The Blessings of Food Storage Power = Ability to Help Others Faith Family Relief Michelle Lloyd, PhD Manager, Food Technology Research Center Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science Brigham Young University BYU Women s Conference 26 April 2012 Become Self- Reliant Marion G. Romney, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, The Celestial Nature of Self-Reliance, Ensign, Nov. 1982, 91, emphasis added. How can we give if there is nothing there? Food for the hungry cannot come from empty shelves. Money to assist the needy cannot come from an empty purse. Support and understanding cannot come from the emotionally starved. Teaching cannot come from the unlearned. And most important of all, spiritual guidance cannot come from the spiritually weak. How Can We Begin or Continue to Build Home Storage? Assess Your Situation One Step at a Time Look for Opportunities to Build Your Storage Develop Self- Reliance Skills What are your Food preferences? Cooking habits? Special needs? Budget limitations? Space? Pets? Assess Your Situation My situation Like homemade food; use mixes and canned food; not a fan of pickles Cook for myself; rarely eat out No allergies/sensitivities Add to storage regularly Plenty of space No pets Look for Opportunities to Build Your Storage Get free empty buckets from grocery store bakery Stock up when you find a good deal Buy in bulk Take trips to local Home Storage Center Preserve food Get organized Be creative Old curtain rods used to hold bottles in place 1
Cooking Develop Self-Reliance Skills Try new recipes/cooking techniques Home preservation Canning, freezing, drying Learn from reliable sources National Center for Home Food Preservation http://nchfp.uga.edu/ Cooperative Extension http://extension.usu.edu/ Provident Living www.providentliving.org BYU Food Science http://ndfs.byu.edu/ >Research>Research on Food Storage Budgeting Bargain shopping What Are the Current Recommendations? "We encourage Church members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings. -The First Presidency, All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage, Feb. 2007, 1 www.providentliving.org 8 Shelf-Life of Pantry Items Best if Used By date is a recommendation, not a deadline for use A couple of years Several Years Indefinite (if kept dry) Tips: Look for sales Buy items you like Continually replenish Box mixes Flour Vegetable Oil Canned Food Salt Baking Soda Baking Powder Granulated Sugar Canned Food Lasts a Long Time, But Not Forever 20+ years old When in doubt, throw it out. Storage Conditions: Minimize exposure to H Humidity A Air (Oxygen) L T Light Temperature (Heat) SOURCE: Oscar A. Pike, Storing Fats and Oils, Ensign, June 1999, 71 2
Effect of Humidity Nutrient Loss Thiamin -71% Riboflavin -21% Vitamin A -70% Lysine -80% Fresh Stored ~26 yrs ~3% moisture >5% moisture From BYU Master s Research of Michelle Lloyd, 2003 Effect of Air (Oxygen) Problem: Oxygen reacts with food Vitamin loss Off-colors Off-flavors Allows bugs to survive Solution: Use an oxygen absorber packet to remove oxygen to extend shelf-life Effect of Light Effects of Temperature (Heat) Speeds up reactions Faded-colors Vitamin loss Off-flavors Figure 173 Dehydrated nitrogen-packed tomato samples after 30 months storage at 40 F, 70 F, and 100 F. From BYU Master s Thesis of Amy Norseth, 1986 Effects of Temperature (Heat) Bread made from ~20 year old wheat Hot, Humid storage Cool, dry storage Tip: Rotate your water; use a variety of containers 3
Water Storage Options Tip: If you are having trouble budgeting, write down everything you are spending money on and you will likely find ways you can save Store Food Properly Tips: Write dates on your food Store it properly "Life Sustaining" Shelf-Life Foods Stored in No 10 Cans Food New "Life Sustaining" Shelf- Life Estimates (In Years) Wheat White rice 30+ Cornmeal Pinto beans Rolled oats Pasta 30 Potato flakes Apple slices Non-fat powdered milk Dehydrated carrots 20 http://providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7798-1-4224-1,00.html Mark whether or not you would drink each sample in an emergency situation Powdered Milk Fresh 64% of panelists said they would drink the worst sample in an emergency 75% would use it in a recipe SOURCE: Lloyd MA, Zou J, Ogden LV, Pike OA. 2004. Sensory and Nutritional Quality of Nonfat Dry Milk in Long-term Residential Storage. J Food Sci 69(8):S326-31. 4
How Has Food Storage Blessed My Life? Ability to take care of myself/others Saving time (Less frequent grocery store trips) Peace Something to research Saving money (buying on sale) Practice Self Reliance Daily The principle of selfreliance is spiritual as well as temporal. It is not a doomsday program; it is something to be practiced each and every day of our lives. L. Tom Perry, Becoming Self- Reliant, Ensign, Nov. 1991, 64, emphasis added 5