Most of us are familiar with the food pyramid. The mistake we commonly make is using grains that are missing vital nutrients. When we eat pasta, breads, etc. with plain white flour we are getting calories without nutrition, some call them "empty calories". Is it any wonder we get fat? We eat foods that don't satisfy the needs of our body so we feel we need to eat more.
Eating a balanced diet and good exercize not only keeps us well, it contributes to a healthy mental condition and emotional stability. Eating, drinking and sleeping are simply part of the human experience, there's not much we can do without those things for long periods..oh and breathing!
As you prepare food storage keep in mind not only the quantity, but the quality also. If you and your family are not used to eating whole grains, it's a great idea to add them in gradually now. One day a week, or one night a week for dinner have pasta that's whole wheat, bread that is whole grain, etc. Jumping into a diet high in grains and legumes in a pinch is really uncomfortable if you are used to a white bread diet. When you are looking at breads in the store there is a difference between whole wheat and whole grain. Sometimes they are sneaky and mix in a little wheat with mostly white and call it wheat.
If you are really tight on funds, but just want to have something on hand begin with a little extra of what you normally buy until you have about 90 days (3 month) set aside. Then add the grains, beans, rice, potato flakes, etc. (more survival type foods that are high in nutrients, but not convenient). Learn how to sprout wheat and beans to get more of the nutrition and a vegetable like addition to your diet. The sprouted wheat adds a safe and effective sugar that is great for boosting your energy.
Make sure you include garden seeds. Look on the other pages of this blog and you'll find natural fertilizers that you may be able to store. Grow a garden every year, even a small one will get you into the practice. Gardening doesn't always work out easily, you have to practice to get a good garden, at least I sure do. The foods you grow each year will add to your families abundance and the work will give you necessary experience. Can you imagine how valuable the ability to grow food is in a crisis? Can you imagine how great it will be for you, your family and your neighbors if you have this skill if/when the time comes?
Calories:
Every person has different needs. We are not all the same. For instance, my in-laws' family tends to be smaller in frame than my parents', so the number of calories the children would need is different. Here's a place to start:
(This table is taken from: Healthy Children.org)
Calories:
Every person has different needs. We are not all the same. For instance, my in-laws' family tends to be smaller in frame than my parents', so the number of calories the children would need is different. Here's a place to start:
(This table is taken from: Healthy Children.org)
These are suggestions per day:
- 2-3 years: 1,000
- 4-8: 1,200-1,400
- 9-13 (female): 1,600
- 9-13 (male): 1,800
- 14-18 (female): 1,800
- 14-18 (male): 2,200
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