Storage Food

I made a run down to the LDS store in San Antonio.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YTMh1y5iSdXMUg5B6

More than 12 cases of 6 #10 cans will fit in a Model 3.  Maybe 15-18.  I picked a case each of eleven items that have a shelf life of 30 years.

https://simplefamilypreparedness.com/lds-home-storage-centers-lds-canneries/

Their menu / price list:
https://providentliving.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/providentliving/content/content/english/self-reliance/food-storage/home-storage-center-order-form/pdf/HomeStorageCenterOrderForm-US-short.pdf?lang=eng
Delivered rather than picked up from a store, each case costs about $10 more.

2/29/2020
Made another run to the LDS store.  Contrary to my fears, it was not too crowded though the people there did comment on the increased sales due to the pandemic scare.  I overheard conversation about limiting amounts sold to each customer.  I'm guessing that might apply to more than a few cases of each item.

I got one more can of each of the 30 year items so I can test/experiment without breaking cases.  Plus, I got some less than 30 year stuff.  Honey, carrots, potatoes, peanut butter.  They had no granola.  I will be making one or more InstaPot batches to try out.  Likely one or more kinds of beans, some rice, onions, canned SAMs tomatoes.  I suspect it would be best to leave out oats, and pasta.  Suggestions solicited.  I will have surplus from each opened can; neighbors are welcome to try on their own.

3/14/2020
I just returned from a trip to Nawlins and points north.  I stopped in the Slidell LDS store because I had failed to find granola in the San Antonio store.  The LDS volunteers in Slidell told me that granola had been dropped from their available products.  A chat with the people there revealed that their sales were way up due to the pandemic.  Little to no panic buying, though.  They seemed to have most everything in stock.   LDS folks are exceeding nice and helpful.

3/21/2020
The panic is officially on!  I see all sorts of irrational behavior.
I finally got around to making an InstaPot concoction yesterday.  I found I need another/better can opener to open the #10 cans.
1) white beans, 3 cups
2) white rice, 2 cups
3) onions, 1 cup
4) somewhere around 15 cups of water
I had intended to put in some tomatoes and sausage or other meat but did not get around to it.
I did no presoaking and cooked without pressure.  About two hours; the Great Northern beans seem to need less rehydrating time than pintos.

It came out VERY well! Rice overcooked, beans undercooked slightly.  Doctored at serving time with some combination of creole seasoning, margarine, blended chipolote jalapenos, shredded cheese.
I gave away one quart, ate about a quart, put three quarts in the freezer and have more than a quart left to eat today.

When you see propaganda in the news about people going hungry and the need to donate food, consider that the above contains about $2 worth of ingredients and produces about 5 man-days worth of food.  If stimulated, I may make closer estimates.  One quart might serve as a full day's food supply for one person.

3/28/2020
Starting my second InstaPot concoction.  I decided to do a better estimate of cost:
1) white beans 
.71 lb/cup  3 cups = 2.13 lb; $2.00
#10 can cost $5 for 5.3 lb; $.9434/lb
2) white rice   
.84 lb/cup  2 cups = 1.68 lb;  $1.31
#10 can cost $4.25 for 5.4 lb;  $.78/lb
3) onions         
.33 lb/cup  1/2 cup = .16 lb; $.61
#10 can cost $8 for 2.1 lb; $3.81/lb
Total cost for the 3 ingredients is $3.92.  My estimate is that one pot will feed one person for about 6 days.  $.66 per day plus whatever meat and serving time additions might be made.
Today, I will cook beans for an hour or so before adding rice and put a link of Italian sausage in with the beans.  Note I have adjusted the first recipe by reducing onions to 1/2 cup.

4/24/2020
I made my 3rd white bean/rice InstaPot concoction today.  A slight improvement on even cooking.  For the first time, I soaked the beans a couple of hours.  Also added a few fresh carrots.  No added meat/sausage.  Can of beans is nearly exhausted, the rice, about half.  So, the can of beans might serve 30-40. 
As with other batches, I will eat on them a couple of days and freeze several quarts to consume over the next couple of weeks.

THEN, on to pintos or black beans!

8/17/2020

After a hiatus, I made another Instapot.  My hog trapper has been supplying me a lot of hog meat and I've being given a lot of cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes.  I addition, I've been dealing with a lot of my pears.

I opened a fresh can of black beans, used some rice, SAMs canned tomatoes, and blended canned chipotole jalapenos.  Came out well.

I'm almost convinced I can get by without a grocery store.   I still buy cheese, avocados, bread, totillas, potatoes, onions, carrots.