· How much do you think a year’s supply of the basics costs? (365 lb per person for grains, legumes, and sprouting seeds) Actually, it’s less than $250 (only $.68 per day!)
· How can you afford this?
Change your spending and eating habits…
1. Spend half your Christmas money this year on a year’s supply.
2. Instead of buying new clothing, shop at resale shops or garage sales.
3. Cut your recreation budget by 50%. Play games at home. Get friends together for a potluck dinner or picnic.
4. Forego your family vacations until you have your year’s supply. Take vacation time and work on a family garden.
5. If you have boats, snow mobiles, campers, or other luxury possessions and you do NOT have a year’s supply, sell or trade one or more and buy essential food and other necessary supplies.
6. HOT BUYS! Watch for advertised specials in the grocery stores and pick up extra of the items you use that also store well. Notify the HOT BUYS group.
7. Change the source of protein in your family’s diet. Fiber is sadly lacking in diets high in animal products. Protein from plant sources is less expensive, more nutritious, and easier to digest.
8. Reduce grocery bills dramatically by buying in bulk. Most food and other items purchased in large quantities will save you from 25% to 50%.
9. Change most of your “meat and potatoes” meals to “soup and bread” meals. Add whole grain bread and a green salad for a completely nutritious meal.
10. Prepare one meal per week totally from food storage.
“The Lord will make it possible, if we make a firm commitment, for every ...family to have a year’s supply of food reserves.” Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone
Living on stored foods saves money
Start by purchasing 50 lbs. of whole wheat (at a cost of about $12.00 - about 25¢ per pound). Making a “wheat” breakfast at least twice each week for a month (family of 4) will cost about 35¢ per month for whole or cracked wheat cereal, 50¢ if you add eggs and other ingredients for pancakes, and up to $1.00 for quick breads with added fruit, nuts, etc.
The money you save in one month will be enough to buy basics to use for the next 2 months.
Collect enough recipes and basic ingredients to make a different recipe at every meal for at least one week. You need recipes for only 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 dinners, for a total of only 21 recipes.
Choose one storage recipe at a time and purchase all the ingredients needed to make that recipe once each week for a whole year; then start making and serving it. Every month, add two more recipes, and by the end of this year, you’ll be DONE!
