Food storage for foragers
- posted: 04 Dec. 2007
- scrollspecial@byui.edu
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints advises its members to lay a year’s food storage aside for emergencies. While some students on campus may meet these guidelines, many may feel that collecting food storage is a daunting task.
Kerrin Lindner, a sophomore studying business management, does not have more than a month’s worth of food at school with her.
“If I had a house and a family and money, it would make it easier to have good food storage,” Lindner said.
However, Karen Gutke, manager of The Preparedness Store, a food storage distributor in Idaho Falls, feels that students can easily obtain at least three months’ worth of storage.
“I don’t think [gathering food] is hard if it’s a priority. It’s only as hard as [students] make it,” Gutke said.
The Church lists an individual’s monthly supply of food in a brochure. Wheat, flour, rice, oats, macaroni, pinto beans, white sugar, powdered milk, cooking oil and salt are all listed in the basic supply.
Gutke suggests adding other things, such as flavorings or chocolate, and including at least a five-gallon supply of water.
“[My husband and I] have about six months’ worth of food storage,” said Jennifer Kaiser, a sophomore studying psychology. “We have lots of brownie mixes, and we buy things we like to eat.”
Gutke advises students to sit down and plan out menus so that they will know what food storage they would actually eat in case of an emergency.
“Start [buying] one item at a time and build it up. Maintain a budget every month and work up to three months,” Gutke said.
Food storage is available in small cans in grocery stores or in larger amounts at the LDS cannery or The Preparedness Store. Kaiser also buys hers in bulk from Sam’s Club.
Though Kaiser finds room for her food in the pantry, other college students may find squeezing storage into their apartments more difficult. 
