Mormon Beliefs About Food Storage and Self-Reliance

If your family lost its employment tomorrow, how long could you survive on the money and food you have put away? For most families, homelessness is a paycheck or two away. This is why Mormons (a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) teach their members to prepare for emergency. They are not doomsday preppers. They are preparing for the inevitable challenges that can come in the course of everyday life—a flood, unemployment, serious illness, or other events that can make it difficult to afford or obtain food and other necessities.

If your family lost its employment tomorrow, how long could you survive on the money and food you have put away? For most families, homelessness is a paycheck or two away. This is why Mormons (a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) teach their members to prepare for emergency. They are not doomsday preppers. They are preparing for the inevitable challenges that can come in the course of everyday life—a flood, unemployment, serious illness, or other events that can make it difficult to afford or obtain food and other necessities.

To prepare for these types of events Mormons are encouraged to store food that can be used when a person can’t afford to shop or is unable to for one reason or another. For instance, one couple became ill with a flu for several weeks. Although they felt well enough to prepare simple meals, they did not feel well enough to shop and they were also contagious. They were able to use the food stored in their basement until they felt better. Another family, faced with unemployment, shopped only for perishables until the father found a new job, which reduced their budget tremendously.

Mormons have two types of food storage—long-term storage is meant to sustain life in serious emergencies. Flour, sugar, oats and other staples, if stored properly, will last many, many years. Then they store ordinary types of food for shorter term use. Canned foods have long storage rates. Mormons do not store food and forget about it until it rots. They are taught to rotate the food and to use what is stored. A Mormon who goes shopping will place the new food at the back of the storage and when she finds her kitchen pantry empty of pasta, she goes to her basement or other storage area to restock. This allows her to buy in bulk and on sale, which reduces her budget every week and allows her to get the most out of the family income.

In addition to food, Mormons store water. During some recent disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, water became undrinkable. Mormons store water for these types of situations, but also for other times water might be needed. For instance, those who have wells have no water when the electricity is out. Others may need water when their plumbing breaks.

Mormons are encouraged to store other items they might need and not be able to afford later—cleaning supplies and hygiene items, for example. They are encouraged to build their savings and to avoid debt, which also provides safeguards in time of unemployment.

An important part of self-reliance is to have the skills needed to support yourself and your family. Both men and women are encouraged to get good educations, both formal and informal, and to be prepared to support themselves if needed. Even a woman who plans to stay home with children is taught to prepare for a career in the event she does not marry or becomes widowed.

It is understood that even the most prepared family might find itself in need of help from time to time. When this happens, Mormons take care of their members. Each month, Mormons who are physically able to do so are asked to fast for two meals—twenty-four hours. This means to go without food or drink of any kind, even water. They then donate the money they did not spend on food to a special fund known as a fast offering. This money is used to help members of their own congregation through short-term financial trials. The recipients are not given money, but do receive food and other items as needed. They are asked to serve the church and others as partial payment for their gift. This allows them to feel a sense of pride in helping to support themselves. For Mormons, the ability to be self-sufficient is a matter of personal pride, and they find it easier to take help if they have worked at least a little for it. The service rendered does not equal what is received, but it is a contribution. In addition, they are expected to have been giving to this fund in the past to help others and to be active, practicing members of the congregation.

Mormons have a unique food bank for its own members called a bishop’s storehouse. It resembles a small grocery store except that no money is spent. Members who are in good standing meet with their bishop and the women’s Relief Society president. They demonstrate they have reduced their budgets as far as they are able and then the bishop decides what they need. They select food and other necessities from a list and then fill the order at the storehouse. They stay to help out there for an hour or two before filling their own order. Surplus food from these storehouses are donated to local food banks. Although the fast offerings only serve Mormons, this means the members of the congregation do not need to take from other charities, leaving more for those who are not Mormons.

Mormons have additional programs to help those who are not Mormon. This is only one of many ways they serve others.

To prepare for these types of events Mormons are encouraged to store food that can be used when a person can’t afford to shop or is unable to for one reason or another. For instance, one couple became ill with a flu for several weeks. Although they felt well enough to prepare simple meals, they did not feel well enough to shop and they were also contagious. They were able to use the food stored in their basement until they felt better. Another family, faced with unemployment, shopped only for perishables until the father found a new job, which reduced their budget tremendously.

Mormons have two types of food storage—long-term storage is meant to sustain life in serious emergencies. Flour, sugar, oats and other staples, if stored properly, will last many, many years. Then they store ordinary types of food for shorter term use. Canned foods have long storage rates. Mormons do not store food and forget about it until it rots. They are taught to rotate the food and to use what is stored. A Mormon who goes shopping will place the new food at the back of the storage and when she finds her kitchen pantry empty of pasta, she goes to her basement or other storage area to restock. This allows her to buy in bulk and on sale, which reduces her budget every week and allows her to get the most out of the family income.

In addition to food, Mormons store water. During some recent disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, water became undrinkable. Mormons store water for these types of situations, but also for other times water might be needed. For instance, those who have wells have no water when the electricity is out. Others may need water when their plumbing breaks.

Mormons are encouraged to store other items they might need and not be able to afford later—cleaning supplies and hygiene items, for example. They are encouraged to build their savings and to avoid debt, which also provides safeguards in time of unemployment.

An important part of self-reliance is to have the skills needed to support yourself and your family. Both men and women are encouraged to get good educations, both formal and informal, and to be prepared to support themselves if needed. Even a woman who plans to stay home with children is taught to prepare for a career in the event she does not marry or becomes widowed.

It is understood that even the most prepared family might find itself in need of help from time to time. When this happens, Mormons take care of their members. Each month, Mormons who are physically able to do so are asked to fast for two meals—twenty-four hours. This means to go without food or drink of any kind, even water. They then donate the money they did not spend on food to a special fund known as a fast offering. This money is used to help members of their own congregation through short-term financial trials. The recipients are not given money, but do receive food and other items as needed. They are asked to serve the church and others as partial payment for their gift. This allows them to feel a sense of pride in helping to support themselves. For Mormons, the ability to be self-sufficient is a matter of personal pride, and they find it easier to take help if they have worked at least a little for it. The service rendered does not equal what is received, but it is a contribution. In addition, they are expected to have been giving to this fund in the past to help others and to be active, practicing members of the congregation.

Mormons have a unique food bank for its own members called a bishop’s storehouse. It resembles a small grocery store except that no money is spent. Members who are in good standing meet with their bishop and the women’s Relief Society president. They demonstrate they have reduced their budgets as far as they are able and then the bishop decides what they need. They select food and other necessities from a list and then fill the order at the storehouse. They stay to help out there for an hour or two before filling their own order. Surplus food from these storehouses are donated to local food banks. Although the fast offerings only serve Mormons, this means the members of the congregation do not need to take from other charities, leaving more for those who are not Mormons.

Mormons have additional programs to help those who are not Mormon. This is only one of many ways they serve others.