SNEAK PEAK OF 2025 THEMES:
Join Melissa Falcone for multiple live sessions in January, February, and March! Each Monday at 6pm EST and Thursday at 12pm EST a livestream will be offered.
Members: Log in to the community tab or check email for the live session link.
January 2025: Baby steps 0, 1, 2, and 3
February 2025: One Second After book club
March 2025: Food Preservation Methods like canning, dehydrating, salt curing, etc
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 you’ve 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 – 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
- What's a 72-hour kit? (8:50)
- building your 72 HOUR KIT
- what do i put IN my 72 hour kit? (12:49)
- PRINTABLES: worksheets to guide you + cheat sheets to put in the kit (2:40)
- Just GET STARTED
- Water for 3 days: drinking + sanitation (7:31)
- what food do i put IN my 72 hour kit?
- building your 72 HOUR KIT
- Revisiting and Updating your 72-hour Kit
- what IS baby step #1?
- know your SEVENS
- SEVEN breakfasts
- the WORKING FRIDGE (7:42)
- Resources for your FRIDGE
- 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)
- Let's touch every single bit of food storage that you have currently (3:35)
- What about those items in the back of the pantry and the mystery roast in the freezer?
- Continue saving your food funds for step #3 (2:41)
- How long will step 2 take?
- Let's tackle the freezer(s)
- Let's tackle the food on the shelves (4:58)
- Continue with your sevens and your weekly fridge session from baby step #1 (2:05)
- Melissa's spice cabinet - go through step 2 with me in the spice cabinet (24:25)
- Melissa's Kitchen Pantry - go through step 2 with me in the pantry (23:29)
- congratulations! you're ready for step #3! (1:36)
- BONUS: Livestream guided pantry declutter from 1/16/25
- BONUS: Livestream video about baby step #2 (24:46)
- How much food does it take to feed my household for three months?
- Where to START (0:56)
- Remember your SEVENS? (14:19)
- How much space will a three-month food storage take? (2:58)
- shopping in BULK (10:15)
- 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)
- All the possibilities!
- Meal Ideas with Exclusively Shelf-Stable Ingredients (5:48)
- Pressure Canning & Water Bath Canning
- 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?
- where Melissa + Cara shop
- what kind of freezer should i buy - a chest or upright?
- Melissa's favorite books
- Melissa's favorite online resources (including YouTube)
- Cara's favorite books
- how to find people + resources in your COMMUNITY
- what to do when the power goes out
- how long does food last?
- 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
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. Melissa’s 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!