Tuesday, August 26, 2008

the graff-n-shop


My friend Becky, challenged her blog friends to a food storage reveal. So here is mine. It is affectionately deemed the graff-n-shop by our neighbors who know they can always call at any hour for a bottle of apple juice, box of lasagna noodles, bag of powdered sugar and many other various and sundry items. The mere sight of the shelves has stopped many a visiting neighbor child in their tracks!
I keep everything that isn't open or currently in use on these shelves. (In addition I have a separate freezer, a full pantry and fridge). It works out great though. I buy when things are on sale and then I buy alot- it does stretch the budget and save many trips to the store. When I bring in my groceries home, the only things that make it upstairs are perishables. The rest stops here and awaits labelling. I label things with dated stickers (my kids job is to help unload bags and stick the stickers on, then they are stocked on the shelves).
It looks overwhelming to people but it really is the easiest thing! I love it because I can cook whatever strikes my fancy that day and about 100 other things. I like to have a lot of food. As roommates in college can attest I NEVER have bare shelves. I keep alot of pantry storage (15 boxes of cereal, 25 cake mixes, snacks, crackers or so) basically 3-10 or more of whatever we eat/use like (bbq sauce, spices, syrups), then more meal stuff like canned tomatoes, pasta, fruits and veggies, as well as long term stuff like rice and wheat (which I use for my tasty homemade bread). We store most of the food on 3 gorilla shelves. The bulk stuff (like rice, wheat, etc) in poly buckets (sugar and flour in ones with gamma lids) and boxes of #10 cans (for things like cornmeal, hot cocoa mix, etc) behind the shelves. We have just added the new wooden shelves on the left which now house canning equipment, grinders, emergency supplies, and some of my frequently accessed buckets. I keep a full compliment of baking stuff as well. As you can see in a time of crisis not only could I survive but I could open a bakery serving up 30 varieties of cookies.
It gives me alot of peace to know I can feed my family for along time if times got tight. Finding a good organizational system and storing what you eat, makes all the difference. I tell people just keep shopping and storing but just think you're doing in a few months before you'll eat it! It's really not that hard- as the phrase goes- Just do it!
superlatives for my food storage...
most likely to surprise you?- probably hominy but it makes this awesome soup
most loved by my kids? a case of cox's honey from idaho
most likely to never reach the full measure of it's creation? beans
best time savers? gamma lids, label stickers
most rotated? must I admit chocolate chips!
My thankful 3 for today
1. school supplies done
2. reading to my boys
3. my food storage

24 comments:

Anonymous said...
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ellen said...

Wicked impressive!

Tamlynn said...

Niiiice.

Ditto on the chocolate chips.

Michelle Fluttering Butterflies said...

Wow, that's impressive!

Becky said...

WOW! I'm TOTALLY impressed. Great job Smart Mama!! Wish I had more basement space to have the big ole' shelves like you. The rest of my dry stuff is in big buckets under my crawl space, not easy to work with. Ohwell. I know where I'm going when I run out!:)

Courtney said...

very impressive!

Smilin' sunshine said...

UNBELIEVABLE! If you hadn't taken pictures of it I would not have believed it!!

Alissa said...

you've inspired me. truly. and also, big fan of garbanzo beans?

Anonymous said...

wowk I have so far to go!!

Char @ Crap I've Made said...

Nice! Last time I bought a case of chocolate chips, the cashier looked at me like I was insane. If there's ever a real emergency, at least I'll have chocolate and be able to cope appropriately.

I should blog mine, too.

Unknown said...

WOWZER squared. Is there, by chance, a house on your street (within a few minutes walking distance) that is for sale? I'd feel a lot more secure having a neighbor like YOU! I'm not sure if I'm feeling inspired or completely undone! I think it's time for some major stocking up--we've eaten COMPLETELY through our chocolate chips! If there were ever a crisis, I would succumb, I think. I LOVE the sticker idea. Do you have a bucket full of chocolate chips I could borrow? :-)

Sabra at Sew a Straight Line said...

i'm hoping to get ours looking more like that over the next year. love it!

smart mama said...

really it's not that great, the bags on the floor awaiting labels are out of view- it's hard to get good pics with out skinny U set up at present. I couldn't have it so easy and organized w/out nice basement space & I dig my giant shelves! It was harder in our old house. i can't wait till it's in its own closet as aprt of the basment finish off)
cans of garbanzo beans totally available alissa!
jenny-yes- when are you moving in?? I'll totally take you- we have a nice neighborhood! Free treats if you come.

But I love My food storage it blesses my life!

Elozia Marie said...

WOW ... that is some serious skill! I am drooling over your organization and storage :)

LL said...

YOU're my hero!
when you teach me how to make bread, grind wheat and be a real wife. Will you also teach me your secret behind food storage.
AMAZING!

Sonja said...

WOW!!! You are my food storage hero, totally awesome.

Cathy said...

Jenny,

We would LOVE to have someone in Smart Mama vicinity with teenagers and boys to balance our ward. I'll donate food to your family if it means you will move here.

smart mama said...

wow 17 comments in 24 hrs- i need to blog about FS more often- LOL

LL-you've got the wife part down we just have to add wheat training

JW- cathy is serious and I am sure I can get donations from other ward members as well

Smilin' sunshine said...

I would participate in getting Jenny's family here. We could always use the boys!!

Smart Mama~can you teach me to be smart??

smart mama said...

oh you don't need my help-- the smartness is already inside of you!!

andrea said...

I am so impressed...but not surprised at all. If I tried this is exactly what I would have imagined your basement looking like. Oh how I wish you could teach me.

lyn said...

I love the bucket of chips! Several months ago I bought buckets and gamma lids. I love them so far! I need to fill up my flour bucket and so bought 50 lbs of flour today. The cashier and I had a long conversation about what I was going to do with all the flour.... :)

smart mama said...

lyn- let me recommend the bucket of chips for one of your buckets needing filling- yes i've had many a talks with grocery store checkers

Swimmingmom said...

Those shelves are pretty full, way to be! Yeah, we have shelves....