Whole Wheat Recipes – Long Term Food Storage

WHAT IS WHOLE WHEAT?

Whole wheat refers to the ENTIRE grain.  It’s that grain that, when ground, turns into flour.

WHAT TYPES OF WHEAT ARE THERE?

There are 2 basic types of wheat great for your long term food storage.  Those are hard white wheat and hard red wheat.  Red wheat is darker in color and has a stronger flavor.  White wheat is light in color and a lighter flavor.  Nutritionally speaking, they are pretty much the same.

WHY SHOULD I HAVE WHEAT IN MY LONG TERM FOOD STORAGE?

• It’s more nutritious than all-purpose flour. Whole wheat flour contains more minerals, vitamins, and natural phytochemicals than does all-purpose flour.
• Helps with stress. Whole wheat contains B vitamins, which are necessary for healthy nerves.
• Cleans you out. Whole wheat recipes provide more fiber and eating fiber can help prevent many bowel problems.
• Helps you lose weight and keep it off! The bounteous fiber in whole wheat has almost no calories, keeps you fuller longer, absorbs three times its weight in water, cuts absorption of calories, and takes half as much to fill you up.

WHERE SHOULD I STORE MY WHOLE WHEAT?

Store it in a cool, dry area.  Unopened it will store for 30+ years.  Opened it will last a couple of years.

WHERE SHOULD I STORE MY WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR?

Ground wheat loses its nutritional value very quickly.  In addition, ground wheat can go rancid because of the wheat germ (the part of the wheat kernel that serves as the seed).  After you grind wheat, cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator or freezer.  Never store ground wheat flour near foods with strong odors, such as apples and onions, as flour readily absorbs odors.  (No one wants an onion-flavored cookie!)

HOW MUCH WHEAT SHOULD I HAVE IN MY LONG-TERM FOOD STORAGE?

For a one year supply, you need about 300 pounds of grains per person.  That equates to 25 pounds a month per person.  Don’t panic-it doesn’t need to consist entirely of wheat.  The 300 pounds can be divided between wheat, rice, oats, corn, pasta, etc. according to your family’s needs and preferences.

SHOULD I PURCHASE HARD RED WHEAT OR HARD WHITE WHEAT FOR MY FOOD STORAGE?

It depends on what you like, but I have mostly hard white wheat and a little hard red wheat.  Why? Because the hard white wheat is so much better for whole wheat recipes.  It tastes better, gives a better texture, and it’s what my family likes.

WHERE CAN I PURCHASE WHEAT FOR MY FOOD STORAGE?

If you want to save a little money, you can visit your local LDS Cannery and can it yourself.  Or, you can purchase hard RED wheat online already canned through LDS Distribution Services Online.  Unfortunately, you can’t purchase the hard WHITE wheat online through LDS Distribution Services Online-but it IS available at LDS Canneries.

If you just want to click a few buttons and have your wheat ordered and shipping to your house, you can check these online sources.

• Shelf Reliance (click for current pricing)
• Honeyville Grains (click for current pricing)
• Augason Farms (click for current pricing)
• Emergency Essentials (click for current pricing)

HOW DO I USE WHOLE WHEAT IN MY BAKING/COOKING?

The easiest way to get whole wheat recipes is to grind it up and use it as flour.
Look for recipes that call for:

• equal amounts of brown sugar and white sugar
• chocolate
• fruit or vegetable, i.e. mashed banana, zucchini, etc.
• strong spices, i.e. cinnamon, apple pie spice, etc.
• nuts

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COOKING WITH YOUR FOOD STORAGE?