Long Term and Short Term Storage... both are IMPORTANT. Here are 8 key points to remember when building your food storage. 1) VARIETY -- Not having enough variety in your food storage is a big mistake! Add variety by including comfort foods and dehydrated or freeze-dried fruits and veggies. 2) STAPLES -- Longer-term staples are important! Don't forget to store recipe staples like grains, beans, rice, cooking oil, yeast/leavening agents like baking soda, and spices. These items are the basics for most recipes and often have a longer shelf life than other foods. 3) READY TO EAT FOODS --Don't forget to store a MINIMUM of 3 days of ready-to-eat foods! In an emergency situation, meal planning and cooking will be challenging. Store foods that are easy to prepare by opening a can or just adding water. This will make the first few days or weeks after a disaster much easier to handle. 4) NUTRIENTS --Difficult times can diminish the body's ability to store nutrients. Be sure t