Foods that can be safely stored at room temperature, or on the shelf are called “shelf stable.” It’s important to be familiar with long lasting food items to have on hand that are nutritious and can help keep you healthy during an emergency.
In this 2-Part wellness series, Cheryl Wallen, BSN, RN, Director of Givens LifeMinistries invited our residents to have some fun exploring what kinds of nutritious foods to consider storing up for emergencies such as a power outage.

In Part-1 Residents were taught 8 foods that basically never expire, tips for putting up a robust 3 week supply of healthy emergency foods, what ‘sell by,’ ‘best by,’ and ‘use by’ labels really mean, get recipes for easy meal plans using shelf stable products, and even enjoyed a taste testing too! (shelf-stable milk and canned bread).

In Part-2 Residents explored how a vacuum sealer can be used to keep some shelf stable foods sealed for years, and see how vacuum sealing freeze dried ingredients can be used to create your own easy and healthy emergency meal in a jar that will last for years. Participants received a soup sampling from freeze dried ingredients.

This 2 part class helps residents find new ways to make their food budgets stretch and prepare nutritious meals quickly.