Excuse #5: I'M TOO OVERWHELMED

My Excuse:

I've avoided buying food storage in the past because it was just too overwhelming: How much is a one year supply? I can't even envision it! Once I've collected it, how do I maintain it?

• It can be very difficult to determine just what a 1 year supply is for your family. Do you want to be able to just survive for one year, or would you like to be able to eat just as you do now for a year? There is a HUGE difference. Most calculators will estimate less than 1000 calories / day per person and they don’t take anything in to account but calories.
• Maintaining your food storage is also overwhelming. It can be difficult to be sure you are eating your oldest food first.

Shelf Reliance's Solutions:

• The THRIVE Planner. Organization, adjustability and versatility describe this planner! You decide how many calories you want per day for each individual in your family. It will then tell you what you need for a well-balanced 1 year supply including fruits, dairy, meat and vegetables etc. From there, you can customize / edit each individual food group to meet your family's tastes and needs.
• The THRIVE Q: Based on the foods in your planner, your Q will automatically (without any maintenance on your part) send you foods each month that fall within a budget you set.

• While the Q can be completely maintenance free, you can easily edit each shipment to meet your particular needs each month.
• Shelving Products. Shelf Reliance got it's start with their amazing food rotating shelves. They make it very easy to use your oldest food first with their "first in-first out" system.

Excuse #4: I CAN'T AFFORD IT

My Excuse:

I've avoided buying food storage in the past because I was afraid I couldn't afford it. I don’t want to go into debt for my food storage, but in order to purchase it, I will have to spend money!

Shelf Reliance's Solutions:

• The usability of THRIVE foods makes these products less expensive than traditional food storage items. THRIVE foods are not something that sit in your basement…they can be used daily in your kitchen. They are so much more than emergency food storage! As such, in contrast to traditional food storage, they are not something you buy in addition to your normal groceries. They are something you buy instead of a portion of your normal groceries.
• Many THRIVE foods are actually cheaper than something equivalent at the grocery store. You can find that list here. Buy these items first as a way to reduce your grocery bill instead of spending more. While you may not be able to replace all your fruits, vegetables, shortening etc, you will be able to replace quite a bit. You can use the money you save to purchase other items that are more expensive (meat, cheese, wheat, entrees etc).
• By using THRIVE produce in your recipes in place of fresh produce, you will also save money. Because of their long shelf life, these products don’t go to waste. Think of how much money you waste each week throwing out vegetables and fruit that have gone bad before you could use them.
  
• When you buy your Shelf Reliance products through a consultant, you will save 5%-40% off the retail price (depending on the item)
• Each month, certain THRIVE foods are on sale for an amazing price (even lower than the regular discount you get by buying through a consultant). If you sign up for my email list, I will send you an email at the beginning of every month with a list of which products have been discounted.
• Buying THRIVE foods by the case (6 #10 cans) will save you an additional 5% per serving.
• Compared to other companies selling similar products, I’ve found Thrive to be one of the least expensive.
• Reducing what you are spending on other types of food will allow you to purchase more THRIVE foods and build your food storage much quicker.
• Never go to the grocery store without a list, and only buy what is on your list. Most people will save 15%-20% each week by following just this one rule.
• Eat out less. Commit to cooking a simple (remember those precut, precooked veggies and meat?) THRIVE meal instead of eating out just once a month. This saves my family of 5 $20-$25 or so.
• Use grocery coupons. You can easily save $10-$15 a week spending just 15-20 min. Learn how to save with grocery coupons here.
• Earning Free THRIVE products and / or commission:
• Host a Shelf Reliance party
• Become a Shelf Reliance Consultant

NEXT PAGE: Excuse #5: I'm Too Overwhelmed

Excuse #3: FOOD STORAGE ISN'T HEALTHY OR WELL ROUNDED

My Excuses:

In the past I've avoided buying food storage because it didn't seem very well rounded to me. When I thought of food storage, I thought of wheat, rice, beans, and powdered milk. The only way I could think of to store produce and meat was canned or dehydrated and those options don't have many nutrients in them. If I ever had to live solely on my food storage, I would want it to be just as healthy as what I currently feed my family. This would be especially true if the reason we were living on food storage was b/c of some other large stress (natural disaster, job loss, medical bills etc).

• While wheat and rice and beans provide many nutrients and are very healthy, if that is all I have, my diet would still be very unbalanced and unhealthy over a long period of time.
• Canned and dried fruits and veggies have much lower nutrient content than the original product. This already low nutrient content declines very quickly.
• Even dried meats and fruits & veggies lose over 50% of their nutrients.
• Both canned and dried foods often have added salt, sugar, and preservatives.

Shelf Reliance's Solutions:

• The freeze drying process that Shelf Reliance uses retains 80%-90% of a food's nutrients, so it is the closet to fresh produce, meat and cheese that you can get.
• There is no added sugar, salt or other preservatives.
• Shelf Reliance holds the preparation of their foods to a higher standard than anyone in the industry. All food is prepared when at its prime. This means better, healthier food.
• You can get produce any time of year: even when it isn't in season!

NEXT PAGE: Excuse #4: I can't afford it.

Excuse #2: IT WILL GO BAD BEFORE I USE IT

My Excuses:

In the past I've avoided buying food storage because I was afraid I would waste it. I had a good long term supply of grains & beans, and I used those items occasionally. However, I’d struggled to find a suitable way to store large amounts of fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat and oil for a long period of time. If I ever need to eat solely out of my food storage, I definitely want these items to be a part of that "insurance."

• Canned fruits & veggies and meats taste like tin if you don’t use them with a year or two.
• The nutrient content of canned goods (not the calories) declines rapidly within the first few years.
• Oils can go bad within just a few months to a year (still works, but tastes rancid), so storing an entire years supply is tough.
• The only dairy I’ve found that stores long term is dried milk. What about butter, sour cream, and cheese etc?

Shelf Reliance's Solutions:

• Shelf Reliance products (including meat, eggs, fruits & veggies, cheese, sour cream, shortening, butter, etc) will last 5-25 years!
• Shelf Reliance holds the packaging of their foods to a higher standard than anyone in the industry. Everything is done in house with the absolute highest quality products available. This means food that will last longer and be less prone to rodent and insect infestation.
• Shelf Reliance also provides shelving units that make it easy for you to organize, rotate and use your oldest food first.

NEXT PAGE: Excuse #3: Food Storage Isn't Healthy or Well-Rounded

Excuse #1: I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT

My Excuses:

In the past, I have avoided food storage because I didn't know how to use it. If I were to have to eat solely out of my food storage for an extended period of time, I would want things I like to eat and know how to prepare. This became even more important to me when I had children.

• While I can use wheat in breads, I don't know much about sprouting it or other methods of using it as a meat replacement etc. It would take a lot of work for me to be able to use my wheat beyond baking.
• Oil and Dairy are very hard to store for long periods of time, so many of my recipes would become unusable if I were to have to live solely on my food storage.
• Meats and Produce are also difficult to store. I don't like (or often use) the following items that I have tried to include in our food storage in the past:
• Canned Produce: I don’t personally like canned fruits & veggies. They have a weird texture, and can’t be used in baking / cooking.
• Dried Fruits: Too many dried fruits give me stomach problems. They also can rarely be used in baking.
• Canned Meats: I just do not like how they taste. I can't use them in most of my recipes b/c they taste nothing like the original product.
• Dried Meat: Can't be rehydrated / used in cooking.

Shelf Reliance's Solutions:

The goal of Shelf Reliance is to get your food storage "out of the basement and into the kitchen." Every product is designed with this goal in mind. All THRIVE foods taste amazing and some THRIVE foods are even easier to use than the fresh product!

• The freeze drying process that Shelf Reliance uses does not change the color and texture of food. When hydrated (which is very simple), THRIVE freeze dried products taste very much like the fresh product.
• THRIVE meats are all pre-cooked, the cheese is all pre-grated, and the veggies are all pre-cut, so they are extremely quick and easy (easier than fresh products) to use in your recipes.
• The shortening, eggs, and butter etc are in powder form (just add water), and last for 5-10 years. They are easily used in recipes (some things turn out even better!) and there is no mess when baking with them.
• Even without re-hydrating them, the fruits & veggies make a very quick, easy, healthy snack for my kids. We no longer use any fruit snacks!
• There are hundreds of recipes available on the Shelf Reliance website that use Thrive foods as ingredients. They are all very tasty and developed by a professional chef with a background in culinary arts.
• You can use just the amount of produce you need in a recipe with out worrying about the rest of it going bad. You will never “over buy” fruits & veggies again!

NEXT PAGE: Excuse #2: It Will Go Bad Before I Use It