Thinking of different food ideas for your short-term food storage doesn’t need to be complex. Neither does building your supply, especially if you are following The Rule of Three. We want to help take your barren pantry and cupboards and turn them into your own private grocery store. At least for a short while anyway. 😉

It’s time to ditch the old fashioned storage options of food you would never actually want to eat, and build a supply you will actually use and rotate through.

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Replicate your normal by choosing foods that your family already eat!   

Begin by identifying 3 breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks/treats that you and your family enjoy eating and write them down here.

If you prefer eating fresh, storing food might seem a little harder at first, but it doesn’t need to be. There are options out there! Some of our favorites are: 
1. Thrive Life. We have been using Thrive Life since 2012 and absolutely love their food.  It is freeze dried and has a very long shelf life. Up to a year once opened and 20+ years if left unopened. This is one of our favorites for short-term and long-term storage. So so so good! 
2. Buy organic. You can buy organic boxed and canned items. Not as fresh as getting food from your local farmers market, but it is a great option. Remember our post on the Rule of 3 and how quickly grocery store shelves can empty and the world can change? 
3. Freeze perishable items. Cheese, butter, tortillas, bread, meats, etc. are great items to freeze. Freezing allows you to store items you otherwise wouldn’t be able to, giving you more options for your short-term storage.
4. Begin growing your own foods. Whether it is a small herb garden in your window seal, utilizing your back patio, or a designated garden space in your backyard – being able to grow your own foods can reduce the amount of money you spend at the grocery store each week, and greatly contribute to your short-term storage AND long-term storage.

Now It’s Your Turn:

Now it is your turn to plan for your family. Use these free printouts to identify the 3 meals in each category (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack/treat) that your family routinely eats. Then, you will make a list of all the ingredients you need to make each of the 3 meals, including drinks and sides. These ingredient lists will aide you in building your short-term food supply while using The Rule of Three (our unique system in building a well-rounded storage. Be sure to read about it because you will love it!)

A Few Of Our Short-term Food Storage Favorites:

A few of our favorites and must haves in our rotating short-term storage are: Thrive Life, Ka’Chava, Mixhers and G2G Bars. 

Thrive Life, as mentioned above, is an incredible option! Their food is nutritious and delicious. Their long shelf life makes them a great short-term and long-term food storage option. We recently became Thrive Consultants (have been using it since 2012, and should have become consultants much sooner -that’s how much we love it!) and would love have you part of our thrive family. 

Ka’chava is complete meal replacement that we use for breakfast or lunch. It tastes delicious and has a long shelf life. Plus the ingredient profile – it doesn’t get better in our opinion. All of our friends and family who have tried Ka’chava are hooked just like us! Mmmm. So good!

Mixhers, specifically Hergreens, are great to drink alongside lunch or dinner for some additional greens. Especially if you aren’t able to eat all the fresh produce that you would like. These are a great tasting option that will give you the needed nutrients. 

G2G Bars are a great for a snack during the day or something to eat following a workout. 

Remember, food storage isn’t only being prepared for world events or natural disasters, it’s for our everyday too. A short-term food storage could also be used for: weeks we can’t get to the grocery store because we have sick kids or were too busy running them to all their extra curricular activities, days we get off work late and need to be able to make something quick and easy, if we experience a temporary job loss, or even during a week of no spending to tighten up the budget. You’ll find all sorts of ways that your short-term food storage will come in handy.

XOXO,

Ashley and Jill