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Homesteading & Survival · Homesteading & Survival Courses

Safe Food at Home

Cook, store and stock food your household will eat, with or without power.

Level
Beginner
Estimated study
About 18 hours
Lessons
18 lessons in 3 modules
Format
Online, self-paced
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About this course

For anyone who runs a kitchen. You will cook to safe temperatures with a food thermometer, cook dried beans safely, handle leftovers, plan safe outdoor cooking, keep meat cold from store to stove, freeze and thaw it, decide what to keep after a power outage, and build a 7-day menu and a rotating 3-month pantry your household will actually eat. About 18 hours, with real cooking in most lessons.

What you will be able to do

  • Use a calibrated food thermometer and the USDA temperature chart to cook and reheat food safely.
  • Cook dried kidney beans with FDA's soak-and-boil method, and grains by their package directions.
  • Keep meat cold from store to stove, freeze and thaw it safely, and decide what to keep after an outage.
  • Build balanced meals and a 7-day menu from staples, with a no-cook backup for every cooked meal.
  • Store, rotate and protect a 3-month pantry your household will eat.

Course outline

Module 1: Cook and serve safely

6 lessons · 6 h

Set up a safe kitchen workflow, cook to safe temperatures, cook grains, beans and vegetables, plan safe outdoor cooking and handle leftovers.

  1. Clean, separate, cook and chill safely1 h
  2. Cook meat, eggs and fish to safe temperatures1 h
  3. Cook grains and beans with verified preparation1 h
  4. Cook vegetables and preserve nutrition1 h
  5. Plan safe off-grid cooking and fuel1 h
  6. Handle leftovers and reheating safely1 h

Module 2: Keep food cold and decide after outages

4 lessons · 4 h

Keep a cold chain from store to stove, freeze and thaw meat safely, and decide what to keep after a power outage.

  1. Maintain refrigeration and a meat cold chain1 h
  2. Package and freeze meat safely1 h
  3. Thaw, marinate and handle raw meat1 h
  4. Decide what to keep after a power outage1 h

Module 3: Build a pantry you will eat

8 lessons · 8 h

Build meals from staples, plan for allergies, write a 7-day menu, store and rotate dry foods, keep pests and moisture out, and plan a 3-month reserve.

  1. Build balanced meals from stored staples1 h
  2. Plan food allergies and dietary needs1 h
  3. Create a seven-day practical menu1 h
  4. Run a safe pantry meal practice1 h
  5. Store grain, pulses and shelf-stable dry foods1 h
  6. Manage pests, moisture and pantry temperatures1 h
  7. Calculate stock rotation and supply needs1 h
  8. Build a three-month layered food plan1 h
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