5 Ideas to Help Give the Gift of Emergency Preparedness

by Leslie Probert
(Mormon Times)

There could hardly be a more thoughtful or practical gift at Christmas time than giving loved ones something for emergencies. Such gifts offer encouragement to make preparedness a priority or assistance with purchases when a family budget is stretched.

Parents and grandparents looking for gift ideas will find endless possibilities for food storage or emergency preparedness. Even children can surprise parents, ensuring that favorite foods, like chocolate chips and other ingredients to make cookies, are not forgotten in food storage! Some families have even organized a mostly food storage Christmas to make fast headway with preparedness goals.

1. Make it a food storage Christmas

One couple with a young family started their food storage at Christmas by giving each other a case of food. She got No. 10 cans of sugar because she was sweet, and he got rice.

2. Get it but don't store it

A family working on food storage might enjoy a can of powdered eggs or dried vegetables ? just for opening and using. Give them the opportunity to have fun cooking with what they are storing. It's a great chance to help them overcome concerns and find some great recipes. You might include some of your own favorite food storage recipes.

3. The gift of how to use food storage

An inexpensive gift can be free lessons in making bread or rolls for a young cook, including free samples to take home ? guaranteed to increase his or her popularity and to create a cherished memory.

4. Bigger gifts

Some parents or grandparents are in a position to help with the purchase of a wheat grinder or by making a contribution toward buying one in the future. If you're looking for a definite surprise gift, consider a water barrel or even a portable toilet! Who knows ? one day this could be one of the most important gifts your loved ones ever received.

5. Emergency preparedness gifts

In one family, both sets of grandparents have for years given needed emergency items. Gifts have included LED flashlights and a lantern, car emergency kits, a solar-powered cell phone charger and flashlight, an emergency radio, and 50-pound bags of oats, potato dices and potato flakes. Looking for sales helped to finance these gifts.

You can be a steady influence in the lives of those you love by helping them not lose sight of things that are important. Helping your loved ones be self-sufficient in a time of difficulty is a definite gift of love.