Cheapest place to get basics in the #10 cans.

[Guest Alana]

Where is the cheapest place to get basics in the #10 cans? I can't find the prices for the church cannery (of course) but if I recall, they were loads cheaper than Emergency Essentials and buying from lds.org. Is this true? I want to start my food storage and have set aside a bit of money to do it, but as I look around, food in my area is super expensive. I know I live in a area with high cost of living. When I go to Washington state where my parents live the same thing at Safeway is soooooo much cheaper. For example, Safeway brand turkeys here were 1.69 a pound the day before thanksgiving. Then after thanksgiving they went on sale to 1.29 and then a 50% sticker. At my parents house the turkeys the day before thanksgiving were .59 cents a pound. This seems like a huge jump and I don't' want to pay the difference in bulk where I'm living.

So, long question short, where is the cheapest place to buy beans, rice, wheat and dried fruits and veggies in bulk?

[Guest DeborahC]

Besides the Church, who will send these to you with free shipping, you might try Costco.

But then you still have to drypack can it or put it in containers if you want it to last.

[BenRaines]

I just checked providentliving.org This is the site for all things storage from church storehouse. The price does not seem that expensive for items already canned and done properly. These have been canned by machine and not with a person trying to use a drypack canning machine.

The price does not seem that out of line once you add the cost of the can, lid, oxygen absorber and most of all time and labor, plus the gas to get to the store, to the cannery, etc.

For bulk stuff I have ordered from Emergency Essentials. Have ordered hundreds of pounds of stuff and shipping is only 12 dollars.

Ben Raines

[Guest Alana]

Case of (6) #10 cans of hard red winter wheat (33 lbs. total net weight). $30.50

~As shipped from the home storage center.

Case of (6) #10 cans of hard red winter wheat (33 lbs. total net weight). $15.90

~When you go to the place and do it your self.

Case of (6) #10 cans of hard red winter wheat (33 lbs. total net weight). $18.30

~Prepackaged at center but I pick up.

I have a family home storage center within an hour of my home, so perhaps that'll be the best way to go.

My ward also does a trip there about once every 6 months. I'll need to make sure and go with them then, I don't know what I'm doing but I'm sure I'll figure it out with someone helping.

[BenRaines]

Best is just to pick it up at the center. I bet you drive the hour every now and then to get something in the town the center is in. If you have the time to pack your own do ti but I know from my own personal experience that unless you do it a lot it is easy to mess up some cans, not seal them well and they they are wasted.

Ben Raines

[Guest Alana]

Best is just to pick it up at the center. I bet you drive the hour every now and then to get something in the town the center is in. If you have the time to pack your own do ti but I know from my own personal experience that unless you do it a lot it is easy to mess up some cans, not seal them well and they they are wasted.

Ben Raines

Thanks. I think the things they offer that for, I'll do that for sure. They don't offer it on any of the fruits and vegis. The wheat and beans and rice, though, part of that will be going into storage for the long haul, so that'll be very important to have done right. I know, rotation and all, but I'm early in the game of this and am just starting to learn how to cook with this stuff.

[rameumptom]

Our ward purchased its own canning equipment. We're about 45 minutes from our cannery. We stage in our ward building a canning day every 3 months. People order through our Food Storage specialist, and they pick up the food and cans from the cannery the day before we do the canning. Then everyone jumps into a line: some filling cans, some tapping cans down to ensure they are filled, some putting on labels, some putting in the oxygen absorber, some sealing, and then placing in boxes. Then we have people to set up each order (we put each person's name and order amounts on a paper on the wall, and place their orders under their name).

We can usually can everything ordered by our ward in 2-3 hours as a group. Each time, we select just a few items to do, rather than trying to do a can here or there of extraneous things. If someone buys something not available at the cannery (like popcorn in bulk), they can buy the cans, absorbers, etc., and have it done, also.

I recommend popcorn as the corn to purchase for storage. It grinds better than regular corn, even with your wheat grinder. Makes great cornmeal, corn bread, etc., in cooking. And you can make a quick treat for the kids (like me).

[chitchat]

I recommend popcorn as the corn to purchase for storage. It grinds better than regular corn, even with your wheat grinder. Makes great cornmeal, corn bread, etc., in cooking. And you can make a quick treat for the kids (like me).

Rameumptom, that's great! Oh, and your kid - what a cutie pie!

What cc of oxygen absorbers do you put in your #10 cans at the cannery?

[rameumptom]

Thanks, but it isn't my kid. I was using it as a temporary gag on the Questions Only thread. My kids range from 14-32 years of age, and don't leave much chocolate on their faces anymore.

All the Church canneries use the same oxygen absorbers. I believe they use 150cc, but I'm not certain. They seem to do just fine in a #10 can.

[foodstr2]

You *really* don't need to buy "specially canned" foods. There's a fascinating article about 2 instances where 100+ year-old canned food was discovered and found to be edible. See How long will canned foods store?

Use your local grocery store for food storage!

[rameumptom]

We do store a lot of store canned goods, especially fruits, vegetables and meats. Tuna fish and salmon are great for protein. We bulk up on freeze dried foods and grains at the cannery, but still spend a decent amount on "normal" foods.

I have opened up cans of corn that were 7-8 years old, and still were fine. Other things do not necessarily hold up as well, at least taste-wise, so you have to experiment. We probably have over 1500 cans of fruits and vegetables on our basement shelves.

Of course, my wife does a lot of canning, as well. Sweet Potatoes were on an incredible buy (0.33 cents/pound) during Thanksgiving, so she bought 3 boxes and has canned them.

And we have a dehydrator, which we use to dry mostly fruits.

[chitchat]

Thanks, but it isn't my kid. I was using it as a temporary gag on the Questions Only thread.

Well I declare, Rame! You had me so fooled! Weren't you Tammy Faye last week? And then a kid shows up and now this week you're an elderly Tolkienesque gentleman. And then the real kicker came when you indicated in a post that you're a guy. You're throwing us newbies for a loop.

Foodstr2, that is a great site! Thanks so much for sharing it. Good stuff.

Edited December 10, 2008 by chitchat
addition

[rameumptom]

Well I declare, Rame! You had me so fooled! Weren't you Tammy Faye last week? And then a kid shows up and now this week you're an elderly Tolkienesque gentleman. And then the real kicker came when you indicated in a post that you're a guy. You're throwing us newbies for a loop.

Foodstr2, that is a great site! Thanks so much for sharing it. Good stuff.

What good is an avatar, if you keep it the same, boring thing? I use mine for emphasis in certain discussion threads, like Questions Only.

Yes, my wife will ensure everyone that I am a guy. In age, I'm somewhere in between the little kid and the Odin (Gandalf was based on him). I do not wear nearly as much makeup as Tammy Faye does, nor do I have a $60,000 doghouse.

[BenRaines]

rameumpton, didn't realize that you are near my age or older :) Don't worry Pam has us beat by years.

Ben Raines

[rameumptom]

I am 7~2 (7 squared) years old. Big Hawaii 5-0 next year in September....

While older, Pam still looks much better than either one of us. And she's smarter.