Food storage is one of those difficult issues for me, so I have spent a great deal of time thinking about it. Over the years I have come up with various excuses not to have a year’s supply and have ultimately refuted them all. Maybe some of these solutions can help you.
Excuse #1: I don’t have the space. This is actually very true for me—we live in a very small home and do not have a garage. Fortunately, I have been able to come up with a few creative spots to put things and have gotten rid of clutter to free up space. Although I still don’t have room for an entire year’s supply, I am making headway. I have found that if I purchase something, I can usually find a spot to put it. If you legitimately do not have room, use the room you do have and it should be sufficient.
Excuse #2: I don’t have the money. There have been many times that our food budget has been a scant $50 per week, but I have discovered that by carefully browsing grocery ads I can find excellent deals and stock up on non-perishable items when they are a really great deal. For example, I recently was able to stock up on oatmeal because a store near me was having a sale for the large canisters for $1 each. Keep in mind that if financial resources are limited, you should not go into debt or draw from a savings account in order to rush to have an entire year’s supply of food.
Excuse #3: I wouldn’t be able to rotate it properly. This is probably the hardest excuse of all for me, but I have come up with a few ideas that will help prevent massive food waste at the end of 5, 7, 10… years. On some items it is a good idea not to worry too much about the expirations because they last nearly indefinitely. You may want to stock up on those items first. I also like to buy things in sizes that my family will actually be able to use. For items that you want to have in stock, but do not currently use, learn to cook with them by going to meetings and events where people teach you to live on grains, legumes, and powdered milk J. Also, there is a vast wealth of information available online about food storage and rotation that can give you great ideas.
Excuse #4: I’ll never need it. I used to think of food storage as something that I might use many, many years into the future—if there was some kind of 10-year drought or something. After having a special relief society meeting though, I heard many women tell of experiences where they went through serious financial hardships that required them to use a substantial portion of their year supply. They were so grateful that they had the food available! Financial hardships come to most families at one time or another; and not having to worry about where your next meal is coming from is a wonderful comfort.
Excuse #5: It would be just as good to have X dollars in the bank. Although it is very important to have an emergency savings account, it is no substitute for food storage. There are many circumstances under which even having a million dollars in the bank would not be able to put food on the table. I was watching a show a few months ago that pointed out that the food in the supermarket does not just sit there for weeks, but is shipped in daily and just a few missed shipments could cause mass chaos and panic. The scenario they were describing was a bird flu epidemic, but it could just as easily be another disease, a war, the dollar losing its value, or a natural disaster.
Excuse #6: Why food for an entire year? Wouldn’t a few months be enough? A few months is certainly better than nothing and the latest counsel only requires a 3 month supply, but it is best to have some food items that would last for an entire year if possible. In the case of a fairly short-lived disaster, wouldn’t it be good to be able to help feed your family, friends, and neighbors too? Also, it seems that you would have a lot more peace of mind knowing that you could hang in there for a while if no help was in sight.
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