USING A ROTATING MENU PLAN TO DETERMINE
A NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED SUPPLY OF FOOD
The following method will help determine what and how much to store when planning a large food storage program, whether it be for several weeks, a month or a year. Before starting, however, remember these considerations:
1. Eating habits
2. Likes and dislikes
3. The number of people to be fed
4. The ages of those to be fed
5. Food varieties available
6. Any allergies or food sensitivities
7. Shelf life of the food to be stored
8. Balanced nutrition
Store the kinds of foods that are currently eaten or SLOWLY
change eating habits so that what is stored will be eaten. Always keep the
motto, “Store what you eat and eat what you store.” In this way, supplies can be
rotated regularly.
To begin a personalized food storage program, locate recipes
that include ingredients or substitute ingredients that can be stored in the
pantry. (Recipes are easiest to find in cookbooks or booklets based on boxed or
canned foods, such as soup, tuna, or gelatin, and in those that concentrate on
quick and easy meals, pasta, whole grains, or beans. Package labels also provide
many usable recipes.) Then, make sure family members will eat the prepared food.
Next, work the recipes into a nutritionally balanced menu plan. Recipes in
Pantry Cooking and on this website are
categorized for ease in planning. MINIMUM nutritional guidelines are as follows:
Breakfast - Milk (1 cup)
Fruit or juice (1 cup)
Bread or cereal (2 ounces)
Meat or meat equivalent (1 ounce)
Lunch - Milk (1 cup)
Fruit or vegetable (1/2 cup)
Meat or meat equivalent (2 ounces)
Bread, rice or pasta (2 ounces)
Snack - Fruit or vegetable (1 cup)
Dinner - Milk (1 cup)
Fruit (1/2 cup)
Vegetable (1/2 cup)
Meat or meat equivalent (2 ounces)
Bread, rice, or pasta (2 ounces)
Next, decide how many times each recipe will be used. If the
recipe is to be used every week it will be used 52 times a year; once every 2
weeks - 26 times; every 3 weeks - 17 or 18 times; and every 4 weeks - 13 times.
Now comes the time consuming work, but it is worth it for the
ease that results. Take each recipe and menu and break them down by ingredients.
Multiply each ingredient by the number of times it will be used. Next, convert
to the weights and measures in which the item is purchased so that the quantity
sufficient to prepare that menu for the planned length of time will be known.
Add together all like ingredients from each menu for a grand total of needed
supplies.
Don’t forget snacks, desserts, beverages, etc. if it is desired that the
ingredients be available.
Figure bread, milk, jam, jelly, etc. on a monthly basis rather than by meal
because the amount used per meal will vary. Also, as a general rule, store 5
pounds of salt per person per year.
Obtain a month’s supply at a time so that a balanced diet will always be on
hand. (Exception: take advantage of super bargains to get as much as possible up
to a year’s supply.)
When setting up a supply of food this way remember to NEVER plan to use a recipe
the family does not like now. Rotate supplies frequently. Don’t limit current
meals to the planned recipes but do incorporate the ingredients into other
recipes that use fresh foods when they are available.
Taking a day’s worth of menus out of a three week rotating menu plan for a
family of 4, a year’s supply is figured as follows:
Breakfast - Milk
Orange drink
Summer Oatmeal*
Toast with jam
Lunch - Quick Vegetable Soup*
Peanut butter and jam sandwich
Milk
Snack - Popcorn
Dinner - Tuna Casserole*
Canned peaches
French-style green beans
Milk
Apple Crisp*
*Recipes in Pantry Cooking
Breakfast
ORANGE DRINK: 1 cup serving x 4 people = 4 cups drink
4 cups drink x 18 meals = 72 cups drink
72 cups x quart/4 cups = 18 quarts of orange drink
SUMMER OATMEAL: 2 cups oats x 18 meals = 36 cups oats
36 cups x 42 ounces/14 cups = 108 ounces
108 ounces x pound/16 ounces = 6.75 pounds of oats
1/2 cup dried apples x 18 meals = 9 cups apples
9 cups x pound/4 cups = 2.25 pounds dried apples
1/2 cup apple juice x 18 meals = 9 cups juice
9 cups x quart/4 cups = 2.25 quarts apple juice
1/3 cup oat bran x 18 meals = 6 cups
6 cups x pound/5.66 cups = 1.06 pounds oat bran
3 tablespoons honey x 18 meals = 54 tablespoons
54 tablespoons x cup/16 tablespoons = 3.375 cups
3.375 cups x pound/1.33 cups = 2.5 pounds honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon x 18 meals = 9 teaspoons
9 teaspoons x 1 tablespoon/3 teaspoons = 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons x small can/4 tablespoons = 3/4 small can cinnamon
OTHER: Salt
Milk
Walnuts
Bread
Jam
Sugar
Lunch
QUICK VEGETABLE SOUP: 1 (15 ounce) can mixed vegetables x 18
meals = 18 (15 ounce) cans mixed vegetables
2-1/4 cups vegetable juice cocktail x 18 meals = 40.5 cups
40.5 cups x 46 ounces/5.75 cups = 7 (46 ounce) cans vegetable juice
cocktail
SANDWICHES: 3 tablespoons peanut butter x 4 people = 12 tablespoons
12 tablespoons x 18 meals = 216 tablespoons
216 tablespoons x cup/16 tablespoons = 13.5 cups
13.5 cups x 8.9 ounces/cup peanut butter = 120.15 ounces
120.15 ounces x pound/16 ounces = 7.5 pounds peanut butter
OTHER: Jam
Bread
Milk
Snack
POPCORN: 2/3 cup x 18 = 12 cups
12 cups x pound/3 cups = 4 pounds of popcorn
OIL: 1/8 cup x 18 = 2.25 cups
2.25 cups x 8 ounces/cup = 18 ounces of oil
OTHER: Salt
Dinner
CASSEROLE: 1 (6 ounce) can tuna x 18 meals = 18 (6 ounce) cans tuna
2 cups macaroni x 18 meals = 36 cups macaroni
36 cups x pound/4 cups = 9 pounds of macaroni
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup x 18
meals = 18 (10-3/4 ounce) cans soup
PEACHES: 1/2 cup x 4 people = 2 cups
2 cups x 18 meals = 36 cups
36 cups x 16 ounce can/2 cups = 18 (16 ounce) cans
OR 36 cups x 29 ounce can/3-1/2 = about 11 (29 ounce) cans of
peaches
GREEN BEANS: 1/2 cup x 4 people = 2 cups
2 cups x 18 meals = 36 cups
36 cups x 14.5 ounce can/1-3/4 cups = 21 (14.5 ounce) cans of
beans
APPLE CRISP: 2-1/2 cups apples x 18 meals = 45 cups
45 cups x pint/2 cups = 22.5 pints
OR 45 cups x 20 ounces/2-1/2 cups = 18 (20 ounce) cans of apples
3/4 cup quick oats x 18 meals = 13.5 cups
13.5 cups x 3 ounces/cup = 40.5 ounces
40.5 ounces x pound/16 ounces = 2.5 pounds oats
3/4 cup brown sugar x 18 meals = 13.5 cups
13.5 cups x pound/2.25 cups = 6 pounds of brown sugar
1/2 cup flour x 18 meals = 9 cups
9 cups x pound/4 cups = 2.25 pounds of flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon x 18 meals = 18 teaspoons
18 teaspoons x tablespoon/3 teaspoons = 6 tablespoons
6 tablespoons x cup/16 tablespoons = 3/8 cup
3/8 cup x small can/1/4 cup = 1.5 small cans cinnamon
1/2 cup shortening x 18 meals = 9 cups
9 cups x pound/2 cups = 4.5 pounds of shortening
OTHER: Milk
Salt
Now it is known that in order to prepare these meals once every three weeks for a year the following are needed:
18 (15 ounce) cans of mixed vegetables
18 (20 ounce) cans of sliced apples
18 (16 ounce) cans of green beans
18 (16 ounce) cans of peaches
7 (46 ounce) cans of vegetable juice cocktail
2.25 quarts apple juice
18 (10-3/4 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
36 (10-3/4 ounce) cans condensed vegetable beef soup
18 (6 ounce) cans of tuna
2.25 pounds dried apples
Orange drink powder to make 18 quarts
4 pounds of popcorn
7.5 pounds of peanut butter
9 pounds of macaroni
6.75 + 2.5 = 9.25 pounds of oats
1.06 pounds oat bran
2.25 pounds of white flour
.75 + 1.5 = 2.25 small cans cinnamon
18 ounces of vegetable oil
4.5 pounds of shortening
6 pounds of brown sugar
2.5 pounds honey
White sugar
Bread ingredients
Jam
Walnuts
Salt
Powdered milk
This method does take time to set up, but it has definite advantages. It is
known what a year’s supply of a particular item is. There is no guess work, so
there is no overbuying or underbuying. The variety of stored food is
nutritionally balanced and, most importantly, the family will eat what is
stored. In most cases, this is also a very economical way to feed a family.
Last of all, keep a current record of your inventory. Then cans won’t have to be
counted every time shopping is done and the contents of the pantry will always
be known.