jars on a shelf

Emergency Preparedness Plan for families

My family and I have asked ourselves this question. “Are we prepared to feed our family with what we have in our house today?” Here are more questions you may have about your family’s emergency preparedness plan. 

Why do I need a food supply at home?    

In addition to the blessings of temporal security during emergencies, maintaining a home storage program can also bring spiritual blessings. Whenever we obey any commandment or counsel from the prophet, our testimony and faith can be strengthened. We may, as a result of our obedience, receive spiritual rewards that we did not expect.

What kinds of foods do I want to include?

A short term, three month supply includes foods that your family likes that can be stored on a shelf. Essentially it is a full pantry.  

How do I plan what to buy for my supply?

Look in the ads (for the best price) to stock up on YOUR 3 month supply ingredients.  You will probably notice that these are the things you use often. Your goal is to always have three months worth.

How much money can I afford to budget?

While the end goal is to use foods daily from your pantry, and replace them with your regular grocery shopping, to get your supply kick-started you may need to budget a certain amount of money to get your supply going. Figure out what you can spare until you have a supply built up and think of it as an investment.

How will I shop for my 3 month supply?

When you have determined WHAT you need to buy, develop a plan to purchase. You may decide buying one extra each time works for you, or you might get into coupon and sale shopping and buy things only when on sale. Whatever fits your style, having a game plan in place will surely help. What about water supply?

Now that I have my 3 month supply, How do I rotate it?

Now, of course, your emergency preparedness plan doesn’t mean you are going to eat this food in 3 months, unless you need your food storage RIGHT NOW. But, you will want to eat the ingredients before they go bad – probably within a year. Look at expiration dates and keep the food that is newest in the back, just like the grocery store does.

EVERYONE has a different style, and you will figure out what works for you!  Way to go!

I invite you to accumulate a 3 month food supply of shelf safe foods that you eat on a regular basis. This is part of your emergency preparedness plan.

Ezra Taft Benson said: “Thanks be to God for a prophet, for this inspired program, and for Saints who so managed … that they could provide for their own and still share with others. What a marvelous way to become a savior on Mount Zion!” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1973, 93; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, 82).

Want to be inspired? Check this out:

President Harold B. Lee gave the following counsel on October 1, 1966:

“Perhaps if we think not in terms of a year’s supply of what we ordinarily would use, and think more in terms of what it would take to keep us alive in case we didn’t have anything else to eat, that last would be very easy to put in storage for a year…just enough to keep us alive if we didn’t have anything else to eat.

“We wouldn’t get fat on it, but we would live; and if you think in terms of that kind of annual storage rather than a whole year’s supply of everything that you are accustomed to eat which, in most cases, is utterly impossible for the average family, I think we will come nearer to what President Clark advised us way back in 1937.”

CURRENTLY, the prophet has counseled us is to do the same thing that the prophets have been commanding us to do for almost 100 years … even longer if you consider Joseph of Egypt’s example. Becoming prepared in this manner reminds me of the 10 virgins and the lamb’s blood on the Israelites’ doors. Let us ‘Prepare every needful thing’ so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors.

More about Emergency Preparedness:

Emergency Water Storage

2 thoughts on “Emergency Preparedness Plan for families”

  1. Pingback: 10 Excellent Family Websites - Parenting Secrets For Parents

  2. Pingback: Lemonade Metaphor - Parenting Secrets

Comments are closed.