Getting Started - Step 1

President Hinckley counseled: "The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes...We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all...Begin in a small way...and gradually build toward a reasonable objective."

So let's start small.

Grab a notebook or sit down at your computer and make a list of 14 easy meals that you like to cook and that your family will eat. Use these meals for your 2 week menu. (You can change the numbers to fit your needs.)

7 meals for a 1 week menu x 12 weeks
14 meals for a 2 week menu x 6 weeks
21 meals for a 3 week menu x 4 weeks

The key is figuring out what works for you.

I like to try new recipes, cook with produce that is in season, and leave room for Saturday nights when we just want waffles or maybe homemade pizza. So I leave a couple of days in our monthly menu blank. I know I'll use recipes from my 3 month supply for most of our meals. But I also leave room for flexibility. I still store food for three months, but I actually rotate it over 4-5 months. (More on this when we get to step 3.)

Once you have your list of meals (ie. menus) you can move on to the next step.
If you are a little OCD when it comes to organization, you can use a spreadsheet to keep track of your food storage. Here a couple of charts that you can customize to meet your own needs:

Menu Chart at sistersavings.net
Food Storage Made Easy - Three Month Plan

Both of these sites have great info too. If you want a copy of my spreadsheet, shoot me an email or leave a comment and I'll send it to you.

I'll post a few of our favorite "food storage" recipes. If you have one you love, send it along and I'll share it too. There you go - that's the first step.
Good luck!