One-Year Pantry Checklist — FarmPal

Principles

• Store what you eat, eat what you store no exotic "survival food"
• Rotate stock: first in, first out (FIFO)
• Balance: grains, legumes, fats, proteins, fruits, vegetables, sweeteners
• Include comfort foods and spices morale matters
• Water storage: minimum 1 gallon per person per day (365 gallons/person/year)
• Non-food essentials: medicines, hygiene, seeds, fuel, tools

Action steps

1. Calculate per-person annual needs

   Per adult/year: 400 lbs grain/flour, 60 lbs dry beans/legumes, 60 lbs sugar/honey, 25 lbs fats/oils, 60 lbs powdered milk/dairy, 400 lbs fruits/vegetables (preserved), 20 lbs salt, spices to taste.

2. Prioritize home production

   Grow: potatoes (300+ lbs easy from 100 ft row), dry beans (60 lbs from 200 ft), winter squash (200+ lbs from 100 ft), tomatoes (150+ lbs from 25 plants). Raise: eggs (6 hens = 1,500+/year), meat (rabbits or chickens).

3. Fill gaps with strategic purchasing

   Buy in bulk from: restaurant supply stores, LDS Home Storage Centers (open to all), Azure Standard co-op, local grain farmers. Focus on: wheat berries, rice, oats, cooking oil, salt, sugar.

4. Build storage infrastructure

   Food-grade 5-gallon buckets with gamma lids for bulk dry goods. Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers for 25+ year storage. Root cellar for fresh produce. Chest freezer with backup power for meat.

5. Create inventory system

   Spreadsheet or paper log tracking: item, quantity, date stored, expiration. Check monthly. Rotate actively. Replenish as you consume.

Benefits

• Peace of mind food security for your family
• Saves money buying in bulk at low prices
• Buffer against job loss, illness, or supply disruptions
• Foundation for true self-sufficiency
• Builds gradually no need to do it all at once

Further reading

• LDS Preparedness Manual (free)
• The Encyclopedia of Country Living Carla Emery
• Pantry math calculators (providentliving.org)