And once you've incorporated something into your diet, getting it into your food storage just makes sense.
Don Pectol, retired founding partner of Emergency Essentials, once told me about this method for using stored wheat. It's so simple it's almost laughable, but you can use the resulting cooked wheat kernels (wheat berries) in practically anything.
Here are the 7 easy steps to using your wheat:
1. Boil some water.
2. Pour the water into a thermos (leave some space)
3. Add 1/4 cup of whole wheat kernels.
4. Close the thermos lid (tightly).
5. Leave it overnight (8-12 hours).
6. Drain water
7. Add hydrated wheat to any food item or eat alone
See? I told you it's simple. Try it. Seriously, go get a Thermos if you don't already have one, and make it happen.
My favorite ways to use wheat berries:
1. Add a few tablespoons of wheat berries and a tablespoon of fresh or dried fruit to honey-flavored Greek yogurt for an energizing and filling breakfast.
2. Make a quick wheat berry salad, tabouleh-style. Add some diced tomato and cucumber to the wheat berries.
3. Sprinkle in some green onion or chives, a little minced garlic, some tomato sauce, olive oil, a dash of lemon juice, and some finely chopped mint and flat-leaf parsley (cilantro also works). Salt and pepper to taste. Voilá. Delish.
4. Add them to a green salad for a nice boost of nutrition and–surprise!–protein (1/4 cup of uncooked wheat kernels has 8 grams of protein). I love them in a salad of roasted butternut squash, mixed greens, and dried cranberries.
Other recommendations:
Use them in spaghetti sauce. No one will even know they're in there. Add them to any baked goods you're making–they're great in breads, muffins, and pancakes. Add to soup or stew. Those wheat berries will be right at home.
I'm sure you'll find other ways to use wheat berries that will work for your family, so have fun experimenting. Then set your worries aside, knowing that you can put all that wheat to use in delicious and healthy meals.