Food Storage Friday::Fiesta Wheat and Bean Salad/Salsa

I just went to a class this past week that discussed food storage and more specifically the use of wheat and beans in your storage.  It may sound like I'm up on a "soap box" but I firmly believe that we need to get our food storage ready.  Whenever I turn on the news, which is not often, I'm hearing about another major disaster of some sort.  Now I'm not saying, just get whatever so you have something on hand, but get what your family eats in store-able bulk.  I've slowly been working on incorporating this into my meal planning and grocery shopping.  I started using coupons to make this affordable, too.  One way I've made this goal affordable is incorporating WHEAT into our diets.  For the past two years I've cooked and served wheat berries with SO many meals that it is now just a part of how I cook.  My kids (ages 7 & 3) and hubby don't even notice the difference anymore.  We're used to it.  Which is how food storage should work.  You should eat what you store and store what you eat.  Then when something major does happen and you need to dive into your supply (which I've already had to do in the months we are super tight on funds so it's not just for major disaster use, either) your family won't notice a difference!!!!


With that in mind, I want to try and incorporate more food storage worthy meals into our family diet than I already have been.  As I discover more recipes and tricks and techniques, I will share here, on Food Storage Fridays. 

For my first Food Storage Friday, I'd like to remind you of a recipe I shared quite some time ago.  It is THE best recipe to introduce you into the world of wheat berries, if you're not familiar.  I have converted many friends with this recipe.  I'd love to add you to this list!  :)  It is one of the most perfectly delicious, eye opening recipes you can make using the wheat from your food storage.  It will amaze even the non-believers into using their wheat, and/or getting wheat incorporated into their life. I can't wait to hear what you think about it, too!!!!

{fiesta wheat and bean salad/salsa recipe}

{wheat berries}
 **See NOTE at the end.  
4 c. raw whole wheat 
10 c. water 
1 T. salt 
Oil a large (4 quart or larger) slow cooker and fill with wheat, water, and salt. Cover and cook on low all night, 8-10 hours. Cooked wheat may be bagged and stored in the refrigerator for at least a week or in the freezer for months.  A sandwich bag will hold 2 cups.

Once you have a small supply of cooked wheat berries prepared, try experimenting with adding a cup to your favorite soups, chicken salads, or casseroles. When combined with regular white rice it makes a very simple—but healthy—pilaf.   I've been adding these wheat berries to EVERYTHING.  We enjoy them most in taco meat.  They hardly notice the difference and I can save so much money using 1/2 wheat 1/2 meat.  It's GREAT!


***NOTE: You can't actually buy the wheat berries, you have to cook the dried/raw wheat grains to make them into the wheat berries. A lot of places carry the wheat grains. Maceys, Harmons, Walmart, Costco, Sams, etc. You just need to look in the food storage section of their stores (baking at costco/sams). The problem with these places is they usually sell the big 25-50 lb buckets. If you're not sure if you're going to like the wheat berries, you will want to get a #10 can first. You can get the cans from any LDS Dry Pack Cannery. You will just want to call ahead to see if they have any extra single cans for purchase (they usually do). Anyone can go in there and purchase a single can and/or use the machines to pack your own food storage items.
This link shows the single-can prices.
This link shows locations in UT.