Week 2: Wheat
25 lbs of Wheat (Red or White)
The goal for this week is 25 lbs of wheat. The program goal is 200 lbs. We will address Wheat 7 more times (in weeks 10, 20, 25, 35, 45, 48, and 50).
Since there is such a big emphasis on wheat in this storage program, you need to decide if you and your family use wheat, do you have a grinder to grind it with (more on this in week 10), and which kind of wheat is best for you. If you decide that your family just doesn't use that much wheat, then you may want to find a substitution and store it instead. But if you'd like to learn more about wheat and make it a part of your diet and food storage, then this module is for you.
In this module, we are going to cover the benefits of whole wheat, the differences between Red and White wheat, the differences between Soft and Hard wheat, how to store wheat, and it's shelf life. We will talk about grinding and sprouting wheat in week 10's module.
10 Reasons to love Whole Wheat:
It’s more nutritious, providing several more minerals, vitamins (18 more to be exact!), and natural photochemicals than white flour.
Relax! It has More B Vitamins which are known to help with nerves & stress.
Get cleaned out. Whole wheat provides more fiber, preventing constipation & diverticulosis. The American Dietetic Association recommends 20-35 grams daily, the average American consumes only 12 grams.
Lose weight and keep it off! Whole wheat has a lot of fiber which has almost no calories, keeps you fuller for longer, absorbs 3x it’s weight in water, cuts absorption of calories, cleans out impurities, requires more chewing, and takes 1/2 as much to fill you up and takes longer to digest.
Reduces your risk of colon cancer & other diseases.
Lowers blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and risk of adult on set Diabetes.
Cheaper! It will lower your food costs by at 30% to 50%!
Lowers doctor visits, bills, & medications.
Lowers Dentist Bills by cutting down on tooth decay.
Eating Whole Wheat keeps your body both emotionally and physically used to wheat.
Differences between Red & White Wheat:
While both red and white wheat belong to the same wheat species, they are classified differently because of their color and protein content. The term "red" and "white" simply identify the color of the kernel. Red wheat has a reddish hue to the bran (exterior layer) of the kernel and white wheat has a sandy-beige color to its bran. While the kernels are different colors, the flour that is milled from these kernels is almost indistinguishable in color. Both wheats have similar fiber and protein levels. They also taste different. Red wheat has a more "nutty" flavor (some say more bitter) while white wheats mild flavor (some say sweeter) makes it more easily hidden in bakery items.
Differences between Hard & Soft Wheat:
Hard wheat has a higher gluten (and usually protein) content and will usually develop a strong and elastic dough, making it the best type of wheat for bread. Flour from hard wheat is also known as strong flour or bread flour. Soft wheat, on the other hand, has a lower gluten and protein content and is used to make plain white flour. This wheat is ideal for cakes, biscuits and pastries. Soft wheat flour is also known as all-purpose flour and cake flour.
How to store Wheat:
The following are recommended containers for longer-term storage:
#10 cans
Foil pouches
PETE bottles- Bottles made of PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic can be used with oxygen absorbers to store products such as wheat, corn, and dry beans. PETE bottles are identified on the container with the letters PETE or PET under the recycle symbol. These containers, used with oxygen absorber packets, eliminate food-borne insects and help preserve nutritional quality and taste. Oxygen absorber packets are available online or through the Church home storage centers or through Church Distribution Services.
Plastic buckets- You can get wheat already stored in 45 lb buckets from Lehi Roller Mills or from Costco.
These buckets are great for long-term storage. Once opened, I prefer to use a bucket with a screw top lid (gamma lid is one such lid) such as shown here.
Shelf life of wheat:
30+ years if properly packaged and stored at room temperature or cooler (75°F/24°C or lower).
Recipes with wheat:
If You ONLY Have: Water, Wheat, Salt, and Shortening or Oil, you can make:
Sprouted wheat
Cooked cracked wheat
Cooked whole wheat
Wheat grass
Gluten (a strange bread-type food that has a very high protein content)
Tortillas
If you add: Powdered Milk, Powdered Eggs, Honey or Sugar, and Flour, you can make all the above plus:
Wheat pudding
German pancakes
Crepes
Pasta
If you add: Yeast, Baking Powder, and Baking Soda, you can make all the above plus:
Puddings/custards
Pancakes
Some varieties of cookies
Waffles
Muffins/English muffins
Breads
Biscuits
Some varieties of crackers
If you add: Tomatoes, Powdered Butter and Cheese, Unflavored Gelatin, Canned Milk, and Canned Fruits, you can make all the above plus:
Meatless dinners
Meatless casseroles
Cream sauces
Jello salads
Whipped cream desserts
Baby formula
If you add: Rice, Legumes, Beef/Chicken Broth, Canned Meats, Dried Potatoes, and Dehydrated Vegetables, you can make all the above plus:
Lots of great chunky soups
Chili
Refried beans
Rice dinners
Rice puddings
Sandwiches
Many different dinners and casseroles
If you add: Extras such as Oats, Raisins, Nuts, Spices, Juice, Peanut Butter, Cream of Tarter, etc., you can pretty much make a wide variety of almost any type of food you would want to cook.
As you can see, with a bit of planning (and a fabulous food storage recipe book on hand (Marlene’s Magic with Food Storage), you can be confident that you will be able to create healthy, filling, comforting meals for your family should a true emergency occur. It will also be helpful to start using and rotating through these foods in your every day cooking so that you can find the recipes your family likes, get them used to eating these foods, and ensure that all of your storage retains its maximum freshness.