Expiration dates always seem to be longer than I store food.
I think it is wise to have a year supply of food storage. However, I also think it is wise to have the food be eaten within a year and thus have a rotating-food storage. This has the following benefits:
1. Fresher (meaning – not 5 years old) just tastes better.
2. When strapped for cash, I have a buffer of food storage to hold me through. This is one less thing to worry about during a job loss.
3. Only stock when sales happen; thus food storage lowers the food bill.
4. Hopefully I can get my storage during a tornado or earthquake <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />.
5. No traffic-infested-people-packed-last-minute shopping before an upcoming storm.
6. Since I/we (family) only store what we LIKE, AND rotate we don’t have to experience an intestine-laden diet change. I see people buy a year’s supply of wheat and never use it. Their digestive systems will be surprised when they finally do! BTW, I haven’t bought white or wheat flour for >15 years. We just grind our own wheat (called white wheat) to make our breads/cookies. The neighbors swear we use store bought-WHITE flour. That stuff is bad for you! We don’t mix store flour and freshly ground flour; that’s bad! Yet, the neighbors still don’t believe we ONLY use fresh-ground flour (grind it on the spot). Our only sweeteners are black-strap molasses and/or honey. White sugar is useless.
7. Peace of mind.

If I see a good deal on dehydrated food, I don’t think “Wow! That is so cheap I’m going to buy 10 years of it!”. I will save money by just buying 1 year worth. I will find a good deal the following year. Thus my food storage stays rotated and fresh. If the only way I can get a good deal is to buy 10 years worth, then I coop with my neighbors to get it split up.

Good luck with your expiration dates! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

-Barry