Posted on 01/14/2011 8:59:56 AM PST by Doctor Prepper
If you’ve been keeping up with being prepared, then most likely you have made careful decisions on what to stockpile. The regular use and replenishment (‘Cycling’) of these supplies is an important part of this process.
You will want to establish replacement time lines guided by use-by dates, grouping together supplies with a similar shelf life. Keep in mind that longer periods mean higher probabilities that they will be unusable in times of emergency.
These are just a few examples of use-by dates from our own supplies. As with everything else, you will need to check though your supplies and come up with your own data. (Your mileage may vary)
Canned Ham 48 months
Canned Chicken 30 months
Canned Corn 23 months
Canned Beans 15 months
Pasta 23 months
Boxed Cereal (Dry) 12 months
Fruit juice (Plastic container) 11 months
Dry Pet food 12 months
Bottled water only seems to have a shelf Life of a few months. You can make of that what you will, but replacing it on a regular basis would seem to be a prudent move.
For simplicity’s sake, replacing supplies at half their typical shelf life is a good compromise between having to cycle through your supplies too much and risking spoilage by waiting too long.
For example, In the case of some canned meat products, this would be 15 – 20 months given average shelf lives of 40 – 30 months.
The bottom line is that using up and replacing your emergency supplies is just as important as getting the process started in the first place.
Links to the other parts of the series:
Sequential Food Storage Part I
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2640812/posts
Sequential food storage – Part 2 Assessing your family’s needs.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2644216/posts
Sequential food storage – Part 3 Buying out the store
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2649528/posts
Canned soups, chili, spam, and a few other items.
I think so. I will be looking into it. The owner of the company we normally use for well problems was unwilling to consider it. He seemed to believe that the risk of damaging the existing wiring to the submersible pump was too great.
Having a way to get water on our property without electricity would considerably lengthen the amount of time we could keep the place habitable.
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The dates on can’s aren’t etched in stone.
Best to go by the FIFO rule..but don’t get too tied up on dates.
Water can be reconditioned and purified.
I have a couple jerry cans from the 40’s in my basement.I guess they will do to store water. I always fill them up right before a major storm kicks up.
I’m just recommending the use of them for stock rotation during “Normal” times as a guide.
If and when TSHTF it would be a whole different ballgame.
Another option would be some of those collapsible plastic water containers.
They don’t take up too much space Collapsed and stored but can be filled when storm clouds are on the horizon.
I'm doing the same. Not knowing enough about storing yeast long term, I am experimenting with sourdough bread. I think I am going to get sourdough bricks. I've tried twice to create the starter from scratch. I don't think this is working. My wife is greatly entertained by seeing my messing around in the kitchen, however.
LOL! Is this the first time you’ve been cooking much?
I hear ya on the sourdough thing. I did the same thing, since I’m worried about my yeast not lasting. I even bought a sourdough starter after making my own was a disaster. That didn’t work either. The only way I’ve gotten a sourdough loaf that I liked (ie., was light enough to NOT use as a structural material) was to add extra yeast. Thereby, ruining the whole ‘using sourdough as a prepping thing’.
Let me know if you ever figure out the sourdough secret!
Don’t forget that the ‘starter’ needs to be fed (sugar) and watered every other day ,or three , just to keep going .
There is a difference in wheat bearies : hard red winter wheat will give you a heavy bread , semolina will give you a lighter loaf . Pastry flour is another variety of wheat altogether . Consider “sifting” your flour to make a lighter loaf . And rotate your stock.
To supplement protein sources in your diet consider taking up fishing as a recreational sport (also a good family activity). There are numerous fishable ponds and streams which are overlooked by many who lack the time , or the patience to try .
Than you for you list of canned goods , and viable shelf-life expectancy . That is most helpful for food storage.
Also , store bought eggs have a ‘sell by’ date generally posted on the outside of the box. Those eggs will remain fresh for about 30 days past that ‘sell by date’. Eggs represent the most concentrated form of protein , and the shell is an almost perfect protection package .
You can tell how fresh an egg is by how high the yolk sac is in a dish; the fresher the egg, the higher it will stay.
Hi Doctor Prepper. I just found the series of articles you posted on food storage...nice work. Do you still ever come around these parts?
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