Food Storage Tips for Beginners

Storing provisions in times of excess is a smart way to plan for the future and protect your family in the event of a food shortage or crisis. There are different methods of storage available, and each have their own advantages. Research each type of food storage method and decide what's best for your family.

The first type of food storage is freezing. Freezing simply involves carefully wrapping the victuals or sealing them in a freezer-safe container and freezing it. Food stored in the freezer lasts variable amounts of time, and all different types of sustenance can be frozen. Some items, such as celery and lettuce, don't retain their taste or texture after being frozen. Storing food in the freezer requires energy to run the freezer, and is impractical as an emergency food supply.

Another method of food storage is canning. Canning is simply the process of packing items into cans or jars and heating the contents until all potential bacteria is killed. The jars are sealed to keep the food fresh. Canned foods last for years before spoiling, though the quality of the edible items declines after several years. The downside is that it can be costly to buy the necessary equipment and canned foods take up a lot of storage space.

Finally, there is a method of food storage called freeze-drying. Freeze-dried food is simply food that has had most of it's water removed. Removing the water makes the food more compact and lightweight, making freeze-dried food highly portable. Many people are unfamiliar with freeze-dried food and the benefits it offers.

Freeze-dried food can last up to 25 years. This is far longer than canned foods and frozen foods last, even under ideal conditions. The freeze-dried items can be stored away and forgotten abut until it is needed.

Freeze-dried items retain their taste better than with other methods of food storage. The quality of the freeze-dried morsels depends on the quality before the water was removed.

Unlike heavy jars or frozen containers, freeze-dried cuisine is lightweight and easy to move. This method of food storage produces such light weight fare that you can even backpack easily with a days supply of food. Water gives food most of its weight and freeze-drying removes the water from edible items, making it lighter.

Freeze-dried food is easy to prepare compared to other methods of food-storage. Most foods can be prepared in just a matter of minutes, and the process is so simple, even a child can do it!