Thank you R. Hatch for sharing the following information! (This concept would also work well for a three-month supply.)
"365 DAYS of"Other than my paranoia that an earthquake is going to ruin this good sister's hard work, (please store your glass canning jars back in their box! And down low!) I think this idea is fantastic! And after getting a years supply of basics, this idea has really captured my heart. She came up with a plan and did it, and further more, she did it based on the precepts that SCANDINAVIANS did for CENTURIES to stay alive.
PRE-MADE MEALS
THIS woman inspires me!
"WHY THIS sister's work is important...
"IN places like Finland, Norway and Sweden, that got 10 months a year of darkness and snow, they had to put together a years supply EVERY single year quickly, at the end of their short growing season, and live off it every single winter. They made hard bread with a hole in it, about 300-400 loaves per family, and hung it on poles and then strung up in their wood rafters. They knew how to provide nutrition through stews, soups, and porridges. They knew that a small piece of meat or bone could flavor the soup and give everyone a little protein but not waste it (think: eat meat sparingly) and they were masters at drying/smoking meat and other foods (think of Ludvisk). They would dry almost everything, and use it later when they melted snow in a pot over fire and made hearty soups, and then soak their hard bread in it as their meal.
"I quickly calculated if I could get almost everything dried or freeze-dried, and then place it in my largest jars and then seal them up without oxygen (using the same oxygen packets you can buy at the church cannery for #10 cans), that I could get a VERY long shelf life out of these dry products; a lot longer than "regular canned soups", and a LOT healthier.
"There were some obvious things I felt I needed right away...SOME good recipes and resources...and a plan! I found them both right away once I started looking. I also bought a good dehydrator, so that I could dry what I could not buy. I am now working on this and know this will take me several months to do.
"I found great dehydrated products in bulk at www.bluechipgroup.net. They had products like dehydrated carrots, corn, onions, celery, and a cream base soup mix, and a tomato powder that made a nice base to several soups. They also had little dehydrated pieces of chicken, etc...they sold in bulk, too. I found bulk spices at Allison's Pantry Outlet Store in Utah County, also available online at www.allisonspantry.com. I found some great dried five cheese tortellini at Costco, and I found some great recipes.
"I realized I could do this one recipe at a time, so it didn't get overwhelming. If I had 15 recipes I loved, I had to only make two cases (or twenty-four jars of each recipe) to come up with roughly 360 days of meals. That meant that I could eat something different for 15 days before I had to eat it again. Twice a month roughly it would rotate around.
"This idea intrigued me, how good it could be, when added to the basics of wheat, rice, and beans.
"So without further ado, I am going to get you started with some of the recipes I loved, and modified slightly for my family...I don't have all of it done, but am excited to be able to do this as my goal this year. Plus it will extend my food storage out to be more well-rounded."
(Source: R. Hatch, Ward Preparedness Specialist)
Potato Soup Mix
Split Pea Tortellini Soup Mix
Texas Two-Step Soup Mix
Sun Dried Tomato & Penne Soup
Cream of "Anything" Soup Mix
Dreaming of a White Christmas Soup Mix
Farmhouse Soup Mix
Winter Bean Soup Mix
Vegetarian Black Bean Soup Mix
Turkey Noodle Soup Mix
Minestrone Soup Mix
Bean Soup Mix
Chicken Rice Bake Mix in a Jar
Beef Noodle Seasoning Mix
Dill-Lemon Rice Mix
Apple Almond Rice Mix
Alfredo Noodles Mix
Friendship Scone Mix in a Jar
