Food Storage for $5.00 a Week

[mcdaniel]

Anyone wanting to prep food on a budget? Here is a great way to get started on a low, low budget. This can be even further "frugalized" by switching weeks up based on sales, and using coupons.

There is one thing missing here that is a big expense, that is a grain meal. If you are going to buy whole wheat and mill it yourself, you need a mill. A quality mill that can make flour is upwards of $200 I believe.

Start borrowed material by unknown to me author-

This is a practical and frugal way to build your food storage over time. I'm not sure if the prices are up to date but think it may be a helpful resource.

Week 1: 6 lbs. salt
Week 2: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week 3: 20 lbs. of sugar
Week 4: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 5: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 6: 6 lbs. macaroni
Week 7: 20 lbs. sugar
Week 8: 8 cans tuna
Week 9: 6 lbs. yeast
Week 10: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 11: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 12: 20 lbs. sugar
Week 13: 10 lbs. powdered milk
Week 14: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese
Week 15: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 16: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week 17: 1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins
Week 18: 10 lbs. powdered milk
Week 19: 5 cans cream of mushroom soup
Week 20: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 21: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 22: 20 lbs. sugar
Week 23: 8 cans tuna
Week 24: 6 lbs. shortening
Week 25: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 26: 5 lbs. honey
Week 27: 10 lbs. powdered milk
Week 28: 20 lbs. sugar
Week 29: 5 lbs. peanut butter
Week 30: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 31: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese
Week 32: 10 lbs. powdered milk
Week 33: 1 bottle 500 aspirin
Week 34: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week 35: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 36: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese
Week 37: 6 lbs. salt
Week 38: 20 lbs. sugar
Week 39: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 40: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 41: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week 42: 20 lbs. sugar
Week 43: 1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins
Week 44: 8 cans tuna
Week 45: 50 lbs. wheat
Week 46: 6 lbs. macaroni
Week 47: 20 lbs. sugar
Week 48: 5 cans cream of mushroom soup
Week 49: 5 lbs. honey
Week 50: 20 lbs. sugar
Week 51: 8 cans tomato soup
Week 52: 50 lbs. wheat.

Some weeks you will have leftover change. Save the change each week in a kitty to be used for the weeks you may exceed $5.00 (like wheat or milk.)

You will end up with:
500 lbs. wheat
180 lbs. sugar
40 lbs. powdered milk
12 lbs. salt
10 lbs. honey
5 lbs. peanut butter
45 cans tomato soup
15 cans cream of mushroom soup
15 cans cream of chicken soup
24 cans tuna
21 boxes macaroni and cheese
500 aspirin
1000 multi-vitamins
6 lbs. yeast
6 lbs. shortening
12 lbs. macaroni

This should be enough to sustain two people for a year. For every two people in your family, add $5.00 more and double or triple the amount of the item you are buying that week.

 

[Schultz]

Interesting. Better have some bug proof containers for some of that stuff.

 

[PCShogun]

This is a really great list. Now, where to put it all?

 

[thebrasilian]

band aids, Iodine, gause, and other medical supplies.

 

[Chili]

band aids, Iodine, gause, and other medical supplies.

+1

Don't forget to rotate these supplies through normal consumption.

If you are friendly with someone with a Sam's Club or Costco membership, you might be able to save a little more money.

The list in the OP is a great start. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mcdaniel]

Well I really just posted this a while back to show people how ou develop LTS food. The prices on this list are very outdated. Wheat and grain derivatives (Pasta, Rice, etc) have gone up a lot as well as pretty much everything else. But just having a list with some type of plan is always a good place to start. After you have that, then you can start tearing the list up, adding and deleting what you want or don't.

Obviously this list is severely lacking in a lot of areas, there are no med supplies as was mentioned before, but if you break down your plan into chunks that you can comprehend it sure helps.

When I was in high school I was one of the All American types, 3 sport varsity, A student, chorus member, had a job or two all through school, anything you could do I did. Inevitably I would get a little overwhelmed from time to time. My dad always would tell me, "You know how to eat a horse? Got to start taking bites." That really applies to this kind of stuff very well.

Make an overarching plan, then do SOMETHING, whatever, just pick a place to start and do it. For me it was a BOB, now I have 2 kits that are ready to rock and roll if we had to get out because of a storm or whatever- look at Joplin, for those people t would be nice to have a ruck with some basic items right now. Water is a really easy place to make a huge dent, quickly and for very little money. After you have made your first step, just start working your plan. I have heard some people that split up their months, month 1 being food, month 2 being savings, etc. Everyone has to find a way to do it that works for them, but everyone should do something, we can't afford not to.

 

[Tigerstripe]

bleach, to purify water

 

[Enjay]

Does anyone have an idea where to get "food grade" corn and wheat? I can find animal feed easily enough but haven't been able to source wheat and corn meant for human consumption short of buying it in sealed in #10 cans from the net.