# Eating your food storage, some lessons ......



## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

We've been eating through some food storage to move because DH does not want to move it. So for the past two weeks we've been eating nothing but food storage. Heres some things I learned.

#1. Oil in plastic goes rancid quickly. The Olive oil I had in the square metal cans for 8 years ago was still perfect.

#2 We do not have nearly enough oil stored. The recommended amounts are clearly for what you need to consume, not what you need to cook with. Triple oil quantities.

#3 Butter. Theres nothing sadder than a slice of fresh bread with out a slather of butter, store more butter!

#5 Fruits and Veggies, not nearly enough stored and we craved fresh stuff. Adding sprouting seeds to the list.

#6 Chocolate and sweets. You need them! Theres just some days when a little piece of chocolate is heaven. Chocolate chips stored well in #10 cans.

#7 Teens revolt or are revolting, take your pick! My teens have essential refused to eat at home. Opting to eat out every meal instead. Wont be a good option if there is no option, but its surprising how they refuse to eat food storage.

#8 Soap does go bad. Dr. Bronners liquid soap smelled rancid after a few years of being stored and had to be tossed. Bar soaps lost their scent but still seemed fine. 

#9 Augason Farms Food storage was some of the food we had stored. The quality was ok. Freeze dried strawberries were sour and inedible. Chicken noodle soup was not great. Chili was ok, kids loved the broccoli cheese despite the broccoli being nearly non existent. Morning Moo was great.

#10 Vitamins. Oh please get these. The food storage food will fill you up, but you will still lack. We noticed we were feeling lethargic and bit peckish. Vitamins fixed this pretty quick.

Hope this helps someone. Please add your tips if you've eaten off food storage.


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## cjean (May 1, 2007)

I REALLY appreciate this post - thanks! Particularly about the olive oil...I was wondering how long it would last in plastic. And great tip on the vitamins.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Interesting. We've tried to make most of our stores ingredients as the various meals in a can just don't taste good, cost too much, too much sodium. Plus you don't get much food for the money. Skimpy meals will not do when you are under stress and working hard.

It will be hard to return to those days when an orange was a treat. We shop twice a month and by then I'm wanting something I didn't cook or junk!!


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

very interesting.... I do not keep much oil on hand- I should- and will get it in the cans- not plastic- 
I am so used to saving my bacon grease to cook with- that I haven't used oil much...in a while- my Hubby does all the baking- and I keep olive oil for him

thanks for the post- it is good info


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I too crave fresh fruit and greens. My one big issue for me was only using/storeing sea salt. I needed iodonized salt. As one that used to take massive ammounts of supplements(professional bodybuilder) takeing a milti vit. I never noticed a difference. I do now,notice when I take them,much more energy. Might just be my age,but that is an important concern.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Rancid oil----fuel---oil soaked cotton ball-fire starter---put rancid oil in a pump style bottle (hand sanitizer) or squirt bottle for contro,---Never waste find a use even heat has value.


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

We set aside the oil for oil lamps, but it was disappointing to not have it useable.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks for your post, Namaste! Many people rush out and buy "survival" food and never try eating it and nothing else. I found the same thing with cooking oil - it goes rancid. I've got coconut oil and olive oil in cans, and I'm building up my stock of those.

We have some MREs and some Mountain House meals, and consider those just for the first few days of a catastrophe, or to take in our BOBs. We've focused on staples and dehydrated fruits and veggies, and canned meats for our main food storage. It will mean extra time to cook a meal versus just pouring hot water on a dried meal, but it will taste better.


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2013)

Thanks..you mentioned that you have only been using nothing but food storage for 2-weeks? If I didn't misunderstand your post I'm glad to know that I wouldn't be lacking in everything you posted except old Oil..I eat out of our food storage and continue to add to fill in what we used.

Here are some random thoughts of mine..

I keep 8-lbs or more of fresh butter at all times..If not in my fridge I have them in the freezer..want to advance to making Ghee in the future.

I bought several pounds of flavored chipsafter Christmas on clearance 3-yrs ago and used my Foodsaver attachment to vacuum seal them in canning jars..Maybe you could use this tip?

I also vacuum seal ALL my walnuts,pecans,almond silvers in canning jars..

I buy the big container of Crisco and butter flavored Crisco..would use in place of oil? I've used one container of Crisco for 3-yrs..I think I will buy more to add to my stock..

I would no doubt run out of canned fruit..not really a favorite in our household..prefer fresh..But,I have several jars of canned homemade applesauce that my family just loves..so that would help in that area.

Have over 100 cans of various vegetables..no worries there!

I have at least 70-containers of Pert shampoo that I got for free after coupons 5-yrs ago..Ive been known to use it for body wash when someone has used the last of the body wash and didn't replace it with a new bottle when 
Im in the shower...Grrrrr!

I buy the 450ct of Multi vitamins from Samsclub..plus the 500ct Vitamin C tablets.

I just now started to vacuum seal my homemade cookies in canning jars...they will stay fresh up to a year I read..we will see if that is true or not..

The only #10 cans I have is powered milk (18) powered eggs,powdered butter and dough enhancer..I would rather rely on my canned Meats,Jams,Applesauce.

I dehydrate frozen corn,peas and mixed peas and carrots and vacuum seal in canning jars..

The only thing I know I would run out of in a 2-week time frame might be Milk..but then I could stretch that with the powdered milk..


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Bar soaps and liquid dish soap will store for years. 

Olive oil keeps just fine in glass jars. 

The plastic jars that lamp oil comes in will become brittle after a few years. 

Moth balls will contaminate even sealed glass jars and freezers. 

Kraft and Sargento shredded cheeses freeze and thaw just fine when kept in the original packaging. Store brands get soggy and clumpy on one side and dry out on the other. (happens in short term, 1 month, storage in the fridge too) Don't know why but it's a huge waste to throw out half a package of shredded cheese.

Beans and rice absolutely must be frozen or heated to kill insect larvae before being stored long term. 

1/2 gallon canning jars are your friends. 1 gallon jars with airtight lids are great too. They keep dry goods fresher than when stored in the original packaging. Also bug proof. Insect invasions happen, be prepared!


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

We are city dwellers so canning is more expensive than buying. I guess we fall into buying canned food storage and never eating much of it crowd. We eat paleo/vegan (depending on the person) so fresh fruit and veggies are a major 
Part of our diet, as in 1/2 our food is fresh fruits an veggies. So this a huge eye opener for us.


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2013)

NamasteMama said:


> We are city dwellers so canning is more expensive than buying. I guess we fall into buying canned food storage and never eating much of it crowd. We eat paleo/vegan (depending on the person) so fresh fruit and veggies are a major
> Part of our diet, as in 1/2 our food is fresh fruits an veggies. So this a huge eye opener for us.


I feel for you..you need to move to the south where there are 2-growing seasons that you be able to feed your family most of the foods you eat..A root cellar would be ideal.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

NamasteMama -- you need to give serious consideration to how/what you will eat when fresh foods are not available. 

I'm wondering if cooking oil purchased in plastic bottles was put into canning jars and sealed if it would keep longer. The question then is would it seal with a vacuum sealer or would you need to heat the oil in the jars to get a seal. 

We continually eat what we store with the exception of the expensive foods purchased from Honeyville. I have one bucket of meals in packets (just add hot water) which would only be used in dire circumstances. We really do not care for that type of food and it is extremely expensive.


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## snowcap (Jul 1, 2011)

that's why we rotate every thing. oil used and replaced has less chance to go rancid.


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## Sarah J (Jun 28, 2003)

We continually test all of our stored foods. We've discovered that we simply won't eat the canned green beans - we much prefer frozen. I suppose if we had to, we would eat canned, but I'll keep them in the freezer for now. The pigs had a lovely time with three year old cans of beans recently! I don't think I've ever managed to keep olive oil for longer than a year. I should get the cans rather than the bottles. My dehydrator is my best friend. I generally can enough each year to last for two, but I rotate every other year WHAT I can up.

I also recently purchased a hand-held brake-line pump that Dh and I tried out as a vacuum sealer and it works great! If you milk your own goat or cow, you already have the hand strength and endurance. If you don't, this is a great way to build up those grip muscles. I worry about no electricity sometimes and I love my vacuum sealer. This gave me a little peace of mind.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

sweet things from food storage:

no bake cookies

french toast--syrup lasts a LONG time

baked beans

my kids also like cornbread with molasses for breakfast/snack

I'm not a chocolate person but chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting is what I make for birthdays around here. I add peanut butter to vanilla store frosting and use a box mix or scratch. 

Fats are the hardest thing to store unless you are a female human over the age of 40!


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

Ann-NWIowa said:


> NamasteMama -- you need to give serious consideration to how/what you will eat when fresh foods are not available.
> 
> I'm wondering if cooking oil purchased in plastic bottles was put into canning jars and sealed if it would keep longer. The question then is would it seal with a vacuum sealer or would you need to heat the oil in the jars to get a seal.
> 
> We continually eat what we store with the exception of the expensive foods purchased from Honeyville. I have one bucket of meals in packets (just add hot water) which would only be used in dire circumstances. We really do not care for that type of food and it is extremely expensive.


We actually hav plans to move to a farm by Christmas so that should do the trick.

LOL mpillow! I got plenty if fats on my thighs !


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

This is why we store what we eat and eat what we store. I have never in my life taken a vitamin, nor has Sweetie. Also your body does not have to get used to "prep foods". We don't crave foods we don't have, we have what we eat, every day. We have fresh vegetables and fruits in our storage, some growing and used everyday, others stored for future use when what is growing is out of season. We have fresh strawberries year around but the surplus is dehydrated....James


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

Peanut oil seems to keep better than others. We bought 5 gal jugs, and kept them in the milk barn. Even with freezing twice they didn't go rancid. We're using up one now that's 3 years old.

If you pack rice with O2 absorbers you don't have to worry about infestations.


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## Canning Girl (Jan 13, 2010)

Olive oil freezes nicely and will keep for years that way. I buy the big plastic jugs at Sam's and freeze them. I recently defrosted some that was a couple of years old, and it was fine. I know this doesn't help much if you don't have electricity for a freezer, but until then . . .


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

jwal10 said:


> This is why we store what we eat and eat what we store. I have never in my life taken a vitamin, nor has Sweetie. Also your body does not have to get used to "prep foods". We don't crave foods we don't have, we have what we eat, every day. We have fresh vegetables and fruits in our storage, some growing and used everyday, others stored for future use when what is growing is out of season. We have fresh strawberries year around but the surplus is dehydrated....James


I love strawberries! Those are the first things on my list to plan!


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

We have a 2 year food storage, meaning we could survive at least 2 years without buying anything. That being said, we regularly eat out of our food storage. We store what we eat and eat what we store, so our diets won't change one iota from what it is today. I keep the ingredients on hand to make soap, so we don't have to keep soap in storage for years and years. Unless you're storing dry goods, like wheat, oats, beans, etc., in airtight, sealed containers, you shouldn't be storing it for 8 or so years. You should be using your food storage on a regular basis.


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

We have been just getting longer terms storage items. Beans rice, wheat with some freeze dried stuff sprinkled in. I would love to store what we eat, but theres no space in our current home, I have no pantry. The new house will have tones of space though.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Transfer the oil to canning jars- fill them as full as you can get them and store them in a dark place. It's the contact with air that causes the oil to go rancid. Minimize the oil's contact with air. It's usually fine until you open it. It's the same for shortening. So either buy it in smaller packages, or transfer it after you buy it.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Great to know about olive oil in a tin. I try to store what we eat and vice versa but I do have the dry milk, crisco, cheese, butter stuff that I really am not going to use much of (I have tried most of it) unless it's an emergency. 

Thanks for sharing your past few weeks!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I was going to ask about oil in glass jars. I wouldn't want to open the oil and pour it into a glass container because I would introduce pathogens. Do they sell olive oil in glass containers. I can get it wholesale, but it is in plastic.

Vitamins do go rancid.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

Where are you finding the cans of olive oil? I used to have a source for that EV Greek oil and it dried up. When I was getting it, I used some that was over 3 yrs old and it was just fine. I kept it in the tin in a dark cool cabinet on a north wall.

I have neighbors who "can" lard. They melt it, pour into sterilized jars, wipe that rim really well, cap & put in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. They say it lasts forever.
I've heard of people canning veg shortening the same way, now that it is in plastic instead of cans.

I recently opened a 2 yr old jar of peanut butter, and have been eating for a few days. Its still perfectly good and I haven't died.

I like to add bay leaves to dry goods when storing, and even put some in cabinet drawers and on shelves to keep bugs at bay.

I was having a problem with the kids opening and eating the choc chip bags, and I started vacuum sealing them into canning jars with an attachment for my food saver I got at amazon. This works great! They KNOW they'd better not open those jars! LOL

This is a great thread, thanks for posting it!


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Maura said:


> I was going to ask about oil in glass jars. I wouldn't want to open the oil and pour it into a glass container because I would introduce pathogens. Do they sell olive oil in glass containers. I can get it wholesale, but it is in plastic.
> 
> Vitamins do go rancid.


Big Lots sells all kinds of oo in glass.And the Mennonite store has it in tins.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

backwoods said:


> Where are you finding the cans of olive oil? I used to have a source for that EV Greek oil and it dried up. When I was getting it, I used some that was over 3 yrs old and it was just fine. I kept it in the tin in a dark cool cabinet on a north wall.
> 
> I recently opened a 2 yr old jar of peanut butter, and have been eating for a few days. Its still perfectly good and I haven't died.
> 
> This is a great thread, thanks for posting it!


I just ordered EV Greek olive oil in a can on Amazon. I have prime so shipping isn't an issue. I much prefer Greek olive oil so have been stocking up on Trader Joes, which is in a glass bottle and a great price but a long drive. Amazon had a lot of other tins as well. 

I also often eat old peanut butter that is sold in glass jars (forgetting to rotate!) and it's been fine. 

On the same idea, we got 50 lbs of brown rice for free last year at the store as it was 2 years past it's expiration date (2011). We had bought it earlier, it was fine, then saw the date. It was sold in a wax lined brown paper bag, not plastic. It's still fine! Some is in the freezer, some I dry canned, some is just in the pantry, I'm testing them all. My brown rice in plastic bags goes rancid very fast. I think the brown paper packaging made all the difference.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Peanut butter in glass stores well. PB in plastic goes rancid/nasty fairly quickly. 

Rice will go rancid, even white rice. In fact, most of the rice you buy is rancid by the time you get it home. I always rinse the rice till the water is clear. It takes a lot of water, but you can salvage that for the garden or for flushing if you are short on water. It vastly improves the taste of rice! Usually by the time I get it washed, it has started to hydrate so doesn't need quite as much water to cook in and cuts down on cooking time. If you are short on fuel or trying to conserve fuel, you can put the rice in the cooking water and let it hydrate a couple of hours before cooking. Then bring it to a boil, cover and throw a towel over the pot till it is done.


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

Ahh yes Peanut butter! We eat natural peanut butter and year old stuff in plastic was inedible!


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

Peanut butter powder in #10 cans is available, 20 yr shelf life. Same with butter powder.


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2013)

Cyngbaeld said:


> Peanut butter in glass stores well. PB in plastic goes rancid/nasty fairly quickly.
> 
> Rice will go rancid, even white rice. In fact, most of the rice you buy is rancid by the time you get it home. I always rinse the rice till the water is clear. It takes a lot of water, but you can salvage that for the garden or for flushing if you are short on water. It vastly improves the taste of rice! Usually by the time I get it washed, it has started to hydrate so doesn't need quite as much water to cook in and cuts down on cooking time. If you are short on fuel or trying to conserve fuel, you can put the rice in the cooking water and let it hydrate a couple of hours before cooking. Then bring it to a boil, cover and throw a towel over the pot till it is done.



I have to disagree with you on the Rice White going rancid quickly..Ive had several white rice in 1-bags (free after coupons)that I bought 5-yrs ago that Im still using that is perfectly fine.. I think it might have to do with where you live..the humidity level and where you store it.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

The only rice I've ever had go rancid is Minute Rice or brown rice. I don't package our rice with oxygen absorbers either. We just ate some that's 3 years old, and it tasted great. I store it in buckets and in 2 liter bottles, and have never had a problem. I'm sure the humidity and temps play a lot bigger factor than we give it credit for. I never bottle my rice on a humid day. I learned from bread making what a difference the humidity level can make.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I've brought rice home from the store that was already rancid. Maybe I'm more sensitive to it than some people, but I can't eat rancid food.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Guess I need to pop open a can of pork, some of which is over 4 years old, just to see if the fat/oil is still good. Stored in boxes, so light can't affect em... The oil in the top of the jars is about the only oil I keep. Half dozen dark glass bottles of olive oil wouldn't last us long...


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

texican said:


> Guess I need to pop open a can of pork, some of which is over 4 years old, just to see if the fat/oil is still good. Stored in boxes, so light can't affect em... The oil in the top of the jars is about the only oil I keep. Half dozen dark glass bottles of olive oil wouldn't last us long...


I bet its fine.

I have some home rendered lard in my fridge that's 3yo in mason jars...just used dome the other day. I save all my bacon drippings in glass in the fridge too. Flavor!


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## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

mpillow said:


> sweet things from food storage:
> 
> no bake cookies
> 
> ...



what are no bake cookies?
thanks


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

no bake cookies:
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1-4 tablespoons cocoa (depending on how choco you like)
1 stick butter (or margarine)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal (I use quick)
Waxed paper
Directions
In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 2 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, until cooled and hardened.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...no-bake-cookies-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

granola too!
Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats (old fashioned)
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/granola-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

mpillow said:


> no bake cookies:
> Ingredients
> 2 cups sugar
> 1-4 tablespoons cocoa (depending on how choco you like)
> ...


 
In the school cafeteria, the kids used to call these "cow patties" Lol...I love 'em and so do my kids!


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## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Thanks


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

mpillow said:


> no bake cookies:
> Ingredients
> 2 cups sugar
> 1-4 tablespoons cocoa (depending on how choco you like)
> ...


Have you ever made these with prep foods? Like dehydrated butter, milk and peanut butter? It's hard to experiment with dehydrated ingredients as they come in such huge quantities!

I do make sure we have a few bags of chocolate and butterscotch chips on hand in my prepping supplies. Funny, it's never a problem rotating them!


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Vosey said:


> Have you ever made these with prep foods? Like dehydrated butter, milk and peanut butter? It's hard to experiment with dehydrated ingredients as they come in such huge quantities!
> 
> I do make sure we have a few bags of chocolate and butterscotch chips on hand in my prepping supplies. Funny, it's never a problem rotating them!


I do use powdered milk, but goat milk makes the richest bestest cookies. I'd just reconstitute and use as directed in recipe


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## IndyGardenGal (Apr 5, 2009)

Instead of storing oil that can go rancid, consider keeping a smaller homestead hog known for lard. You will have an easier time butchering the smaller pigs, and lard is a great way to compensate for the lack of oil. Preps on hoof


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

Yeah we are in the city thats not going to happen.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

NamasteMama said:


> Yeah we are in the city thats not going to happen.


Well you could keep potbelly pigs instead of dogs....PB pigs are very fatty and just like having a Lab in the house. I'd almost dare to say that my Lab's tummy rules him more than any pig I've raised!


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

We don't render lard, most of the pork we get are young lean feeder pigs. We do make bacon from some of them and some from raccoons. We don't keep the raccoon fat though. All we use is pork bacon drippings and butter. We strain the bacon drippings and keep it in a small container made for just that....James


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