PRACTICAL PREPAREDNESS
Join a community of men and women who choose to work on resiliency and preparedness, but out of love, not fear.
Not sure if you're ready to join? Text the keyword READY to 704-686-8883 to get tips + updates from The READY Pantry.
Upcoming LIVE online workshops for members:
Special Diets + Preparedness: Tues 8/12 at 7pm EST and Thurs 8/14 at 2pm EST
Preserving the Harvest: Tues 8/19 at 7pm and Thurs 8/21 at 2pm EST

the READY pantry
get ready - we're going to get rid of "false food security" (a full of "stuff" pantry/fridge/freezer) and learn what REAL food security means (ingredients, real foods on-hand that you know how to prepare AND your family will eat! we will walk through sustainable "baby steps", to make this a manageable (and fun!) process, that bring peace + confidence to your life, not overwhelm + dread. we will learn how to store + rotate food, as well as preservation practices, sharing our favorite recipes + products along the way.
we will will cover practical tips on organizing your space for maximum efficiency, managing inventory, + keeping your pantry stocked with a variety of staples for day-to-day meals, as well as emergency scenarios.
our goal is to help you - our neighbors, our friends, our community - to be prepared, in a peaceful + sustainable way... so you can be READY for life!
we start off slowly - you will receive the course in a "drip" style, because this is not a lifestyle change to undertake hurriedly or chaotically. it is meant to be done purposefully + slowly - - that is how we sustain lasting change!
melissa and cara will be with you along the way to answer any questions + offer helpful tips + tricks (and fabulous recipes)!
a little more:
when we decided to put together this course, we took a lot of cues from Cara. being much newer to this way of life, she could easily attest to how the words "prepared" and "from scratch" could sound daunting, overwhelming, to someone who had only ever tried to keep a supply of canned foods on-hand, "just in case".
we want this course to be a peaceful learning experience, where you understand that it is EXACTLY RIGHT to work within the space you CURRENTLY HAVE, within YOUR family's budget, within your own brain capacity for implementing these changes. our hope is that with a little time + effort and a lot of prayer, these changes will make sense and be something that you can easily slide into - whether you are just beginning to think about food preparedness or youโve been trying to make sense of it for a while.
we have structured THE READY PANTRY to help you start small, not put your budget in a bind, and to take a load off your shoulders when it comes to feeding your family. you will have all of that, when you slowly build a real-food pantry, one that's both sustainable + nourishing. we will take you beyond having stacks of canned goods; we are talking a variety of whole grains, legumes, spices, and more that can truly fuel you + your family.
we have organized it so that each step is clear and actionable โ so that won't get overwhelmed. you will finish each module feeling confident and, honestly, pretty darn proud of the resilient food system you're creating right in your own home. plus, the skills you pick up here will serve you well, whether it's a stormy season or just a busy week when grocery shopping isn't in the cards.
curriculum
- Welcome! Start HERE (11:02)
- THE READY PANTRY overview (27:41)
- Well, hello there, I'm Melissa (20:35)
- Why is PANTRY PREPAREDNESS important?
- What are the benefits of a WORKING PANTRY?
- TOP EXCUSES for an UNPREPARED PANTRY (23:44)
- Let's talk EXCUSES a bit more!
- Introduction to the BABY STEPS (14:31)
- ARE YOU READY to get started? (1:03)
- Week ONE overview ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (2:01)
- Baby Step 1: What's a 72-hour kit? (8:50)
- Baby Step 2: Know your SEVENS (5:39)
- Know your SEVENS examples (14:49)
- More about your 7s (40:27)
- Baby Step 3: The WORKING FRIDGE - your new and improved meal-making partner! (7:42)
- Resources for your FRIDGE ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ (5:47)
- Baby Step 4: REFLECTION
- Baby Step 5: water for drinking, cooking, hygiene (12:03)
- Staying within your FOOD BUDGET
- Why aren't we STOCKPILING yet?!? [steps to build up the pantry RIGHT NOW]
- Baby Step 6: ACTIVITY - use up an ingredient!
- Baby Step 7: Time to CHAT Start the conversation.... ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (6:18)
- ENCOURAGEMENT as we wrap up WEEK ONE (0:34)
- Week TWO overview ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (1:53)
- Baby Step 8: Improving your READY Kit
- Baby Step 9: Choose your 7s and Start Listing Ingredients
- Video: Watch this Consulting Session with a READY member (52:58)
- Baby Step 10: FREEZER(s) (8:39)
- Baby Step 10: Let's tackle the freezer(s) ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ (8:30)
- Baby Step 11: Back to your 7s (2:27)
- Baby Step 12: New weekly habit (7:42)
- Baby Step 13: ACTIVITY - choose your own adventure!
- Baby Step 14: Time to CHAT
- ENCOURAGEMENT as we wrap up WEEK TWO
- Where to START ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ (6:16)
- Remember your SEVENS? (14:19)
- How much food does it take to feed my household for three months?
- How much space will a three-month food storage take? (2:58)
- Want individual support for baby step #3? ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ
- What if the POWER GOES OUT? ๐ซ ๐ซ ๐ซ
- Buying in BULK ๐ฝ ๐ฝ ๐ฝ (12:30)
- Buying directly from a farmer (28:38)
- Storing 13 weeks of food
- Water - storage, filtration
- What about: BREAD, buns, bagels, etc?
- What about: FRESH PRODUCE and herbs?
- BONUS VIDEO: Your 90 Day Shopping Plan - Livestream Replay plus resources (30:34)
- BONUS Video: Your 90 Day Shopping Plan - 2nd Livestream (15:29)
- BONUS Video: Watch this Baby Step #3 Consulting Session๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ (52:58)
- Welcome to the FUN part: Baby Step #4 ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ (3:41)
- Grocery budget - mindset shift (3:41)
- Possibilities: Producing Food
- Possibilities: Your Orchard ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ (7:33)
- Possibilities: Storing Dry Goods for the Longest Shelf Life
- Possibilities: Dehydrating
- Possibilities: Professionally-Packaged Freeze-Dried Food (11:04)
- Possibilities: Berries ๐๐๐ (3:39)
- Water ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ
- Is investing in your food future a habit now? ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ
- All the possibilities!
- Meal Ideas featuring Shelf-Stable Ingredients ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (5:48)
- Shelf Stable MEATS (Are you scared?) ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ
- Pressure Canning ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (18:02)
- Dehydrating
- Salt Curing
- Preserving in Salt, Alcohol, Vinegar
- Fermenting Vegetables
- Learning from locals: foraging, hunting, fishing, and more
- Should I buy a freeze dryer?
- Did I graduate to step #6? (0:34)
- Shelf Stable Tacos? ๐ฎ ๐ค And other Possibilities! ๐ซ ๐ซ ๐ซ (0:22)
- What about DAIRY? Shelf-stable options, dairy cow/sheep/goat ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (13:45)
- Pressure Canning Meats (and veg, broth, beans) ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (13:03)
- Setting a new goal for your at-home grocery store (0:34)
- ALDI haul for May 2025 ๐๐๐ (18:53)
- Should all my food be in one location?
- Food storage: Buckets & Lids
- Food storage: Glass jars + Vacuum Sealing
- Food storage: Mylar ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ
- Food storage: Cans ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ
- Long-term food: Freeze Dried Ingredients + Meals
- Strawberry Season: Preserving one of Melissa's favorite crops ๐๐๐ (6:20)
- Say No To Onesies Twosies ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (0:31)
- A big fat CELEBRATION! ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ (1:55)
- where Melissa + Cara shop
- Melissa's favorite books
- Melissa's favorite online resources (including YouTube)
- Cara's favorite books
- how to find people + resources in your COMMUNITY
- list of foods that last FOREVER
- how to shop with THRIVE LIFE - long-term food that actually tastes good (8:56)
- melissa's FAVORITE food PRESERVATION equipment + supplies
- Day 16: Let's touch every single bit of food storage that you have THIS WEEK (3:35)
- Day 16 Continued: What about those items in the back of the pantry and the mystery roast in the freezer?
- Day 16 Continued: Saving your food funds for Level 2 (2:41)
- Day 17: Let's tackle the food on the shelves ๐ฝ ๐ฝ ๐ฝ (5:46)
- Day 18: Picky eaters, special diets, food restrictions and allergies ๐๐๐ (15:18)
- Day 19: Continue with your sevens and your weekly fridge session from baby step #1 (2:05)
- Day 20: Melissa's Kitchen Pantry (23:29)
- Day 20 BONUS: Livestream guided pantry declutter from 1/16/25
- Day 20: Are you feeling STUCK? (2:09)
- Day 22: Let's CHAT ๐๐๐
- what IS baby step #1?
- know your SEVENS with printables ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ
- SEVEN breakfasts
- the WORKING FRIDGE๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฝ (7:42)
- Resources for your FRIDGE ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ (5:47)
- staying within your FOOD BUDGET
- why aren't we STOCKPILING yet?!? [steps to build up the pantry RIGHT NOW]
- BONUS: Livestream Recording (14:49)
- BONUS: Livestream recording - butternut squash, broccoli, kale, etc (40:27)
- ENCOURAGEMENT about baby step #1 (0:34)

meet us!
MELISSA FALCONE is an experienced educator with a wealth of knowledge in sustainable living and an enduring passion for teaching the principles of pantry preparedness. with a background in nutrition and food sciences, Melissa has spent years refining the art of maintaining a well-stocked, healthy pantry that's ready for any situation. her hands-on experience in meal planning and food preservation techniques has equipped her with the practical skills necessary to guide others in creating their own resilient food supply systems.
at the heart of Melissa's teaching philosophy is the "Real Food Approach," a testament to her belief in the power of whole, unprocessed ingredients for both everyday meals and emergency readiness. she has dedicated her career to empowering individuals with the tools and confidence to not only survive but thrive, using their pantries as a foundation for nutritious, satisfying cuisine no matter the circumstances. Melissaโs connection to the course material is palpable, as she blends her comprehensive knowledge with genuine enthusiasm to inspire a community of learners who are eager to take charge of their nutritional well-being in a proactive and practical manner.
CARA HANCOCK is the creative + administrative force of this unapologetically cheerful + eager duo. she has been diving into the crunchy, non-toxic world for years - learning the value (and necessity!) of small, sustainable steps in any lifestyle change. newer to the cooking (from scratch), canning, preparing arena she has learned so much from Melissa. she has a heart for helping people - especially overwhelmed mamas - to simplify life, so they can get to what really matters: taking care of their families + feeding them nourishing REAL food + making their home a safe, healthy, joyful place to be... not worrying constantly about dyes, GMOs, seed oils, etc that they are putting on the table.
A REAL FOOD APPROACH TO PREPAREDNESS
take the fear + overwhelm out of creating a sustainable pantry - one where you create simple, real food meals for your family. no stress. no fear. no overwhelm.
PEACEFUL. PREPARED. READY.
life comes at us fast. knowing you have what you need on-hand can turn chaos into calm. let's learn what it takes to stock a READY pantry, how to steward well our resources, and nourish our families along the way!
๏ปฟNot sure if you're ready to join? Text the keyword READY to 704-686-8883 to get tips + updates from The READY Pantry.