesauce/Peaches (93 meals)
7 meals of applesauce, 58 meals of peaches
NEED 28 meals worth applesauce/peaches!

My Shopping List:
23 cans of chili
2 bottles of Salsa
13 boxes of Long Grain Rice
30 servings of ham
12 cans of corn
16 cans of chicken
16 meals of pasta
45 cans beans or corn
28 meals of applesauce/peaches

goal 2(g) - three-month supply

Are you ready to get started again?

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Shop for items on your breakfast & lunch menu.

Now:
Create a dinner menu.

[Determine which meals you regularly have for dinner. Decide which meals are compatible with a storage plan. Include any accompanying foods. Write down your menu.]

Here is my dinner menu:
A. Chili
B. Black beans & rice
C. Burritos
D. Soup (wild rice, taco)
E. Chicken Alfredo

Accompanying Foods:
Green Beans/Canned Corn
Canned Peaches/Applesauce

Creating my dinner menu has been more difficult than my other two menus. I'd like a lot of variety in the meals for my three-month storage, but also want to be realistic in choosing items that we already eat and that also store well. My dinner meals are definitely bean-heavy, but I didn't use any beans in my lunch menu.

If you still haven't finished shopping for your breakfast and lunch menus, don't worry. Make your dinner menu and, in a few days, your dinner shopping list -- and then you'll be set to gather items for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can then purchase items a few at a time, when they are on sale, or as your finances permit.

goal 2(f) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Making a shopping list for your lunch menu.

Now:
Start shopping.


You probably haven't finished shopping for items on your breakfast menu yet. No worries! I recommend that you keep your breakfast, lunch (and eventually dinner) menus together and handy. Keep a copy in your purse or car. Then when you see a sale, you can purchase any needed menu items or restock as needed.

goal 2(e) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Create a lunch menu.

Now:
Making a shopping list for your lunch menu.
[Remember to adapt your menu for three months.]



(Here is how I came up with my own shopping list)

My Lunch Menu:
1 - PB&J or honey Sandwiches (117 servings)
2 - Chicken Sandwiches(117 servings)
3 - Soup (39 servings)/Ravioli (39 servings)/Spaghettios (39 servings)
4 - Pasta & Cheese (87 servings)/Tomato Sauce (30 servings)
Fruit - Mandarin Oranges/Fresh Fruit/Dried Apples (93 meals or 465 servings)
Fresh Veggies
Fruit Drink Mix (93 meals or 465 servings)

Three months = 93 days. I need to feed a family of five for 93 days. That means I need to have 465 lunch servings (93 multiplied by 5). There are four meals on the lunch menu, so I divide the 465 breakfast servings by 4 meals (465 divided by 4). So, I need 117 servings of each lunch menu item. This time things are more complicated (than breakfast) because I'm using some variety in the four-meal rotation. I'm just going to make sure that my serving totals add up to 117 for each meal in the menu.

(This is the hardest step for me. It means I have to go look at recipes and serving sizes as well as do a lot of math. But after you've done it once, you shouldn't have to do it again unless you alter your menu.)

My LUNCH product list
Bread (234 servings) or 47 loaves of bread
Flour/Wheat - 141 cups
Sugar - 8 cups
Salt - 1 container
Oil - 8 cups
Yeast - 47 tablespoons
Peanut Butter (117 servings)
Jelly – (97 servings)
Honey - (20 servings)
Canned Chicken (117 servings)
Mayonnaise (117 servings)
Canned Soup (39 servings)
Canned Ravioli (39 servings)
Canned Spaghettios (39 servings)
Pasta (87 servings)
Spaghetti Noodles (30 servings)
Pasta Sauce (59 servings)
Dried Cheese (59 servings)
Mandarin Oranges (72 cans)
Dried Apples (#10 cans)
Drink Mix (1 can)

My Inventory
Flour/Wheat - 141 cups (35 lbs of flour/wheat)
2 - 25 lb buckets flour/50 lb buckets wheat
DONE!
Sugar - 8 cups (4 lbs)
1 – 25 lbs. bucket of sugar
DONE!
Salt - 1 container
DONE!
Oil - 8 cups (2 quarts)
DONE! (could be rotated)
Yeast - 47 tablespoons
2 packages of yeast
DONE!
Peanut Butter (10 pounds)
26, 40, 48, 64 ounces =178 ounces
DONE!
Jelly – (5 lbs.)
3 – 2 lb jars
DONE!
Honey - (2 small containers)
DONE!
Canned Chicken (34 cans)
4 cans
NEED 30 cans
Mayonnaise (60 ounces)
DONE!
Canned Soup (20 cans)
12 cans
NEED dry soup mix
Canned Ravioli (20 cans)
NEED 20 cans
Canned Spaghettios (20 cans)
8 cans
NEED 12 cans
Pasta (117 servings)
48 servings
DONE!
Pasta Sauce (6 jars)
4 jars
NEED 2 jars
Dried Cheese (59 servings)
NEED #10 can of powdered cheese
Mandarin Oranges (72 cans)
84 cans
DONE!
Dried Apples/Fresh fruit
DONE!
Drink Mix (1 can)
DONE!

My Shopping List
#10 can dried soup mix
20 cans of ravioli
12 cans of spaghettios
2 jars of pasta sauce
#10 can powdered cheese
30 cans of chicken

goal 2(d) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Shop for items on your breakfast menu.

Now:
Create a lunch menu.
[Determine which meals you regularly have for lunch. Decide which meals are compatible with a storage plan. Include any accompanying foods. Write down your menu.]


My Lunch Menu:
A - PB&J or honey sandwiches
B - Soup - Ravioli - Spaghettios
C - Chicken sandwiches
D - Mac & Cheese//Pasta & Tomato Sauce

Accompanying Foods:
Mandarin Oranges
Fresh Fruit (preserved or dried)
Dried Apples
Garden Veggies (fresh, preserved or dried)
Juice Mix

All of these meals will work fine for three-month storage. The one element that gives me pause are the chicken sandwiches. I really like my chicken salad sandwich to have Mayo or Miracle Whip. I already store both, but once they are opened they need refrigeration. I've thought of several possible solutions. I could buy single servings of mayo (expensive and hard to rotate). I could buy smaller jars (wasteful if there isn't refrigeration available). I could learn how to make my own mayonnaise. However, I think that it requires eggs. I'll look into these problems. In the meantime, I'll store a combination of single serving packets and jars. Garden veggies will work fine for my lunch menus because I plant carrots which can be left in the ground throughout the winter.

The assumption that I'm making for this storage plan is that I cannot get to the store (or the store has run out of supplies). I am assuming that I can cook. Even without electricity, I have access to a fire pit or a grill. I am not relying on refrigeration for any of these meals.

My Sister's Lunch Menu:
(Note: She does not separate lunch and dinner menus)
Chili and rice
Mac & Cheese
Raviolis or Spaghettios
Tuna, turkey & chicken sandwiches
PB& J sandwiches
Soup
Beans & Rice
Spaghetti
Mandarin oranges
Apple sauce
Green beans
Corn
Juice mix

goal 2(c) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Making a shopping list for your breakfast menu.

Now:
Start shopping.

Unless you have saved the money, this won't be a single shopping trip. When you go to the store, pick up an extra package of pancake mix or an extra box or two of cereal. Remember what President Hinckley said, "We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. Begin in a small way, . . . and gradually build toward a reasonable objective."

goal 2(b) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Previously:
Create a breakfast menu.

Now:
Making a shopping list for your breakfast menu.
[Remember to adapt your menu for three months.]

I previously created the following full breakfast menu:
1 - Oatmeal and juice
2 - Cold Cereal and milk
3 - Pancakes and milk

Three months = 93 days.
[You can round this number to 100 if it's easier to remember]
I need to feed a family of five for 93 days. That means I need to have 465 breakfast servings (93 multiplied by 5). There are three meals on the breakfast menu, so I divide the 465 breakfast servings by 3 meals (465 divided by 3). So, I need 155 servings of each breakfast menu item.

Want an algebra equation?
f=number of family members,
m=number of meals in your menu,
s=how many servings you need of each meal
(f x 93)/m =s

Here is my resulting shopping list (155 servings each)
A - Oatmeal (5 - 3lb cans of quick oats)
B - Powdered milk - used for all three meals (6 - #10 cans of powdered milk)
C - Salt (1 container of salt)
D - Sugar (2 - 2lb bags of brown sugar)
E - Cinnamon (1 large container of cinnamon)
F - Fruit (freeze dried, dehydrated, canned to add to oatmeal/pancakes as desired)
G - Water (already stored)
H - Cold cereal (16 boxes)
I - Pancake mix (2 - 10lb packages of pancake mix)
J - Syrup (4 - 2qt jugs)
K - Juice (31 jars)

It's a good idea to make a master copy of this list. Not only can you use it for a shopping list, but also as an inventory list (I'll post an example tomorrow).

goal 2(a) - three-month supply

Our current goal is gathering our Three-Month Supply.

Now:
Create a breakfast menu.
[Determine which meals you regularly have for breakfast. Decide which meals are compatible with a storage plan. Include any accompanying foods. Write down your menu.]

Here is the process that I went through to create our three-month breakfast menu:

Typical breakfasts at our home:
1 - Oatmeal
2 - Cold cereal
3 - Pancakes
4 - Toast and Yogurt
5 - Scrambled eggs
6 - Omelets
7 - Cream-of-Wheat
8 - Muffins

Oatmeal, cold-cereal, pancake mix, bread, cream-of-wheat and muffin-mix are all pretty easy to store. The supplies, however, for eggs and yogurt and harder to store, so I'm going to drop these from the menu. I could choose to still have these items on my menu IF we were willing to eat powdered eggs and keep a constant supply of yogurt starts on hand. [Note: I am choosing to not count on my freezer or fridge as a storage source.] I'm also going to drop cream-of-wheat (since I'm the only one who really eats it), the toast (since I'm not storing yogurt to go with it), and the muffin mix (requires a long cooking time).

So, I narrow my breakfast menu down to:
1 - Oatmeal
2 - Cold cereal
3 - Pancakes

Now, I need to create a full breakfast menu for each of these days.

My Breakfast Menu:
1 - Oatmeal, juice
2 - Cold cereal, juice
3 - Pancakes, milk

Breakfast is pretty easy, in my case, because my family doesn't eat much and doesn't demand much in variety. We have three meals in our breakfast menu. They are all items that we eat very regularly. Rotation will not be hard. I added juice and milk to my menu. My family is okay with drinking powdered milk (it also lasts a long time in storage, so I can take my time using it up). I also store bottled grape juice, which my family likes.

You might have five or seven different meals. Do whatever works for you. Store what you eat! This is extremely individual and there is really no wrong way to do the menu.

Here is my sister's breakfast menu (which ended up being remarkably similar to mine):
1 - cold cereal and powdered milk
2 - pancake mix and syrup
3 - oatmeal
4 - cream of wheat
5 - breakfast bars (this is what her husband normally eats)
Chocolate Milk Mix (to accompany all meals)