March Challenges

Just wanted to make sure you all knew about the challenge for this month (thru the General Conference weekend), to gather together your food for your 72 hour kits and to keep putting aside $10 - $15 each paycheck in small bills in your 72 hour kits (think about money needs for gas, hotels, etc. in that worst case scenario)!
For the money a few different gals asked me how much to put aside and that really is a personal decision. Some sites I read said they were just putting aside enough to get gas and hotels to family where they could stay. Others mention 2 weeks of hotels.
Consider what you personally feel like and keep working on putting aside that money each payday. If you've been doing it the last 3 paychecks you could already have $45 saved, it adds up quick! :)
As for the food itself, I heard from a lot of people how they make sure to rotate their food out each General Conference, so with just a few weeks left until then it seemed like the perfect time to work on it! :) There are a lot of links and ideas on this blog if you are trying to think of how to put it together.
A few pointers though that I found when I was researching:

1. Think about weight. Especially with the younger ones, they can't carry much, so we are making lots of different choices regarding simple things like even storing food that needs a can openers vs. food that has a simple pop-top lid. It may not sound like much weight, but it can really add up fast eliminating or adding those items.
2. Thinking back to Katrina & the infamous Super Dome - I'm not planning on bringing any kind of heat source in my food storage. Sure hot cocoa would be nice, but not necessary and if they are packing us all into crazy conditions like that, I don't want to bring attention to ourselves and our steaming hot soups/drinks. - Sounds extreme, but 72 hour kits in their essence are for those extreme moments when you are literally evacuating your home.
3. Don't pack minty gum, it makes everything taste like the mint.
4. One site said she was only packing foods she knew her 2/3 year old could open. Again going back to Katrina and the Japan Tsunami, some families got seperated, and I want my children to be able to feed themselves in a worst case scenario.
5. Look at the salt ratios on things, a lot of foods that are easy to store are VERY high in salt and will only make the people more thirsty.
6. While you want to prepare for the worst case scenarios, you need to look over & over again at the weight of the food and also what will you do with the garbage afterwards?
7. This post is from a class we had in our previous ward. The guy really minimalized what they had and food choices as well. A lot of people try to pack every thing they could possibly want food wise in their packs, just remember that the weight will matter in that worst case scenario. So try to minimalize as much as possible.

Here is the link for all our food ideas & posts!