Lessons learned from a 72 hour backpack…

Once a year for General Conference, our 72 hour backpacks are lifted off their shelf, dusted off, and the contents spilled out onto individual towels with strict threats for anyone who removes anything outside of that perimeter. The kids dig through the edibles and enjoy listening to conference while making themselves sick on energy bars, nutrition drinks, crackers, and tuna. This year we were especially excited about the fact that nothing had expired or gone rancid from the last time we had checked them, so we weren’t going to have to throw things away and loose money. With that thought in mind, we decided that we should seize the day and eat nothing but what was in our packs for the 48 hours of conference weekend. What a memory! Lasting visions of everyone circled around the table heating up a can of corn on Sterno cans will stay with us for a lifetime. We passed around the flavored oatmeal packets and used our 12-in-one tools to lift heated cans of water off the flame. I share all of this so that you can learn what we learned with less effort and in time to not repeat our mistakes.

Here are the lessons learned:
· A can of corn, although usually detested, was so desirable after not having any fruits or vegetables for 24 hours. Note to self – add more fruits and veggies!
· Lower the sugar content – we had added too many comfort foods.
· We had more than enough food, but wanted more water – change the ratio.
· Put expiration dates on everything, or at least the date you put it in your pack. Were our sterno can’s expired? Some of our hand warmers didn’t work anymore, etc.
· Sterno cans are great and everyone needs one in their pack – even the kids. They also need a “stove” above them in order to get enough oxygen to burn. You can’t just set a tin can on top and expect them to work and we didn’t have a plan. We got very inventive with what we had but learned another important lesson…
· 12-in-one tools are a must, and again needed in everyone’s pack.
· Wintergreen and peppermint lifesavers flavor everything in the pack, even packaged items. If you don’t want peppermint flavored soup in a pouch, leave out the peppermint candy.
· Vacuumed packed cereal would sure be nice for breakfast, even without the milk.
(Familiar foods are really nice, too much of unfamiliar foods make us sick).
· Foods without preservatives were nice. Definitely include nuts, dried fruit, canned fruit and veggies.
· A small doll in Kaia’s pack and some small rubber animals in Tabor’s will be as important as water or food to calm them in a turbulent time.
· A backpack with wheels might be nice… all that stuff and we wouldn’t be able to walk very far!
· Canned nutritious drinks like Ensure are great for filling you up and keeping you full.

The last idea we learned came from me not wanting to have to organize six backpacks by myself while trying to keep inquisitive minds and fingers from misplacing items. A week prior to this big event I had taken the list of perishables out of the front pocket of each person’s pack and gone shopping. All items were on hand. Once all of the old perishables were removed, I opened up the “store.” Each person was given their “shopping list” and could pick up 3 items from off the table (with mom being the clerk to control anxious fingers). They would then place them in a pile by their pack and come back for three more. When all items were “purchased” and by the appropriate backpack, I closed the store and packed the items in the packs. The store created another good memory that was forever placed in our minds and hearts. The longest lasting lesson our family has learned is that preparedness is fun and is a tradition in our home that we look forward to.