CHAPTER 31 - TIME PERIODS FOR SHELF LIFE
There are two main types of food storage time periods you need to take into account, and both are important for successful and adequate food storage.
The first trait in food storage needs to comply with long or indefinite shelf life foods. These are the foods that you may not necessarily use in day-to-day life but are the easiest to store in case needed for long-term survival.
The shelf life for these foods should be at least several years with as many food items as possible being able to last indefinitely.
This always requires proper storage techniques be employed which we will discuss later, but you want a good supply of highly nutritious food sources that you can in essence “fix-and-forget” for the most part knowing you are at least somewhat prepared to provide food for your family regardless of what crisis the future may hold.
The other side of the food storage coin involves food items that carry shorter shelf lives and need to be regularly monitored and rotated.
These foods will be those that are already a regular part of your family’s food intake but hold at least some amount of shelf life viability and can easily be rotated in your family’s regular diet. This will ensure that at least some amount of your pantry and food storage system will always be at their freshest whenever disaster hits.
If you have a portion of your food storage dedicated to the foods your family already eats or will learn to eat willingly, it will also cut down on some of the fear and chaos that will inevitably arise during a crisis situation by being able to serve you family food that is both familiar and comforting in the beginning stages of an emergency survival situation.