by Dan and Shannon Pointer

The Church now recommends a certain order for home storage. In the pamphlet, “All Is Safely Gathered In” we are counseled by the First Presidency to first have a 3-month supply of things we usually eat. This should be our first priority! The longer-term supply is our goal once the 3-month supply is in place. BYU has had forums recently about a flu pandemic, and the experts feel that a 3-month quarantine is a very real possibility. Having your 3-month supply of the regular food your family normally eats will be essential.

Obtaining a 3 month’s supply is an easy thing to do. Watch the sales, especially the case lot sales at your grocery store. When you see a sale on ramen, chili, corn or cold cereal that you normally eat, get 2 or more extra boxes or a case. If you are always buying this way, you will not only get your 3 month’s supply in, you will save a lot of money on your food bill throughout the year. Another way to know you have what you need for sure is to figure out a weeks’ menu and multiply it by 12 weeks. Don’t worry about fancy items or extra things you like. That can come later. Just use this supply and constantly replace it.

It may be a good idea to have alternative cooking plans along with your food supply. Some good outdoor cooking sources would be a solar oven, propane for various cookers or charcoal for Dutch oven cooking. To safely cook indoors, alcohol is good. (Google “alcohol stove.”) We have found small 6 hr. cans of alcohol heating. We are using it under a metal cooker stand or under a chafing/catering dish we purchased. We are cooking this week with only alternative sources of heat to see if our plan of 48 alcohol cans will be enough for our 3 month supply.

It is just as important to have in at least a 2 week water supply. The pamphlet states, “If water comes directly from a good, pretreated source then no additional purification is needed; otherwise, pretreat water before use. Store water in sturdy, leak-proof, breakage resistant containers. Keep water containers away from heat sources and direct sunlight.”

Sanitation will be a concern. Think about what your needs are for soaps, TP, feminine supplies etc. Use your government stimulus check for all these items! If you really want to be prepared, get online at yourfamilyark.org and check out the alternative toilet options and choose the one that works best for your family.

This counsel we’ve been given is such a blessing to us. We have prophets, seers and revelators who look ahead and receive revelation for us. If we are obedient we will be blessed and very grateful that we were wise. If we involve our children in this process they will likely enjoy it and add lots of enthusiasm to the process. They are the ones who take our discussions about “camping out” in the back yard and make it happen. May you be blessed in your efforts to obey and prepare.

Dan and Shannon Pointer are the owners of All Secure Storage & Preparedness. Reach them at 877-865-6434 for food storage orders.