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Thread: Long-term food storage

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    Question Long-term food storage

    Does any of you store food / ration for an year or so? What foods do you store and how?


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    UW - There is a religious organization here in the States called the Latter Day Saints. They are also referred to as Mormans. Part of their teaching is the storage of a years worth of food supplies. You can use their calculator to determine how much and what type of food you need for a year. Just plug in how many folks aged 7 and older you have and how many children younger than 7 years old are in your household then click on calculate.

    http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    UW - There is a religious organization here in the States called the Latter Day Saints. They are also referred to as Mormans. Part of their teaching is the storage of a years worth of food supplies. You can use their calculator to determine how much and what type of food you need for a year. Just plug in how many folks aged 7 and older you have and how many children younger than 7 years old are in your household then click on calculate.

    http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm
    Very nice food calculator. I'm amaZed at your knowledge, Rick. Thank you.

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    Winter squash can keep a year on a shelf in a cool dark room.

    Canned preserves can keep for over a year as well.

    I do both.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris View Post
    Winter squash can keep a year on a shelf in a cool dark room.

    Canned preserves can keep for over a year as well.

    I do both.
    I'd really like to do canning for some fruits, tomatoes, spinach (I think it's the one veggie full of almost all minerals and nutrients you need - I've lived on spinach+rice for over a month) etc. But I am a total a newbie in this. I have some good sites to read yet but one small question - is it possible to use metal containers for canning since glass jars are fragile.

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    While you do run the risk of breaking the jars, IMO they are a better option for canning (at least for me). I can see the food. It is relatively easy to do. The jars (not the lids) can be used over and over again. Additionally the specialized equipment to do retort canning can be expensive and space consuming. They may make small units - I'm just not aware of any if they do.
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    Somewhere I had read about tins used for canning, I think on Wikipedia. Do they last as long as glass jars?

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    UW - I'm not sure about the shelf life of home canned items in a can vs a jar. I know that commercially canned (cans) can (sorry for so many cans) be viable for a long time.
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    Quote Originally Posted by crashdive123 View Post
    UW - I'm not sure about the shelf life of home canned items in a can vs a jar. I know that commercially canned (cans) can (sorry for so many cans) be viable for a long time.
    I think last year(or the year before) they opened a 100 year old can and found that it was still good.(it was undamaged) Just last week the Guy retiring from the service ate a 40 year old canned pound cake from vietnam era C-rations. So I think the important thing is that it be undamaged. I've opened a damaged can before and there was no doubt,it was bad, I could smell it. Damaged can = garbage,in my book. Look to make sure it is sealed.

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    We're going to test that winter squash thing, Chris. This is my first year at growing them. It's my understanding that I will leave them on until the vine has turned brown or until the first frost, whichever is later. Dip the squash in a mild bleach solution to kill any nasties on the outside and then store. If anyone knows a better/different way, pipe up. Inquiring minds want to know!!
    Last edited by Rick; 08-05-2009 at 08:29 PM.
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    I am yet to buy a canner. I had seen on some solarcookers' site, a pic of tomatoes being canned in the solar oven. If that can be done, I don't need to buy the canner right?

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I've got no experience with solar canning.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Nor do I. I pressure can and also use a hot water bath depending on what I'm putting up.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    We're going to test that winter squash thing, Chris. This is my first year at growing them. It's my understanding that I will leave them on until the vine has turned brown or until the first frost, whichever is later. Dip the squash in a mild bleach solution to kill any nasties on the outside and then store. If anyone knows a better/different way, pipe up. Inquiring minds want to know!!
    Let them sit at least a month before eating them at all, they need to ripen like that. Fresh picked winter squash, if you cut it up, will literally burn a layer of skin off your hands, I found out the hard way.

    Even if there are minor wounds, they'll heal in storage and be good. My last I used in late June, so not quite a year, but just because they ran out, not because they went bad.

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    Quote Originally Posted by UnknownWarrior View Post
    I am yet to buy a canner. I had seen on some solarcookers' site, a pic of tomatoes being canned in the solar oven. If that can be done, I don't need to buy the canner right?
    a canner is really just a big pot. You don't need anything so special.

    Oh, and glass jars aren't as fragile as you think, they're pretty sturdy.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris View Post
    a canner is really just a big pot. You don't need anything so special.

    Oh, and glass jars aren't as fragile as you think, they're pretty sturdy.
    Here's the pic of the tomato solar canning:
    http://www.cookwiththesun.com/canning.htm

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    The other thing with using cans for canning is you can only use them once, with glass canning jars apart from the lids they can be used for as long as they remain intact. Some of mine are 30 yrs old and have been used dozens of times.
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    I don't know about canning but i know that FOOD GRADE Diotomaceos Earth can be used in your dry storage and around the house to kill or repell bugs. Can even be used as a dewormer in animals. Also good for people too. You can put it in with your beans or rice etc, and it is all safe and natural.

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    For me, foods safe to store for a year includes:
    - canned: tuna, salmon, sardines, soup, vegetables
    - repackaged: salt, sugar, spices, rice, grains, popcorn
    - sealed jars: peanut buter, cooking oils, crisco, unsalted nuts
    - beef jerky, dry pastas, hard candy, coffe/tea
    Chance favors the prepared mind.

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    Uh, you've never had a year old twinkie have you? Life should be about risks. As long as the inner icing isn't hard as a brick, have at. If it is hard then soak it in coffee first.
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