Crying from the Watch Tower

3-MONTH SUPPLY OF FOOD PLAN-Sample

 Source Unknown

This is how much food we need for 3 months (14 weeks). There are 12 dinners, because we can make 6 dinners per week and have leftovers on the 7th day of the week. And then I multiplied those dinners x 7, because 12 dinners x 7, including leftovers, is enough for 14 weeks worth of dinners. For lunch we can have leftovers half of the time and peanut butter jelly or another kind of sandwich the other part of the time. Breakfast can be oatmeal or bear mush most of the time, and a bread product made from scratch like bagels or muffins less of the time. We will keep a list on the fridge, separate from our regular grocery list, and mark all these items, so that when we use one up, we can write the item on the list to be sure to replace it.

Dinners:

1. pasta, marinara, canned green beans

2. tuna casserole with peas

3. lentil burgers, broccoli

4. stir fry vegetables and rice

5. boston baked beans, rice, broccoli

6. chickpea ratatouille, spinach

7. festive dal soup, bread

8. homemade “spaghettios”, green beans

9. “everything” rice

10. chicken veggie fajitas, spinach

11. sub ball sandwiches, broccoli

12. mac and “cheeze”, canned green beans

WHAT WE NEED:

BUCKETS:

3 buckets of hard wheat

1 bucket of oats or oat groats

1 bucket of sugar

1 bucket white flour

1 bucket brown rice

1 bucket kidney beans

1 bucket navy beans

1 bucket chickpeas

1 bucket red lentils

1 bucket regular lentils

smaller bucket of raisins

smaller bucket of bear mush

CANNED:

3 containers of salt

8 jars jam

8 jars peanut butter

8 cans crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)

8 cans cream of mushroom soup

8 cans tomato soup

14 cans green beans

14 cans tuna

16 cans petite diced tomatoes

16 cans regular diced tomatoes

DRY PANTRY:

14 lbs. macaroni

4 lbs. penne

4 lbs. fettuccini

4 lbs. spaghetti

bag of instant yeast

2 jars baking powder

1 gallon vegetable oil

1 container molasses

1 container maple syrup

1 bottle soy sauce

1 bottle stir-fry sauce

1 container olive oil

2 bottles ketchup

1 bottle mustard

1 jar mayo

1 tub breadcrumbs

1 container lemon juice

1 bottle vinegar

8 cups nutritional yeast (a big bag full)

FREEZE/DRIED/CANNED:

15 pounds butter

8 lbs. frozen/dried/canned green beans

4 lbs. frozen/dried/canned spinach

8 lbs. frozen/dried broccoli

4 lbs. frozen/dried/canned peas

4 lbs. frozen//dried/canned corn

1 bag frozen/dried bell pepper

8 lbs. frozen/dried stir-fry vegetables

8 lbs. frozen/canned ground beef

8 - 12 lbs. frozen/canned frozen chicken breast

THREE MONTH (15 WEEKS) FOOD SUPPLY – Sample 3

Source Unknown

(I use a combination of 3-month and 1-year supplies to make these meals, but I only recorded what needs to be bought for the 3-month supply.)

THREE MONTHS OF BREAKFASTS

Monday: Whole wheat pancakes and syrup; cocoa

Tuesday: Cold cereal; cocoa

Wednesday: Oatmeal or cracked wheat (I like cracked wheat and the kids like oatmeal); cocoa

Thursday: Whole wheat pancakes and syrup; cocoa

Friday: Cold cereal; cocoa

Saturday: Oatmeal or cracked wheat; cocoa

Sunday: Muffins and juice

Need to buy: 30 pkgs. pancake mix, 10 bottles of syrup, 30 boxes instant oatmeal, 30 boxes cold cereal, 15 muffin mixes, 15 bottles juice, 90 boxes cocoa mix (dollar store, Nestle's Rich, 10 packets to a box. I chose cocoa mix because I know that's one way my children will drink powdered milk, and it doesn't go to waste.)

THREE MONTHS OF LUNCHES

Monday: Macaroni and cheese; raisins

Tuesday: Peanut butter and jam sandwiches

Wednesday: Tuna sandwiches

Thursday: Tomato soup; breadsticks

Friday: Sloppy joe calzones

Saturday: Tuna Helper (with broccoli added)

Sunday: Beef stew; biscuits and jam

Need to buy: 30 boxes macaroni and cheese, 6 4-lb. jars of peanut butter, 45 cans tuna, 15 large cans tomato soup, 15 quarts sloppy joe meat, 30 pkgs. Tuna Helper, 15 large cans beef stew, 15 pints broccoli. ( A note about broccoli: there is a REASON you can't buy it in cans in the stores. I bottled my own; the florets looked whole until I opened them and stirred them, and then they disintegrated into ittty bitty pieces. Still okay for Tuna Helper or Cheesy Broccoli Soup.)

THREE MONTHS OF DINNERS

Monday: Chili; cornbread and jam; peaches

Tuesday: Lasagna Hamburger Helper; green beans; applesauce

Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper; mandarin oranges; peas; and Jello

Thursday: Sheperd's Pie; pears

Friday: Chicken Helper; pineapple tidbits; cake

Saturday: Clam chowder; muffins

Sunday: Spaghetti; corn; fruit cocktail

Need to buy: 15 large cans chili, 15 cans spaghetti sauce, 30 pkgs Lasagna Hamburger Helper, 30 pkgs Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper, 15 pkgs. cornbread, 15 2-lb. packages pasta, 15 pkgs. instant potatoes, 30 cans tomato sauce, 15 cans peaches, 15 cans pears, 30 cans green beans, 15 cans corn, 15 bottles applesauce, 15 cans fruit cocktail, 30 cans minced clams, 30 cans evaporated milk, 30 cans mandarin oranges, 30 pkgs. Chicken Helper, 15 cans pineapple tidbits, 15 cans peas

I keep the master list in PENCIL, so I can erase things and add things as necessary. I take my $30 a week and check the dollar stores first, then go to grocery stores and see what's on a good sale. Be careful about dollar stores. I can buy a package of Hamburger Helper for a dollar there, and the same thing is $1.59 to $2.49 at other stores. But canned vegetables and canned fruits are more expensive at the dollar store than at the grocery stores. You just have to watch. I have found the best prices aren't usually advertised. The sales determine what I buy for the week.

Just for variety, I have added additional items so I can also make Chicken Broccoli Casserole, Cheesy Broccoli Soup, Tostadas with Refried Beans, Pasta Fagiola Soup (Italian chili)--if anyone is interested in recipes, let me know, and I'll type them here. I'm also looking for other good recipes that can be made solely from items in storage. I have a good recipe for white bread made from food storage items; sometimes I make it half wheat and half white. I haven't found a way to make a whole wheat loaf by hand that isn't too heavy. Ideas?

We keep a running grocery list posted on the wall in the kitchen. I have trained the kids to record on that list what they take from the basement, for instance, if they get a can of peaches, I tell them to write "peaches #1A" or "peaches #6B" on the grocery list. I tell them to get the lowest-numbered can first. (Sometimes they remember; sometimes they don't.) (Sigh.)

We try to use food storage meals a couple of times a week. I don't rotate the bottled hamburger, sloppy joe meat, or bottled chicken breast very often, but I will try to use them before two years pass, just to keep them fairly rotated. They will stay good for several years, though.

I've been trying to buy things that don't need to be frozen or refrigerated. I wondered what to do about cheese. Don't know if my kids would eat dehydrated cheese very well, and Velveeta seemed too expensive. I happened to notice Ragu cheese sauce. We can use it in casseroles instead of shredded cheese. The kids also like it on nachos, and I can get it for $1.34 a bottle, instead of the $3.39 a 2 lb. box of Velveeta costs.

A good alternative to stove-top canning is a propane burner (like a Camp Chef) set up outside. I do all my canning outside. I have a ceramic top oven in the house, and the instructions clearly say not to do pressure canning on a ceramic top oven. Smart me! I thought, oh, it can't be that bad. Trust me, it is. I ruined 3 burners using the pressure canner. I am now cooking for a family of 7 on the one remaining burner that works. . .A Camp Chef costs about $99 dollars, and the big jugs of propane will cost a little more, but boy, that would be good to have on hand for emergency cooking. We also take it camping. I canned all the hamburger and chicken on it, and it worked great.

Don't give up, and don't let Satan make you feel overwhelmed. If you will JUST START, windows will open! God will reward you for taking care of your family.

THREE MONTH SUPPLY PLANNER-Sample  Unknown Source

One Month Supply of Shelf Stable

For one person

Based on the MINIMUM (1600 calories) recommendations in the Food Pyramid

18 ounce box oatmeal*

1 pound rice*

20 ounces pasta*

5 pounds flour*

1 pound popcorn*

34 (15 ounce) cans vegetables

26 (15 ounce) cans fruit

2 pounds Velveeta

4 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk*

3.2 pounds powdered milk (powder to make 4 gallons)*

1 jar (18 ounces) peanut butter*

4 (6 ounce) cans tuna

4 (5 ounce) cans chicken

4 (5 ounce) cans ham

8 (15 ounce) cans cooked dry beans*

oil*

shortening*

nuts

sugar*

syrup*

jam*

molasses*

salt*

*also considered a “basic” food storage food

NOTE: For a 2400 calorie diet, add 1 more box of oatmeal, 1 pound of rice, 40 ounces of pasta, 1 pound of popcorn, 17 cans of vegetables, 8 cans of fruit, 1 can of chicken, 1 can of ham and 5 cans of cooked dry beans.