Figuring Out How Much To Store
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In our preps we store XYZ (food or non-food, doesn’t matter). We want to store enough of it to last 30 days (or 60, or 90, or a year…); how do we know when we’ve reached our goal? Do you know how much of XYZ you use a day, a week, a month? How do you figure it out? What variables need to be accounted for? Most of us just go with the ‘buy a bunch and hope it’s enough’ approach. But some things we’ll use faster than expected, and others will go bad before we’re able to use them. To determine these amounts is more of a hassle than it should be, but here are some ideas.
To start with, most packaged food items have a Serving Size (included in the Nutrition Facts). Sure this number will vary for different people, but it’ll work for a rough estimate. For items bought in bulk, it’s easy to look up the nutritional info online. Also, for food items–if you run out of one source of protein or carbs, you can typically use another–you don’t have to figure out each one exactly.
But other things that we have in our preps aren’t as easy to determine. What about items that don’t have a serving size or the amount used varies by person? Items like: toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, gasoline, shampoo, even pet food, or coffee? The answers are found through our old friend (or nemesis) math.
I’m going to use coffee as an example. How much coffee you use per day is dependent on how strong you like your coffee, and how much you drink each day. I wanted to figure out how much coffee we’d need for Sarah, Ryan, and I (the coffee drinkers in our family) to have one mug of coffee (16 fl oz) per day for one year (we’re assuming the SHTF* and we need to stretch it as long as possible).
We buy (and store) whole bean coffee in 2-pound bags. We figured out that:
- 2-pound bag = 12 cups of coffee beans (8 oz cups, not mugs)
- 1/8 cup (our scoop size) of beans = 1 mug of coffee
- 12-cup bag of beans = 96 mugs of coffee
- 96 mugs / 3 people = 32 days of one mug each
- 2-pound bag of coffee beans = one mug, per person (for 3 people), per day, for a month
- ANSWER: twelve 2-pound bags = 1 mug, per person (for 3 people), per day, for 1 year
Another consideration is how long the stored item will last. And even though many food (or non-food) expiration dates don’t necessarily mean you can’t eat (or use) them after that–especially in a collapse–we should at least note them and if we think they will last longer understand how and/or why. With coffee, our example, the expiration date is 14 months from the time of purchase – so storing a year isn’t an issue.
It’s important to have our stored preps, but it’s only a start. We need to store them properly, rotate them regularly, know how to use them, and know how much we need of each.
(Friday: What I Did This Week To Prep)
*For my list of abbreviations and other information, open the above ‘Check Here…’ page tab.
I have thought about that on some of the things you mentioned. As far as coffee, I am a big coffee drinker. The only one in our family, although the son has a cup once in awhile. In the event something major happens sacrifices have to be made. I figure I could make coffee a sacrifice.
Lets look at Tea instead. One teabag could last for say two cups of tea, maybe more if reuse the several bags. Tea can be store in vaccum sealed containers, and I think you cold store far more cups of tea then you can cups of coffee. Lets also remember that tea has more caffene then coffee. Tea is versitile you can have hot tea or you can send a jug of water with a few bags in it and have sun tea. So it can be brewed a couple of ways. That coffee bean or grounds can sit in water for a long time before it turns to coffee. Now brewing coffee in an old percaltor pot over a camp fire takes practice, boiling water for tea doesn’t.
Just my thoughts on coffee and tea. I’m not saying I wouldn’t take coffee, but if I run out I know what I got as a backup.
Just my thoughts.
This is a great post about coffee. Math is my nemesis, so I am happy you put the leg work into it. Coffee is also a psychological/physical component. You don’t want to have to go through withdrawals (like me) when things go south.
Keep up the great work!
Again, coffee was only the example I chose to use to show the math. Hopefully we can use the same thought process with all of our preps.
But as far as coffee goes, while I believe life could go on without it. It is a psychological component, a ‘comfort food’ so to speak. In a bad situation things are very stressful, anxiety is high, and there’s a lot of fear of the unknown. A cup of coffee, in the morning, during those times helps things feel more ‘normal’. Plus it’s relatively inexpensive and does store a long time.
Tea is great and does supply that ‘hot mug of something’ concept. And you’re right, a percolator (and hand grinder) are a must for good coffee.