Building your Ark * Lesson 3: Noah Gathered Food

Lesson 3: Noah Gathered Food 

Presented by Debbie Kent

Noah was commanded not only store food for his family but also for the animals and did you know they lived on the ark for almost a year? A year supply of food…sound familiar? Now it’s your turn to gather food for your family. Does that sound overwhelming, then take it one level at a time. 

Level One:

90 Days Supply 

Think SOS

Simple- in case of illness or disaster

One Pot- easy and less dishes

Storable- Shelf Stable food that can be stored at least 6 months 

Making Your 90-Day Menu: Make a list of meals for breakfasts that your family likes to eat: pancakes, muffins, cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat, toast and jam, eggs and hash browns, coffee cake, granola, etc. If you will eat once a week, multiply ingredients by 12, if 2 times a month, multiply by 6. Then do the same for lunch, dinner and snacks. 

Putting Your Menu into Action: To make pancake breakfast you need: pancake mix, syrup and maybe Tang to drink. The following table shows the breakdown of amounts of ingredient; how many days you will eat in a 3 month period; how much that totals up to; how much is in a package; how many packages you would need for 3 months. You can do this on index cards: one for each meal or on a chart or whatever works for you. The important thing is to pick your meals and list ALL the ingredients. When you do this and have it all on your shelves then you will have the means to make meals that your family will LOVE to eat. 

Meal           Ingredients                Amount               # of days         Totals         Pkg Amt        Needed

Pancakes

                     Pancake Mix               4 c                           12                  48 c             24 c                2

                     Syrup                           1/2 c                        12                  6 c                6 c                 1

                     Tang                             1/2 c                        12                 6 c                 6 c                 1 

When you are done with this list, the totals become your shopping list. Take this list with you when you go shopping and pick up a few items each week, especially stocking up with the items that are one sale and ones you have coupons for.  Before you know it you will have your 90 Day Supply of open and eat foods. 

*Repackaging meals in paper bags or cardboard boxes into mylar bags with O2 absorbers will greatly increase their shelf life. 

Level Two

Long Term Food Storage – One Person/One Year 

“Perhaps if you would think in terms of not what you regularly eat but in terms of what it would take to keep you alive if there was nothing else available” Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley 

o 400 lbs Grains (wheat, rice, oats, pasta, barley, popcorn, rye, millet, spelt, etc)

o 60 lbs Beans (pinto, black, navy, split peas, lentils, or canned meat)

(Bean+ whole grain makes a complete protein) 

THEN ADD:

o 60 lbs Sugar (white, brown, powdered, honey, jello, fruit drink, jelly)

o 8 lb Salt (at least ½ iodized)

o 16 lb Dry Milk (triple amount for small children and nursing mom’s)

o 4 gal. Oil (vegetable, canola, olive, shortening, mayo, peanut butter)

o 2 lb. Baking Soda, 2 lb Baking Powder and 2 lb. Yeast

Survival Mode 

A Basic Year Supply is about the same amount of food the Handcart Pioneers had per day. 

Another problem how to void Appetite Fatigue (a term coined during Post War WWII). During the war the cities had been almost destroyed. The people scrounged and then started growing food. They only had a few different kinds of food so they ate the same thing, everyday. The older people and children just stopped eating and died. You know how children are if it is not something that is familiar to them, that they like, they just say they aren’t hungry.

Lesson learned: Add variety and comfort foods to your storage. 

The Third Level 

 Meals 

Now that you have your basic year supply, start thinking in terms of meals. What can you make using the basics of grains and beans for breakfasts, lunches, dinners and comfort foods and store accordingly. If you want to make pancakes: do you have a grinder, baking soda, and syrup? If you want to make soup, do you have bouillon, vegetables and spices? A tasty meal is A LOT more satisfying than a bowl of plain rice and beans. So what does YOUR family want to eat? 

The Top Level 

 The Givers 

So you have enough food for your family, do you have enough to share with others who did not have the opportunity to store? Maybe you could have some ABC soup mix that you could share with a hungry neighbor? Or are you feeling prompted to help your married kids or other family members? This is the level that moves you from being a survivor to being able to feed His sheep.

3 Month Storage: Seasoning

Seasonings

Home Storage goal for the month of

july

Spiritual Goal:  Do an act of Service

Acquire a 3 month supply of seasonings

For your family

Go thorough your cupboard and see what you have.  Here are some suggestions you will want to include:

Vanilla

baking powder

baking soda

cornstarch

salt

garlic

dry onion

Italian seasoning

Beef bullion

Chicken bullion

Chili powder

Vinegar

Lemon juice

Here are spices and their preferred uses:

Allspice: hearty meats, fruit desserts

Basil: tomatoes, pesto, salads

Bay Leaves: soups and stews, grilled meats

Caraway Seeds: breads, cabbage, carrots, potatoes

Celery Seeds: tomatoes, salads

Chives: salads, vegetables, potatoes, eggs

Cinnamon: baked goods, fruits, beverages

Cloves: baked goods, hearty meats

Coriander: Mexican dishes, soups

Cumin: Mexican dishes, meats, cheese, beans

Dill Weed and Seed: vegetables, salads and dressings, eggs

Fennel: sausage, fish

Ginger: baked goods, Asian dishes, vegetables

Marjoram: meats, Italian dishes, vegetables

Mint: beverages, meats, desserts

Mustard: fish, eggs, cheese, meats, sauces

Nutmeg: baked goods, spinach, dairy products

Oregano: Italian dishes, meats, tomatoes

Paprika: Spanish dishes, potatoes, meats

Parsley: salads, soups, meats, fish

Pepper: meats, soups and stews, nearly everything

Poppy Seeds: baked goods, noodles, salad dressings

Rosemary: chicken, potatoes

Saffron: rice, seafood

Sage: poultry, pork, stuffings

Savory: beans, cheese, eggs

Sesame Seeds: baked goods, Asian dishes, cheese

Tarragon: chicken, salads, seafood

Thyme: meats, soups and stews, vegetables

Vanilla: baked goods, beverages

Mexican Seasoning

·  1/2 cup chili powder

·  1 tablespoon salt

·  1 tablespoon dried cumin

·  2 teaspoons garlic powder

·  1 teaspoon oregano

·  1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. Keep in a dark and cool place.

Cajun Seasoning

·  4 tablespoons paprika

·  4 tablespoons salt

·  3 tablespoons black pepper

·  3 tablespoons garlic powder

·  1 tablespoon onion powder

·  2 teaspoons cayenne

·  1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

·  1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

Combine all ingredients. Store in an air tight container and keep in a cool, dark place

Italian Seasoning

·  2 tablespoons dried basil

·  2 tablespoons dried oregano

·  2 tablespoons dried rosemary

·  2 tablespoons dried thyme

·  2 tablespoons dried sage

·  2 tablespoons dried marjoram

·  2 tablespoons savory

·  1 tablespoons dried coriander

Combine all ingredients. It is best to grind the herbs together or put in a food processor for about 30 seconds. This will give you an even mixture. Store in a dry, cool and dark place.

Seasoned Salt

·  4 tablespoons salt

·  4 teaspoons sugar

·  1 teaspoon paprika

·  1/2 teaspoon turmeric

·  1/2 teaspoon onion powder

·  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

·  1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Poultry Seasoning

·  3 tablespoons dried rosemary

·  3 tablespoons dried oregano

·  3 tablespoons dried sage

·  2 tablespoons dried ginger

·  2 tablespoons dried marjoram

·  2 tablespoons dried thyme

·  1 tablespoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container. Keep in a cool, dark place.

 

Building your Ark * Lesson 2: When God Speaks… LISTEN

Lesson 2: When God Speaks… LISTEN

Presented by Debbie Kent

 

 

Get your spiritual houses in order. You know the drill on this: daily prayer, family prayer, scripture study, following commandments, and attending the temple. I believe one reason there has been such an emphasis on doing these things is that they prepare you for personal revelation. This gift of revelation will not only give you guidance for you and your family, but bring you peace and joy even when things get REALLY HARD. Have you read the scriptures lately about what is to come and then applied that to what life will be like…it is humbling indeed. It will truly take a combination of spiritual and physical preparedness to help us survive and endure these Last Days.

“For many years the leaders of the Mormon Church have recommended … that every family have on hand at least a year’s supply of basic food, clothing, fuel (where possible), and provisions for shelter…it can and will be useful in many circumstances in the days ahead.” (Ezra Taft Benson, “God, Family, Country” p.331)
I am sure Noah thought, “How am I ever going to build a boat THAT BIG??? The Answer: one board at a time; one nail at a time, with direction from God and a little help from his family.

The same is true with your preparedness program. It is an overwhelming task if you try to do it all at once and all by yourself. BUT if you just take just one item at a time; one level at a time, pretty soon your whole ark will be complete. Just like Noah, the Lord is there to give direction and encouragement, to show us what to do next.

Also like Noah we find ourselves needing to be prepared in all things. We are going to look at all these areas needed to build our arks combined with the idea that like Noah we can’t build our arks all at once but rather need to build it up in levels. Things like: clothes, shelter, food, water, sanitation, cooking, medical, communication, tools, lighting, fuel, protection and skills you or others might need.

These are guidelines only. Please use prayer and the promptings of the Spirit to
further guide you as to what your family needs and when.