In an increasingly unstable economy and questionable job market, many people are looking for ways to become more self-sufficient. One of the many ways that people are doing this is through food storage, for at least a year for many families. Having a stocked supply of food for emergencies is a good idea and can be used to feed a family in the event of layoffs, as well as emergencies that require spending a lot of money, such as medical and vehicle emergencies. If you don’t have enough space to store food for a year, that’s okay! A few months will often be enough to get your family through the tough times.

In fact, many people keep three to four months’ worth of food they already use by rotating items. A kitchen pantry cabinet may be fully stocked with regularly used foods, and on shopping days the regular items are purchased and then rotated to the back of inventory so older items never go to waste. If food storage sounds like something you’d like to do, then the first thing you’ll want to do is figure out where you’ll be storing it. For many, a freestanding cabinet placed in the kitchen works well.

There are many different styles, brands, and sizes of freestanding cabinets, so you’ll need to choose one that matches not only your kitchen decor, but your storage needs as well. If you plan to go with a two-month supply of food, Target’s “Wood Double Door Pantry – Natural” is a good choice. Its large size and four-shelf design can easily hold two months of your regular canned goods, and probably a lot of your dry goods, too. This cabinet can be purchased both at Target.com and through its catalog.

While there is little we can do about the economy, we can do a lot to become more self-sufficient, including preparing for tough times. Food storage is just one of many ways to do this.