For back stock I use food-safe plastic 3, 4 and 5 gallon tightly-sealed, long-term storage containers stored in a cold (50-32F, depending on season) storage room, not in the kitchen. One pail for each kind is stored in pantry off corner of kitchen. These live on floor-level of pantry shelving so I can pull them out, scoop out what I need for grinding and then scoot them back. I have a large grain scoop that lives right there and a plastic bucket that's just for transporting grain to the mill. After grinding, any excess is then stored in large glass (half-gallon) jars in the pantry. I buy my AP flour, and a few specialty flours so I don't grind as much as I have in the past. HTH L.

caavonldy- That's a great plan... It took me 18-months to get a full year of food in storage on a $200/month food budget, plus I have 3-years worth of the "Seven Survival Foods". Now my food budget is $125/month, so that's one of the benefits from having home food storage (this amount is for two adults). I talked with my best friend about this very subject just last night because she's diabetic and very carb sensitive and can't eat soy either. These are sources of protein I have in storage. You probably already have many of them. 1. Protein powders, especially whey protein. Whey has the highest BV (Biological Value) and you will assimilate more protein from whey than any other source of protein. The next highest are eggs, then beef, chicken, fish and legumes - on down the scale. 2. Powdered whole eggs. I get mine from Honeyville Grain in #10 cans. When powdered eggs are less expensive per egg than shell eggs I use powdered eggs. About the only shell eggs I use these days are when the store sends me a coupon for a dozen eggs - free. There are approximately 80-90 eggs per #10 can. I love powdered eggs when I want to make 6-muffins and I need 1/2 an egg. Many foods we make don't need a whole egg, so using 1/2 an egg in pancakes, for instance, it also saves some money. 3. If you have a pressure canner you can home-can all kinds of meat. (see link below) 4. Canned meat from the store. When I was a child back in the mid-50's we had a refrigerator that had a freezer about 12-inches square, and for a family of 6 who only got groceries once-a-month, there wasn't enough room for much meat in it, so mom served all kinds of canned salmon, tuna, Chicken A la King, Spam, Ham Spread, Chunk Ham, Roast Beef, Chicken, Dried Beef for you-know-what on a shingle....;-) I remember whole stewed chickens coming in cans and made wonderful chicken noodle soup. Now I make White Chili with a 10-oz. can of chicken, can of white beans (or home-cooked beans), cup of water and some McCormick White Chicken Chili Seasoning Mix - all are pantry foods. I have many of those same foods in storage and most of them have very long storage times. When you start looking at the store you'll find a good assortment of meat in cans. I even have Yoder Bacon in cans. 5. Most expensive... Freeze-dried meats which reconstitute in a few minutes in hot water. I have freeze-dried ground beef, sausage crumbles, white turkey, chicken, beef roast, and diced ham (I've also noticed freeze-dried shrimp and pork chops recently...). Check Mountain House, Emergency Essentials, Honeyville Grain, Nitro-Pak, Augason Farms. There is freeze-dried cheese and cheese powder in storage. Shredded Colby or Mozzarella will rehydrate in a few minutes in warm water and will feel, taste, and melt just like freshly-grated cheese. 6. I also keep Vital Wheat Gluten in #10 cans in storage to use as a meat extender or meat substitute and make "wheat meat" (aka fake meat, seitan or gluten) with it. There is nearly as much protein in ground "wheat meat" as there is in ground beef. I mix it 50/50 with any kind of ground meat I'm using to get more protein for my money - I also cut fat and cholesterol. I can make this from whole wheat flour, but it's easier to make it from Vital Wheat Gluten. Ground gluten can also be used as a high-protein granola-like "cereal". For more information: "The Amazing Wheat Book" by LeArta Moulton or http://www.livingwithbasics.com/documents/awb-recipes/pdf/wheatgluten.pdf 7. Lesser amounts of protein from powdered milk, peanut butter, beans/seeds/grains/nuts. The bulk of the milk in storage is a whey-based milk substitute - Morning Moo's - www.augasonfarms.com. And I also use another non-fat dry milk product - Country Cream - http://www.grandmascountryfoods.com/ Morning Moo's is less expensive and makes 22-quarts per #10 can while Country Cream makes 20-quarts. Both of these milk products come in bulk amounts for a real savings on milk if you are going to use it on a regular basis, or for storage - #10 cans. Both taste as good as regular store bought milk. We only use powdered milk. Good luck. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: National Center for Home Food Preservation

Cambro tubs. Go to a local restaurant supply or wholesale grocery store and get them. Or google them and you'll find online suppliers. I use them and love them for storage of dry good, refrigerated and frozen foods. They're the best for ice cream because the seal is super tight and you won't get crystals. I also use various sizes for brining things as small as a pork chop and as large as a 25# turkey. They're the best for holding rising dough or sourdoughs. They'll keep them hydrated and measure the rise. If you underestimate the size container, they'll stay sealed even under the pressure of fully risen dough. They're cheap. They're lightweight. You can wash them in your dishwasher -- I drill holes in the little handle "ears" so water will drain when they're upside down in the dishwasher. They come in sizes from 1 liter to 16 liters. For 25# of flour I use two 10 liter tubs. They come in the traditional tubs and now square containers that use storage space efficiently. They also come in attractive lucite restaurant pans and you can even get sure seal lids for them too. They're the best. That's why they're standard equipment in commercial kitchens.

You're right - most of these ideas are old hat around here! Btw, the "sun tunnel" is called a "solar tube" (#10). Many here have installed solar tubes in dark kitchens with no outside wall. 16. Install your outlets underneath your cabinets so you don’t ruin your backsplash. Uh...do not do what they show. Those outlets would be a nightmare to use! Instead, consider Plugmold and angled Plugmold. Much more user-friendly! It runs along the back wall under your upper cabinets and is hidden by light rail. Here are a couple of pictures of angled plugmold - note that the outlets are angled down so they're easy to use. View looking at the underside (that puck light is under cabinet lighting): View from the side: . Agree about those toilet seats - sheesh! I can't imagine why anyone would want to have multiple seats on one toilet!