Posted on 10/01/2012 12:20:57 PM PDT by djf
As food prices continue to skyrocket, having a bulk supply of food is a great investment. But it also provides security and peace of mind against potential emergencies.
By now most people should be aware that grocery stores only have about 3 days of food in stock when crises strike. So if anything was to disrupt the food supply chain for an extended period of time, there would be untold chaos in most communities.
Any number of events could trigger mass disruption to a fragile food system, many of which are well documented and even predicted. Even NASA has warned its staff to prepare for potential disasters with survival foods and other precautions with their "Family Preparedness Program."
Prepping for disasters can seem overwhelming with so many aspects to be considered. However, for those just beginning to recognize how perilous these times are and are new to prepping, you can find many great survival foods at your local grocery store.
There are many fancy freeze-dried food companies offering light-weight storable meals. These are cost effective and great for new preppers. But if you don't have $1000 laying around to by a large supply, it may be better to pick up a few key items each week at the supermarket to build up your food bank gradually. And by buying base foods at the store, you'll ultimately save money.
It's best to keep your survival food list simple, and concentrate on storing foods with the highest amount of calories and the longest shelf life. This list is geared toward foods that will help you survive a crisis that lasts for extended periods of time.
Here are the ten best and cheapest survival rations available at any store:
Rice: Every time you go to the store you should buy one 10-lb bag of rice. You can find them for around $5 at most supermarkets. Rice will stay in good condition for 10 years or more if stored properly. It offers high carbohydrates which is especially important if you are exerting a lot of physical energy during a crisis.
Beans: Beans are known to be one of the best all-round survival foods. They're high in protein, and if sealed in food-grade buckets with a small amount of dried ice, they'll stay for up to ten years. Make sure to store them in a cool, dry, dark location. Buy a 4-5 lb bags of dried beans every time you go to the store. All dry beans are good to store; black beans, red beans, pinto beans, lentils, etc.
Cornmeal: All-purpose flours are good to store, but cornmeal may be the best overall. Cornmeal is packed with dense carbohydrates and contains oils that helps extend its shelf life. Additionally, if the power grid is down during a mega disaster, it is much easier to make good corn breads and tortillas with cornmeal in a simple skillet or solar oven, where refined flour will need yeast and oil to make decent bread or biscuits. Get a 5-lb bag of cornmeal ($10-$15) at each grocery visit. Seal and store the same way as beans (buckets, salt and dry ice), and it will safely keep 8 months to 2 years.
Lard: If you're a health-conscious reader, hydrogenated lard does not sound very appetizing, but in a survival situation you can't afford to be picky. Animal lard or vegetable shortening both offer much-needed calories during times of crisis, cooking oil for multiple uses, and it will keep longer than cooking oils because of the hydrogenation. Buy a 6-lb can ($12) and store in a cool, dry, and dark place and it will stay good for 2-3 years or longer.
Salt: Salt is one of the most useful survival food items. It's used for storing food, curing beef, and flavoring most meals. Salt will stay forever, so always buy extra when you're shopping.
Canned Fruit & Vegetables: These are another obvious survival food, but not as practical as many would think. They're heavy and somewhat costly for the calories they deliver. Additionally, acidic fruits and any cans with tomatoes will not keep as long as most people think. But most canned food is good for 5+ years. Buy green vegetables and fruits like peaches and pears for long-term storage, but more importantly, buy what you already eat in case you need to rotate them into your diet before they go bad.
Canned Meat: Canned meats like ham, tuna, and chicken are excellent to store. They typically will keep for 6-10 years and they're an excellent source of protein. However, if the grid is down for a long time (apocalyptic), hunting and fishing will likely provide most meats. Therefore, it may be sufficient to buy extra canned meats every other time you go shopping.
Sugar: Brown and white sugar will add much-needed flavor and calories to a survival diet and they'll keep for ten years or more if stored properly. Honey is also excellent as it will store forever. Make sure to buy extra every other time you go grocery shopping. You won't need too much, but they'll be well worth having if a crisis strikes.
Pasta: Pasta is a good light-weight storable food that is also a great source of carbohydrates. Pasta will not keep as long as rice, but it can stay for around 5 years in good conditions. Pasta is also very inexpensive and extra should be bought at each trip to the store. It will take up more space in your food bank that rice, beans and cornmeal, so plan your space the best you can.
Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is a terrific source of protein, fat, and calories. Plus, it's just a great treat to have on hand. Peanut butter can last up to five years in root cellar conditions. Stock up whenever there are good deals at your grocery store. You'll be happy you did if the SHTF.
If you consistently buy these items 3-4 times per month, you'll quickly acquire a year's supply of survival rations for your whole family.
How to store it?
A really basic way to store the rice, beans, cornmeal, sugar and pastas is to buy several 5-gallon seal-able paint buckets or food-grade buckets from your local hardware store. Put a cup or so of salt into a sandwich baggie (opened) at the bottom of the buckets. Then fill it with food stuffs and add a couple of ounces of dried ice (found at large grocery stores) which will remove the oxygen from the bucket after it's sealed. Finally, label each bucket with its contents and the date, and place it in your cellar.
Please let us know what other food items you think will be useful for new preppers....
Thanks. It gets a little better each week with every food shopping trip. Lots of in-store specials to take advantage of.
I read to NOT use oxygen absorbers on sugar. makes it hard as a rock
I’ve cracked open from the shell almonds that I picked more than 8 years ago.
I ate them.
Guess what?
they taste like almonds...
;-)
It is certainly important to be aware of shelf life spans, etc. But think about it.
If SHTF, then looking out two years or so, if by that time we are not growing/farming/hunting for 95 percent of what we eat, then plainly put, we are dead.
So I see food storage as part of a transitional plan, not a long term guarantee.
Every year I save seeds from my garden and literally have pounds of them now. I know they are fertile and I know they came from plants that grew well in my location. That’s all I need to know.
“I’m also interested in learning how best to store salt, sugar, and spices, for long term storage.”
I leave salt and sugar in their package (I buy smaller packages so I don’t have to open a big one when I need that product), put them in a gallon plastic bag, press the air out, and store them in the house.
Spices are difficult. Can’t put them in the fridge or freezer as they will pick up moisture. In the dark and cool is where mine are. Crushed leaves will go bad before whole leaves. If the leaf has turned gray, it’s time is over. I did get hermetically sealed Italian seasoning from Walton as that one is important for me for soups and sauce for pasta and other dishes. Wanted to be sure I had that.
Good quality military MRE’S are great too as if it gets really bad cooking all of those dry items will not be so easy.
Buy calcium hypo chlorite pool shock. get the highest percent possible. At least 58% or higher. put heaping half teaspoon into one gal of water. wait 4-5 hours. will purifiy 100 gallobs of water.
one bag does 10,000 gallons. i bought 10 bags. also look up cheaper than dirt .. monolithic dome purifies water. was 39.00
Bump.
12 Cans/Case of Yoder’s fresh REAL Canned Pork Chunks
http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-262/GLUTEN-FREE-Canned-Can/Detail
“Canned sweet potatoes.”
Look at the vitamins listed on a can of sweet potatoes - it’s amazing. I have cans for that reason - they are also a source of fiber. Heat them with a little brown sugar and cinnamon on them, and they are swell.
Thanks! Much appreciated.
“...but I don’t know the best way clean up water so that it’s safe to drink.”
A Big Burkey is the best water purifier. Look it up on the web and read.
Spam is actually an excellent product.
It can be fried like bacon, or used in a sandwich in place of bacon, or to make soups, pork and beans, or as an ingredient in a salad.
WOW.
>> “KIDNEY BEANS (and other large beans) SHOULD NOT BE SPROUTED - THEY ARE TOXIC!!” <<
.
Actually all beans are toxic, as are most seeds, because they contain enzyme inhibitors for self preservation that shut down your digestive enzymes. A small amout of sprouted beans or seeds are ok, but sprouts in general are not particularly healthy, although washing will help.
There's a reason soldiers carried chocolate and nylons in their pockets.
Go to these two links.
You will find a wealth of helpful information here:
How to Survive Hard Times
(http://www.grandpappy.info/indexhar.htm)
And here:
Nestle Quick has come in pvc jars since 2007, and keeps well in those jars. I buy the 85 serving size at Costco and Sam’s Club.
Yes, putting veg oil in the fridge helps to prolong it’s life. It won’t go rancid as quickly. I’ve never frozen it but don’t know why it wouldn’t work even better than the fridge. Try a bottle in the fridge for a week and then thaw it to see if it thaws correctly. It should if it’s 100% veg oil without any other additives.
I also keep Crisco in the fridge for forever. Crisco lasts longer than liquid oil. However, now that it’s in those cardboard containers rather than the all metal cans, it will begin to leech out if it gets warm.
>> “Anyone have ideas for storing cooking oils?” <<
.
Stick with virgin cold pressed coconut oil, and wrap the jars in foil to keep the light out for any kind of oil. Cold storage is best of course.
You can home can your own pork.
I’ve never heard of plain pork in a pot of beans. I always use a ham bone, bacon, salt pork or bits of ham that I’ve frozen from the Christmas or Easter ham specifically for a pot of beans later.
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