This past summer brought about several natural disasters, the start of economic turmoil, and record high gas prices leading to higher food costs. I started worrying about this with several of my friends and family members and our overwhelming response was we all felt like it was finally TIME to get started with our food storage. For a long time we have felt too overwhelmed by this task and just didn't know where to start. It seemed so HARD and EXPENSIVE and DAUNTING (and who knows what wheat even LOOKS like let alone how to use it!)

So how do you take an unpleasant task and make it enjoyable? Do it with a friend (or a group of friends)! This works really with with dieting, exercise, studying, and ... food storage. Keep reading to discover the ways YOU can have "Fun With Food Storage" too!

These three great food storage blogs have teamed up to form an official Food Storage Network. You can get all your food storage information all in one place and have a lot of fun while you're doing it! The network site is a place to go for chats, forums, giveaways, product reviews, plus summaries of all the blog posts from each of the network sites.

Jodi and Julie guide you through the process of getting your food storage put together using a series of ten babysteps as follows:

• Getting Started: Emergency plan/72 hour kits/budget/plan
• Step 1: Shelves
• Step 2: Water
• Step 3: Three Months Supply - Normal Foods
• Step 4: Long-Term Food/Recipe Education
• Step 5: Grains
• Step 6: Legumes
• Step 7: Baking Ingredients
• Step 8: Fruits and Vegetables
• Step 9: Comfort Foods
• Step 10: Non-Food Items

They share their experiences as they work on the steps themselves. They post recipes as they learn to use new types of foods. They love to do research but are great at simplifying things down to what is REALLY important so it doesn't overwhelm beginners. It truly is Food Storage Made Easy!

Shauntell truly IS an obsessive shopper! She is an expert at finding amazing deals by combining sale prices with coupons. She teaches a four step process for following her plan, which is simplified even more if you live in a few lucky states ;)

• Step 1: Organize your coupons
• Step 2: Doing your online pre shop
• Step 3: Doing your actual shop
• Step 4: Tracking

Come, ye thankful people, come;

Raise the song of harvest home.

All is safely gathered in

Ere the winter storms begin.

God, our Maker, doth provide

For our wants to be supplied.

Come to God's own temple, come;

Raise the song of harvest home.

LDS Hymns, no. 94

Crystal is the recipe queen! She is constantly posting delicious and gorgeous recipes on her blog and they ALL incorporate food storage items. Her philosophy is that you should be using food storage every single day so that it becomes second nature to you. Then in a true emergency you will be better prepared and can continue cooking and eating like normal. Cooking with your food storage can also save you a lot of money on your grocery bill as some dry items are cheaper (milk and eggs), you buy foods ONLY when they are on sale, and it's cheaper to avoid convenience foods like store-bought bread.

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