I've been following seasonal grocery store sales for years, and created these monthly food storage shopping lists to help us focus on specific items to purchase each week or month. Regardless of where you live, these lists will help you pace your food storage gathering so you don't get overwhelmed or blow your budget. Pacing yourself is the key to staying out of debt, and will help you build up your supply and replenish it. I focus on the Four-Step Approach to Home Storage taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following these four steps is working for me. It's doable, adaptable and quite frankly, wonderful!
The 3-month food storage items average about $20 - $25 per adult per month, but it could cost much less depending on what you already have in your home. If you want to store a year's supply, you could multiply the 3-month amounts by 4. The choice is yours. Most have a shorter shelf life of 1 to 10 years, however I let you know if an item can be stored long-term (20 - 30 years).
12-Month Food Storage Preparation Plan 2013
printable pdf of the list below
(CLICK EACH MONTH for the monthly list or each week for a weekly post)
| MONTH | Spiritual Prep | Food/Home Storage | Prep Goals | |||
| JAN. LIST | Be Ready | Water/Beverages | 72-Hour Kits | |||
| D&C 88:119 | Toiletries List 1 | Financial Reserve | ||||
| Week #1 | 1 can of evaporated milk | |||||
| Week #2 | 24 oz. or 1/4 #10 can hot cocoa drink mix | |||||
| Week #3 | 24 oz. or 1/4 #10 can fruit drink mix or Tang | |||||
| Week #4 | 4 lbs or 1 #10 can non-fat dry milk | |||||
| Week #5 | 3x64 oz. bottled juice | |||||
| FEB. LIST | Be Doers | Breakfast Foods | Communication | |||
| 1 Nephi 3:7 | Toiletries List 2 | Emergency Plan | ||||
| Week #6 | 3 boxes breakfast cereal | |||||
| Week #7 | 5 lbs or 2x42 oz. canisters or 2 #10 cans oats | |||||
| Week #8 | 2 lbs. pancake mix AND 32 oz. pancake syrup | |||||
| Week #9 | 8 oz. or 1/4 #10 can powdered eggs | |||||
| MAR. LIST | Be Charitable | Tomatoes/Pasta | First Aid/CPR | |||
| Mosiah 2:17 | First Aid | Important Papers | ||||
| Week #10 | 12x8oz. tomato sauce AND 6x6 oz. tomato paste | |||||
| Week #11 | 6x15 oz. canned tomatoes AND 1 jar of salsa | |||||
| Week #12 | 4 lbs. dry pasta AND 2 boxes of macaroni and cheese | |||||
| Week #13 | 8 cans prepared pasta (raviolis/spaghettios) AND 12 pkg. ramen soup noodles | |||||
| APR. LIST | Be Clean | Soup/Tuna/Beans | Sanitation | |||
| Isaiah 1:18 | Sanitation | Hygiene | ||||
| Week #14 | 12 cans beans AND 2 cans of chili | |||||
| Week #15 | 12 cans of tuna or salmon | |||||
| Week #16 | 10 cans of condensed soup | |||||
| Week #17 | 3 cans of prepared soup | |||||
| Week #18 | 5 lbs. or 1 #10 can of dry beans or lentils | |||||
| MAY LIST | Be Prayerful | Condiments/Spices | Power | |||
| 2 Nephi 32:9 | Food Prep List 1 | Light | ||||
| Week #19 | refill spices AND 3 oz. dry onions | |||||
| Week #20 | 12 oz. sauces | |||||
| Week #21 | 8 oz. salad dressing, 8 oz. mayonnaise AND 4 oz. parmesan cheese | |||||
| Week #22 | 5 oz. ketchup, 2 oz. mustard, 3 oz. BBQ Sauce/steak sauce | |||||
| JUNE LIST | Be Healthy | Grains/Vitamins | Exercise | |||
| D&C 89:16 | Food Prep List 2 | Bread recipes | ||||
| Week #23 | 25 lbs. or 4 #10 cans hard wheat, white or red LDS | |||||
| Week #24 | 10 lbs. or 2 #10 cans rice LDS | |||||
| Week #25 | 10 lbs or 2 #10 can Other grain | |||||
| Week #26 | 1 cooking spray | |||||
| JULY LIST | Be Guardians | Summer Foods | Shelter | |||
| Alma 46:12 | Toiletries List 3 | Bedding | ||||
| Week #27 | 2 boxes crackers, 2 bags chips AND 1 can baked beans | |||||
| Week #28 | 1 box gelatin AND 1 box pudding | |||||
| Week #29 | 12 food bars, 1 box/bag of popcorn AND 12 oz. chocolate syrup (opt.) | |||||
| Week #30 | 4 oz. lemon juice, 8 oz. vinegar AND 1 can olives | |||||
| Week #31 | 32 oz. jelly/jam AND 2 lb. honey | |||||
| AUG. LIST | Be Nurturers | Fruits/Vegetables | Emergency Cooking | |||
| 3 Nephi 17:21 | Toiletries List 4 | Kids Emergency Kits | ||||
| Week #32 | 12 cans/jars fruit | |||||
| Week #33 | 12 cans/jars vegetables | |||||
| Week #34 | 8 oz. or 1/2 #10 can dehydrated fruit AND 16 oz. dried fruit/raisins | |||||
| Week #35 | 6 cans chilies and/or mushrooms | |||||
| SEPT. LIST | Be Hopeful | Meat/Potatoes | Earthquake Prep | |||
| Moroni 7:42 | Laundry | Prep Books | ||||
| Week #36 | 6x12 oz. cans/bottles chicken and turkey | |||||
| Week #37 | 6 cans pork-type/Spam/Vienna sausages | |||||
| Week #38 | 2 cans of stew | |||||
| Week #39 | 4 lbs. or 2 #10 cans of potato flakes/slices/etc. | |||||
| Week #40 | 1x24 oz. spaghetti sauce | |||||
| OCT. LIST | Be Faithful | Oils/Fats | Fire Safety | |||
| D&C 61:10 | Cleanup | Auto Kits | ||||
| Week #41 | 6 lbs. beef/corned beef/jerky | |||||
| Week #42 | 24 oz. vegetable/olive oil, etc. AND 1 lb. shortening | |||||
| Week #43 | 1x28 oz. peanut butter/almond butter, etc. | |||||
| Week #44 | 12 oz. chocolate/baking chips AND 4 oz. baking cocoa | |||||
| NOV. LIST | Be Grateful | Holiday Baking | Heating | |||
| Alma 37:37 | Cleaners | Clothing | ||||
| Week #45 | 1x15 oz. can pumpkin AND 2x14 oz. cans broth | |||||
| Week #46 | 2 lbs. brown sugar, 1 lb. powdered sugar AND 10 lbs. white sugar | |||||
| Week #47 | 1 box stuffing mix AND 1x15 oz. can of yams | |||||
| Week #48 | 15 lbs. white flour | |||||
| DEC. LIST | Be Christlike | Baking Basics | Gift Giving | |||
| Matthew 22:39 | Emergency Cleanup | Equipment | ||||
| Week #49 | 4 oz. vanilla AND 4 oz. instant yeast | |||||
| Week #50 | 1 brownie mix, 1 cake mix AND 1 frosting (opt.) | |||||
| Week #51 | 15 lbs. baking mix (opt.) AND salt 6.5 oz. | |||||
| Week #52 | 5 oz. baking powder, 4 oz. baking soda AND 4 oz. cornstarch | |||||
How to Use These Lists
- Decide on a weekly home storage budget.
- Decide what you have time to gather/do.
- Multiply amounts by # of family members. Adjust amounts for younger children. For instance, you could store half the amount of breakfast cereal for a young child as an adult.
- Adapt, adapt, adapt! These are only suggestions. Pick and choose what you want to work on. Change items to suit your family.
- Each week look for store sales that match your goals.
- Carry your list with you when you shop or put your goals on a cell phone/iPad notepad.
- If you see LDS next to an item, these items are available for you to can yourself at an LDS Home Storage Center.
Disclaimer:
These are only suggestions. I am not an expert on what you should gather, eat or serve your family. You are the only one who knows what is best for your family. Medical needs and allergies will vary from family to family, so gather what works for you.----------------------------------------
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