Prepare Today October Goals

October is here!!  It is time for Conference, fall, and cooler weather (one can hope).  Our goals this month central around organizing and cleaning out.  Don't get scared :)  it's all pretty simple.

3-Month Supply Goal:

It's all fine and dandy to have buckets full of food in your basement, but if you had to cook without food from your fridge, could you do it?  This month's challenge is to find at least 5 recipes that can be made using shelf-stable food.  You may find that these recipes are easier than your regular recipes and they taste really good!  I recommend the books "Dinner, It's In The Bag", and "100 Day Pantry".  They both use only shelf stable foods in their recipes.  You may wonder how that is possible, but meat does come in a can, milk does come in a shelf stable carton (Gossners milk is at the Dollar Store), and it really does taste good!!  Also, check out this website:  myfoodstoragecookbook.com for some amazing organizational ideas for your meal plan along with amazing shelf stable recipes!!!  I have found some of my family's favorite recipes from that website.


Water Goal:
If you have a 55-gallon water barrel and it sits outside in the sun you need to change the water.  I would do this every year for water that is near a heat source.  You never know what may be growing in there.  

Financial Reserve Goal:
Christmas is getting closer and closer!  Putting money aside now will help you later!  A great idea for Christmas gifts is to give preparedness items.  I ask for food storage and emergency preparedness items every year from my parents.  It is useful, necessary, and helps!!

Long-Term Supply Goal:

This month our focus will be on FATS & OILS.  This includes OILS, BUTTER/MARGARINE, PEANUT BUTTER, SHORTENING, NUTS, AND MAYONNAISE.  These items are kind of hard to store long term because of how quickly they go rancid.  When storing oils/fats remember HALT: H=heat, A=air, L=light, and T=temperature.  If you keep them in a cool, dark place, they will last longer.  There are many oils, like coconut oil, that have a shelf life of at least 5 years.  Your typical vegetable and canola oils have about a 1 year shelf life.  If you store shortening you can heat it until it turns into a liquid and use that in cooking.  What ever works for you, store it!  Butter will last longer in the freezer.  The price of butter right now is extremely high, so stock up if you see it below $2, and store it in the freezer!!

Emergency Preparedness Goal:

This month is 72-hour kit inventory time!  For me it is just easier to know I will be home all weekend on Conference weekend and pulling out the 72-hour kits is something that can get done.  In October it is time to make sure you have winter items, like hats, mittens, gloves, long pants, sweatshirts, coats,etc. Also check the food items and replace any expired items.  You could go as far as taking your kits and hiking somewhere and having a family picnic.  This way, you would know for sure what worked and what didn't.  

Enjoy the Journey!
Enjoy the Blessings!
Feel the PEACE