Summer is almost upon us, which means hot and humid weather is just around the corner! Unfortunately, this can affect your precious stockpile by causing foods to spoil and some liquids to congeal, cutting shelf life dramatically. To save money, here are some tips to beat the heat:

• When possible, always keep food indoors where it is cool and dry.
• If your garage is too humid to store food, you can either buy a dehumidifier or build your own. To do this, take 5 gallon buckets and fill them with rock salt. This will suck most of the moisture out of the air. The rock salt can then be dehydrated and reused.
• Another method of keeping out humid air is to seal cans, either in a layer of wax (bought in the craft section of stores and melted in a double boiler) or to cover in a clear coating of Rustoleum.
• Direct sunlight is detrimental to foods as it can super-heat the packaging and cause damage.  Keep your stockpile out of direct sunlight.
• Try moving any seasonal items (holiday decorations, seasonal clothes, extra blankets & quilts, etc.) to the hotter areas, and keep the food items where it’s cooler.
• When all else fails, store non-perishables in the hot environment instead of food. Paper products, toothbrushes, floss, and razors are good choices. Remember to keep pressurized products, batteries, toothpaste, candles, and liquid and gel personal products out of hot and humid areas.