I was asked in an online group, this past week, what were my favorite books about Food Storage?  So,  I thought I’d share my answer here, in case you were looking for some good references, too.

My personal philosophy has been influenced and shaped in some way by each of these books.  They have some overlap in information, but I find that they all have use for me and deserve a place on my bookshelf.

Prepper’s Pantry

by Daisy Luther. 

Prepper’s Pantry is a beautiful book that explains the basics of building a pantry that is perfect for YOU and your family.  It has full color photos, and a section on Recipes and How-Tos.

The book is split up into 6 parts:

1. Why You Need a Food Storage Pantry
2. All About the Perfect Pantry
3. Preppernomics:  A New Way to Shop
4. Creating Your Pantry
5. What to Do with All That Food
6. Pantry Primer Recipes and How-To Guides

I also have her book, The Prepper’s Canning Guide, which focuses on home canning recipes for your pantry.

Food Storage for Self-Sufficiency and Survival

by Angela Paskett

This book is a fantastic family preparedness guide.  Not only does this book have a lot of helpful information, it comes with an Appendix full of worksheets.  It also gives a website where you can download free copies for your own use (so you aren’t limited to the ones in the back of the book.)

The book has 11 chapters that cover all aspects of food storage:

1. Food for 72-hour emergency kits
2. Food for Short-term Emergencies:  2 weeks to 3 months
3. Food for Long-term Emergencies:  3 months or longer
4. Storing Water
5. Preserving Your Own Food
6. Packing Dry Foods for Long-Term Storage
7. Buying Food
8. Maintaining Balance and Variety
9. Sustainable Food Storage
10. Organizing and Storing Your Food Storage
11. Using Your Food Storage

This book is full of helpful charts, tables, and graphs.  It makes for a wonderful reference book even for those experienced in storing food.

Store This, Not That!

by Crystal Godfrey and Debbie Kent

I got a chance to take a class taught by these ladies and they are super knowledgeable.  This book reads more like a magazine with lots of full color pictures, easily digestible sections and no hype.  It is VERY focused on saving you money in both the long and short term.  

It gives a great overview and fantastic comparisons of what to get vs. what NOT to get.  It also has real reviews and recommendations about many of the popular emergency and food storage products available.

It doesn’t go into the depth of the other books on my list, but the resources it includes make it well deserving of its place on my shelf.

If you don’t have the patience or time to sit and read a regular book, this is the place to start.  You’ll sit down to read and get sucked in.  This is an enjoyable and interesting book to read.  Before you know it, you’ll be halfway through.

The chapters include:

1. How to Save Money, Eat Better & Never Go Hungry Again!
2. Emergency Food
3. 90-day supply
4. Food Storage Shopping Guide
5. Long-Term Supply
6. Recipes & Menus
7. DIY Information

These next few books aren’t as much about what to store, but how to use it.

Rehydration Calculations Made Easy

by Wanda Bailey Clark

This is actually a double-sided book.  The front half is US Measurements, but if you flip it over, the same information is included for Metric Measurements.  This is super helpful if you have a recipe you want to use that’s in ml instead of ounces.

This book is NOTHING BUT CHARTS.  It is purely a reference guide.

It includes charts on just about every form of dehydrated or freeze-dried food available. If a recipe calls for 2/3 Cup, it’ll tell you how much dehydrated or freeze-dried food to rehydrate, and exactly how much water to use. It includes all of the major increments between 1 tsp and 1 cup.

The categories covered in this book are:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Beans & Legumes
• TVP in all its varieties
• Freeze-Dried Meat
• Cheeses
• Eggs & Dairy
• Fruit Powders
• Powders (think honey, peanut butter, shortening, soy sauce, and other things you never dreamed came in powders)
• Wine Powder

Some of these items I didn’t even know existed! How and why would you powder wine? The same goes for Vinegar and Maple Syrup (yes, they’re included, too).

I now have things like sour cream powder, cream cheese powder, and heavy cream powder all included in my food storage.  They are on my subscribe and save list on Amazon.  That way, I gradually build my food storage while getting the best price. Because of this book, I know how much I’ll need for a recipe.

I have a list of other things from this book to acquire, but have to find a cost-effective source or find a way to make them myself.

The next two books are actually Volume 1 and 2 of a set.

Dining on a Dime Cookbook,
Volume 1

by Tawra Kellam

Tawra runs a website called Living on a Dime and she covers all sorts of money saving techniques. 

Her Dining on a Dime Cookbooks have recipes that use pantry staples to create real meals to feed your family, not processed pre-packaged meals.  Both books are available as e-books or hardcover, full color, glossy cookbooks. 

I got Volume 1 as an e-book and printed it myself. I put the pages in sheet protectors and put them in 3-ring binders – it took 2 to hold it all.  I bought Volume 2 as a hardcover book.  I’d recommend getting the lay-flat hardcover book as the colors are more vibrant and easier to use than split between 2 binders book.

Unlike most cookbooks that try to stand out by showcasing fancy recipes with unique ingredients, these recipes have been designed with inexpensive and easy to find ingredients, that are truly quick and easy, and that your family will ACTUALLY EAT.

In addition to food recipes, the book includes cleaning recipes, recipes for kids, substitution lists, and DIY personal care recipes.  Not only will you save money, but you’ll know what is in the items your family is using.

Some of the extras including in volume 1 are:

• Basics of Frugal Cooking
• Guide To How To Plan Your Meals
• Ready-Made Meal Plans
• An Herb Guide
• Freezer Guide – What To Freeze And How To Freeze It
• Easy Lunch and Snack Ideas
• What To Do With Leftovers
• Pantry And Shopping List

Dining on a Dime Cookbook,
Volume 2

by Tawra Kellam

Volume 2 includes more recipes in the same categories as Volume 1, along with tips for each section and a number of copy-cat recipes.  It also has an extensive section of seasoning mixes and rub recipes.

Not only will these books help you save money, but they include recipes and instructions on how to make many of the convenience items we buy.  The recipes are also geared toward helping you save time as well.  All of this will help you effectively use and rotate more of your food storage.

Tawra also has a gluten-free, dairy-free version of her cookbook.  It includes all of the recipes she has adapted for herself, based primarily on Volume 1 of her Dining on a Dime Cookbook.

Share your favorites!

I hope you enjoyed reading about my favorite food storage books. There are so many out there, including workbooks and a TON of recipe books for using your food storage.  The books I listed are included because they have useful information presented in a clear, easily understandable way.

I’m always looking for more great resources to add to my library.

What are some of your favorite food storage resources? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.