We live in uncertain times. While you may not be at the point where you leave the city to establish a self-sustaining remote compound, there are some prudent and affordable ways to prepare for the unexpected. One of the best ways is to have a 30 day supply of food on hand for your family. Here are the basics of getting that stockpile ready.
1) Water. Water is the most critical element of your food storage plan. It is so essential, in fact, that most survivalists put water in its own category of survival preparedness, but because water and food are so close I've decided to include water here. In the event of a serious emergency, water supplies are frequently compromised. You will need at least one gallon of water per person per day to stay in good shape. If you have pets, allocate water for them too. And, of course, if you want to be able to help even one or two neighbors, keeping some extra water on hand is only prudent.
Water should be stored sealed if possible. Do not store it in an area that gets below freezing. Avoid buying water storage containers that are more than five gallons, as most people can not easily lift more than 35 pounds. Most grocery stores now sell large water containers and have reverse osmosis water available. Filling and storing at least enough water to last your family for two weeks is actually recommended by FEMA for emergency preparedness. Having a high-quality water filter around might be a good idea too.
2) Fuel to cook the food. This is the next most likely thing to forget. In the event of a severe emergency, your fuel may be shut off. Canister fuel camping stoves can be a real life-saver, but you will need to test yours and have enough fuel on hand for a month to really be prepared. If you live in a house, put some thought into what it would take to actually cook in your fireplace (cast iron pots and dutch ovens become very handy). Just being able to boil water in your fireplace might be a great help. A lot of foods, like ramen noodles, and MRE military meals can be "cooked" just by pouring hot water in a bag. Again, camping supplies can be helpful -- try out some freeze-dried camp foods to see which ones you like, they stash away as much as you feel comfortable with. Many of the freeze-dried camping meals last for three to five years or longer.
3) Milk and butter. Be prepared for your electricity to be out, and thus your refrigeration to be out. That means you will be cooking with evaporated milk and butter chips. Have some on hand. Make sure you like them (well enough, at least) and you know how to cook with them.
4) Salts and oils. People tend to forget these in their food storage plans, too. Sugars will be wanted as well. Having a large tin of olive oil, of vegetable oil and another cooking oil will come in handy. What you don't want, you can always trade. Your store should include at least a pound of salt, plus herbs and pepper for seasoning. Having a large container of honey and maple syrup and a sizable bag of sugar around may be appreciated too. Of course, if you consider coffee to be a staple of life, you will want a month's worth of that available too.
5) Everything else. That means lots of cans -- canned beans, soups, fruit, salmon and anything else. Noodles are good to have on hand, and oatmeal and peanut butter are high-calorie solid nutrition that will keep you going. Dried onions and seaweed can be nice. Nuts store well. If you are a bit of a gardener, having seeds to sprout will mean something fresh and especially nutritious to eat. There are also freeze-dried fruits and vegatables available, and you will want at least one big bucket each of wheat, potatoes, rice, and beans. Lentils and quinoa and other variations make for some interest.
Have enough food on hand for each member of your family to get 2000 calories a day or more, and have enough variety in your stocks so that you have something to look forward to. If you have pets, don't forget to store food for them too.
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