Hi Hilary....congratulations on starting a family pantry back up! A word of caution though that I learned from personal experience.....be SURE to have at least one extra MANUAL CAN OPENER on the shelves with your canned goods. Once many years ago we were caught in a several day long snow event....stores were closed....roads were closed, etc. We had a fairly substantial pantry back up only to discover that we had no manual can opener! Our power was off for a couple of days but fortunately my husband at that time carried a Swiss Army Knife which had a can piercer on it. Otherwise we would have been much less comfortable :P Now our pantry has two rotary type openers stored and we no longer use an electric can opener at all.
Yes that’s always a good idea. A knife also works if your in a pinch but it dulls the blade so I suggest having a dedicated knife for cans! Also be very careful if you have to do it, it’s easy to cut yourself while opening it with a knife
I do try not to stress out about using food up. Before it expires I give it to the local food bank. But long term food storage is a goal to shoot for. Buy a good water purifier.
When we were raising our family my husband worked construction and would get laid off almost every winter. I would stock up throughout the year on staples that would get us through the winter. I would get canned goods dried pasta and beans, flour, sugar, coffee. Plenty of paper goods, soaps, shampoo, laundry and dish detergent etc. I would just shop for fresh food and not have to worry about the rest for several months. Yes don’t buy things that you wouldn’t normally use and rotate what you have so everything is used within their time. I was grateful to be able to do that and not have to worry about it. 😊
We have an emergency stockpile also. Sometimes my husband will buy cases of things that I don’t necessarily use in my normal meals. When the items get close to their expiration date I donate those items to a local food pantry.
Yes! I started a worm composter today to grow a supply of worms for my axolotl. I definitely suggest trying to come up with foods that can either be renewable or not very much extra work/money to have back up stock! Many pets can eat human food if you are careful and know what your doing. It’s good to have that stock and knowledge!
@@LK-ir2pg , I have a cat that will not eat any human food not chicken not turkey not tuna she never has not even from a young kitten my daughter has three cats that will not eat tuna
Fortunately in this 75 year old house, I have the luxury of a walk in panty. Pretty good sized, 8' deep & 4 1/2 ' wide by 9" tall. All along the right side there are shelves the entire length to the ceiling. The left side, shelves are only 4' length as the back of the fridge is also into this area. The shelves start 24" off the floor, so plenty of storage for larger items, mostly used for the multiple kinds of 16 lb. cat food I use. When Covid was 1st introduced and there was a shortage on paper products, I decided to get serious about inventory of the panty and not use for so much useless storage. I have built up to a 3 month supply of canned, package foods, oatmeal, coffee, condiments, etc, all organized on the right side. The left side is for cleaning & grooming products, 6 month supply. The top shelf on both sides, I now have stocked with 12 packs of toilet paper, napkins and paper towels. There was such shortage in my area of Florida for paper goods that when they became available again, I decided I was never going to be in a desperate situation again and stocked up. I buy a 12 pk. every time I go to Publix, keeps it stocked. Of course being in Florida, I also keep stocked the recommended supplies for bad storms and hurricanes in case our power goes out. I use plastic storage bins that fit on the shelves that are about 4-5" high so you can see what's in them, sorted by category. NOTE: I had a 1 gal. jug of water break before, it flooded the pantry floor, so now all liquids are in the plastic bins, just in case. I have a large plastic tote on the floor, under the left side shelves for the water storage. I have a dry erase board, magnetic, on the back of the fridge to note anything removed from the pantry for restocking. Wish I could submit photos to share, it's not Pinterest worthy but neat and organized.
Started my stockpile as the pandemic was hitting. I felt grateful that I had a few extra things to get by has I'm Immunocompromised and i didnt like going out. Watch "She's in her Apron" on RUclips, IG, and Website. She has a hole slew of awesome ideas and tricks and hacks on this exact subject. Kimmy has been doing this for years. She has her 6 mo and 1 year stockpile. I love her motto "stock what you eat, and eat what you stock". and "buy one, stock one". Best of luck to you all. Happy Stickpiling.
Great idea, Hilary...I am an extreme couponer and have a pretty good stockpile of nonperishable items..body wash, laundry soap, paper towels, etc...I have been building a food stockpile now for about a year. It does take the pressure off...
One suggestion I have is if you get any critters in your basement, you may want to put the flour, pasta, anything like that in some plastic see through totes or labeled tins. Those tins popcorn come in at Christmas time are handy! And, I agree with the others, manual can opener, and paper products. You can't waste precious water on washing dishes. But, great start!!
I've always kept a couple/ few spares of everything, and I was REALLY glad I had pre-purchased toilet paper when 2020 hit! Lol. I need to stock up on more things, though. I wish we had basements in my part of the country! I really liked a comment that Robin (Faith and Flour YT channel) said after their Texas blizzard last year: she keeps about a 2-3 month supply of food, and said she was glad she had it, plus could share some. But the BEST part was that -- when people COULD get to the stores again -- by having her own food storage, she could delay going to the store, and thereby allow others who hadn't prepped to buy items THEY had run out of, which were (at that point) still in short supply. Another way of helping others.
Loved the video. This strategy is a win for several reasons - allows you to be prepared in case of emergency and in case of supply issues, in case you want to bless someone else with a meal and as an added bonus it allows you to save money if you strategically stockpile when there are great sales so the future “cost” of using the stockpiled items is lower. I have been seriously considering starting a stockpile so this video is a huge help. P.S. Loving all the grocery and “meal planning” content lately. Thanks for sharing. Have a lovely day 😊.
Wonderful advice! We have a full pantry, and more shelves in the laundry room. We live out in the country, so it's nice to have stuff on hand all the time, but it gives me peace of mind lately. Don't forget to stock up on pet food as well. And a big bottle of Dawn dish soap, you can wash dishes and floors. Great video Hilary!
This is an amazing idea ..I did it one year ago ..I have the same plastic shelves ..just advice keep check expire time since they are storage and really days not just pass but even fly to not waste and always use and replace ..👍
Sometimes expiration dates are hard to read. We started writing our purchase dates on the top of the cans with sharpie’s to make it easier to see when we rotate our food storage.
I’ve been working on my stockpile for a while but I go through phases where I’m diligent and phases where I let it deplete. Definitely wise to keep track and rotate so I’ll use those lists you provided. Thank you for sharing. And glad to see you’ve got a stockpile now too
Our house is really sml. So I’ve allocated a cupboard in the laundry that is our stockpile. Every now and then there’s a couple of lge grocery bags with extra items that we Keep on hand. Especially tinned tomatoes/corn/ pasta/ rice.
This is great! Just a heads-up...it's very addictive. 😆 You never know what the future holds. Most "preppers" aren't prepping for a zombie apocalypse, they are doing it for personal emergencies.; illness, job loss, lockdown, etc. It's also good to have on hand to help others who may be in need. 👍
I too have started a stockpile because you just never know. The world is becoming more and more unpredictable so if there was ever anytime I feel like this is it. I’ll definitely be checking out those printables you found.
You are doing very well. You can also buy 5 pd bags of flour and sugar and leave as is and seal with a seal a meal to keep out bugs. Don't take out of original bag. You can also seal dry beans and rice but take out beans and check for rocks and bad beans then seal in the seal bags. Also you can seal rice. Don't wash beans til your ready to cook. And don't seal in original bags. You can also leave brown sugar in original bags and seal. Put on date but done this way the food can last for years. Take care. Love your videos. 💖💖
My wine cellar is nicely stocked, after a summer of wineries visits and tastings in the Okanagan here in B.C. Canada, including a wine opener, glasses, and stopper! Lol! In case of emergency of course....
I checked the prices today of shelving units that I purchased some time back and these same shelving units are $100.00 more. No kidding! I nearly fell over when I seen the price hike!!
I can see doing this if you have kids or live in hurricane/storm areas for sure. Otherwise, I don't do this. I've been able to get everything I need for my husband and I over the past two years, even in March 2020. I'm not panic buying, it doesn't help anyone. Still waiting for the emergency everyone has been warning about for the past several years. I guess it just depends on where you live.
I haven’t done it until now for just my husband and I, but every week when I go into ALDI,something that I buy is completely empty. So even just for the convenience of not having to run around to different stores that day, I now buy one or two more when I see them.
I appreciate your calm and rational approach to making these emergency preparations. I laughed to myself with the thought of "If Hilary is prepping, we all better start prepping." LOL In all seriousness, it is wise to have a reasonable amount stocked and a plan to avoid letting it go to waste. A few years ago we cleared out a family members stockpile and it broke my heart to see the bags and bags of expired beyond safe to use foods, from rusted cans to a stand up freezer full of desiccated freezer burned meats. So, please everyone, cycle through your stock piles, donate to a food pantry any items you know will expire before you could use them up. Now, I'm off to make a shopping list for hubby and myself.
I went there too with the thought of 'if Hilary is doing this, I should think about doing it too'. So wise and thoughtful about how you take care of your family and home. Super side note: what ever came of the mailbox and the delivery truck?
I thought the same thing that if Hillary is now starting to prep the world really is going to hell in a hand basket. But in all seriousness, the LDS church has some really good resources, the make their preparedness manual available free online. It is a good resource to look through and see what you might not have thought about.when you are shopping think about buying one for now,two for later. Gardening, consider putting in a bigger garden. Plant the things your family would eat during the planting season and give it a try. Good luck!
I’ve been stock piling for a while even though I get a raft a crap from my friends. The Prepper mentality is buy what you eat and eat what you buy that way nothing goes to waste. I like in the mid-Atlantic and between the pandemic with people hoarding items and not the supply chain issues there have been items I couldn’t get for weeks if not months on a few items. I have always kept a 6 to 12 month supply of food and household items on hand at any given time. This also goes for pet food and supplies. My next step is to grow as much of my own food as possible and can and dehydrate it.
I would like to suggest an extra can opener, the hand held type, batteries and flashlights for power failures, candles also. Paper plates and plastic forks etc. I don't have a basement, so I have a small cabinet in my bedroom which has almost all the same items you showed on your shelfs. You did a nice job. Thanks for sharing. I am 80 and live alone, so I feel I am prepared. And yes I still need the feminine napkins for incontinence, so I keep 3 months supply on hand. We are never too old for some things! Hope this is not TMI. LOL 💙😊
When buying pantry items, I've also found it helpful to write the expiration date with a marker, nice and big, on the top. No more expired food surprises!
Canned goods are perfectly fine to use LOOOOOOOONG after their "expiry" dates....as long as the cans aren't damaged or bulging. Glass bottled goods are a little less long-lived because the seals can dry out and let air in.... but by using eyes and nose it is easy enough to determine if the contents are useable.
When we were first married I shopped week to week. It was just the 2 of us and then 4 in what seemed like overnight, lol. We lived in an area that had many stores and if need be we could walk to them. Then the trifecta hit us - 3rd baby, move across the country to a small town 45 minutes from a bigger grocery store in an area with harsh winters, job layoff. All within a year. I was not prepared, in fact I was clueless. I called my very opinionated outspoken mother, I will never forget her words “Nothing is guaranteed. Jobs, health, economy, weather, none of it…. Always have extra.” My mom shopped the sales, gardened, always had enough to be generous to others in need and ALWAYS had an extra serving or two of whatever she was cooking to feed anyone who stopped by. She was an amazing cook but kept things pretty simple. I never, ever thought much of it growing up or early in my marriage but I sure do now. 27 years of marriage and mothering have taught me life is really good at throwing curve balls always have a little extra. I’ve also learned that being the mom who always has an extra serving or two of dinner is an amazing thing. We almost always had one of my teenagers friends with us for various reasons and I loved being someone they were and are comfortable with.
The paper products you chose are a great start but my first thought was what about feminine hygiene products? They don't go bad and that's something you really can't be without in the event of an emergency or supply chain shortage. I buy the largest pack that Walmart sells and then keep ahead by at least 3 cycles so I am never caught short. Heather xo
That is so smart of you!! When I was a teenager I always forgot to do this and was always in a rush to go get some, which was less than fun. Now as an adult I always try to have at least 1 pack in the closet.
Yes, I've found the period undies have also been a huge help in this area. They're simple to wash and are reusable. I sometimes double up with a pad over the undies. And frequent changes as needed.
This is a very good idea. It’s just my husband and I but we always keep a small stockpile of of essentials and things that would be good in a emergency. We’ve just had a bad storm here in the UK and our water was out for three days so we were pleased to have plenty of bottled water on hand.
Great idea! You might want to consider having an alternate method of cooking (rocket stove, grill ,etc) and heating your home, as well as candles and batteries. A tornado took out our electricity for almost a week several years ago and there are things you just don't think about until you are in that situation.
26 years ago, I was a newly married and expecting cattle ranchers wife fresh from town. Our little town had a super small store but nothing more than 1/4 of a 7 Eleven. We were processing cattle and I was making lunch for the crew and screwed up the homemade bread. My mother in law pulled a loaf from the freezer and said to keep the disaster a secret. Fast forward to 2020, still living 70 miles from town and now an empty nester with 3 grown kids returning for 2 weeks. I never let my supplies completely run out but not as stocked as we were with kids in the house. I went to town to find the shelves wiped out. From then on, I thought stay stocked up so I don't have to drive all that way to find nothing is available. I am not shaking my head at your endeavor. It is smart. Prepare now so you don't have to hoard later. BTW the Mormons have a free online manual of preparedness. I am not Mormon but they have been so helpful in resources. They will help anyone.
When I lived in Florida, I did this at the start of hurricane season each year to avoid the mad rush at the store only to find empty shelves. Now that I’m in Texas, I do the same for the ice storm season.
Been practicing this over 35 years. I keep a list of everything on hand in the pantry, and freezer etc. and I do keep a certain amount of cans, such as 12 cans of beans (that way when I look at my stockpile, even before I check my list, I can see I need to buy 3 cans that week. We rotate the items so that way nothing is expired. Basically, we shop from our stockpile each week and just add to it as the month goes along. We do have canned ground beef and beef as well as milk that set on the shelf for longer storage. We also have emergency backpacks for each family member in case of tornado or hurricane etc. And a stockpile has helped us help others as well. Well done on getting started.
@@susanholding158 Its really like watching something from another world isn't it.. I'm in the UK and for me at least its normal to have items in the cupboard, although I do think this "Stock pile thing " has alot to do with the Russia issue. God forbid war world wide broke out, we would be heading towards underground shelter's so all those grocery items would be wasted.
I'm glad to see this. I was one of the people who left a comment when you said you didn't store food as I am old enough to have seen bare store shelves several times in my life. There are so many benefits and you have a lovely storage area and are such an organized person. Thank you for saying you made a change due to your viewers. As a senior living in a cold climate I really stock up garden produce in the summer (canning), then staples from August to October. Then during the cold winter months I don't need to buy much. Another benefit is once you have a bunch stored you fewer items at a time and grocery shopping is quick. I buy all my baking supplies twice a year, I am not always putting things on my list. I usually focus on one category when I shop.
I just recently started doing the same thing. I bought about $75 worth of food and some water storage on Amazon. Now I'm just adding as I go. Love your very common sense/non panic approach!
Having grown up in a culture of gardening to can and freeze for the winter, this "emergency backup" is all I've ever known. I love the freedom to shop my home and not need to go to the store every week. When I do go to town, it's so fun to be able to shop the sales exclusively... somehow it thrills me to not pay full price for items we use all the time. One thing to remember when shopping sales/ clearance is to check the exp date! Also rotate by exp date, not by when you buy the food. Having made an international move a couple months ago, I'm still in the building up the supply stage... but it's fun using sales to your advantage.
I really liked this video! I haven't read every comment, but I thought I'd add mine just in case two points weren't made yet. It's not as neat and orderly, but my suggestion is to sort the products by expiration date rather than category. That's what I've done and it's made organization so much easier. I know that items on a specific shelf are my "nearer date" items so I make intentional decisions about those first, and then whatever I use, I repurchase and put on the shelf that's for further-dated items. It's made management of expiration dates very easy. Again, not as orderly looking like a store, but certainly more manageable as the stockpile grows. The "nearer date" shelf is often my inspiration for planning meals or larger baking sessions if the items are dry goods. Also, a tip for flour, sugar, yeast, rice or anything else in a bag: Perhaps put those sealed bags in a bin with nice-fitting lid. Even if we think our homes are dry and pest-free, both moisture and a sneaky pest can wreak havoc on your stock of those items. I think you're off to a great start! I was surprised at the change in your way of doing things, but it's nice to have enough on hand, even just for convenience.
I’ve been married for 22 years, both my husband and my family had this growing up, so it was natural for us to do it as well. Same as your set up, just the foods we normally eat. Thank you sharing! ♥️
Very wise decision, dear; especially with a big family. Have you considered adding shelf stable or dry milk, for the little ones? I love the idea of dedicating just $5 per week to build your stock...it can really make a difference, even after just one month!
Alaska Granny is a great RUclips channel for common sense prepping. She recommended Nido Fortificada dry milk for it’s taste and consistency. She was right! Last year we had a snowstorm and I didn’t want to use my regular milk to make crock pot hot cocoa. Used the Nido and we couldn’t even tell! My Walmart carries it in the Hispanic food section.
This is so balanced. Thank you. I think it was Katherine from Do It On a Dime that talked about her 72 HR bags and checking replenishing them 2x a year when she replaces her batteries in her smoke detectors. I love this idea. I am intimidated by an inventory sheet to keep track of expiration dates etc. I love your set up and I don't think it would be too overwhelming to check expiration dates a couple of times a year.
My extended family has made fun of my and my husband for having a "grocery store" in our basement. But 1 don't care. I know exactly what I have, I always "shop" my shelves first. And when sales pop up I stock up as needed. Just today i was able to get Gluten-Free pasta our family eats for $1 a box!!! (Regular price over $3 a box.) You better believe i bought every box they had on clearance!
Glad you decided to build an extra working pantry. I have the same setup in my basement and the grandkids call it 'nana's little store' 🤗They like to take a bag and 'go shopping' for me down there with a list and everything. It is a good feeling to have a little extra. I have to be careful to only buy things we actually use and eat so nothing gets wasted. I also keep a large supply of firewood in case the power goes out. Good video and good tips! I really like the $5 a week method that's a great idea, it can seem overwhelming to look at one of those big lists and the cost associated with purchasing so much at once. Have a nice weekend!
I love the stockpile paper guide from the blog. That’s a great idea. I suggest anyone stocking paper products. Put them high. I never had water issues but one day the sump pump broke and we caught it just in time. This helps it not get damaged just in case. Enjoy the day
Use those coupons! With good planning, you might walk out the store without having pay any money for the food! In store, manufacturers, buy one get one free, and online couponing is a must! Most of us only buy when items are on sale!
I got a 5 sectioned note book from the dollar tree. I list anything in my stock pile in various sections i.e. canned veggies, canned fruits, grains, freezer etc to include the expiration dates. When I use something I scratch it out and on a separate sheet list what I need to replace next trip to the store. Also the book works great because there are lots of pages in each section so I can continue to keep track easily.
When I was raising my 5 children we always had a stockpile of food. we had a fluctuating income because of sales and tourism type jobs. Always helpful now more than ever.
I grew up rural - and in the north so stocking up for winter was a normal expectation. I have carried these habits into adult life. It helps when you just don't feel like going to the store or someone is unwell or life is crazy. One thing I do is I seal things like my extra flour in vacuum seal bags - it's a good idea. Also, I love canning items and canning dried beans, or making your own bone broth or stock and canning it is easy and saves money. just suggestions for anyone who is interested. Instant coffee is good for emergency - but also good if you are cooking chocolate and want to add a bit
I think the difficult part is using the foods as part of my usual cooking so they don’t expire. I have to be very I intentional even in my main food supply as they expire.
This is something I’ve been thinking of beginning, and recent world events have pushed me to do so. Looks like you have a great start! I’d also add an extra first aid bin, some hygiene products, matches, etc.
Yes, we have done this for years, because you never know when it may be something you have to depend on, but it has also saved us money since we watched for sales and took advantage of those. It has been so handy to go to this inventory instead of having to buy those items every week.
I have a 6 month stockpile of food that I could stretch to 9 months if we didn't eat meat everyday & I think it's very smart to do this especially if you have kids to feed. Definitely peace of mind! I also stockpile body/tooth care items, meds, TP/PT, garbage bags etc.... & we rotate things to use up so nothing goes to waste.
I am so glad you decided to have some food storage. I have thought about your limited food supply before. You have the perfect place in your storage area of your basement. Whoever inspired you to start, thank you. A couple of tips when I grocery shop...before I place my items in my pantry, I use a permanent marker to write the month and year on the item...I place the new item in the back and bring some older items forward. Great storage containers to keep out bugs or rodents are the tin popcorn cans that are so popular at Christmas. I keep bags of flour and sugar in those. Of course, it will not keep out weevils in flour if it gets too old. Keep up the good work. God bless.
Last summer I started putting canned items, paper towels, plates, napkins, and toilet paper along with pastas, rice, peanut butter, pancake mix, dry milk, jelly as well as different types of canned fruit, tuna fish and canned chicken to have on hand during the winter months in case of heavy snow or ice and we cannot get out to go to the store. We are seniors and living on a budget and everything we have stocked is items we use. We also have about 6 gallons of water that my husband uses for his cpap machine at night. We have already used some of the items this winter because of snow storms and they are calling for another one this week end. Unfortunately the only freezer I have is above the refrigerator so I cannot stock up too much on meat but we are doing okay. With prices of groceries going up this is great to fall back on. Next week will be replacing some of the items we used and maybe picking up some more like beans. This great to fall back on in case of job loss, illness or weather. Everyone should be doing this. I've been hearing so much of doing a "prepper pantry" in the last year and that is what got me started. Thanks for the reminder to be prepared. Don't forget your first aid items also. We have an extra month supply at all times of my husband diabetic, blood pressure and heart medicine along with bandages and first aid cream.
Great video. Love reading everyone's helpful tips. I have been doing this for years & it really saves money in the long run. [Peace of mind also] If something we use goes on sale it's easier to pick up extra without hurting your weekly food budget because you have back up of things that might not be on sale that week. Thanks for all you share with us weekly!
I have always practiced what I called ‘ one on the shelf,’ meaning I kept, for example, an extra jar of pasta sauce in addition to the one I planned to use that week. I did this with the foods we ate on a regular basis, as well as toilet tissue, toothpaste, etc. This practice relieved the stress of running out of those items we used regularly and, in an apartment where there wasn’t room for more, it was the best I could do. It your stockpile, I would add canned potatoes and one or two boxes of instant potatoes for variety. I would also put the extra bags & boxes of flour, sugar, salt, yeast, etc. in large storage containers to protect from bugs and varmints.
I do this too. I have a tiny kitchen and no storage/pantry area, butone in use and one in storage works. Just a thought Hilary, in case your basement floods then it's worth having tins lower and paper products higher so that the tinned goods could still be used.
That is what I’ve been trying to do the last few years. Now I have a name for it. We live in the country so a quick trip to the grocery, take out or eating out isn’t practical. By having a small back up plan on the shelves helps me between trips to the store. At the beginning of the pandemic I finally got a second basement refrigerator which we call our grocery store. I fill it with trips to Costco and have back ups for several weeks.
I too used the "one on the shelf" system. As soon as that was opened, we marked it on the grocery list. Even the kids knew to do that. When the pandemic hit, I switched to "two on the shelf" of frequently used items, since supplies were/are sporadic sometimes. Running out of ketchup is a terrible thing!
Great video! I would suggest that you also put any bags/boxes of pasta/rice and any flours or sugars inside plastic storage containers. This will keep them fresh and also pest resistant!
Great idea to keep inventory, we have a very small pantry. .so I tend to just buy extra here or there...and for our staples, I like to have a spare in pantry, not enough to survive on but still gives me some comfort
I have a family of 3. My husband works in a poultry plant and we have 2 chest freezer. One is full of chicken and the other is beef and pork. My family doesn’t like canned food. So the inside freezer is full of vegetables 🤦🏻♀️. Because we have gluten and dairy challenges in our house, I buy all of wheat berries and lot of bulk grains and beans. I live in a 800 sq ft house 😂 it’s kind of crowded in here but it gives us food security.
Hi, just found your channel two days ago. Enjoying bingeing on your videos. One question..what are you using to keep our pests from your pantry? Especially for rats.
My daughters are 40 and 45 they still have friends who ask if their mother still has a grocery store in her basement. Many years ago I could have been on the extreme coupon show my now ex-husband worked at a paper recycling plant and I could get all the coupons I wanted so my sister-in-law and a neighbor and I would go to a grocery store the next town over and Order cases laundry soap cleaners whatever we had coupons for and the store knew when we came back the next week to pick that up we had ordered we would only be paying tax after those coupons were doubled. For me it was a game to see how much I could get free and I always supplied family friends and Neighbors from that stockpile for free. I had a cousin her brother-in-law worked for Procter & Gamble and they owned Crystal Light VO5 shampoo if the package was ripped it couldn't be sold so my cousin and I would trade whatever she needed and my daughters drank Crystal Light that was their Kool-Aid. I've been single for 21 years I don't quite shop like that anymore but I still have quite a bit of supplies. I retired from my job year-and-a-half ago no pension only income Social Security I have been buying markdown meat and other markdown food items at my grocery store for many years I don't buy new clothing I shop Church Thrift stores and garage sales for a lot of my household items I will buy new but only if I can't get it used I don't have to shop this way but this is the way I prefer to shop
I am so happy to hear that you have started a stockpile for your family. I have prepped for 10 years. Now, more than ever Americans should be aware of what is going on. People worldwide are prepping and moving Off Grid. Long shelf items should be key items to stockpile.
Hi Hilary, I have always done the stock piling thing because I garden and can and now that I'm older and can't do it as much, I always buy extra at the grocery. I use a small corner in a spare bedroom for my shelving units. Having a small stockpile (because I live alone) has helped me many times in the past and I'm ready in case of an emergency in the future.
My mom always uses the oldest expire dates first. Then replace with newer dates in the back. (She rotates her food) She does this every Thursday. It’s always ensured that all the food is used properly, and the freshest date available. When she buys items she pushes the ones on the shelf to the front, and the ones she just bought in the back behind. I hope I’m making sense. She’s methodical. Lol. She was in charge of safety, and worked w the fda, and a planner for the major pharmaceutical, and baby formula company she retired from. She goes through everyone’s refrigerator. Lol.
Great video. I love your pantry stockpile ideas. When it comes to storing things like flour, you might want to purchase some food grade buckets and place a few basil leaves inside to keep out bugs or rodents. I have watched many youtube videos on storing flour products. Just a suggestion.
Thank You. I always enjoy your videos. I started doing some stockpiling at the beginning of the pandemic and I have just made it a priority now and so I shop much less often. Based on everything going on, I am planning to take this further.
I put the rice, and flour(in their natural packaging from the store, in freezer bags) in the freezer, for about 3 to 5 days to help kill any eggs or bugs, and then take them out, let it defrost. Then put in our pantry, in the container they came in the store, but in large Ziploc bags. It helps keep weevils or bugs from contaminating your food. We also place bay leaves in our pantry, to help keep bugs away from our food. I also put our Pasta, sugar in the their natural packaging they came in from the store, but put them into plastic bags with bay leaves inside to help protect them better, as they cant be put into the freezer totreat for bugs. As I use those items, I just reuse the Ziploc bags on new items that I buy. Hope my babbling made sense. 😊
I have a small home with no pantry, no basement & no attic, but I have a small stockpile of items we eat & use. I have a supply of candles, & flashlights too. Just several months ago we were without electricity for many hours.
We moved from the city to a rural area- I have always had a stockpile pantry. Now I’ve included shelf stable milk. For some reason canned cat food of all things are hard to find. It’s a good idea to make sure you have extra pet food too.
I was raised in a family where everyone had a stock pile of at least a couple months of pantry staples, so this is just how I did things when I got married. Now I also have a little emergency long term food like dehydrated veggies that are in sealed jars with some oxygen absorbers and same for some legumes, rice, flour, spices, and even household necessities, like detergent and such. Enough to sustain us for a few months. I do rotate them. It gives me some peace of mind and does not take up much space. Just a shelf a little wider than yours.
I learned to live with a large food stockpile when we lived on the mission field in Central America, and it was only possible to go to the city and shop maybe once every 2 months or so, but still be prepared to feed unexpected guests at any time. I think this is wisdom, especially considering the volatility in our world today. ~Charlotte
I saw the bags of flour. I stored bags like that for about a year, and when I wanted to use it, it was full of bugs! Next time, I'll store them in buckets with sealed lids!
I started one quite a few months ago when prices started to rise, and if things were on offer i would buy a few extra, but now, the way the world is I’m thinking in a different way, what would keep us going in an emergency, quite honestly it’s pretty scary out there x
Be careful with your bagged items, like the flour. It can be attractive to bugs and rodents. Look into getting some type of storage bins that are more resistant. Don't forget to check your "best by" dates often, too.
I put my large bags of flour one at a time in our chest freezer for a few days before storing it on the shelf in case there are weevils. I’ve never encountered them in 60+ years, but why not? I also keep a large amount of yeast in my freezer.
Great video and information. I will definitely be looking at those resources. I haven’t created a dedicated stock pile, but I have definitely noticed in the past several months I have been trying to buy more each trip than I used to! It really does give me more peace of mind!
Hi Hilary, I do not like managing large amounts of inventory, but like you feel it might be a smart thing to do. I have always tried to have one back up of things on hand that we use on a regular basis (shampoo, soap, bread, peanutbutter etc.). I find it more inconvenient to have to make multiple trips to the store if we run out of things and enjoy having the back up on hand. Once I open a back-up item I add it to my list to re-stock. Since the pandemic I have just increased my back up by one or two items for a mini-stockpile. I did find some boxed water that I keep in the car and some in our storage area. It lasts for I believe up to 10 years because it is not in plastic. I thought this was a good item to have on hand. As always, enjoying your channel so much!
Great start! I grew up in Australia where basements are not common so we only had a pantry. But now living in Europe we have a small one-room basement, dedicated to long-life goods. It's SO handy! I would find it hard to go back to not having one. It allows us to only shop about once a month, replenishing what is needed. (Fresh produce is bought weekly from a farm). We very rarely have anything expire, as you tend to learn how much you use. We are very careful not to waste anything.
Hilary I think you are off to a great start! I started a “prepper “pantry if you will when the pandemic started and have kept adding to it. I wrote the expiration dates on the tops of the cans and am trying to use those things before they expire however some you tubers have said that canned goods are stable long after the expiration dates listed. As for meats, I have tuna, canned salmon, corned beef hash and canned chicken (which in casseroles) tastes very good. I need to add more canned fruit to mine.
Hilary, I'd also like to recommend to you (and everyone else interested!) to check out the channel Mary's Nest. She has many wonderful videos and lists of how to stock up on a nutritious, whole-foods based pantry. You may also like to consider researching water filtration products like the Berkey water filter. (We use it for everyday use, but it is also there obviously for emergencies!)
I think that is a great idea. I do that more with SALES items. I think you save money when you buy sales items that your family uses on a regular basis. 👍
Sitting here making my prep list :) So happy to see you are doing what we are doing. The world is unstable and we must be prepared but God is in control! Thanks for your lovely channel. My kids are all grown but it makes me happy to see you staying home with your children and still working and contributing to your family with your youtube channel. God bless and Godspeed.
Hi Hilary....congratulations on starting a family pantry back up! A word of caution though that I learned from personal experience.....be SURE to have at least one extra MANUAL CAN OPENER on the shelves with your canned goods. Once many years ago we were caught in a several day long snow event....stores were closed....roads were closed, etc. We had a fairly substantial pantry back up only to discover that we had no manual can opener! Our power was off for a couple of days but fortunately my husband at that time carried a Swiss Army Knife which had a can piercer on it. Otherwise we would have been much less comfortable :P Now our pantry has two rotary type openers stored and we no longer use an electric can opener at all.
Yes that’s always a good idea. A knife also works if your in a pinch but it dulls the blade so I suggest having a dedicated knife for cans! Also be very careful if you have to do it, it’s easy to cut yourself while opening it with a knife
I do try not to stress out about using food up. Before it expires I give it to the local food bank. But long term food storage is a goal to shoot for. Buy a good water purifier.
When we were raising our family my husband worked construction and would get laid off almost every winter. I would stock up throughout the year on staples that would get us through the winter. I would get canned goods dried pasta and beans, flour, sugar, coffee. Plenty of paper goods, soaps, shampoo, laundry and dish detergent etc. I would just shop for fresh food and not have to worry about the rest for several months. Yes don’t buy things that you wouldn’t normally use and rotate what you have so everything is used within their time. I was grateful to be able to do that and not have to worry about it. 😊
We have an emergency stockpile also. Sometimes my husband will buy cases of things that I don’t necessarily use in my normal meals. When the items get close to their expiration date I donate those items to a local food pantry.
My husband reminded me that we also need to keep an emergency supply of food for our pets.
Yes!
My cat has her own stockpile of food she's eating very well
Yes!
Yes! I started a worm composter today to grow a supply of worms for my axolotl. I definitely suggest trying to come up with foods that can either be renewable or not very much extra work/money to have back up stock! Many pets can eat human food if you are careful and know what your doing. It’s good to have that stock and knowledge!
@@LK-ir2pg ,
I have a cat that will not eat any human food not chicken not turkey not tuna she never has not even from a young kitten my daughter has three cats that will not eat tuna
Fortunately in this 75 year old house, I have the luxury of a walk in panty. Pretty good sized, 8' deep & 4 1/2 ' wide by 9" tall. All along the right side there are shelves the entire length to the ceiling. The left side, shelves are only 4' length as the back of the fridge is also into this area.
The shelves start 24" off the floor, so plenty of storage for larger items, mostly used for the multiple kinds of 16 lb. cat food I use.
When Covid was 1st introduced and there was a shortage on paper products, I decided to get serious about inventory of the panty and not use for so much useless storage. I have built up to a 3 month supply of canned, package foods, oatmeal, coffee, condiments, etc, all organized on the right side. The left side is for cleaning & grooming products, 6 month supply. The top shelf on both sides, I now have stocked with 12 packs of toilet paper, napkins and paper towels. There was such shortage in my area of Florida for paper goods that when they became available again, I decided I was never going to be in a desperate situation again and stocked up. I buy a 12 pk. every time I go to Publix, keeps it stocked.
Of course being in Florida, I also keep stocked the recommended supplies for bad storms and hurricanes in case our power goes out.
I use plastic storage bins that fit on the shelves that are about 4-5" high so you can see what's in them, sorted by category.
NOTE: I had a 1 gal. jug of water break before, it flooded the pantry floor, so now all liquids are in the plastic bins, just in case. I have a large plastic tote on the floor, under the left side shelves for the water storage. I have a dry erase board, magnetic, on the back of the fridge to note anything removed from the pantry for restocking.
Wish I could submit photos to share, it's not Pinterest worthy but neat and organized.
So glad to see you stocking up a bit! It brings such a peace of mind knowing there are things on hand. Great video and resources! 😊
Started my stockpile as the pandemic was hitting. I felt grateful that I had a few extra things to get by has I'm Immunocompromised and i didnt like going out. Watch "She's in her Apron" on RUclips, IG, and Website. She has a hole slew of awesome ideas and tricks and hacks on this exact subject. Kimmy has been doing this for years. She has her 6 mo and 1 year stockpile. I love her motto "stock what you eat, and eat what you stock". and "buy one, stock one". Best of luck to you all. Happy Stickpiling.
Great idea, Hilary...I am an extreme couponer and have a pretty good stockpile of nonperishable items..body wash, laundry soap, paper towels, etc...I have been building a food stockpile now for about a year. It does take the pressure off...
One suggestion I have is if you get any critters in your basement, you may want to put the flour, pasta, anything like that in some plastic see through totes or labeled tins. Those tins popcorn come in at Christmas time are handy! And, I agree with the others, manual can opener, and paper products. You can't waste precious water on washing dishes. But, great start!!
I've always kept a couple/ few spares of everything, and I was REALLY glad I had pre-purchased toilet paper when 2020 hit! Lol. I need to stock up on more things, though. I wish we had basements in my part of the country!
I really liked a comment that Robin (Faith and Flour YT channel) said after their Texas blizzard last year: she keeps about a 2-3 month supply of food, and said she was glad she had it, plus could share some. But the BEST part was that -- when people COULD get to the stores again -- by having her own food storage, she could delay going to the store, and thereby allow others who hadn't prepped to buy items THEY had run out of, which were (at that point) still in short supply. Another way of helping others.
Yes, we have started prepping about a year ago. Last week I cleaned off bookcases downstairs and started filling up those shelves. Thanks Hilary. STTB
This gives me a lot to think on. It’s nice to have some overflow. Thanks for sharing!
Loved the video. This strategy is a win for several reasons - allows you to be prepared in case of emergency and in case of supply issues, in case you want to bless someone else with a meal and as an added bonus it allows you to save money if you strategically stockpile when there are great sales so the future “cost” of using the stockpiled items is lower. I have been seriously considering starting a stockpile so this video is a huge help. P.S. Loving all the grocery and “meal planning” content lately. Thanks for sharing. Have a lovely day 😊.
Wonderful advice! We have a full pantry, and more shelves in the laundry room. We live out in the country, so it's nice to have stuff on hand all the time, but it gives me peace of mind lately. Don't forget to stock up on pet food as well. And a big bottle of Dawn dish soap, you can wash dishes and floors. Great video Hilary!
This is an amazing idea ..I did it one year ago ..I have the same plastic shelves ..just advice keep check expire time since they are storage and really days not just pass but even fly to not waste and always use and replace ..👍
Sometimes expiration dates are hard to read. We started writing our purchase dates on the top of the cans with sharpie’s to make it easier to see when we rotate our food storage.
I’ve been working on my stockpile for a while but I go through phases where I’m diligent and phases where I let it deplete. Definitely wise to keep track and rotate so I’ll use those lists you provided. Thank you for sharing. And glad to see you’ve got a stockpile now too
Our house is really sml. So I’ve allocated a cupboard in the laundry that is our stockpile. Every now and then there’s a couple of lge grocery bags with extra items that we Keep on hand. Especially tinned tomatoes/corn/ pasta/ rice.
Add bay leaves to the flour to prevent moths. They love flour.
This is great! Just a heads-up...it's very addictive. 😆 You never know what the future holds. Most "preppers" aren't prepping for a zombie apocalypse, they are doing it for personal emergencies.; illness, job loss, lockdown, etc. It's also good to have on hand to help others who may be in need. 👍
I can see the addictive nature of it all 😅 Didn’t even know this was such a huge realm!
You are the first comment I have read that added the point about sharing! Thank you.
Great job Hilary. Also grab some dried beans/ lentils and store in glass jars upside down. You share a lot of wisdom Hilary 💕
I too have started a stockpile because you just never know. The world is becoming more and more unpredictable so if there was ever anytime I feel like this is it. I’ll definitely be checking out those printables you found.
You are doing very well. You can also buy 5 pd bags of flour and sugar and leave as is and seal with a seal a meal to keep out bugs. Don't take out of original bag. You can also seal dry beans and rice but take out beans and check for rocks and bad beans then seal in the seal bags. Also you can seal rice. Don't wash beans til your ready to cook. And don't seal in original bags. You can also leave brown sugar in original bags and seal. Put on date but done this way the food can last for years. Take care. Love your videos. 💖💖
Continue to stock only items your family does already eat. Plan meals from your pantry/stockpile. Replenish your stock regularly.
I would suggest grabbing some extra spices and baking items as well.
Love this Hilary!! Thx for sharing!
My wine cellar is nicely stocked, after a summer of wineries visits and tastings in the Okanagan here in B.C. Canada, including a wine opener, glasses, and stopper! Lol! In case of emergency of course....
I have been stockpiling since January, 2020. I need to overhaul my Basement now! (Basically, I need shelves like that👍)
I checked the prices today of shelving units that I purchased some time back and these same shelving units are $100.00 more. No kidding! I nearly fell over when I seen the price hike!!
I think you have way more wisdom than most woman your age 💗
In Tennessee we prep for tornados. Throw in some treats your kids enjoy. Better put them in a spot they can’t see and get to.
Do you plan on growing your own food i.e. veggie patch?
My parents have an amazing garden that we are blessed to be able to enjoy, but yes I’d love to start growing some things at home too
Thanks for sharing 💞
I can see doing this if you have kids or live in hurricane/storm areas for sure. Otherwise, I don't do this. I've been able to get everything I need for my husband and I over the past two years, even in March 2020. I'm not panic buying, it doesn't help anyone. Still waiting for the emergency everyone has been warning about for the past several years. I guess it just depends on where you live.
I haven’t done it until now for just my husband and I, but every week when I go into ALDI,something that I buy is completely empty. So even just for the convenience of not having to run around to different stores that day, I now buy one or two more when I see them.
I appreciate your calm and rational approach to making these emergency preparations. I laughed to myself with the thought of "If Hilary is prepping, we all better start prepping." LOL In all seriousness, it is wise to have a reasonable amount stocked and a plan to avoid letting it go to waste. A few years ago we cleared out a family members stockpile and it broke my heart to see the bags and bags of expired beyond safe to use foods, from rusted cans to a stand up freezer full of desiccated freezer burned meats. So, please everyone, cycle through your stock piles, donate to a food pantry any items you know will expire before you could use them up. Now, I'm off to make a shopping list for hubby and myself.
Yes unfortunately that scarcity mentality can also lead to waste. It’s definitely a practice to learn how to use up and rotate and replace 💞
I went there too with the thought of 'if Hilary is doing this, I should think about doing it too'.
So wise and thoughtful about how you take care of your family and home.
Super side note: what ever came of the mailbox and the delivery truck?
I thought the same thing that if Hillary is now starting to prep the world really is going to hell in a hand basket. But in all seriousness, the LDS church has some really good resources, the make their preparedness manual available free online. It is a good resource to look through and see what you might not have thought about.when you are shopping think about buying one for now,two for later. Gardening, consider putting in a bigger garden. Plant the things your family would eat during the planting season and give it a try. Good luck!
Oh my goodness, I thought the same thing, I’ve been stock piling as well, I even bought a Berkey water filter and I love it🙂
I’ve been stock piling for a while even though I get a raft a crap from my friends. The Prepper mentality is buy what you eat and eat what you buy that way nothing goes to waste. I like in the mid-Atlantic and between the pandemic with people hoarding items and not the supply chain issues there have been items I couldn’t get for weeks if not months on a few items. I have always kept a 6 to 12 month supply of food and household items on hand at any given time. This also goes for pet food and supplies. My next step is to grow as much of my own food as possible and can and dehydrate it.
I would like to suggest an extra can opener, the hand held type, batteries and flashlights for power failures, candles also. Paper plates and plastic forks etc. I don't have a basement, so I have a small cabinet in my bedroom which has almost all the same items you showed on your shelfs. You did a nice job. Thanks for sharing. I am 80 and live alone, so I feel I am prepared. And yes I still need the feminine napkins for incontinence, so I keep 3 months supply on hand. We are never too old for some things! Hope this is not TMI. LOL 💙😊
When buying pantry items, I've also found it helpful to write the expiration date with a marker, nice and big, on the top. No more expired food surprises!
Canned goods are perfectly fine to use LOOOOOOOONG after their "expiry" dates....as long as the cans aren't damaged or bulging. Glass bottled goods are a little less long-lived because the seals can dry out and let air in.... but by using eyes and nose it is easy enough to determine if the contents are useable.
I usually also mark the purchase date, that way you know when to use the products.
I do the same thing, I write on the top of the cans with a sharpie and write the expiration date on my printed master sheet too.
We do this as well. It is much easier to see and find because the dates can be on the top, sides and bottom.
When we were first married I shopped week to week. It was just the 2 of us and then 4 in what seemed like overnight, lol. We lived in an area that had many stores and if need be we could walk to them. Then the trifecta hit us - 3rd baby, move across the country to a small town 45 minutes from a bigger grocery store in an area with harsh winters, job layoff. All within a year. I was not prepared, in fact I was clueless. I called my very opinionated outspoken mother, I will never forget her words “Nothing is guaranteed. Jobs, health, economy, weather, none of it…. Always have extra.” My mom shopped the sales, gardened, always had enough to be generous to others in need and ALWAYS had an extra serving or two of whatever she was cooking to feed anyone who stopped by. She was an amazing cook but kept things pretty simple. I never, ever thought much of it growing up or early in my marriage but I sure do now. 27 years of marriage and mothering have taught me life is really good at throwing curve balls always have a little extra. I’ve also learned that being the mom who always has an extra serving or two of dinner is an amazing thing. We almost always had one of my teenagers friends with us for various reasons and I loved being someone they were and are comfortable with.
The paper products you chose are a great start but my first thought was what about feminine hygiene products? They don't go bad and that's something you really can't be without in the event of an emergency or supply chain shortage. I buy the largest pack that Walmart sells and then keep ahead by at least 3 cycles so I am never caught short. Heather xo
Good thinking!
That is so smart of you!! When I was a teenager I always forgot to do this and was always in a rush to go get some, which was less than fun. Now as an adult I always try to have at least 1 pack in the closet.
Great point! I highly recommend looking into a menstrual cup for this reason, and many more :)
Yes, I've found the period undies have also been a huge help in this area. They're simple to wash and are reusable. I sometimes double up with a pad over the undies. And frequent changes as needed.
@@MeloyKimberly Yes! Menstrual cup, cloth pads, and period underwear will last for years and years.
This is a very good idea. It’s just my husband and I but we always keep a small stockpile of of essentials and things that would be good in a emergency. We’ve just had a bad storm here in the UK and our water was out for three days so we were pleased to have plenty of bottled water on hand.
Great idea! You might want to consider having an alternate method of cooking (rocket stove, grill ,etc) and heating your home, as well as candles and batteries. A tornado took out our electricity for almost a week several years ago and there are things you just don't think about until you are in that situation.
26 years ago, I was a newly married and expecting cattle ranchers wife fresh from town. Our little town had a super small store but nothing more than 1/4 of a 7 Eleven. We were processing cattle and I was making lunch for the crew and screwed up the homemade bread. My mother in law pulled a loaf from the freezer and said to keep the disaster a secret. Fast forward to 2020, still living 70 miles from town and now an empty nester with 3 grown kids returning for 2 weeks. I never let my supplies completely run out but not as stocked as we were with kids in the house. I went to town to find the shelves wiped out. From then on, I thought stay stocked up so I don't have to drive all that way to find nothing is available. I am not shaking my head at your endeavor. It is smart. Prepare now so you don't have to hoard later. BTW the Mormons have a free online manual of preparedness. I am not Mormon but they have been so helpful in resources. They will help anyone.
When I lived in Florida, I did this at the start of hurricane season each year to avoid the mad rush at the store only to find empty shelves. Now that I’m in Texas, I do the same for the ice storm season.
Yes, I am in MI and we always prepare for winter weather.
Been practicing this over 35 years. I keep a list of everything on hand in the pantry, and freezer etc. and I do keep a certain amount of cans, such as 12 cans of beans (that way when I look at my stockpile, even before I check my list, I can see I need to buy 3 cans that week. We rotate the items so that way nothing is expired. Basically, we shop from our stockpile each week and just add to it as the month goes along. We do have canned ground beef and beef as well as milk that set on the shelf for longer storage. We also have emergency backpacks for each family member in case of tornado or hurricane etc. And a stockpile has helped us help others as well. Well done on getting started.
I’m from the UK where we don’t have either hurricanes or tornados so I’m very interested to know what you pack in the family members back packs.
@@susanholding158 Its really like watching something from another world isn't it.. I'm in the UK and for me at least its normal to have items in the cupboard, although I do think this "Stock pile thing " has alot to do with the Russia issue. God forbid war world wide broke out, we would be heading towards underground shelter's so all those grocery items would be wasted.
I'm glad to see this. I was one of the people who left a comment when you said you didn't store food as I am old enough to have seen bare store shelves several times in my life. There are so many benefits and you have a lovely storage area and are such an organized person. Thank you for saying you made a change due to your viewers. As a senior living in a cold climate I really stock up garden produce in the summer (canning), then staples from August to October. Then during the cold winter months I don't need to buy much. Another benefit is once you have a bunch stored you fewer items at a time and grocery shopping is quick. I buy all my baking supplies twice a year, I am not always putting things on my list. I usually focus on one category when I shop.
I just recently started doing the same thing. I bought about $75 worth of food and some water storage on Amazon. Now I'm just adding as I go. Love your very common sense/non panic approach!
Having grown up in a culture of gardening to can and freeze for the winter, this "emergency backup" is all I've ever known. I love the freedom to shop my home and not need to go to the store every week. When I do go to town, it's so fun to be able to shop the sales exclusively... somehow it thrills me to not pay full price for items we use all the time. One thing to remember when shopping sales/ clearance is to check the exp date! Also rotate by exp date, not by when you buy the food. Having made an international move a couple months ago, I'm still in the building up the supply stage... but it's fun using sales to your advantage.
I really liked this video! I haven't read every comment, but I thought I'd add mine just in case two points weren't made yet. It's not as neat and orderly, but my suggestion is to sort the products by expiration date rather than category. That's what I've done and it's made organization so much easier. I know that items on a specific shelf are my "nearer date" items so I make intentional decisions about those first, and then whatever I use, I repurchase and put on the shelf that's for further-dated items. It's made management of expiration dates very easy. Again, not as orderly looking like a store, but certainly more manageable as the stockpile grows. The "nearer date" shelf is often my inspiration for planning meals or larger baking sessions if the items are dry goods.
Also, a tip for flour, sugar, yeast, rice or anything else in a bag: Perhaps put those sealed bags in a bin with nice-fitting lid. Even if we think our homes are dry and pest-free, both moisture and a sneaky pest can wreak havoc on your stock of those items. I think you're off to a great start! I was surprised at the change in your way of doing things, but it's nice to have enough on hand, even just for convenience.
Love the organizing by date idea!
I’ve been married for 22 years, both my husband and my family had this growing up, so it was natural for us to do it as well. Same as your set up, just the foods we normally eat. Thank you sharing! ♥️
This whole concept has been weighing on my heart lately. Thank you for all the ideas 💡
Very wise decision, dear; especially with a big family. Have you considered adding shelf stable or dry milk, for the little ones? I love the idea of dedicating just $5 per week to build your stock...it can really make a difference, even after just one month!
Alaska Granny is a great RUclips channel for common sense prepping. She recommended Nido Fortificada dry milk for it’s taste and consistency. She was right! Last year we had a snowstorm and I didn’t want to use my regular milk to make crock pot hot cocoa. Used the Nido and we couldn’t even tell! My Walmart carries it in the Hispanic food section.
This is so balanced. Thank you. I think it was Katherine from Do It On a Dime that talked about her 72 HR bags and checking replenishing them 2x a year when she replaces her batteries in her smoke detectors. I love this idea. I am intimidated by an inventory sheet to keep track of expiration dates etc. I love your set up and I don't think it would be too overwhelming to check expiration dates a couple of times a year.
My extended family has made fun of my and my husband for having a "grocery store" in our basement. But 1 don't care. I know exactly what I have, I always "shop" my shelves first. And when sales pop up I stock up as needed.
Just today i was able to get Gluten-Free pasta our family eats for $1 a box!!! (Regular price over $3 a box.) You better believe i bought every box they had on clearance!
Glad you decided to build an extra working pantry. I have the same setup in my basement and the grandkids call it 'nana's little store' 🤗They like to take a bag and 'go shopping' for me down there with a list and everything. It is a good feeling to have a little extra. I have to be careful to only buy things we actually use and eat so nothing gets wasted. I also keep a large supply of firewood in case the power goes out. Good video and good tips! I really like the $5 a week method that's a great idea, it can seem overwhelming to look at one of those big lists and the cost associated with purchasing so much at once. Have a nice weekend!
I love the stockpile paper guide from the blog. That’s a great idea. I suggest anyone stocking paper products. Put them high. I never had water issues but one day the sump pump broke and we caught it just in time. This helps it not get damaged just in case. Enjoy the day
Use those coupons!
With good planning, you might walk out the store without having pay any money for the food!
In store, manufacturers, buy one get one free, and online couponing is a must! Most of us only buy when items are on sale!
I got a 5 sectioned note book from the dollar tree. I list anything in my stock pile in various sections i.e. canned veggies, canned fruits, grains, freezer etc to include the expiration dates. When I use something I scratch it out and on a separate sheet list what I need to replace next trip to the store. Also the book works great because there are lots of pages in each section so I can continue to keep track easily.
When I was raising my 5 children we always had a stockpile of food. we had a fluctuating income because of sales and tourism type jobs. Always helpful now more than ever.
I grew up rural - and in the north so stocking up for winter was a normal expectation. I have carried these habits into adult life. It helps when you just don't feel like going to the store or someone is unwell or life is crazy. One thing I do is I seal things like my extra flour in vacuum seal bags - it's a good idea. Also, I love canning items and canning dried beans, or making your own bone broth or stock and canning it is easy and saves money. just suggestions for anyone who is interested. Instant coffee is good for emergency - but also good if you are cooking chocolate and want to add a bit
Or keep your flour in the freezer to prevent it going rancid, and to keep bugs out.
I just started doing the same thing and it is comforting to have regular items on hand. Thanks for the video. I love your videos!
I think the difficult part is using the foods as part of my usual cooking so they don’t expire. I have to be very I intentional even in my main food supply as they expire.
This is something I’ve been thinking of beginning, and recent world events have pushed me to do so. Looks like you have a great start! I’d also add an extra first aid bin, some hygiene products, matches, etc.
Yes, we have done this for years, because you never know when it may be something you have to depend on, but it has also saved us money since we watched for sales and took advantage of those. It has been so handy to go to this inventory instead of having to buy those items every week.
I have a 6 month stockpile of food that I could stretch to 9 months if we didn't eat meat everyday & I think it's very smart to do this especially if you have kids to feed. Definitely peace of mind! I also stockpile body/tooth care items, meds, TP/PT, garbage bags etc.... & we rotate things to use up so nothing goes to waste.
I am so glad you decided to have some food storage. I have thought about your limited food supply before. You have the perfect place in your storage area of your basement. Whoever inspired you to start, thank you. A couple of tips when I grocery shop...before I place my items in my pantry, I use a permanent marker to write the month and year on the item...I place the new item in the back and bring some older items forward. Great storage containers to keep out bugs or rodents are the tin popcorn cans that are so popular at Christmas. I keep bags of flour and sugar in those. Of course, it will not keep out weevils in flour if it gets too old. Keep up the good work. God bless.
Last summer I started putting canned items, paper towels, plates, napkins, and toilet paper along with pastas, rice, peanut butter, pancake mix, dry milk, jelly as well as different types of canned fruit, tuna fish and canned chicken to have on hand during the winter months in case of heavy snow or ice and we cannot get out to go to the store. We are seniors and living on a budget and everything we have stocked is items we use. We also have about 6 gallons of water that my husband uses for his cpap machine at night. We have already used some of the items this winter because of snow storms and they are calling for another one this week end. Unfortunately the only freezer I have is above the refrigerator so I cannot stock up too much on meat but we are doing okay. With prices of groceries going up this is great to fall back on. Next week will be replacing some of the items we used and maybe picking up some more like beans. This great to fall back on in case of job loss, illness or weather. Everyone should be doing this. I've been hearing so much of doing a "prepper pantry" in the last year and that is what got me started. Thanks for the reminder to be prepared. Don't forget your first aid items also. We have an extra month supply at all times of my husband diabetic, blood pressure and heart medicine along with bandages and first aid cream.
Geez the word stockpile has such a negative tone. It’s more like an emergency pantry
I kinda think stocking up sounds less negative than emergency, but words are funny sometimes ☺️
@@OldWorldHome I know! Stocking up and stockpiling definitely sound different 😊
Great video. Love reading everyone's helpful tips. I have been doing this for years & it really saves money in the long run. [Peace of mind also]
If something we use goes on sale it's easier to pick up extra without hurting your weekly food budget because you have back up of things that might not be on sale that week. Thanks for all you share with us weekly!
I have always practiced what I called ‘ one on the shelf,’ meaning I kept, for example, an extra jar of pasta sauce in addition to the one I planned to use that week. I did this with the foods we ate on a regular basis, as well as toilet tissue, toothpaste, etc. This practice relieved the stress of running out of those items we used regularly and, in an apartment where there wasn’t room for more, it was the best I could do. It your stockpile, I would add canned potatoes and one or two boxes of instant potatoes for variety. I would also put the extra bags & boxes of flour, sugar, salt, yeast, etc. in large storage containers to protect from bugs and varmints.
I do this too. I have a tiny kitchen and no storage/pantry area, butone in use and one in storage works.
Just a thought Hilary, in case your basement floods then it's worth having tins lower and paper products higher so that the tinned goods could still be used.
That is what I’ve been trying to do the last few years. Now I have a name for it. We live in the country so a quick trip to the grocery, take out or eating out isn’t practical. By having a small back up plan on the shelves helps me between trips to the store. At the beginning of the pandemic I finally got a second basement refrigerator which we call our grocery store. I fill it with trips to Costco and have back ups for several weeks.
Luckily we have no water issues, and a French drain. I might move the paper products to our laundry room and do some household stockpiling there 💙
I too used the "one on the shelf" system. As soon as that was opened, we marked it on the grocery list. Even the kids knew to do that. When the pandemic hit, I switched to "two on the shelf" of frequently used items, since supplies were/are sporadic sometimes. Running out of ketchup is a terrible thing!
Or you could use the spare closet space in the guest area for some of the dry paper goods since there's that high shelf? Xx
Just a suggestion ... You may want to place heavy items on the bottom shelves for safety precautions.
Great video! I would suggest that you also put any bags/boxes of pasta/rice and any flours or sugars inside plastic storage containers. This will keep them fresh and also pest resistant!
Great idea to keep inventory, we have a very small pantry. .so I tend to just buy extra here or there...and for our staples, I like to have a spare in pantry, not enough to survive on but still gives me some comfort
I have a family of 3. My husband works in a poultry plant and we have 2 chest freezer. One is full of chicken and the other is beef and pork. My family doesn’t like canned food. So the inside freezer is full of vegetables 🤦🏻♀️. Because we have gluten and dairy challenges in our house, I buy all of wheat berries and lot of bulk grains and beans. I live in a 800 sq ft house 😂 it’s kind of crowded in here but it gives us food security.
I’m so glad to see you’re stock piling.
🙌So glad to see you doing this!! Everyone should be doing this!🙌
Hi, just found your channel two days ago. Enjoying bingeing on your videos. One question..what are you using to keep our pests from your pantry? Especially for rats.
My daughters are 40 and 45 they still have friends who ask if their mother still has a grocery store in her basement. Many years ago I could have been on the extreme coupon show my now ex-husband worked at a paper recycling plant and I could get all the coupons I wanted so my sister-in-law and a neighbor and I would go to a grocery store the next town over and Order cases laundry soap cleaners whatever we had coupons for and the store knew when we came back the next week to pick that up we had ordered we would only be paying tax after those coupons were doubled. For me it was a game to see how much I could get free and I always supplied family friends and Neighbors from that stockpile for free. I had a cousin her brother-in-law worked for Procter & Gamble and they owned Crystal Light VO5 shampoo if the package was ripped it couldn't be sold so my cousin and I would trade whatever she needed and my daughters drank Crystal Light that was their Kool-Aid. I've been single for 21 years I don't quite shop like that anymore but I still have quite a bit of supplies. I retired from my job year-and-a-half ago no pension only income Social Security I have been buying markdown meat and other markdown food items at my grocery store for many years I don't buy new clothing I shop Church Thrift stores and garage sales for a lot of my household items I will buy new but only if I can't get it used I don't have to shop this way but this is the way I prefer to shop
I am so happy to hear that you have started a stockpile for your family. I have prepped for 10 years. Now, more than ever Americans should be aware of what is going on. People worldwide are prepping and moving Off Grid. Long shelf items should be key items to stockpile.
Hi Hilary, I have always done the stock piling thing because I garden and can and now that I'm older and can't do it as much, I always buy extra at the grocery. I use a small corner in a spare bedroom for my shelving units. Having a small stockpile (because I live alone) has helped me many times in the past and I'm ready in case of an emergency in the future.
My mom always uses the oldest expire dates first. Then replace with newer dates in the back. (She rotates her food) She does this every Thursday. It’s always ensured that all the food is used properly, and the freshest date available. When she buys items she pushes the ones on the shelf to the front, and the ones she just bought in the back behind. I hope I’m making sense. She’s methodical. Lol. She was in charge of safety, and worked w the fda, and a planner for the major pharmaceutical, and baby formula company she retired from. She goes through everyone’s refrigerator. Lol.
Great video. I love your pantry stockpile ideas. When it comes to storing things like flour, you might want to purchase some food grade buckets and place a few basil leaves inside to keep out bugs or rodents. I have watched many youtube videos on storing flour products. Just a suggestion.
Thank You. I always enjoy your videos. I started doing some stockpiling at the beginning of the pandemic and I have just made it a priority now and so I shop much less often. Based on everything going on, I am planning to take this further.
I put the rice, and flour(in their natural packaging from the store, in freezer bags) in the freezer, for about 3 to 5 days to help kill any eggs or bugs, and then take them out, let it defrost. Then put in our pantry, in the container they came in the store, but in large Ziploc bags. It helps keep weevils or bugs from contaminating your food. We also place bay leaves in our pantry, to help keep bugs away from our food. I also put our Pasta, sugar in the their natural packaging they came in from the store, but put them into plastic bags with bay leaves inside to help protect them better, as they cant be put into the freezer totreat for bugs. As I use those items, I just reuse the Ziploc bags on new items that I buy. Hope my babbling made sense. 😊
I have a small home with no pantry, no basement & no attic, but I have a small stockpile of items we eat & use. I have a supply of candles, & flashlights too. Just several months ago we were without electricity for many hours.
We moved from the city to a rural area- I have always had a stockpile pantry. Now I’ve included shelf stable milk. For some reason canned cat food of all things are hard to find. It’s a good idea to make sure you have extra pet food too.
I was raised in a family where everyone had a stock pile of at least a couple months of pantry staples, so this is just how I did things when I got married. Now I also have a little emergency long term food like dehydrated veggies that are in sealed jars with some oxygen absorbers and same for some legumes, rice, flour, spices, and even household necessities, like detergent and such. Enough to sustain us for a few months. I do rotate them. It gives me some peace of mind and does not take up much space. Just a shelf a little wider than yours.
I learned to live with a large food stockpile when we lived on the mission field in Central America, and it was only possible to go to the city and shop maybe once every 2 months or so, but still be prepared to feed unexpected guests at any time. I think this is wisdom, especially considering the volatility in our world today. ~Charlotte
I am happy that you are preparing! I really love Appalachia's Homestead with Patara. She shares some good ideas as well!
I saw the bags of flour. I stored bags like that for about a year, and when I wanted to use it, it was full of bugs! Next time, I'll store them in buckets with sealed lids!
I started one quite a few months ago when prices started to rise, and if things were on offer i would buy a few extra, but now, the way the world is I’m thinking in a different way, what would keep us going in an emergency, quite honestly it’s pretty scary out there x
Be careful with your bagged items, like the flour. It can be attractive to bugs and rodents. Look into getting some type of storage bins that are more resistant. Don't forget to check your "best by" dates often, too.
I put my large bags of flour one at a time in our chest freezer for a few days before storing it on the shelf in case there are weevils. I’ve never encountered them in 60+ years, but why not? I also keep a large amount of yeast in my freezer.
Thanks for making this realistic to you. I think that is something to keep in mind when making your own stockpile.
Great video and information. I will definitely be looking at those resources. I haven’t created a dedicated stock pile, but I have definitely noticed in the past several months I have been trying to buy more each trip than I used to! It really does give me more peace of mind!
Hi Hilary, I do not like managing large amounts of inventory, but like you feel it might be a smart thing to do. I have always tried to have one back up of things on hand that we use on a regular basis (shampoo, soap, bread, peanutbutter etc.). I find it more inconvenient to have to make multiple trips to the store if we run out of things and enjoy having the back up on hand. Once I open a back-up item I add it to my list to re-stock. Since the pandemic I have just increased my back up by one or two items for a mini-stockpile. I did find some boxed water that I keep in the car and some in our storage area. It lasts for I believe up to 10 years because it is not in plastic. I thought this was a good item to have on hand. As always, enjoying your channel so much!
Great start! I grew up in Australia where basements are not common so we only had a pantry. But now living in Europe we have a small one-room basement, dedicated to long-life goods. It's SO handy! I would find it hard to go back to not having one. It allows us to only shop about once a month, replenishing what is needed. (Fresh produce is bought weekly from a farm). We very rarely have anything expire, as you tend to learn how much you use. We are very careful not to waste anything.
Hilary I think you are off to a great start! I started a “prepper “pantry if you will when the pandemic started and have kept adding to it. I wrote the expiration dates on the tops of the cans and am trying to use those things before they expire however some you tubers have said that canned goods are stable long after the expiration dates listed. As for meats, I have tuna, canned salmon, corned beef hash and canned chicken (which in casseroles) tastes very good. I need to add more canned fruit to mine.
Hilary, I'd also like to recommend to you (and everyone else interested!) to check out the channel Mary's Nest. She has many wonderful videos and lists of how to stock up on a nutritious, whole-foods based pantry. You may also like to consider researching water filtration products like the Berkey water filter. (We use it for everyday use, but it is also there obviously for emergencies!)
I think that is a great idea. I do that more with SALES items. I think you save money when you buy sales items that your family uses on a regular basis. 👍
Sitting here making my prep list :) So happy to see you are doing what we are doing. The world is unstable and we must be prepared but God is in control! Thanks for your lovely channel. My kids are all grown but it makes me happy to see you staying home with your children and still working and contributing to your family with your youtube channel. God bless and Godspeed.