November Food Storage Item: SPICES

Benefits of spices:
Because basic food storage could become boring if eaten every day, once you have acquired some basic food storage incorporating spices and flavorings into your storage is important. As condells.com suggests, “Spices add vigor, flavor and passion to our recipes. Without spices our food would be bland and would lack the taste and subtle flavors that make eating enjoyable” (http://www.condells.com/articles.tips/store-spices.htm).

Great spices for storing: (from Josephine Newton, “Spicing Up Your Food Storage,” Ensign, June 1990, 72)
* BOUILLON (beef, chicken or ham) adds new flavor to rice, wheat, barley or any soup or sauce.
*SOY SAUCE adds a saltiness to fried rice or stir-fry
*FLAVOR ENHANCERS: red and black pepper, paprika, turmeric, vinegar, dry or prepared mustard, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce
*AROMATIC HERBS used for lifting soups, casseroles, salads, and sauces out of the ordinary include: marjoram, thyme, oregano, dill, basil, and sage
*AROMATIC SEEDS are great on breads and rolls or stirred into salad dressings
*SWEET SPICES (usually added to sweet foods): cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, and mace
*FLAVORINGS: vanilla, almond, lemon, and maple
*NONTRADITIONAL FLAVORINGS: Cocoa or cocoa mix turns plain milk into a treat; punch powder add variety to water, puddings and pie fillings.

Food Storage Guidelines:
Store spices in tightly closed containers in a dark dry location (not the refrigerator which may be too humid) like a drawer or cabinet. Old spices are less strong and may become bitter. To determine if spices are too old for use: look for color changes, caking, and lack of fresh odor or taste.

SHELF LIFE OF SPICES
Whole spices and herbs--> 1 year
Ground spice--> 6 months
Whole seeds and barks--> 2 years
Ground seeds and barks--> 1 year
(http://www.condells.com/articles.tips/store-spices.htm)

April: "WHEAT is for Man" D&C 89:17

WHY EAT WHEAT?
* Excellent Nutritional Value
“Looking at a nutritional analysis, wheat has much of what we need to keep healthy, especially if it's been sprouted. Wheat sprouts containing 2900 calories produce 100% of the 50 essential nutrients except for the following which contain a RDA/DRV of only...
Fat 19%
salt 10%
Vitamin A 0%
Ascorbic Acid 63%
Vitamin B12 0%
Potassium 70%
Calcium 50%
Linolenic acid(18:3/n3) 19%
Adding...
3 glasses of milk
A cup of spinach or some other dark green leafy vegetable
2 1/2 tablespoons of flax seed
3 tablespoons of oil
A pinch of salt
...will fill all the deficiencies not found in wheat and give you a diet that could keep you alive for a long, long time. Naturally, you'd want a more varied diet than this if at all possible, but this is just an example of what a great food wheat really is and why it's often called 'the staff of life' and the core food for food storage.” (http://waltonfeed.com/rahn/wheat.html)
*Inexpensive
“Pound for pound, wheat is one of the least expensive foods available.” (http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=67&bhcd2=1206389591)
*Filling
Grain products expand in your stomach--satisfying you even if you eat less and, thus, saving you money. (http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=67&bhcd2=1206389591)
*Good Source of Protein
“…a good supply of wheat and beans will form a complete protein. Just a half cup of uncooked wheat contains 8 to 10 grams of protein. So, not only will wheat give you the protein needed for muscle growth and repair…” (http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=67&bhcd2=1206389591)
*High in Fiber
“Fiber is the undigestible carbohydrate in food which acts like a broom to sweep our the digestive tract. One slice of whole wheat bread contains 1.5 grams of dietary fiber; one slice of white bread contains 0.5 grams.” (http://www.smallgrains.org/WHFACTS/nutrflrs.htm)
*Low Fat
“Fats account for 2 to 23 percent of wheat foods, although wheat alone contains very little fat. Most often, the fat content in wheat foods results from fat added in production…” (http://www.smallgrains.org/WHFACTS/nutrflrs.htm)

***Want to know how to transition your family to eating more wheat?***
Check out the wheat handout at USU Extension, "Use It or Lose It," available: http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/publication=5767

COOKING AND EATING WHEAT

Substituting Whole Wheat Flour in your Favorite Recipes (from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Wheat flour is heavier than white flour and needs more leaving. In yeast breads, use more yeast and/or let it rise longer. In baking powder leavened products, increase baking powder by 1 tsp. for each 3 cups of whole wheat flour. Recipes using baking soda do not need to be adjusted. In baked products using eggs, separate the eggs and beat the whites until stiff. Then fold in just before baking. For extra lightness, an extra separated egg may be added. Good for waffles and especially cakes.
NOTE: You will need to invest in a wheat grinder, either electrical or hand, if you plan to use the wheat as a flour. To defray the cost, share the cost and grinder with extended family members or close neighbors or friends.

Cooked Wheat Cereal (makes 4 to 6 servings)
lds.org
1 cup (250 ml) wheat
3 cups (750 ml) water
½ teaspoon (3 ml) salt
Use one of the following cooking methods:
Slow Cooker: Combine the ingredients. Cook six to eight hours or overnight on low setting.
Stovetop: Combine the ingredients. Cook about one hour, or soak overnight and cook for 30 minutes.
Thermos: Bring the water to boil in a pan. Put the wheat and salt into a one-quart (1 liter) thermos. Add the boiling water to the thermos, and screw the top on lightly. Allow it to stand overnight.
Oven: Combine the ingredients. Cook overnight at 150° F (65° C).

Wheat Berries
from Sister Arriaga’s wheat cooking class
2 c hard red wheat or heard white wheat kernels
4 c water
Wash wheat kernels, place in pot, add water, and bring to boil. Simmer for 45-60 minutes. Wheat berries keep in refrigerator for one week.
Options for using wheat berries:
Eat as cereal with milk and sugar for breakfast.
Sprinkle on a yogurt parfait: Layer yogurt, fruit and wheat berries
Add to casseroles, soups, chowders, chili, sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce, pizza, lasagna, meatloaf and hamburgers using browned ground beef as a thrifty beef extender. Add half a cup of cooked wheat to each pound of meat. (“Heaps More—with Wheat,” Ensign, Aug. 1991, 71)
In soup or stew, add cooked wheat to taste, in the same way you would add barley to your soup stock. (“Heaps More—with Wheat,” Ensign, Aug. 1991, 71)
Use to replace, partially or completely, rice in cooking (see below)

Chinese Fried Wheat
from Sister Arriaga’s wheat cooking class
¼ c oil
4 green onions
¼ lb diced ham
3 c wheat berries (or half rice and half wheat if you are not used to eating wheat)
¾ T. soy sauce
2 eggs
¾ tsp. salt

Heat some oil in heavy skillet. Slowly add beaten egg, stirring rapidly with fork so egg is light and fluffy. Set aside. Add to skillet more oil and onions; cook until tender. Add wheat, soy sauce, ham, egg, and salt for flavoring, if desired. Heat through and serve with extra soy sauce, if desired.

Cracked Wheat Cereal (makes 4 to 6 servings)
lds.org
1 cup (250 ml) cracked wheat (crack wheat with mill or blender)
3 cups (750 ml) water
½ teaspoon (3 ml) salt
Boil the water, and then add the cracked wheat and salt, stirring constantly as the cracked wheat is added to the water. Simmer for 6 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with milk and sugar, if desired.

Sprouting Wheat
Julie Wardell, “Sprouting Wheat in a Jar,” Friend, Feb 1985, 16
Sprouted wheat is easy to grow, fun to see, and very nutritious to eat! You can eat the sprouts right out of the jar or add them to salads, soups, or sandwiches. You will need: 1-quart-size wide-mouthed glass jar, clean piece of old nylon stocking, 1/4 cup wheat, and rubber band.
1. Put wheat in jar; add 1 cup water. Place jar in warm, dark place, and let soak for eight to twelve hours.
2. After soaking wheat, cover mouth of jar with piece of nylon stocking, and secure with rubber band. Carefully pour water out of jar.
3. Place jar on its side in warm, dark place. Remember to rinse and drain wheat at least twice daily. Sprouts should develop in two to three days.

Wheat Treats
Loraine T. Pace, “Wheat Can Be a Treat,” Ensign, Sep 1973, 59
1. Soak wheat in cold water 24 to 48 hours, changing the water once or twice during this period; or boil wheat for 30 minutes (it will triple in volume).
2. Drain wheat and rinse. Remove excess water by rolling wheat on a cloth or paper towel.
3. In a heavy kettle, heat vegetable oil to 350–400° F. Put small amounts of wheat (about 1/2 cup) in a wire basket or strainer and deep fry in hot oil for about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper. (An electric fry pan may also be used: carefully drop the wheat kernels directly into the pan of hot oil, and pour the oil through a wire strainer to remove the kernels after cooking.)
4. Season wheat with salt or other seasonings as desired: garlic salt, celery salt, onion salt, seasoned salt, cinnamon and sugar, etc.
5. May be eaten alone as a snack or added to salads as a topping, mixed with trail mix or as toppings for desserts.

Bulgur
lds.org
Bulgur is a pre-cooked, dried cracked wheat. In the Middle East its use in the daily diet dates back to Biblical times. Because it is pre-cooked, it aids the use of wheat in recipes. To prepare:
1. Wash wheat in cool water and discard water.
2. Cover wheat with water, 2-3 times the amount of wheat. Steam until water is absorbed and wheat is tender (about 35-40 minutes).
3. Spread cooked wheat, thinly, on cookie sheet and place in 200º F oven to dry (leave door open). Wheat must be very dry in order to crack easily (2-3 hours). A food dehydrator may be used.
4. Crack wheat in a mill, grinder, or in blender. (This step is optional, but produces a finer kernel.)
5. Store in air tight container on shelf.
6. Re-hydrate for recipes calling for “cooked wheat” or “cooked bulgur” by adding twice as much liquid as bulgur and boil 5-10 minutes. Bulgur will be approximately double in volume.

March: RICE

Storage: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recommends storing 25 pounds per adult per month of white rice or other grains. In proper storage conditions, rice has a shelf-life of 30+ years.

Lengths: from USU Extension, "Use It or Lose It," available: http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/publication=5767
*Long grain rice is distinguished because its length is four to five times its width. The grains are clear and translucent. The grains remain distinct and separate after cooking.
*Medium grain rice is about three times as long as its width. This type is less expensive than long grain rice. This is because it requires a shorter growing season and produces a higher yield per acre. It is also easier to mill than the long grained variety.
*Short grain rice is only one and a half to two times as long as it is wide. It is generally the least expensive of the three lengths.

Kinds: from USU Extension, "Use It or Lose It," available: http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/publication=5767
Brown rice is the whole, unpolished grain of rice with only the outer fibrous, inedible hull removed. Brown rice requires more water and longer cooking time than white rice. It has a delightful, chewy texture, with a distinctive nut-like flavor. Brown rice shelf life is very short. It is not a good item for long term storage.
Regular milled white rice is rice from which hulls, germ, outer bran layers and most of the inner bran are removed in the milling process. The grains are bland in flavor and are fluffy and distinct when cooking directions are followed.
Parboiled rice—sometimes called processed or converted rice—has been treated to keep some of the natural vitamins and minerals the whole grain contains. It has been cooked before milling by a special steam pressure process. It requires longer cooking time than regular milled white rice, but after cooking the grains are fluffy, separate and plump.
Pre-cooked or instant rice—quick type—is completely cooked. It needs only to stand in boiling water to be ready for serving. Cooking this product will result in a gummy, indistinguishable mass.
Fortified or Enriched rice—This product is a combination of highly fortified rice with ordinary milled rice. A coating of vitamins and minerals—thiamine, niacin, iron, and sometimes riboflavin—is used to fortify rice. This coating adheres to the rice and does not dissolve with ordinary washing or cooking.
Wild rice—Wild rice is not rice at all, but the seed of a wild water grass found around the Great Lakes region. It is much more expensive than the types of rice described above. Many Americans have discovered this rice and developed a taste for it. The demand for it is almost greater than the supply.

What’s for dinner? RICE!

WHITE RICE GENERAL COOKING DIRECTIONS
White rice is enriched and should not be rinsed before cooking. Combine one cup (250 ml) of rice with two cups (500 ml) of water and ¼ to ½ teaspoon (1–3 ml) of salt. You may also add one to two teaspoons (5–10 ml) of oil to enhance flavor and nutrition. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork. One cup (250 ml) of dry rice makes three cups (750 ml) of cooked rice. For baked rice, use the same recipe and bake the rice covered for 30 minutes at 300° F (150° C). From Basic Cooking Directions by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Spice up your rice! “…Cook the rice in beef or chicken broth instead of water, or add one of the following herbs while cooking: one-eighth teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, basil, or savory; one-half teaspoon celery seeds or dried dill; seasoned salt in place of salt; three-fourths teaspoon dried marjoram; two teaspoons poppy seeds; or one small bay leaf. You can also substitute vegetable juice cocktail or tomato juice for one cup of the cooking water. For another direction in flavor, use one-half cup fruit juice (orange, apple, cherry, pineapple, etc.) in place of one-half cup of the cooking water. Or add a few drops of flavored extracts (orange, lemon, almond, or vanilla) to the water. You can also dress up cooked rice by adding sliced mushrooms, sautéed onions, crisp bacon pieces, toasted slivered almonds, grated cheese, sour cream, or chopped chives. Relief Society General Board, “Spice Up Your Rice,” Ensign, Feb. 1990, 73

Arroz con Leche (Mexican rice pudding)
submitted by Monica Perez
2 c. rice
1-2 c. sugar (sweeten to taste)
1 stick cinnamon
2 c. evaporated milk
2 egg yolks
2c. water
¼ c. raisins or more if desired
lime zest (optional)

Cook rice in 2 c. water. When the liquid has been absorbed, add the sugar, milk and cinnamon. Cook until the rice is tender. Remove cinnamon stick. Beat egg yolks, adding slowly to rice while stirring. Add raisins. Continue to cook and stir a few minutes longer until desired consistency. (NOTE: Do not overcook because the eggs will cause the pudding to curdle.) Serve hot or cold with lime zest and cinnamon sprinkled on top.

February: BEANS

Dry Beans: pinto beans, lima beans, black eyed peas, lima beans, black beans, chickpea (garbanzo beans), kidney beans, OTHER LEGUMES ARE ALSO PROVIDE VARIETY (i.e., split peas, lentils, peanuts, soy beans)

Benefits of Beans: Beans offer variety to your food storage options and a money saving option for meat. Beans are low in fat (no saturated fat or cholesterol), provide fiber, protein, calcium, iron, folic acid and potassium. Current research from the U.S. Surgeon General suggests that beans reduce your risk for heart disease and certain cancers.

Food Storage Guidelines: When stored in tightly sealed containers, in low moisture (less than 10%) and in a place free from insects, dry beans are good for 30+years. Store 5 lbs per adult per month (see providentliving.com for a calculator for your family). Cooked beans can be stored up to 5 days in the refrigerator and 6 months in the freezer.

How do you prevent intestinal discomfort from eating beans?
*The more often you have beans in your diet, the less intestinal discomfort you will have.
*Overnight soaking and cooking of beans break down the starches which make them ore digestible. After the overnight soak, rinse beans, discard soaking water and cook beans with fresh water.
*Drink plenty of fluids. This helps your body handle the dietary fiber.
*Chew your food well and chew slowly.
*Beano or similar products may also eliminate gas from beans.
Let’s Eat Beans!
Cooking dry beans: Sort through beans, and discard rocks and any beans that are discolored or damaged. For each cup (250 ml; ½ lb) of beans add three cups (750 ml) of water (at room temperature) and soak overnight (about 10 hours); this will yield about 3 cups of cooked beans. To cook the beans, drain them, rinse them thoroughly, and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for one or two hours or until the beans are tender. Adding one tablespoon (15 ml) of oil to the water will reduce foaming during cooking. Do not add salt or anything acidic until the beans have softened adequately. Spices, seasonings and aromatics can be added to beans when starting to cook them. The longer dry beans are stored the longer they take to cook. When beans don’t soften with normal soaking and cooking, add three cups (750 ml) of water and ⅜ teaspoon (2 ml) of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) for each cup (250 ml) of dry beans. Let them soak overnight. More baking soda may be required for older beans or hard water. Pressure cooking will decrease the cooking time. Dry beans will cook in about 15 minutes, depending on the age of the beans. The cooking time increases by approximately one-third if the beans are not soaked before they are cooked.

Ways to Add Beans to Your Meals: Use cooked, dry beans or canned beans
*To Soups/stews (ex. pinto beans, navy beans, black beans, lentils, split peas)
*Top salads with beans (ex. chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, navy or other white bean)
*Fill tacos with beans (ex. pinto beans, kidney beans, chickpeas). Add your favorite topping (salsa, tomato, lettuce, cheese).
*Season canned beans. Add vegetables and spices and your favorite sauces (tomato, molasses).
*Use beans as a meat substitute. Replace the meat with beans (ex. kidney beans in chili, lentils in curry or meatloaf, white beans in stew, etc.)
*Add beans to your favorite rice dishes.
*Substitute mashed white beans for shortening or margarine in your favorite baked goods recipe. To maintain the texture and flavor, you may want to substitute only half of the shortening for mashed beans.



Beans a La Charra
shared by Margaret Hanson
1 lb. cooked pinto beans, rinsed, soaked overnight (or simmered 1 ½ hrs.) and drained
8 c. water
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, coined
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 t. ground cumin
½ t. oregano
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes.

Sauté onions and garlic in a little butter then add to beans along with remaining ingredients except the tomatoes. Simmer 2 ½ hours with lid ajar. Add tomatoes. Simmer one hour more. Feel free to add salt pork, cooked bacon, or cilantro for variety.

Refried Beans
shared by Margaret Hanson
Follow the recipe above or leave out carrots and celery. Once beans are cooked and cooled slightly, pour 3-4 cups at a time into a blender. Blend until smooth. Spray a skillet or pot with non-stick cooking spray and add blended beans. Cook over medium heat until desired consistency is reached, stirring occasionally. If you like chunkier refried beans, mash 1-2 cups of beans with a fork and add to pot with blended beans.

Three-Bean Salad
shared by Melissa Finck
1 lb fresh green beans
1 red onion
½ c. rice wine vinegar
½ c grapeseed oil, or salad oil
salt and pepper
1 ½ c. garbanzo beans
1 ½ c. dark red kidney beans

Cut the fresh green beans into 1” pieces, then steam and let them cool. Dice the red onion. Whisk the vinegar, oil and salt and pepper together in a bowl with a tight fitting lid, then add the green beans, garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, and onion and seal with the lid. Shake gently to coat the beans and then refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled as a salad or side dish.

Tortilla Soup
shared by Angela Garmendia
3 cans of refried beans
1 can mild tomatoes with chilies
4 cans chicken broth
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1/packet of taco seasonings
3 cooked chicken breasts, cubed

Simmer 30 min. Serve and top with toasted, corn tortilla strips, cheese and sour cream.

Green Lentil, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Feta Salad
shared by Melissa Finck
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. white wine vinegar
¼ t. dried thyme, crumbled
¼ c. finely chopped sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
1 c. lentilles du Puy (French green lentils), cleaned
½ c. crumbled Feta cheese (about 2 ounces)

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Add lentils to a large saucepan of salted water and bring water to boil. Cook lentils at a bare simmer until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain lentils in a sieve and rinse gently. Toss lentils well with dressing and gently stir in Feta.

Caldo de Feijão (Brazilian Bean Soup)
shared by Monica Perez
1 ½ c. or 2 cans pinto beans (drained)
2 cans refried beans
1 pkg bacon (I used ½ pkg of turkey bacon)
1 package sausage (sage flavor or smoked)
1 onion (diced)
2-3 cloves garlic minced
salt to taste
cilantro

In a blender, mix 1 can pinto beans, 1 can refried beans, and up to one can water (depending on the desired thickness of soup). Blend beans well, and put in a large pot with other 2 cans of beans (unblended). Add water if necessary. Put on medium heat.

In saucepan, fry sausage and bacon. When fully cooked, remove meat, and sauté onion and garlic in grease from meat. If bacon and sausage leave a large amount of grease, you may want to remove grease and add later to soup if necessary. Don’t use regular oil because the bacon grease give the soup its taste.

In sauce pan, put several scoops of soup and onion, garlic and grease. DO NOT put the grease into the soup (because it will splatter). Leave the soup in saucepan to simmer for 3-5 minutes (for the taste to absorb into the beans). Add sauté mix and beans to large pot with the rest of the beans. Also add sausage and bacon to pot. Simmer for at least 15 minutes.

January: WATER STORAGE

Each month we will have one item to focus on for our food storage and we are beginning this month with WATER. The most necessary element of your preparedness program is safe drinking water!! You could probably live for two weeks – perhaps as long as four weeks – without food, but you can live only a few days without water.

How Much Water To Store?
Consider storing only what is required to provide the amount of water for your family’s basic subsistence (drinking water only) or for basic maintenance (drinking water + minimal food preparation, cleaning, etc.) for a defined amount of time, such as 2 weeks.

Basic Subsistence-Level Water Storage Requirements
A normally active person needs to drink 2 quarts of water per day – and more is better during emergency periods. To meet the minimum basic subsistence-level storage requirements plus basic personal needs – cooking some food, brushing teeth, washing face, hands, etc. – store at least 1 gallon for each family member per day for a 2-week period.

Basic Maintenance-Level Water Storage Requirements
Basic maintenance-level water storage requirements differ from basic subsistence-level requirements by the addition of water reserves to do some of the normally water-intensive chores – cooking and preparing food, cleaning utensils/equipment, and washing the body – without taking a bath! It’s only slightly above basic subsistence level water storage requirements.

The recommended amount of water for basic maintenance-level storage requirements is 2 gallons for each family member per day for a 2-week period.

Treating Contaminated Water
Boiling Method
Boil water at a rolling boil for at least 10 minutes to render it potable!

Disinfecting Methods
Chlorine and iodine are used to kill waterborne microorganisms. Chlorine and iodine are equally easy and effective.

Basic Bleach Method
For emergency treating of water of unknown quality, use any household bleach containing sodium hypochlorite (5.25% solution) without soap additives or phosphates. By using common household bleach as a chemical treatment method, large amounts of safe drinking water can be provided quite inexpensively.

Follow these simple instructions:

1. Add bleach to water in container

Water Quantity/Water Conditions/5.25% Sodium Hypochlorite
1 Quart/Clear/2 drops
1 Quart/Cloudy/4 drops
½ Gallon/Clear/4 drops
½ Gallon/Cloudy/8 drops
1 Gallon/Clear/8 drops
1 Gallon/Cloudy/16 drops
5 Gallons/Clear/½ teaspoon
5 Gallons/Cloudy/1 teaspoon
120 Gallons/Clear/2 ounces
120 Gallons/Cloudy/4 ounces

Mixture should still have a distinct chlorine taste or smell after waiting period. If chlorine smell is not detected, add same dose of the solution to the water and let mixture stand for an additional 15-20 minutes.

2. Thoroughly mix bleach in water by stirring briskly

3. Let mixture stand for at least 30 minutes

Basic Iodine Method
Tincture of iodine (2%) can be used to treat small quantities of water. Be sure to stir thoroughly when mixing iodine into the water resource.

Chemical disinfecting by iodine requires these precautions:

1. Iodine treatment has a peculiar odor and taste some people just cannot tolerate

2. Water treated with iodine should not be utilized by pregnant or nursing women

3. People with thyroid problems should not ingest iodine-treated water

Basic Iodine Water Treatment Method

Water Quality/Water Condition/Quantity of 2% Iodine
1 Quart/Clear/3 drops
1 Quart/Cloudy/6 drops
½ Gallon/Clear/6 drops
½ Gallon/Cloudy/12 drops
1 Gallon/Clear/12 drops
1 Gallon/Cloudy/24 drops

The presence of the iodine taste or smell is a sign of safety. If you cannot detect either the taste or smell after water is treated, don’t use it! The iodine may have become weakened by either time, heat, or contamination.

Shelf Life of Stored Water
Water that is bacteria-free when stored in thoroughly clean containers will remain safe for several years. Tests of water quality after long-term storage showed that water stored properly for several years could not be distinguished by appearance, taste, or odor from water recently drawn from the same source. However, the principle of rotation is the best guarantee for monitoring stored water’s purity and taste.

In the book, Making The Best of Basics by James Talmage Stevens (My Source for the above information), one important recommendation is: Rotate! Rotate! Rotate! We can’t emphasize this enough! Rotate your water supply as a means of continuously checking its quality and shelf life.

PREVIOUS POSTS

For those of you who didn't have the newsletters I posted at the ward web site. I'll attach these past postings to this blog.

Monica