Just keep buying stuff.

I see a lot of people talking about "the food getting boring", and "buying what you like to eat" and I must disagree.

Yes, it's a good idea to rotate items, and if you dont like something you're not going to rotate it.

However,

Being someone who has actually lived for months in the wilderness, pretty much starving all the time, I must tell you that when you reach the point of starvation, you will eat things you never "liked" before. And they will taste great. And wow, You get your hands on something like a fresh apple and it's the best thing you can imagine - and you WILL eat the whole apple, core and all, minus the stem. I guarantee it ;p

So my advice would be to plant Fruit Trees - minimum amount of work and they produce a lot of food.

Purchase lots of non-perishables and lots of canned foods. The kind of stuff you would donate to a food shelf. Try buying from stores like sam's club or Costco where you can purchase these items in large bulk quantities.


[edit on 24-10-2009 by antithesis.]

So it's come to this, another circular argument. You store what you eat because stocking up on cheap stuff you read about here is no good if you don't eat it/allergic to/don't like it.

Yes, worst case you'll eat anything. Been there, T-shirt, et al. We are talking about preparation, in which case you can make sure you don't have to live on the crap you really don't like.

To re-iterate: "Eat what you store, store what you eat."

I reccomend a diverse approach.

Also place items in rotation so that they get used before they go bad. This is practical for many items not so much with others. Lets face it I have no desire to eat the 250 lbs of dried beans but the 250 pounds of rice we use gets rotated in and out. Its in 50 lb bags and I date them as I buy them

I have bulk dried items as well as a hefty supplies of MRE's (230 days for 10 people) Now that just entres and NOT a complete MRE pack as I dont have that much space. I some scoff at MRE's but they offer a few advantages. Long shelf life 5-7 years, small packets so If we are forced to go mobile they are easier to pack than say a 50 lb bag of rice, they are wet packed and most need no water to consume so you can eat them cold if need be. Plus at bulk each entree is about 1.75 US. They are petty bad so we donate them to the local food bank. I have staggered out them in 3 lots and replace a 3rd of the store every 2 years.

They key is to keep it updated after the inital setup.

Great that your mom's got one month of staples set aside!

My advice is to keep accumulating as you can and go beyond one month--six months would be great. Whatever's coming will disrupt food supply and chaos will ensue. You will probably need to help some others and you'll be glad you have extra.

Have some vitamins--especially a good multi and vitamin C so you don't wind up with scurvy if there's no fruit.

Have some tylenol, toothpaste, shampoo. Pet food if you've got animals.

Stockpile prescription meds. Get a dehydrator if you can and a foodsealer and put up some veggies and fruits.

Have lots of candles and matches. Have fire extinguishers, too.

Get some heirloom seeds.

50lb bags of rice are REALLY cheap right now. Get as many as you can store.

Buy some powdered bullion and gravy to make the rice taste better.

Store some canned fruits and water. TANG powder is great.

Instant Oatmeal. Ramen Noodles. Cans of beans, bags of beans.

Sleeping bags (good ones that will keep you warm to zero degrees) in case the heat is out for an extended period.

Do whatever you realistically can to make your home safer and less attractive to a thief.

Have some cash on hand in case the banks are out of commission.

Mentally prepare yourself to live in crisis and uncertainty. Read the stories of those who've lived through similar times.

Just some thoughts, hope its helpfu.

One item that I can suggest, while not a food item in itself, would be some type of vacuum sealer. Food saver, etc. You take that 25 pound bag of beans or rice or what have you, put it into a mylar bag, suck most of the air out of it, put a couple of oxygen absorbers on top and seal it shut. You've just dramatically increased the shelf life of your food. They can be found for a halfway decent price on ebay, paid 60 bucks for a very nice model and a lot can be found around 30 or so. Just make sure you get one with the hose so you can suck the air out of bags without having to try and maneuver that big bag around so much.

This also works quite well for your normal every day type stuff. Heck I wait for a sale on chicken or beef and stock up on a months worth, if I needed to, it could sit frozen for a year or more (provided there was power of course).

Also, some type of grill, doesn't even have to be a huge one. Maybe also a camp stove with extra bottles of fuel (if you have the storage space). These can really help out in the short term situations without power and in the case of a grill, stock up on some wood and you've got a pretty handy cooking area.

I agree with 'buy what you eat, eat what you buy'. If you like what you store you will be much more likely to rotate it. If there is an emergency, you will be more comfortable eating things you are familiar with and enjoy. It's good for morale.

I also agree on the vacuum sealer. I have one and vac seal beans, rice, pasta, etc... Also, if you seal meat before you put in in the freezer it will keep longer and will be resistant to freezer burn.

First.. You can not have too much water. If it's off or contaminated you are screwed. Obviously you need it to drink but don't forget about all those dry goods that you will store that need water to prepare. It's kind of hard to eat dry rice and beans. You will also need to wash things like dishes, utensils, clothes, yourself....

You can get cases pretty cheap at the wholesale clubs. If you have the room get a food grade 55 gallon drum or two. Fill and keep in a cool, dark place. You can add some bleach to it and it will store longer. You can also get a good water filter/purifier. The one I bought has a cartridge life of up to 500 gallons. Obviously if the water is very dirty or cloudy the life would be much less. Boil questionable water. Keep in mind, filters remove particulate matter and bacteria, not chemicals.

Dry pasta. I buy angel hair spaghetti. It is compact, easy to vacuum seal, has some nutritional value, easy to cook, and it is cheap. Put it in the freezer for a few days then take it out and let it warm to room temp. Make sure it is dry(no condensation) and vacuum seal it. It will probably last for years this way. You freeze it to kill any weevils or eggs that may be in there. They almost always are. They won't hurt you but many people don't like the idea of eating macaroni when there are little bugs boiling in the water with it.

Get some jars of whichever sauce you like for your macaroni.

Dry rice and beans. No explanation needed. I also freeze these before vacuum sealing just to be sure.

Canned goods. It depends what you like. Tuna, sardines, spam, ... just buy a few extra whenever you do your normal shopping and put them on the side for your preps.

Also, things like canned stew, soups, fruits and vegetables are usually good for a year or two if stored properly. Not as good as fresh, but better than starving.

Store some basic baking ingredients and learn to bake bread. Flour, baking powder, yeast, grains, etc....

Make sure you have a good manual can opener.

Someone mentioned fats. They are correct. You need fats to live. You can get some by buying things like tuna in oil instead of water, lard to cook with, meats (if you trust your freezer to still work), ... be creative.

Drink mixes. Plain water gets boring after a while. Tea, instant coffee, Tang, powdered milk, ..you get the idea.

Supplements. Multivitamins, calcium, minerals, etc... You will be eating packaged, processed foods. Take some supplements.

Other things. Salt, sugar, spices, honey, peanut butter, saltine crackers, hard candy, etc... will make life a little more enjoyable.

Medications/first aid. Try to get an extra supply of any prescriptions you need. Some don't have a very long shelf life so do some research on any other means to control whatever condition requires the medication.
Regular OTC stuff like Advil, Tylenol, Imodium, antihistamines, antibiotic ointment, antacids, bandages, band aids, peroxide, etc..

Get a camp stove and store a supply of whichever fuel it uses. Gas and/or electricity may be out.

Don't forget things like toilet paper, feminine products, trash bags, soap, toothpaste, candles, lighters/matches/fire starters, razors, ...

Once you start you'll probably keep thinking of more things all the time. Go out and get some basic stuff first. After you have the basics covered just slowly add to it each time you do your normal shopping.

Originally posted by Primordial
I also agree on the vacuum sealer. I have one and vac seal beans, rice, pasta, etc... Also, if you seal meat before you put in in the freezer it will keep longer and will be resistant to freezer burn.

Quinoa has all the protein you need. And if you must, as we will, dry your own jerky. The best methods do not include heat. Also, mason jars are reusable, recyclable, and cheap.

Originally posted by Primordial
First.. You can not have too much water. If it's off or contaminated you are screwed. Obviously you need it to drink but don't forget about all those dry goods that you will store that need water to prepare. It's kind of hard to eat dry rice and beans. You will also need to wash things like dishes, utensils, clothes, yourself....

For sure you are right about never having too much water, except storing it is often difficult. But word to the wise... use iron cookware. It requires 0 water to clean. Just a scraper.

Originally posted by Primordial
You can get cases pretty cheap at the wholesale clubs. If you have the room get a food grade 55 gallon drum or two. Fill and keep in a cool, dark place. You can add some bleach to it and it will store longer. You can also get a good water filter/purifier. The one I bought has a cartridge life of up to 500 gallons. Obviously if the water is very dirty or cloudy the life would be much less. Boil questionable water. Keep in mind, filters remove particulate matter and bacteria, not chemicals.

Do yourself a favor and boil the water before you store it and put it in half gallon or whole gallon mason jars. No bleach, no spoiling. The glass can make it a little tougher to deal with, but moving a single 55 gallon drum would be much harder and the bleach/leached plastic is something I would dread drinking.

Originally posted by Primordial
I also freeze these before vacuum sealing just to be sure.

I can't figure out how that will help. What are your reasons for this?

Originally posted by Primordial
Canned goods. It depends what you like. Tuna, sardines, spam, ... just buy a few extra whenever you do your normal shopping and put them on the side for your preps.

Also, things like canned stew, soups, fruits and vegetables are usually good for a year or two if stored properly. Not as good as fresh, but better than starving.

Store some basic baking ingredients and learn to bake bread. Flour, baking powder, yeast, grains, etc....

Make sure you have a good manual can opener.

Canned food will make you thirsty. And it has poor nutritional value. Metals and plastics related to food is a no-go if you care about health (alzheimers, hormonal imbalance, etc) . Glass is fantastic.

Baking bread is FAR TOO COSTLY in terms of time and heat.

I agree with the can opener, even if you have no canned goods, if you barter for or are given something of value, you gotta be able to get at it.

Originally posted by Primordial
Someone mentioned fats. They are correct. You need fats to live. You can get some by buying things like tuna in oil instead of water, lard to cook with, meats (if you trust your freezer to still work), ... be creative.

Fats... yes, wisdom...
Nuts. Oils. Ghee!!!! Which is otherwise known as clarified butter.
These things all go well in MASON JARS! Animals fats are CRUCIAL for combating depression. Especially in an emergency would this be important.

Originally posted by Primordial
Drink mixes. Plain water gets boring after a while. Tea, instant coffee, Tang, powdered milk, ..you get the idea.

Supplements. Multivitamins, calcium, minerals, etc... You will be eating packaged, processed foods. Take some supplements.

Drink mixes are unhealthy. In an emergency, you must be at the top of your game. Supplements are a waste of money. The body does not absorb them and makes you think you are being healthy when you are not. You can easily overdose on vitamins, you cannot overdoes on nutrients in almost any food. Ever wonder why? AVOID PROCESSED FOODS.

Originally posted by Primordial
Other things. Salt, sugar, spices, honey, peanut butter, saltine crackers, hard candy, etc... will make life a little more enjoyable.

WISDOM. Except for the sugar.. It is very hard on your body. My family does not eat sugar and when one of us does, we complain for the next day that we shouldn't have since it makes our bodies ache. HONEY lasts forever and has other uses I will write about.

Originally posted by Primordial
Medications/first aid. Try to get an extra supply of any prescriptions you need. Some don't have a very long shelf life so do some research on any other means to control whatever condition requires the medication.
Regular OTC stuff like Advil, Tylenol, Imodium, antihistamines, antibiotic ointment, antacids, bandages, band aids, peroxide, etc..

Yes and no. Eat well and there will be no need for Imodium or antacids. Vinegar is a useful for killing germs and so is honey! Green tea is also good. Bandages and other drugs would be good for radical emergencies, but otherwise should be unneeded for healthy people.

Originally posted by Primordial
Get a camp stove and store a supply of whichever fuel it uses. Gas and/or electricity may be out.

Yes, yes! But keep in mind "bread" when buying fuel and a stove or oven. You will quickly find that bread is a wasted effort.

Originally posted by Primordial
Don't forget things like toilet paper, feminine products, trash bags, soap, toothpaste, candles, lighters/matches/fire starters, razors, ...

Toothpaste is unnecessary (haven't used it in over a year, or soap. Vinegar is a great anti-bacterial and doesn't wash away your natural oils.). Dental floss, tooth picks, and cotton wipes do wonders to clean teeth. If you eat sugar and other processed/unhealthy food, you might have to do more. A toothbrush is great too, but not most important. TP - you can use water to wash your bum. Or tp to save water.

Candles are a must for comfort. There is nothing like lighting a candle in a "dark" that is forced on you. FIRE! Always have 2 or 3 ways to make it!. You most likely will have to cook over it if things are so bad as to need emergency food. We also have a spit and other campfire cooking tools.

Don't forget the SPAM and plenty of rice!