Start a Food Storage Program: 7 Practical Ideas (Often FREE) For Obtaining Food Storage Containers
Article by Lisa Carr
Have you and your family started a home food storage program? Do you feel the need? Did you know that before families could come over on the Mayflower, the family had to be “prepared” and were not allowed to venture over to the New World unless they could fend and care for themselves…in other words, there wasn’t going to be any one, but the family, to ensure their ultimate survival? There are many reasons to have a home food storage program. What if there is a loss of employment? Could you feed your family even though income is not coming in for a few weeks, months, years? What if there is a natural disaster and you are unable to get to a store; or trucking is completely halted and food at the supermarket just isn’t there? What if there is a global situation where growing conditions are upended by freak weather or drought? Recently an article was published called, 2009 Global Food Catastrophe, and can be read athttp://www.marketskeptics.com/2009/02/2009-global-food-catastrophe.html.After reading this grim forecast, I felt it imperative to encourage all you out there to once again start a home food storage program TODAY!
To get started you will need either canning jars or storage containers in which to place your food stores. Here are 7 practical ideas where you can obtain these necessary items at little or no cost.1. Look in the classified ads in your local newspaper. Since Y2K, there are those individuals or companies which specialize in selling 5 gallon buckets or 55 gallon plastic drums. Often these are used, but are easily cleaned! And, you will save a lot of money. Also, you can find very good deals on used canning jars for pennies on the dollar. It’s a great way to start accumulating canning equipment.
2. Visit or call restaurants. Delis, fast-food restaurants, ice-cream outlets are excellent places to go. Restaurateurs buy every thing from pickles to mayonnaise in bulk, and these foods often come in 5 gallon, food grade buckets. These establishments will often sell ( or perhaps give) these buckets to you.
3. Go to your local recycling center. You may find jars for canning, 5 gallon buckets, or even 55-gallon drums. I have found used 55 gallon barrels….they once held jalapenos! These were easily cleaned, and I couldn’t beat the price!
4. Look in the yellow pages for wholesale and retail bakers, candy and confectionary manufacturers. These are prime places to perhaps pick up some new and possibly some used containers.
5. Go to your local building supply stores. They often have buckets and sometimes barrels that can be used for food storage.
6. Check in at a local feed store. Often they will have barrels that can be used for food storage…for you or your animals.
7. Finally, there are many companies that specialize in new storage containers. They are easy to find on the internet. Follow the links at the end of this article for retailer suggestions.
In conclusion, there is no excuse Not to start a home food storage program today. Take good care of your investment by getting your bulk food out of bags where bugs, mice, air, light, and dampness can spoil your best efforts. You can obtain containers at a very reasonable cost, or no cost at all. We are facing financial, environmental, social, etc. turmoil. Be pro-active! Be like those who had the guts to venture over to the New World, yet only relied on themselves to see themselves through the unknown that lay in front of them. Start preparing today for the unknown that lies in front of you!
About the Author
Lisa Carr has Master’s Degree in Health and Phys. Ed. She has lived off the “grid” for several years where she has honed her homestead skills and self-sufficiency strategies. She would love to share her food storage and preservation tips and survival strategies for natural or man made disasters at her blog. Please stop by today!