Jump Starting Your Food Supply

    Whenever a person thinks of prepping, the first thing to come to mind is food.  What to store, how much to store, how to store, and which store to go to?  There are all kinds of food packages you can purchase.  You can get a year’s supply of dehydrated or freeze-dried fare for $4,000 (Costco) or a 72 hour kit for one person at WalMart for $64.00.

    This week I’m going to give you a list of items you can buy at your local grocery store, things you would probably have on hand anyway.  The dehydrated kits you buy generally tout a 25-year shelf life.  So the normal things you purchase, should be rotated out every few months or so.  One rule of thumb when it comes to storing up food;  buy food your body is accustomed to eating!  During a disaster, your system will be on overload anyway, and there is no benefit to introducing a whole new menu to your gastric system in a time of crisis.  

    Some people lay in backpacking freeze-dried food to be eaten when the time comes.  That is all well and good, unless you have never tried those entrees and you experience a revolt of sorts when you’re already stressed out anyway.  Store up food to which your body is already accustomed!  Or at least you know the kids will eat.

Here’s the beginning of a shopping list:  (The second half will come next week.)

1.  20 lbs of rice.  Rice seems pretty boring, but it is filling, nutritious and adaptable to a wide variety of entrees.

2.  20 lbs of pinto beans.  Beans are also a valuable part of every storage plan.  Combined with rice they fulfill a protein need in your menu.

3.  20 cans of vegetables.  Green beans, peas, corn and canned tomatoes are a good start.  Buy what you already eat and enjoy.

4.  20 cans of fruit.  Peaches, pears, pineapple, fruit cocktail, all to your taste.  

5.  20 cans of meat.  Chicken, tuna, shrimp, salmon, vienna sausages, beef stew and don’t forget Spam.  Those square cans fit really well on the shelf and if it’s fried, you can make the kids believe it is “camping bacon.”  It worked for my kids anyway.  I even recently found some canned roast beef.

6.  4 lbs of oats.  A warm bowl of oatmeal can be a welcome meal any time of day.  Topped with some canned fruit, it makes a refreshing treat.

7. 2 (or more) large jars of peanut butter.  A good source of protein and surprisingly filling.  Tastes good too!

8.  Pick up a supply of powdered drink mix.  Tang, Crystal Light or similar product.  Make sure it’s loaded with vitamin C.

9.  5 lbs of powdered milk.  It’s great protein and is loaded with other nutrients.  It’s filling and can be used on that oatmeal as well.

10.  5 lbs of salt.  Salt is an essential for survival as well as a food enhancer.  Our bodies need salt to survive.

    You don’t need to fill this shopping list all at once.  Watch for sales.  Pay attention to the “buy one, get one” promotions.  Use coupons.  One reader told me she saved several thousand dollars in just one year by using coupons.  At the same time she built a substantial pantry for use in a disaster. 

    As always, send your comments and questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  Dave Robinson is the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers.

Jump Starting Your Food Supply

    Whenever a person thinks of prepping, the first thing to come to mind is food.  What to store, how much to store, how to store, and which store to go to?  There are all kinds of food packages you can purchase.  You can get a year’s supply of dehydrated or freeze-dried fare for $4,000 (Costco) or a 72 hour kit for one person at WalMart for $64.00.

    This week I’m going to give you a list of items you can buy at your local grocery store, things you would probably have on hand anyway.  The dehydrated kits you buy generally tout a 25-year shelf life.  So the normal things you purchase, should be rotated out every few months or so.  One rule of thumb when it comes to storing up food;  buy food your body is accustomed to eating!  During a disaster, your system will be on overload anyway, and there is no benefit to introducing a whole new menu to your gastric system in a time of crisis.  

    Some people lay in backpacking freeze-dried food to be eaten when the time comes.  That is all well and good, unless you have never tried those entrees and you experience a revolt of sorts when you’re already stressed out anyway.  Store up food to which your body is already accustomed!  Or at least you know the kids will eat.

Here’s the beginning of a shopping list:  (The second half will come next week.)

1.  20 lbs of rice.  Rice seems pretty boring, but it is filling, nutritious and adaptable to a wide variety of entrees.

2.  20 lbs of pinto beans.  Beans are also a valuable part of every storage plan.  Combined with rice they fulfill a protein need in your menu.

3.  20 cans of vegetables.  Green beans, peas, corn and canned tomatoes are a good start.  Buy what you already eat and enjoy.

4.  20 cans of fruit.  Peaches, pears, pineapple, fruit cocktail, all to your taste.  

5.  20 cans of meat.  Chicken, tuna, shrimp, salmon, vienna sausages, beef stew and don’t forget Spam.  Those square cans fit really well on the shelf and if it’s fried, you can make the kids believe it is “camping bacon.”  It worked for my kids anyway.  I even recently found some canned roast beef.

6.  4 lbs of oats.  A warm bowl of oatmeal can be a welcome meal any time of day.  Topped with some canned fruit, it makes a refreshing treat.

7. 2 (or more) large jars of peanut butter.  A good source of protein and surprisingly filling.  Tastes good too!

8.  Pick up a supply of powdered drink mix.  Tang, Crystal Light or similar product.  Make sure it’s loaded with vitamin C.

9.  5 lbs of powdered milk.  It’s great protein and is loaded with other nutrients.  It’s filling and can be used on that oatmeal as well.

10.  5 lbs of salt.  Salt is an essential for survival as well as a food enhancer.  Our bodies need salt to survive.

    You don’t need to fill this shopping list all at once.  Watch for sales.  Pay attention to the “buy one, get one” promotions.  Use coupons.  One reader told me she saved several thousand dollars in just one year by using coupons.  At the same time she built a substantial pantry for use in a disaster. 

    As always, send your comments and questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.   Dave Robinson is the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers.

Bucket Kit

    Seems as though nearly every prepper has one problem in common.  Where to store their supplies.  Some folks use plastic totes, some use paper boxes and one solution I have found to meet most needs is the five-gallon plastic bucket.  Available everywhere, they are waterproof, bug proof, dust proof, mouse proof and big enough to hold a decent amount of equipment and supplies.  On the other hand, they aren’t so big you can’t carry one full of gear.  Buckets are not only portable, but stackable and they come with a handle. 

    Food-grade plastic buckets are available at most hardware stores.  Check the paint department and if the five gallon size is too much to handle, there are 2.5 gallon sizes available.  To keep things in perspective, at 8.34 pounds per gallon, a five gallon bucket of water will weigh 41.7 pounds.  For those of us who qualify as seasoned citizens, nearly 42 pounds may be  a bit more than we want to lug around.  You may want to opt for the smaller size just for the sake of management or storage space.  Still to keep your supplies dry and spider-less, they are a great solution.  

    Some will mention that once you get that lid sealed on, it is murder to get open.  I have two solutions:  First pick up a lid-lifter.  That’s a plastic tool designed especially for prying up the lip on a bucket, making your job easier.  Available at the hardware store for about $6.00  Pick up a couple and zip-tie one to a bucket handle.  That way you don’t have to hunt for an opener when you need one.  Second, learn about gamma-seal lids.  Home Depot carries them for $7.25.  A gamma seal lid snaps tight to the bucket, just like the regular lid.  The advantage is the center of the lid unscrews to access the inside of the bucket without going to all the manual labor of prying the lid off.  The center is easily replaceable and still maintains the airtight integrity of the bucket.  Whichever method you choose, it will make your life easier should the need arise for immediate access to your gear.

    A five-gallon bucket also makes a great makeshift toilet.  No one likes to think about sanitary needs during a disaster, but sooner or later everyone needs a potty.  Several companies make a snap-on toilet seat to fit a bucket.  Line it with a plastic kitchen garbage bag and you’re set to “go”.  (Sorry.)  It solves a problem most people don’t want to think about until it’s too late.

    If you plan carefully, an entire 72 hour kit will fit nicely into a five-gallon bucket.  (Check my blog for a list.)  Let me caution you though, a 72 hour kit is a bare minimum.  Disasters know nothing of 72 hour time limits.  Ask the folks who just survived Hurricane Florence.  You may want to have another for your car.  Have you ever considered how you would fare if disaster struck while you were away from home?  Do you have the items you need to spend the night away from home unexpectedly?  That plastic bucket just may be the ticket for your disaster preparedness plan.   

    As always send your comments and questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  Dave Robinson is the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and other online booksellers.