Everyone does food storage a little differently. Some of us buy goods solely for the purpose of storing the food away, hoping in the back of our minds that we never have to actually use the stuff, while others pursue a more active role by constantly adding more products, using the provisions and then replenishing as they go.

It’s important to remember that the process of building a food storage supply doesn’t mean that those who want to be better prepared have to store away buckets and buckets of food they dread eating. Instead, food storage should be comprised of the kinds of things a family enjoys eating every day. It also means having foods that store well and that can be used as the foundation in preparing all kinds of recipes.

That’s why there are a growing number of people who now take items from their long term food storage supply (then replenish of course) and learn how to make delicious meals using things like dehydrated milk, canned/bottled fruit and veggies or ground wheat flour.  This proactive approach to better utilizing and understanding the goods in your storage means that if and when a disaster ever occurs, you’ll know exactly how to make the most out of your supplies.

If your like me and enjoy cooking but lack any bold creativity in the kitchen (whether we’re including food storage items or not), there are a lot of great books out there that make superb recommendations on cooking staples, and offer thousands of recipes using the products you may already have stored away.

So just how creative can you get with your canned goods, milled whole grains, freeze dried food and potato flakes?  You’ll never know unless you try.