Survival Food and Gear

PREPARATION BESIDES YOUR BUCKETS

Read some of the essential information to help you choose your products.

WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY LIKE TO EAT?

There’s no need to live on only rice and beans for a month. In addition, you don’t want to stock up on three months’ worth of food that your family won’t touch with a six-foot pole just because it was cheap. Moreover, it may keep you alive in a pinch, but you want to enjoy it. So, take the likes and dislikes into consideration as you plan. Remember to consider allergies, as well. 

TYPES OF EMERGENCIES

There are dozens of ways to build a great kit. Of course, it is not the least expensive; the easiest is to invest in commercially prepared rations that various companies offer. 

STOCK UP AT THE GROCERY STORE FOOD

In addition, another method requiring a little planning and management is taking what you buy and use every week and building up a supply that will last. If you ordinarily use three cans of beans, two boxes of mac ‘n’ cheese, and a jar of peanut butter each week, begin buying double that and set the extra aside for your supplies. Then, manage your stock by rotating your supplies to stay fresh. Freshness would be a significant advantage in a long term disaster, where you rely on your emergency rations for months or even years. 

HOW MUCH TO STOCKPILE

A good rule of thumb is six months to a year of food you eat daily. (MINIMUM) Not only is this easily managed through good shopping and rotation, but For preparation beyond that time frame, vacuum-sealed Mylar bags will keep dry goods for years. We offer dry goods preserved in #10 cans that will last 25 years and buckets that last 15 to 25 years. 

Once you’ve built up a few months’ supplies, organize your cans and boxes with the soonest expiration date in the front and the furthest out in the back. Then, when you do your grocery shopping, put the new stuff in the back and use it from the front. This keeps your stock fresh and ready to use if and when needed. 

DO IT YOURSELF PREPARATION

Similarly, home canning is another less expensive way to build up supplies. Canning is becoming a lost art, so you’re not alone if you must learn how to do it. Canning in glass jars requires a little learning and effort but can allow you to preserve for years. Adequately canned goods keep best in cool, dark places between 50 and 70 *F (10 – 21 *C) and are safe to eat for years after canning. Again, this is time-consuming, and paying attention to doing it right is necessary. 

For dry bulk goods, wheat, beans, rice, sugar, and other dry goods can be vacuum sealed and stored in five-gallon buckets with O2 absorbers to last for years. Some wheat and corn will go a long way toward peace of mind for the genuinely prepared-minded. Coupled with some long term food storage systems for variety and prepared meals, this could be a good strategy if there is no gas or electricity.

VACUUM SEAL STORAGE

Comparatively, A vacuum sealer is a good investment for anyone serious about their emergency food. Sealing in smaller quantities preserves them longer and allows you to use them a little at a time, rather than using a large container quickly once you’ve opened it.

Please remember this story if you’re worried about the expiration date on store-bought canned goods. A steamboat named Bertrand was trying to reach Montana in 1865 when it sank to the bottom of the Missouri River. One hundred years later, canned goods from that wreck were recovered. 

SIGNS THE FOOD HAS GONE BAD

Signs canned goods have gone bad: the can is bulging, or the lid has come unsealed. Also, please check for mold or fermentation bubbles in the liquid. If the food rushes out of the can or jar when you open it, don’t use it. This is a good indication of the bacterial activity, causing a chemical reaction.

STORE DIFFERENT THINGS

 Some things to include:

• Mac n cheese is best preserved dried by separating the noodles and cheese and then vacuum sealing them with O2 absorbers. It can be canned if you’re worried about cooking macaroni and cheese, but it won’t have the same texture as freshly made. Undercooking the noodles before canning will help them be less mushy.
• Honey – Made with natural preservatives, honey will stay indefinitely if water never gets near it. Store in very clean, dehydrated glass jars. If it crystallizes, you can return it to its liquid state with some heat.
• Freeze-dried or dehydrated fruit – It can be a great energy booster and keeps well when stored properly.
• Coconut oil – It can be stored for a long time and provides added fat for comforting recipes when butter isn’t available.
• Spices – If you get to a place where you have to make all your food from what you have on hand, you’ll be delighted to have some extra spices to spice things up.
• Alcohol – It is a comforting item, but it serves many purposes in a disaster scenario and keeps well. High alcohol content (over 20%) will keep the longest, and over 40% can serve as a disinfectant if needed.
• Tea – It keeps well without special accommodations. Store it in small quantities with an O2 absorber to keep it fresh.
• Coffee – Coffee will be an essential part of the preparations for those who need their cuppa to keep their chin up. Roasted coffee keeps vacuum-sealed in Mylar bags for up to two years. If you rotate it through your supplies, you will have good coffee for some time. For preparation beyond that, you can store green coffee beans in Mylar bags with O2 absorbers, then roast and grind them as needed.
• Wheat berries are in #10 cans – As they retain their nutrition and can be turned into various forms for consumption.
• Salt – It is used for seasoning and as a preservative and essential nutrient in our diets. Ready-to-eat canned goods are crucial in emergencies when cooking may not be an option.
• Protein bars  – They are convenient protein sources if fresh meat spoils due to a power outage.
• Dry cereal or granola – They are a versatile and long-lasting option consumed with or without cooking.
• Peanut butter  – This is a great source of protein and has a shelf life of 3-4 months.
• Dried fruit provides nutrients such as potassium and can last longer than fresh fruit. Canned juices are good for replenishing electrolytes and maintaining sugar levels in case of an inadequate food supply.
• Non-perishable milk – Options like canned or powdered milk are important sources of vitamin D that won’t spoil in case of power failure.

WATER STORAGE

Water will be critical to surviving certain types of disaster scenarios. One liter of water per person daily is a good starting point when planning for emergencies. You’ll need some extra for sanitation and cooking, as well. Do you have plenty of water or a way to obtain and sanitize water? Sanitation tablets and filtration systems would be a significant component of the being prepared.

LOOK AHEAD TO PREPARE

If the power was out for three weeks, how would you cook that mac ‘n’ cheese you took such care to store? Even if you have a power generator for emergencies, stoves and microwaves pull too much energy to use the generator for cooking. A propane or butane camp stove with plenty of fuel cells or a propane or charcoal grill are great options to have on hand. 

WHERE TO KEEP  STORAGE BUCKETS

Storage space can be tricky, depending on your housing situation. You’ll want to designate a perfectly organized room specifically for food storage, if you don’t mind. You’ll label your shelves and keep things nicely stocked and rotated. If you don’t live in this fairy tale situation, you may have to get more creative about storing your supplies. Many foods can be neatly stored in cardboard boxes, under beds, in the bottoms or tops of closets, and under the stairs. You may need to reduce unnecessary clutter to make room for the rations. The reward will be worth the effort.

BE PREPARED, NOT SCARED.

Please take the steps needed to create the best kit that you can pay off in peace of mind. Knowing that you can care for those you love and reach out to those around you in their time of need will put you in a category reserved for just a few; you’ll rest easy at night, knowing your family is providing for whatever tomorrow holds.