Years ago I created a list of 5 pages of items listed alphabetically of every consumable item in our house.  This included EVERYTHING from pens, to sugar, ketchup, diapers, toilet paper, soup, etc.. Anything that we consumed daily, weekly, monthly and had to keep buying.
Then, I figured out how long one unit (box, bag, can, etc) would last our family.
Ketchup for example- the typical bottle I purchase I didn’t need to list the oz size because that’s typically all I buy and therefore it makes this formula work for anyone as long as you usually purchase the same size of items, if not, then you can list ounces.  So lets say 1 bottle of ketchup would last my family a month (yea we love it) Next where it says “ketchup” on this form it would say “1 bottle= 1 month” meaning that 1 bottle lasts us 1 month.  Now for some items one unit may last us multiple months- like baking soda for example. 1 box might = 3 months and would be listed as such.  Some items we use multiple of each month such as cream of chicken soup might say 4 cans=1 month and so on.


One thing I ALWAYS do is under-estimate! It is always better to have something and not need it, than to need it and not have it.  This also figures into extra food storage in case you end up feeding someone other than your family.  So if something lasts us 6 weeks, it would probably get listed as lasting a month.  That means if I have 2 items that are listed as lasting a month, but in reality will last 6 weeks, I have on paper a 2 month supply of that item, but in an emergency it would most likely last 3 months.

Back to the form…
After the units=month listing there are 12 numbered boxes…… you guessed it- these represent 12 months.  So when I go through my food storage this is a really easy system! All I have to do is check how many months supply I have of each item according to the units=months for that item.  Then a quick look at the list tells me not only how many months supply of food storage I have, but also what items I need to purchase more of!
It’s a easy way to be organized with your food storage and know for sure what you have and what you need.
The list will be emailed to you, and then it is up to you to adjust the units=month according to your family’s needs. Every item on the list is alphabetized.

Click here to email me. Be sure to put “food storage checklist” as the subject and you will get a copy of the list sent automatically to your email.