Don’t Make These 10 Food Storage Mistakes
You could be making serious food storage mistakes right now. And you may not even know it.
It’s very possible that you have too much of one food item and not enough of another in your stockpile.
Variety is very important, both for nutrition value and psychologically, especially if an emergency were to go on for days, weeks and even months.
The types of containers you use and where you keep them are also among the many crucial factors in food storage.
Here are my top 10 food storage mistakes. Please check to ensure that you are not making any of them.
- Ignoring the importance of nutrition in the foods that are stored. This happens more often than one might think. Sometimes people are so concerned about the volume of food they store that they forget about vitamin and mineral content.
- Using sacks or other containers that are not airtight. This is wrong for a variety of reasons. Air and moisture will greatly decrease the shelf life of stored food. In addition, containers that are not airtight increase the odds of insects or a critter getting into the food.
- Failing to keep food containers in a cool, dry place. Heat and moisture are two of the chief enemies of stored food.
- Failing to keep food containers out of the light. It’s best to go to the dark side when it comes to storing food. Light can deplete the vitamin content of food.
- Storing too many items that need refrigeration. It’s very likely that a crisis will include the loss of power, which could mean that refrigerated items will spoil quickly.
- Failing to include enough of a variety of different foods. After a couple of days of eating the exact same thing, people want some variety.
- Failing to maintain a good balance in the foods that are stored. Make sure that the various food items provide a variety of different vitamins and minerals.
- Failing to include at least a small percentage of “comfort” foods. In addition to satisfying a sweet tooth, comfort foods will be a big help psychologically for individuals and families in a crisis.
- Failing to check expiration dates and rotate stored foods. In each container, organize food by expiration date. When an item’s expiration date is approaching, eat that food – or donate it to a shelter – and replace it with newer food.
- Storing all of the food in only one location. This is the classic case of putting all of one’s eggs in one basket. If a home is destroyed in a disaster, residents will be glad that they kept food and water at a secondary location.
If you’re not making any of those 10 food storage mistakes, pat yourself on the back. Your food stockpile is probably in good shape. If you’re making all 10 of them, well, I hope you’ve been practicing the discipline of fasting.
But chances are, there could be two or three of these mistakes you might be making. Get those cleared up and you’re good to go.
We have a big in ground pool.. How do I utilize that water in case of emergency… It already has chlorine in it? Do I bottle it and wait until the chlorine dissipates.? Can it be used? would not want to poison us..
But a water purification system. You can buy one that will hold about a gallon an says it takes out everything harmful to you. I have several. They are goid for a long time. The cost is pretty low. You can find them in Cabelas (not spelled right)stores.
I live in a 644 sq ft 1 bedroom condo in a complex for seniors. The bedroom has 2 closets and I’m dedicating one for storing my emergency supplies. Have purchased my 3 month food supply and water purifier from this site, thank you very much. I also have a solar powered generator. I’m on the second floor with all the afternoon sun on my lanai which is perfect for recharging the unit. Have purchased a meal sealer and am going to get a small food dehydrator. Plan to utilize the closet with shelving installed up to the ceiling so I can organize everything thing but leaving enough space on the floor to neatly tuck the large items away. I’m finding with a little determination and prepping, you can make the most of what your space allows. I want to thank everyone for the wonderful suggestions here. My next big purchases will be a portable a/C and a pistol with ammo.
Canning and storing in an in ground storage area is the best in the long run. Cool, dark, and if ventilated, relatively dry. There were some jars of peaches that were put in a cache in death valley and the cache was an in ground storage and had been there since the late 1800s. when found, they guys got bold and popped open a jar and smelled, then noticed it not only smelled of peaches, but looked like peaches and then tasted it and it tasted as if fresh peaches. Even grains can be stored in this way, especially with the dry ice method. Gallon up to 5 gal jars can be found and are great for storage without the ability of mice eating into them as they can plastic buckets. Good storage shelves with removable straps to hold the containers in place and you will not have to worry about food crashing in event of earthquakes. Especially if the shelves are attached to the walls and are actually part of the structure which allows for greater structural integrity/safety.
If you’re going to store grain in plastic bags, do it like this:
— Put a 13-gallon plastic bag inside a 5-gallon plastic bucket.
— In the bottom of the bag, put 1″ of grain.
— Then put a golf-ball sized piece of dry ice (solid CO2) on top of the grain.
— Continue filling the bag with grain to within 1/2″ of the top of the bucket.
— Place the bucket lid on the bucket LOOSELY for 8 hours. This lets the dry ice convert to gas. Being heavier than air, the CO2 (carbon dioxide) will settle on the bottom and force the air out of the bucket.
— After 8 house have passed (don’t shortcut the time because the result will be having the lid blown off the bucket) then put a couple small moisture-absorbing packets on top of the grain.
— Close the bucket lid with a rubber mallet.
— Label the bucket, identifying the contents and the date (month, year) it was filled.
— Store the bucket in a dark environment at 70 degrees or elss.
* Moisture-absorbing packets can be obtained on Amazon.com
We had a house fire several years ago that destroyed everything. From that experience I learned several things. Always have a change of clothes kept outside of your house, including shoes. Keep extra set of keys for your vehicle & safety deposit box somewhere outside of your house. Stash a little cash & a check book somewhere outside of your house. I have a plastic tote stashed with food & water for a couple of days. You would be surprised how quickly you may need to leave your house. There may not be time to grab your purse, wallet, keys, etc. You may be in your pjs. Our fire was on a Saturday night. No way to get money until Monday.
Everyone just do the best you can with these suggestions “in mind”. Improve your knowledge of edible wild plants and gardening. Expiration dates are not as critical as one might think. Man lived and maintained long before packaged foods existed and will again. But, that said, accumulation of critical needs is possible today and should be a portion of your budget. Whether or not you can store your food in more than one location depends greatly on your means. If you have only one place, be prepared to defend it because you will encounter those who want it just as much as you. It is hard today to even find a worthwhile network of individuals you can trust – even within your own family, you may face hostility and death over food.
wish i could find neighbors like you
of course you neglect to define what ‘comfort food is! Normal. and of course you totally ignore apartment dwellers who don’t have the optimal storage space for items to keep on hand. so when are you going to deal with those two issues or do you just automatically ASSUME all your readers are home owners? But you won’t answer me will you! Nope!
Rodney stop acting like a little bitch! Use your judgement this isn’t a “hold your hand ” type of forum which (clearly) is what your looking for! Week after week I see you complain that this isn’t geared towards apartment dwellers grow up and do some leg work for yourself like every other MAN
I lived in an apartment for 20 years. You have the space if you think about it. Under the bed, couch, back of closets, an Cyrus shelf here or there and you have a couple months of stuff.
If you live in an apartment in the big city, you’re screwed no matter what you do, so, what’s your point?
I live in a less than 1000 sq. foot apartment, and have about 6months of food storage here, my front coat closet in my largest single space, but have some against the wall, under my tble, then we have a ssmall storage room, I keep a lot of incidentals there, I have 15 plastic empty milk cartons, I plan to fill come May! I have some little stoves and lots of fuel there, as well as yellow label alcohol continers there, I have to beware inspections…if they see it, I’m toast!! but will cover it before inspections! I have about 10 gallons of water stoed there now, have told another prepper in the building, we fill all bathtubs on all 8 floors with water, if we hear the SH is going to hit the fan!! It’s good for cleaning cooking and flushing the toilet!!
PPS Ken below says not to store on a cement floor…a good Idea, as I have a heavy plastic screen which keeps them about a half inch off the cement floor…Coloidal silver will separate and sink to the bottom if on a cement floor!
Best to buy some thick wood to nail over doors and windows and gets lots of empty buckets to dispose of waste. Candles, blankets, matches, and prayer. Yep that is the list I’m going to work on
I`ve bougt some water storage containers & I want to do this right. What exactly do I add to the water to make it last. Would bleach do the trick? Thanks
Jon, I used to put a teaspoon of colloidal silver in each jug when I filled it…For the last year I pit in 3 drops. Kills all bacteria, and prevents algae growth…Back in the old days, before the fridge, we put a silver dollar in our bottle of milk when it came, prevents spoilage!!
PS keep them in a dark place!!, and I refill them every year…sometimes 7-8 months!
Be nice if we had a cool place, but ain’t here!!
WATER PURIFICATION
1) Clear water is a sign of pure water. Always drain long-standing pipes for 30 seconds to one minute before drinking! (Cheap remote motels?)
2) 1 Gallon water is disinfected by 8-16 drops of regular household bleach (visually about 1/4 of a teaspoon) – double that for cloudy water. Shake and let stand 30 minutes. One teaspoon will disinfect 5 gallons. Immediately after treating, water must initially have a slight smell of chlorine. If it does not – repeat the process.
3) Household bleach is relatively harmless. The smell or �waft� of chlorine is not bad: it indicates that water is treated and germ free. Once treated and disinfected, the chlorine smell will go away in a few days.
4) Regularly used water from large tanks may be treated once or twice a month with 1 Oz. bleach per 200 gallons or 5 Oz. bleach per 1000 gallons.
5) Long-standing water in tanks will be disinfected w/ 1 pint household bleach per 1000 gallons. (2500 gal tanks are fine with 3 pints.)
6) Bleach effectively kills bacteria and viruses, stops smells and then breaks down. It’s effective germ killing alkaline property is completely neutralized very quickly. It does not stay chemically active in tanks for more than a few days. Most germs require sunlight to grow. Store water in the dark.
7) If water is relatively clear: but has a noticeable smell of chlorine: it is drinkable, disinfected, and harmless. Humans need 2 quarts per day.
I am a little confused about the bleach. About 15 years ago I rinsed out several empty gallon jugs of bleach and then filled them with water. I put 1/4 tsp of bleach in them and stored them in our basement. Last year, we cleaned out the basement and I took out the jugs and poured them onto our lawn and on the garden. Within 2 days all of the plants and grass were dead! I shudder to think of what would have happened if we had used it to drink or cook. Someone please clarify really what the amount should be!!
No wonder…it had turned into “dead water”….what you did originally was fine but someone forgot to tell you that you need to change out the water every 6 months repeating the process !
Adding chlorine is fine but if you live in an are like have the last 3 yrs there is enough chlorine in the water to store it without more treatment for the 3 years I was here! But, it all depends on your local water quality etc.
Well I always believe that if you can laugh at yourself then you ain’t worth a damn. Here is a mistake that I made and learned the hard way. This was before there were anything called preppers.
My wife and I had just bought our first home in the year 2000. I always had in mind to stock up on can goods for that rainy day. So when can vegetables were on sale I would buy cases of them. I would buy corn, green beans, peas, carrots, spinach, whole potatoes and cans of soda.
Now speed forward 5 years. Most of the corn, green beans, peas and carrots were eaten. The potatoes, spinach and soda still remained. Each year the temperature in the garage where I stored the can goods seemed to be getting hotter and hotter. One day the soda cans had exploded. What a mess it made. The cans that didn’t explode were half empty. I checked out the can vegetables and the spinach and potatoes were a lot lighter. The water in them had evaporated. I checked the other cans and I had the same problem. I brought my garbage can in from outside and DUMPED ALL OF MY CAN GOODS. I was pissed. I filled 2-30 gallon garbage cans of can food that went bad. I was upset because a vegetable can good sale was once a year and I would have to wait about 5-6 months before I can replenish that which I had lost. Not to mention the fact the prices have increased considerably. What had cost me 50 cents a can, now cost me a dollar a can.
Well with the kids gone; my wife and i put our can goods in a cool dark place inside the house instead of putting them in the garage.
I learned not to leave can goods in the garage where the heat can get to them. Next, I learned to rotate my can goods. Third, to buy what we as a family can eat. My wife heats can spinach and potatoes and wouldn’t eat them no matter what. The same goes for the beans. Why waste my money and shelf space on something the family won’t eat. Lastly, to replenish my stock when sales occur, but to add a few cans each shopping trip even when there are no sales at all.
a good dehydrator is worth its weight in gold! I’m the queen of…”if its less than $1 a can”…and of decent weight after draining, I buy several. if the cans total weight is 12oz, and the label says there are 3, 2oz servings after drained, then you know that half of it I water! don’t buy it! READ LABELS! most bang for your buck and all that. I rotate my cans, which include everything from peaches, to canned chicken breast or tuna, to tomato products, to sardines in water (dehydratable, believe it or not!) to canned bologna, and lots in between. I made the same mistake of putting my canned goods in my bldg, (which is not climate controlled) and they rusted out, even b4 the exp. date. I keep them in a better environment now, and watch exp dates… but heres where the dehydrator becomes insurance for a lot of canned food, (must be low in saturated fat for long term storage) because when the exp date is close, I dehydrate whatever is in the can, and get more time out of money already spent. not to mention that it takes up about a quarter to a third of the space of the original! once your goods are dehydrated, and stored in airtight containers, they can be stored in places that canned goods cant, with a little forward thinking. I bought 6, 16 oz cans of pumpkin ( only ingredient, pumpkin!) that were on a good sale after thanksgiving this year. I dehydrated them, and powdered them in my nutra-bullet. they all fit into a quart canning jar! my dog LOVES when I sprinkle it on her food! that’s a whole other topic there…planning survival for your pets too!!!! EXPIRIMENT with low cost foods, and watch for SATURATED FATS (they rancid faster), and you”d be amazed at what you can dehydrate. I have portabella mushrooms that I dehydrated 10yrs ago, that are good today! ive dehy spagettios, soup (low fat), stir fried rice, ground beef (sautéed and fat washed off with boiling water), cooked rice (don’t have to worry about cooking for 30min when the shit hits the fan! just rehydrate). the possibilities are endless. ive had very few failures with low fat ingredients. its better to pack in smaller individual packages, then to put all in a big one, the more you have to open it, the quicker it goes bad. also, pack your dehy food on a sunny, low humidity day. ive left mine in the dehydrator an extra day or two when it was raining or very humid. I don’t think the dehydrator uses a lot of electricity, and once its dehy, you can turn the dehydrator down to a ‘maintain’ level til it can be packed.
good article, my only problem with dehydration, is that the trays are plastic, exposed to high levels of heat, which is not a good thing.
Your “Dumb Food Storage” list should include reference to never store plastic water bottles directly on cement – as I’ve seen in many garages – because toxins from the cement will be absorbed through the plastic and contaminate the water stored inside. Place your plastic containers on top of 2″ x 4″ ‘s or such to keep them off the cement, allow air flow, plus you can clearly see if a container starts to leak.
Ideally, plastic container(s) for water storage should have a UV coating to keep light out and help keep it as dark as possible inside – light increases the growth of contaminants risk – and containers should be BPA free – which is a contaminant that will seep into the water.
In earthquake areas, tall water storage containers or barrels (available on the web) should be strapped to the wall to prevent them from falling over during an earthquake.
I also suggest using a Water Preserver to keep your water safe for 5 years. If you don’t use a water preserver, you’ll have to rotate your water storage every 6 – 12 months.
A few cases of bottled water (make sure bottles are marked #1) can be opened and the bottles easily stored – out of site and in the dark – in various locations throughout your home to access in an emergency,
We can survive a few days without food, but not without water; therefore, I believe a safe water storage set-up should be on the top of your family’s survival priority list – right up there with weapons.
Be prepared, but be smart and be safe.
I purchased these tablets to purify my water supply (Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets). Can anyone tell me if this was a wise choice? if not, can anyone offer an alternative. I’m out here on my own. Thanks
Patricia, yes your water purifying tablets are great. However, there are other means of purifying your water that you should also know. For example a TSP of bleach per gallon of water will kill the bad bacteria. You just have to wait a few hours before drinking. A water filter know as “Lifestraw” takes out the impurities in your water. You don’t have a Lifestraw? you can make one with a 2 liter bottle, sand and charcoal. There are a few others that you can find on “YouTube.” Go to the book store and get the U.S. Army Survival Manual FM 21-76. You will very happy that you did. It covers everything you hope to ever come across in a survival situation. I know because I was in the Army for 20 years and I used this manual when out in the field. Good Luck. :-)
The Army Survival Manual haas a new Field Manual Number (FM 3-05.70). You have to be a member of the Army (or reserve components) to download it from the official Army site, but it appears the Federation of American Scientists did a Freedom of Information Act request and then posted it on their site at:
http://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-05-70.pdf
I have a problem I am a widow on limited income and live alone. I do not own a gun and am unable to drive,how can i protect what food I have and where would I go in case i had to leave
The start of a basic “survival food storage”
Get 3 one pound boxes of saltine crackers and a jar of peanut butter, Or 5 or 6 boxes and two jars, It’s a start !
A lot better than nothing, A little jelly would be good also, But some jelly needs refrigeration after opening, Not that it will last very long if it is your only food along with the peanut butter and crackers.
But it is a start.
Also besides the crackers and peanut butter you can get rice in 20 pound bags for as little as $7.00 !!
This might sound like a joke, But I am not joking, Take a long knife from your kitchen knives and lash it to a broom stick with radiator hose clamps and keep it just inside your front door, I do and I have guns available.
Bless your heart Mary. You may think your question is very stupid or silly; but I can guarantee you that there are a lot of people in the same boat with you. The only difference is you have the common good sense to ask.
The first thing you need to do is make a list. You will have several list that you will need to make so your first priority is to make a list of what if:
1.) What if there is a flood what should I do?
a.) Am I in danger?
1.) if no, can I stay where I am and be safe? If yes how long can I last with the food and supplies that i have available. If it is 3-10 then I’m ok for now. If the water rises higher can I leave and be safe or will I need help to leave?
2.) If yes, I am in danger, where can I go. Do I have family and friends that will come get me?
a.) If yes how long will it take them to reach me. Will it be for a short time or long time. If a long time should I take my food supplies with me and will they have room for it?
b.) If no they can not reach me in time can I turn to a friend or neighbor nearby?
You get the picture. Next you should make a list of food items and supplies that you will need to ride out a given disaster. Remember there are various types of disasters blackouts, floods, snow storms, hail, tornado’s, earthquakes ect. Find the common item that you will need for all. For example flashlight and batteries, blankets, heat source, cooking source. You do have a supply of can goods that you can live off of for: 3 days, 10 days, 2 weeks, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year. Do you have stored water or an accessible water source? Do you have tools for protection? knife, gun, bow and arrow friends that will help protect you?
Do you have a list of contacts like police, fire department, nearest relative, friends, neighbors. In case of: who do you to contacted. In case of an emergency where can you be found or to leave word? Local church, school, police?
You spoke of having a limited income. Look around your home. You will find that you already have most of these vital supplies. What you don’t have you can save up for and get when you have a little extra money. Remember, baby steps. Do you have a friend or neighbor or relative that thinks the same way as you do. Will they be willing to share with you in case of an emergency? If so then work with them to help you get your needed supplies.
The items you have already in your home: can you hide them from outsiders so that they don’t know that you have them, like a spare room or closet. Can you can your food in mason jars? Then you can store somewhere in your home out of the way and not with your normal food supply. You see if someone does get in your home and wants your food it won’t all be in one place for them to take all away from you.
So you see Patricia, start with a list. Look to the YouTube channel and Frank’s blog here. Your questions are never stupid and the people here are happy to help you out. :-)
I was quite concerned about the person who was keeping food in plastic bags – even plastic buckets, handy in a pinch, are not a good idea unless you can inspect them frequently. Rats and mice, and cats, racoons, and other wild-life will chew through even a “Home Depot” bucket to get at the food. Think about “drug sniffing dogs” and the stories of smugglers trying to hide their contraband from them. Animals can smell food no matter how clever you think you are about hiding the smell, and they will chew through things you think are vermin proof.
Wheat and other grains – circa 1970 I bought 300 pounds of “triple cleaned hard red winter wheat” for my family’s storage. Thirty years later we found the food still as good as the day we packed it – in carbon-dioxide in plastic bags, inside steel “ammo” cans. Put a chunk of dry ice in the bottom of a food grade plastic bag – fill with wheat (rice, beans, etc) and tie loosely – allow the dry ice to evaporate (over night is good), use a vacuum cleaner to “suck out” the excess air/CO2, seal the bag tightly, put a piece of dry ice in the ammo can, fill the can with the bags of food – let the dry ice evaporate, and seal the can. I suggest SMALL ammo cans – we had cans that weighed 66 pounds when full – as I got older (I’m over 72 now), moving them became very difficult – and once opened, that was a LOT of wheat to grind.
Twice I lost my job and we had to live on our storage – first to run out was sugar, then the honey had hardened and was almost useless – you can only melt it so many times before it wont’ melt anymore. Besides, it’s very messy to handle. Water – as others have noted: a “straw” may be fine in a short term emergency – but for long term survival, I suggest a three-prong approach. One of those polyester wound ‘whole house’ filters to block rocks, silt, and aquatic life, then a Sawyer Zero Point 2 (or equivalent, if you can find it) bio filter (point zero two micron absolute filter) to eliminate viruses, bacteria, and crypto critters (both these filters can be back-flushed to extend their life) – followed by an activated charcoal/carbon filter to catch heavy metals, VOCs, and other toxic chemicals. However, only distillation can remove dissolved salts, calcium, lime, magnesium and other minerals. A note here: Distilling water properly requires some pretty fancy equipment to achieve safe results, while good at removing dissolved minerals, an improperly built “still” will let VOCs, bacteria, and viruses “ride the vapor stream” and contaminate the output. Finally, RO (revers osmosis) filters need to be reverse flushed often, which requires a pressurized water system, and may not be any better than distillation when it comes to the final result.
I am just beginning. Where are some good sites to buy a good variety of foods
Large chain grocery stores or chain Dollar stores like Dollar General and get the store’s own brand name usually 25% less expensive than the advertised name brands.
food4patriots.com best imo!!!
best price i have found for 3months of good food!
ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!!!
FOOD4PATRIOTS.COM IS DELICIOUS, TOO!
I love 4 Patriots web store & have purchased many items from them BUT I have celiac disease so I can’t eat “Food4Patriots” items. I buy individual items that are freeze dried then mix my own combos
These are great ideas, my problem is I am extremely allergic to pepper, black, white, red, etc. sooo, what am I to do re. prepackaged survival foods?
Make your own, Doc.
I think another mistake is buying emergency food in very large package sizes. While larger packages will lower the unit cost, buying too large a sack of wheat for example can lead to spoilage if not used before spoil date. Also, If a large package of any item, even if it has a long shelf life like salt or honey is compromised, then you have to toss out a larger amount of food versus if purchased in a smaller package. I am not say go small (perhaps smaller), but at least be mindful of the risks/trade-offs.
for you and others who store grains — wheat, rice. etc., get some Diotomaceous Earth. It is not expensive and the product can be added to your food supply to kill the little buggers. D.E. is fine, but has sharp edges which will slice open the soft bellied critters, thus killing them Here is the website we use: http://www.earthworkshealth.com/
Whole grains last for millenia in a cool dry place. Flour or processed foods will not. Dried beans last for decades.
One warning that I did not know for a long time. Always remove the “dry pack” from food and vitamins when opening. It will “ruin” them otherwise.
Thank you immenesely, as I have nevr removed them , and I wil today!
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I appreciate all of the good information about safely storing food, variety, nutrition, etc I have an additional challenge to make things interesting: I have Celiac Disease. That means: NO Wheat, NO Barley, NO Rye, NO Oats (only Gluten Free Oats) and
NO Dairy/Milk Products. Gluten Free & Dairy Free food is very expensive. I have emergency food stored for my family, but I am not able to eat most of the soups, canned food, or dairy packed foods.
I hope you like beans and rice, both of which store well. As you have discovered, most pre-packaged food contain either gluten or dairy or both. Food4Patriots actually has a good number of gluten free options, but I checked and all of them contain some sort of dairy product, like cheese, in them.
I’ve purchased a 6 month supply of F4P and have sampled a few and they are very good. I know they have a 25 year shelf life. At what temperature range should they be stored
As with any long-term storage of food, colder is better. The 25 year shelf life was tested at up to 75 degrees, I believe.
check with emergency essentials.com freeze dried foods that have a shelf life of 25 yrs. light weight and come in either small cans or number 10 cans. wont lie it can be pricey depending on what you choose, but the food is delicious and it comes as ordered, ie: spinach is spinach, peach slices are peach slices, no extra ingredients. shipping is fast and inexpensive. check it out.
I also cannot tolerate any grains. I would suggest dehydrating the foods you can eat. I dehydrate fruits, vegetables, even yogurt as well as left over food from every day dinners that I can eat. Once dehydrated, you can store in small mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. They will last for years if stored properly. You can also store nuts to grind for you bread. They will go rancid but not for a year if stored properly. Just rotate and you will have a constant store of emergency food should the need arise without any waste or spending tons of money. Buy produce in season on sale and dehydrate all that you will not use that week.
You forgot to mention the most important mistake: a supply of potable water. This is more than a “drinking straw” filter. Any dry pack survival food needs fresh potable water to make it edible. Camping suppliers have filter pumps that do the job. Unlike a drinking straw filter, they can fill water jugs and pouches. Don’t trust lake water. It may have parasites. The Boy Scout merit badge handbook “Wilderness Survival” has a lot of practical ideas and how-to information. One of them is how to make a solar still. It can even purify urine. Also, a butane lighter can start a lot of cooking fires.
KEEP IN SHAPE! How many can haul their BOB for miles in various weahter climates? Has anyone tried to carry their bag around the house or on a hike to see what it takes? PLEASE share this thought! And if you have kids, how much can THEY handle?
This is why I bought a “cart” to haul whatever I have – I can’t personally carry much at all and certainly not for miles. The cart has large solid wheels and metal parts which will not disintegrate like plastic parts. It folds down into a small size I can easily keep in my car or closet. It enables taking water and shelter that I could never carry. We also have a “deer cart” which can double as a person carrier if someone were injured. They are not expensive and also can be stored compactly. The carts have ways to cover them so the contents are protected from weather.
WEstore food in many different way and all so store other things we need to live but none of this does you any good if you are not prepared to defend what you have this is the most important thing of all because unprepared people and losers will come to take what you have. knowing this weapons and ammo are at the top of this process one of the most important statements I have every heard is 1 is none so keep in mind to have more than one of anything that is vital to your survival. This is for Patrick air tight storage bags are good but needs to be kept in a plastic bucket with a air tight lid.
While your MRE’s sound good…bear a few things in mind…your products all require adding water, heat and preparation time. Water and heat will be in short supply…and all cooking emits an odor. Having canned or bottled foods which is fully prepared makes much more sense.
Canned and bottled food are heavy and take a lot of space. They also don’t store long times.
i had to return the last dvd for replacement because it was cracked also you should put phone numbers in a different place i have very nosie neighbors and a nosie mailman, i am in a gost town called lawler, which is a mcgregor the address i use,keep up the good work.
Greetings,
I watch the TV shows about the “doomsday prepers” and, although I agree with the philosophy, my military experience tells me they miss a very important provision to survival. They have no support groups i.e. someone to call when they start to get overrun by food hoarders. Isolation is only good for a while. It only works until they find out where you are hiding and then you will be overrun. My personal opinion is that it is best to network with others who are preparing. Choose barter systems, meeting places and contact codes etc. Through “resource networking”,I believe we will have a better chance of survival on the long term.
I agree Frank. I am preparing to organize a group here in the town I live in after the new year.
People talk about food storage all the time, which is good, but I rarely hear about the skills you will need to survive in a world turned upside down. Skills such herbalism (you can become a master herbalist or master gardener). Learn to cook if you do not know how. Also, medical training, such as EMT. Even the Red Cross has classes you can take. You more valuable you are, the more likely you will survive, and even do well before TSHTF.
It is great idea and your responsibility to be prepared. Two things, I am self sufficient in society(I have a job) so the government is not going to help me, secondly I have a kids that I owe them to be ready anytime anywhere. We have some food storage, but to settle the variety discussion we purchased food from Food 4 Patriots, and that takes care of the variety and in some ways is better than what I eat at home or in town for lunch, great food and it is affordable. Additionally drying meat, and protein powder, vitamins will certainly give you nutritional advantage, keep you strong to defend off the quickly weakening welfare vampires that will be sucking you blood.
I know this is a forum for food, but don’t forget about building suitable window/door barricades to prevent destruction in hurricanes, earthquakes and those looking for food. Having them stashed in the shed will be better than putting them together in a hurry.
Randy
Thank you so much for the useful information you send.
You mentioned storing food in a secondary location, what are your suggestions on that.
I do have relatives near by but they don’t have any extra room in their basements and if my house was destroyed say in an earthquake so would theirs.
I think you mentioned before not to tell your neighbors so that leaves me with out a real soulition.
I would like to hear your suggestions.
Thank you
What about just further out on your property? Something like a root cellar or storage bunker can be a lifesaver if your house burns down or if your main storage area is looted.
Frank, I really have concerns due to diabetic so I have been trying to buy cases of Glucerna and bottled water. I live alone and have started also looking at expiration dates on can food then marking dates on the container. Thank you so much for this blog just found it keep up the good job. We also need to make of health issues that a lot of people have then checking out how to prepare for individual needs.
i HAVE DISCOVERED PLACES IN MY HOUSE TO PUT FOOD ITEMS BESIDES MY ROOMS FOR STORAGE. i LIKE TO DECORATE SO CAN HIDE CANS BEHIND DECORATION IN LEGDE, UNDER MY DRESSERS AND CHESTER DRAWERS. i HAVE A LARGE TABLE THAT WE DO ODD AND END THINGS ON-AT CHRISTMAS WE HAVE VILLAGE SO WILL TAPE SEALED BAGS OF FOOD UNDER AND BOXES OF SOME DOOD UNDER OUR COUCHES IS A SPACE FOR FOOD WITH OUT SHOWING. TAPE SOME UNDER AN OLD ROCKING CHAIR. i HAVE HUTCHES SO WILL PUT SOME IN BACK OF THE LINENS AND BEHIND ANTIQUE BOOS AS IF WE HAD TO LAYERS OF BOOK IN BACK AND ONE IN FRONT. OUR UNDER THE HOUSE HA BOXES OF irs PAPERS SO WILL MAKE A FAKE ONE TO BE 3RD IN LINE WITH FOOD AND PAPERS ON TOP THEY ARE ALL PLASTIC BAGGED. WE HAVE RAISED BEDS FOR GARDEN SO WE ARE MAKING PLACES UNDER THEM AND IN SHED THAT HAS ALL MY BOXES AND TUBS OF DECORATIONS WILL USE SPACE BEHIND THEM, DOES THAT HELP AT ALL
I understand people wanting to find locations of where to put their boxes at or where to store them, but to put that in your paragraphs is not such a good idea as if hteir were an earthquake or storm damage, people reading these comments would have an idea of where people hide or store their boxes of food. So don’t advertise where you are going to put yours.
Gr’mama Never tell the world just what you are doing! Might as well go on ‘FACEBOOK’ with plans! Now I know where NOT to put stuff!
At least change your name if you do tell where they are. Your neighbors could be on this blog as well
I’m a pretty old guy and remember my mother doing a lot of canning… Back in the day… They smoked their foods, canned their foods or kept their food in basements/cellars.
How about an article on going back to the old “Storage Systems?”
People should have started stockpiling foodstuff the day ODUMBA stole the white house now the prices have tripled ,,,,,,,,,,
slickzip,
I LIKE YOUR CHOICE OF RENAMING THE WORST PRES. OF THE U.S.A . . . ODUMBA. SORTA SIMILAR TO WHAT I USE DUMBAMA WHEN I TEXT FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
A critical ‘food’ storage requirement for long term survival, well being, is to stock up and periodically rotate/replace seeds of heritage vegetables/foods. They should be non-GMO, non hybrid, heritage varieties adapted to your local climate and soils, and for which you have already developed a preferencial taste. It is most critical that your seeds be kept dry, cool, and out of the light.
Having heirloom seeds is not much help at all, IMHO, since they will take 3 or 4 months of the right weather, and water, before reaching the very small harvest achievable in the average backyard. If you have a sunny acre, and spring-fed lake, AND you also live in zone 7 where you can garden year-round, go for it. But if you’re in colder areas, with smaller yard, OR, if you’re on the run, forget about it. Focus more on lightweight FD canned foods. (And don’t forget, if you choose to garden, you’ll need to sleep in your garden with your gun, to protect it from foragers both 2 legged and 4 legged.)
Definitely cut to the chase, please…….
i’M ON VIDEO OVERLOAD TOO. MOST CANNED FOODS YOU CAN EAT A YEAR AFTER THERE EXSPERATON DATE. SOME NUTIRENTS MAY HAVE GONE SOUTH, BUT WHEN YOUR DISABLED ON A POVERTY LEVEL INCOME . IT’S NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO BUY CANNED FOODS AND EAT THEM AND ROTATE THEM. PERSONALLY , I’LL EAT BEANS, OR STEW FROM A CAN. SOUP , IN THE BOX WILL LAST LONGER IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER LONGER THAN A CAN. TOMATO SAUCE AFTER IT GOES BAD CAN EXPLOED. i JUST TREW ONE OUT THAT WAS BULLGING LIKE IT WAS AT 50,000FT. i FIND THAT CUP OF NOODELS AND THOSE RAMON NODLES GO BAD IN ABOUT 2 MONTHS FROM THERE EXPERATION DATE. THESE VIDEOS OF THE COMING CRISIS IS JUST ABAIT AND HOOK SCAM. IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA, IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO BE EARTH CRAKE PREPARED. IF THE POOP HITS THE FAN, THE UN, OR FEMA WILL BE CRASHING IN YOUR DOOR.
In August of 2012 four of us guys were set down on a glacier in Alaska by a flying service. There was the permit holder (sheep hunting was the goal) the guide and 2 of us supposed helpers.
Being on a glacier for 8 days was definitely an eye opener. There was no firewood so we had no campfire which was demoralizing. When the sun goes down and it starts getting cold it’s nice to have a fire to stand around.
We had freeze dried meals (those you buy in outdoor stores) and by the 8th day we almost had to have someone hold a gun on us to make us eat them. We have used them on our high altitude bird hunts in Nevada before but those hunts are only of 3 days duration.
In our opinion MRE’s are even worse.
We have devoted quite a bit of coffee drinking time speculating on how we could have made the trip more pleasant. Really the only discomfort we had was the food. We never got cold. We had the right gear such as the right tents, clothing, boots etc.
The weather was good and we only got rained on once and it was not a serious rain.
The drinking water was directly out of the glacier and good and very cold. We did not use anything for water purification.
We always take Gatorade powder with us to prevent leg cramps. We just filled a small plastic bottle with water and added the powder and shook it up. By making it with the powder you can make it to suit you. Gatorade off the shelf is watery to my taste. We made a couple of converts to Gatorade on that trip. It will stop a leg cramp.
We were very limited as to what we could take because they flew us in one at a time in Super Cubs. The two rifles and the bear spray were strapped to the struts.
Preparedness is the key now just as it was back when they lived in caves.
ANY TIME THAT I BRING FOOD (THAT COULD HAVE ANY KIND OF BUG IN IT) TO BE STORED INTO THE HOUSE I ALWAYS FREEZE IT FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS. THEN LET IT CAME TO ROOM TEMPERATURE AND THEN SEAL IT IN THE CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE. THIS KILLS OFF ANYTHING BAD. I DO THIS WITH ANYTHING THAT GOES INTO THE PANTRY ALSO.
I think that we should be doing things in the most simple way. Learning to dry food (no, not dehydrating it but drying it). I’m lucky in a lot of respects and very thankful for it.
We had goats and chickens and and a big garden and fruit trees. I never tasted cows milk till my first day of school. After being raised on fresh, raw goats milk the taste of cows milk was awful.
Anyway the goats were butchered and eaten in various ways but what sticks with me the most is the carne seca (jerky). It was cut in thin strips and dried and hung in the attic which had an outside entrance. Whenever mom wanted any carne seca to make gravy I got sent up the ladder with a pan to get it. She had a small hammer and a small steel plate maybe 5X5 inches with which she would shred the meat. Then she made the equivalent of a roux with lard and flour and when it was ready she added water and the shredded meat and cooked it for a little while longer. Red or green dried chile could be added.
My mom dried all kinds of fruit like peaches, apricots, plums, apples, and also rhubarb. These were made into pies and other good things over the winter.
I’ve eaten some native dried salmon from Canada and Alaska that were excellent. No dehydrator required.
A neighbor lady in Denver made carp patties that were delicious. The carp were large and she ground the meat in an old hand grinder to eliminate the carp bone problem. Then she fried those patties and they were devoured by us kids.
To me cast iron skillets and dutch ovens are a necessity. I make bannock quite often in a 10 inch skillet.
In the old hunting camps that Jack O’Connor, John Jobson and other hunters frequented there always seemed to be bannock wrapped around a stick or standing next to campfire in a skillet.
I have a cookbook called Hopi Cookery by Juanita Tiger Kavena. It’s a great book if you want to learn about drying foods.
You need to make your info videos so that people can skip forward pause or go back. of all the buttons to hit my finger will accidentally slide across the back button, when this happens I have to start the video all over again. I cannot skip ahead to where I was so after listening to it for what seems like forever I don’t feel like doing it the third time to get to the end. and now I can’t even get that video to come up it’s not in the little window with the gold nugget
Ruth, yes the bugs are in the food as eggs and can not be seen. All foods have eggs of some sort of bug in them. To take care of this the food should be stored with the air removed. The bugs hatch but can not live without air and die. There is a video on Youtube on how to do this with a simple bicycle pump that has been modified easily, with a gauge added to it to show how much air has been removed. 25 mercury is the target.
I have grains stored 20 years in only 1 gallon paint cans, teflon lined cans with food grade plastic bags containing the grains and beans/legumes. we have used only bay leaves placed inside with the food,and have never had a problem with bugs. This is the cheapest, easiest to trasport way to store them–no oxipacks or anything else.
Can you elaborate a little more . I like this idea
hi jazz 88 where do u find the 1 gal paint cans are they new cans or cleaned up paint cans…. i love this idea with the bay leaf thanks
Why not plan a “camping trip” in the back yard and only bring emergency supplies. Then as you find out you need other things, discuss if it’s a want or a need and either add it to the list of supplies to keep stocked, or not.
That’s a great idea.
how do you store pasta? I stored them in plastic bags and or air tight containers and still those mealy bugs or whatever they are , are in abundance at times. How do u prevent them from forming? where do they come from? I have heard they are already in the package when you purchase them?
As a child I learned that bugs don’t like Strong Smelling Herbs… Grandma would put a sprig of Rosemary or a few Bay Leaves in the Tupperware container that she sealed her flour sugar and rice in… It ALWAYS worked to keep it Bug Free!
It is recommended that one put a bay leaf in with grains to prevent the eggs from hatching. You cannot see the eggs and they are in all grains. The bay leaf keeps them from hatching out. Lack of air will eventually kill the bugs if the container is air-tight, but it is rather disgusting to see those little black bugs in your food and if they have air, they won’t be dead. Disgusting that the eggs are there, but that cannot be helped. One just doesn’t allow the thought to conquer their need for grains.
Unfortunately, I stored several bags of pasta in a bin and placed a handful of bay leaves in it. After about a year, (which was yesterday) I opened the bin to find lots of bugs/moths/larva in it. They even laid eggs on the bay leaves…they had larva with the webbing still on the leaves. I had to throw much of it away. I would love to find something safe that would REALLY work.
Since my cousin told me about freezing flour for 24 to 48 hours, before putting into airtight containers, I have had NO bugs hatch. Freezing kills off the eggs, so you don’t have the “surprises” when you open the packages. I have used that with pasta as well.
Why not simply run your dry storage items through the microwave for a minute or so. 5-10 sacks of Flour, Meal, Rice, Beans, etc.. Then vacuum seal the bags individually. Kills any eggs…. works great for us.
ADDENDUM>>>>
That should have read… 5-10 POUND sacks of Flour, Meal, Rice, Beans, etc. Add dried potatoes to the list. Most anything that is dry and won’t heat up during the microwave minute.
I think a family needs to practice a small disaster using some of the foods stored. By doing so your family can find out what foods are missing and also find out how well prepared your all your family are. You can make a game out of it as not to scare the very young. Keep a score card and grade yourselves.
I have food, I have stored for over 10 years. I have bought all my grains in 7 gallon buckets that come guaranteed, no eggs or bugs of any sort. When I first bought lets say oats, I Paid extra for a sealed lid that has a ring that you have to hammer on to the bucket. Once installed the ring will not come off, and when it is nearing empty I order another bucket of oats and then pour it into the empty oat bucket, with the sealed ring and lid. I do not store oatmeal as we can make fresh oatmeal from the oats. I do keep Large brown rice, but white rice of any sort has little or no nutritional value, so I substitute Barley and use it in place of and in receipts bearing white rice.
In Ezekiel chapter 4 God tells him how to make bread, and is good, but I also soak those grains and add other things such as beans, lintels, Diced potatoes, carrots, onions, & or nuts. I also make large casseroles and bag the leftovers and freeze in qt bags.
I can’t remember when I opened a can of soup or a can of anything for that matter and hope I never have to.
reply to Jim
I will also be waiting for you with a gun!! How dare you think your survival plan is to rob others!!
Also, I have noticed that the long term survival food that is available like powdered milk, flour and probably in most powdered foods has aluminum packaged in it. It is used to keep the food from clumpping together. (non caking) I am not sure people realize what all the ingredients are in the long term “survival food” that is on the market. I am a firm believer in making your own non parishable food.
I think people will have to be more resouceful! Most of my friends don’t cook (from scratch) let alone garden, raise animals, can, or dehydrate. I have eaten canned soup less than 5 times in my life but if I were starving I would eat it! But I would rather have fresh vegetables from my garden, purified water, and brine my beans and make a delicious pot of soup! Or have the option of pulling out my home canned meat in a stock and throw that in my pot while it’s cooking over my wood burning stove. It’s a matter of learning to be self reliant and not to just survive.
Store what you eat. Eat what you store. Not only do you need to learn to eat the foods you’re storing; but you need to find ways to store the foods you love. Hot Chocolate has a great shelf life, and is a comfort food. In an emergency it’s a real treat.
I buy non-perishable foods that we eat on a regular basis, or those with a long shelf life, whenever they’re on sale, in abundance. So much so, that when I run out of something non-perishable it always really surprises me, as I usally just come upon it and buy it on sale well before I run out. This saves money both on everyday cooking, and on building up a food storage.
Recently I bought about 700 cans of Campbells soup on an excellent sale. The store had to special order the soups that I wanted as they normally don’t sell that much in one day to all their customers, let alone one. That gives my family members each half a can of soup a day, which may not seem like much. But if you take some dry beans, then season it with the soup, you had both flavor, calories, and variety.
Also, remember that your grain mill needs to be able to run without electricity. I finally got around to purchasing a grain mill. I bought an attachment that lets me run it using my Bosch mixer, so it’s powered, but it also has a hand crank so we can use it without power. It’s new, so I’ve only used it once, with the mixer. Next time I use it I will be using the hand crank to familiarize myself with it.
How do you plan to cook your food? We have a wood stove, a grill, and can light a fire outside. We do not currently have propane stored for the grill, so we would quickly lose the ability to use it; but we have those other options. Stored grain and beans aren’t going to be much good if you can’t cook them. Technically you can soak them and then eat them raw, but…yuck.
Thanks for providing the valuable information about Storing Food for Emergency situations and events. We have purchased several containers of food from our local Costco store. The food includes the following; Soups, Barley, Rice, Oatmeal, and Tomato Paste. Like the majority of people who have purchased long term storage food, we have not tried the food yet.
You’ve made some very important points in your newsletter but I believe that you left out one very important point. If you’re storing foods that you don’t normally eat, or do not particularly like, you’re going to starve. Studies have shown that humans would rather starve than eat things they don’t like. Store foods that you normally eat everyday. If you store dehydrated foods, use them. Practice cooking with them so that in an emergency, you’ll be able to cook up a tasty meal. Dried foods are nasty if not prepared correctly but they can be very tasty if done right. Store food that you like and will eat.
According to the “Peter the Great, His Life and World” when Sweden attacked Russia, Peter scorched and burned his own countryside, including homes/villages, etc, for 50 miles around anywhere Sweden’s huge army went. The Russians in the likely paths had been warned, but some had family members too old/sick/young to travel or for other reasons (extreme povery/no pack animals, no place to go, etc) opted to take their chances and stay. Enemy soldiers sent out to scavenge food for the others would threaten local survivors found in the smouldering ruins of their homes to give them the food they’d hidden or they’d hang/kill the youngest family member. Families who showed them where the food was buried, but were still alive by their 2nd visit were assumed to have a 2nd storage location, so were again threatened to reveal it. Definitely hide the food in more than one location!
THIS MAY SOUND WEIRD BUT I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT STORING WHEAT ,RICE , FLOUR
ETC. IN THE AIR TIGHT STORAGE BAGS THAT ARE SOLD ON TV, IS THAT A GOOD IDEA ?
Nothing is totally “air tight.” Lookup the word “osmosis” in Wikipedia. Also, any grain or flour may be contaminated with insect eggs or mold spores. They only need a tiny bit of moisture and oxygen to hatch. Flour has up to 12% moisture within its innards. Ditto for rice and beans.
The one thing you do not need to store is Wheat Products. Before you say anything about what I just said, you will have to read the book Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis MD. Wheat is really bad for you and needs to be removed from your diet. You need to read the book and then make up your mind about your replies or bashing due to not knowing the truth the Government will not tell you.
Thanks fo Listening.
Dale
one idea for all of you southern preppers: When I lived in California and took some first responder courses (after the Loma Prieta earthquake) the instructors suggested burying emergency supplies in large plastic trash can in the yard. I’m not entirely sure if this would keep out all moisture, (depending on your water table) but if you properly seal all of the items before you bury your trash can I think you’d be in pretty good shape. The earthquake preppers like this strategy because many people realized that they could not locate their emergency supplies because they were buried under the rubble that used to be their house.
I live in Phoenix, Az, so my problem is where to store this food. There are no basements in the houses here. We do have wood and metal sheds above ground, but with the temps ranging into the 100’s during the summer they get really hot. I have no idea where to store these containers. If I put them in a storage locker that is temp control, when I get them out they won’t keep long in the sun even sealed up. I do have your DVD about the solar screens.
Mary
Store lots of salt and sugar. Smoke and/or dry all of the meat you have in the freezer instead of letting them go bad. Have plenty of stored water. The more stuff you have stored up, the more danger you have of someone else taking it away. Our bodies are hard-wired for ‘feast or famine’. When we find a source of carbs (sugars and fats) and salt, our bodies will tell us to eat as much as you can. That’s why the food industries put large amounts of the above in foods sold in the market. Non-GMO seeds are hard to find but, they’ll be necessary to have. Even the “organic” foods you buy in the vegetable section of you market don’t have seeds that will germinate. Dried herbs and spices are good to have for aestetics. Learn all the ways to preserve food NOW. Multi-tools or good knives are a must along with a hatchet and a couple good butane lighters. Anything with batteries are worthless, GPS devices will no longer work so, a good compass would be good too.
I would stay away from whole, dry corn. It can harbor a deadly fungus!
grow a hydroponic garden. Have fresh vegetables, fruits year round.
Vacuum air out of containers with a simple Installation of a new tire air valve, will allow you to vacuum out air. Also the simple installation of a car a/c pressure / vacuum valve. You can suck out all the air with a cheap a/c vacuum pump. They make a cheap vac. pump that uses air pressure to siphon out air and hold vacuum at a maintained level. Pressure in an a/c car system are very high, and hold vacuum at a great – 20degrees to a 300 degrees. I would think -30 lbs, would be very affective and both keep from collapsing and keeping moisture out !!! A cheap a/c freon installer will work with the vac. pump
One thing is jerky, and some smoked meats seem to me are important also. I’m just saying ! Also dried milk like Carnations in cans II think is good, also coffee, salt, pepper, are also good in sealed containers.
i live in a southern state and unless i keep everything inside i cannot keep it below 70%
any suggestions?
I was storing in Florida for years in non air conditioned environment, high humidity–I used teflon lined paintcans (new), had the legumes/grains inside them with a few bay leaves, hammered down the paint can lids and…Viola! no problems with any of that food to this day (live in Georgia now, still no ac in the storage area–I rotate the stock, eat from it and absolutely no problem).
What I found works well is to store a couple weeks worth of everyting in a plastic tote of around 35 to 50 quart. It is mobile, dry, dark, and once you lable the date it is complete you can easily rotate it into your daily use for replacement.
On an iPhone, (iPod, iPad, etc.) you can put a lot of information on “Edible Wild Plants” with photo for identification.
See: Peterson Field Guides “Edible Wild Plants, Lee Allen Peterson
One more thing, I have cool, dark pantry that works great for the food. If I move it around to other places all over my house, I will be searching forever to find what I need. I’m older and have bad arthritis so having things together is much easier for me. Also, I have not other place that is dark and cool. What do you suggest? I live in the South, cool is a problem, especially if we lose power.
Thanks.
I would like to address the use of videos in relaying information. There are too many and they are too long. I have watched so many that now I just don’t go into anything that includes a video. I would rather read the information, and all the extra words are just unimportant. Just cut to the chase and tell us how much it is going to cost us. I would rather have something that I can print out and keep to read again later. I’m in video overload. Thanks.
Totally Agree!!
Store what you eat, eat what you store. Rotate your food supplies with your regular food. This is especially important with canned goods. If you like cambells chicken noodle soup and your spouse and kids do to, eat it, stock it, rotate it. Think of your food stock as an oversized pantry and eat the food in it all the time. Nothing in your kitchen cupboards comes directly from the store before being stored in your stockpile first. This will help you have the foods your family likes and is used to, and psychologically it will help make a stressfull situation an easier transition. People mention stocking in more than one location, which is wise, but also remember to hide your food as best you can to avoid confiscation when your Marxist covernment comes to accuse you of hoarding and redistibutes your supplies to your neighbors. Like the tale of the ant and the grasshopper, be an ant and prepare for winter, but remember, the grasshopper may not ask for food , he may demand it at gunpoint.
If you have taught storage basics in your community, people may already know you have stock. Leave some of it visable, let them take it–over vigouous protest–, camoflage, hide or store elsewhere the rest
I agree with Greg, My attention wanders if something drones on and on………..
Storing food all in one place is a bad idea; we did that once and lost it all.
As for how to store things, I’ve been using 20 year old flour, corn meal, sugar and rice that was put in plastic bags inside glass jars and stored in our cabin. The jars are not canning jars, nothing was vacuum sealed, I’m sure it all froze more than once. It’s usable. A glass jar of Heinz vinegar that was left in there for 20 years was still good, as well! Variety is good. Seeds are important, too. You can’t store canned tomatoes for years and years and you can’t store fresh greens!
Most commercially canned food, in tin cans, will last long after the expiration date. However, do NOT try to keep canned tomatoes or cherries very long as the cans will explode!
Get a dehydrator and dry fruits and vegetables. You can store a LOT of dried food in a small space. As long as you have access to potable water, that food is as good as canned food.
Canned tomatoes store for years very well if you get the cans that are epoxy lined (white lining). check a few different types of brands to see who does this in your area.
My advice to all is to have your own food shelf. Your blog is right on.
I have stored a lot of foods… rice, beans, flour, sugar, cake mixes, corn meal, spices,soups mixes, powdered eggs, powdered butter, powdered milk…etc all of these I have put into vacuum seal a meal bags then stored in food grade plastic buckets with the lids and then placed in a dry room in my basement. I have also stocked up on many canned goods such as vegetables and meats and then also stored lots of candles and other stuff in preparation of any disaster. Ive also made a couple of water purification systems to use for stored water or other water sources and of course many types of weapons for defense and hunting. Not sure if any of it is enough but it is something… I think the most important part of my storage is to vacuum seal the dry goods and then store them in the buckets and stored in a room with very low light that is dry and cool.
Hi: About storing food from light and heat, what if you live in the south where we have heat lmost all year long????? How do you store it then?
The two best foods to keep on hand for emergency conditions: Rice and beans. Rice for carbs, beans for protein. Both will last for months, if not years, when kept in the right conditions, as in, dark, non-damp conditions. Also, keep a long-term supply of C-vitamins in dark, damp-proof jars; C-vitamins are among the hardest to get via a food supply in desperate times.
Always keep water purification tablets on hand; they kill 99.99% of waterborne parasites.
I purchased MRE’s from my local Army/Navy surplus store in enough quantity to keep my family of three fed for an entire year, as well as enough freeze dried meals to keep our family fed for another five years, should it be necessary. The freeze dried food has a shelf life of thirty years, if kept unopened.
Water is the most critical; food can be found, stored and killed, but dirty, parasite ridden water will kill you much faster than lack of food.
You can buy the MRE’s in bulk for less than $1 per serving, and the freeze dried food for a 5 year supply was less than $400.00; just shop around.
Keep everything (besides water) dry; keep your firearms, ammo, freeze dried goods, binocs, knives (ALWAYS SHARPENED!), and everything else packed/locked/loaded where you don’t have to think twice to locate/access/utilize it.
Take your family out into the woods on a “camping” trip, and bring as few items as possible, and see how you do. By the way, the best fire starter I’ve found is cotton balls heavily soaked in petroleum jelly; keep them in a simple plastic sandwich bag, and you can light them in any weather conditions with a simple spark (my seven year old has done it); they stay burning for about five minutes; if you can’t get a fire going by then, you’re probably not going to do too well anyway.
Stay free, stay prepared, and don’t trust your government to take care of you. In fact, you may not want to trust your government at all.
Thanks for the info. I appreciate it. However, I have been drawn into watching videos so often that go on and on and on before they get to the meat of the matter. Also, I think and read much faster than someone talking that it becomes boring and I end up deleting it.
Do you have an alternative to the video such as reading the text?
That would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Greg
Did you see “Conspiracy Theory” show with Jessy Ventura? A 70,000sq ft mansion(out of reinforced poured concrete with bullet proof windows) is being built on a mountain in the Ozarks. Unbelievable highways underneath. Big enough for 18 wheelers to travel both directions at the same time! Complete with docking bays(like a warehouse). Close by city has one bank(resident says used to be only one for whole town!) for every 54 ppl. I am prepping…but don’t think I have the where with all to stand up to whats coming. Good luck,,,God Bless and help us all
Isn’t that pretty close to the fault line running along the Mississippi River? I hope they are up high, but a good quake set off by whatever will, I think ,affect that set up pretty badly.
jim, I appreciate your being so conscientious as to put your “Declaration of War” into print.
Now to the civilized, I speak: There are many survival manuals IN PRINT that show you how to; Escape/Evade/Survive, construct shelters, locate/filter water, set traps, make weapons, carefully selecting wild herbs, how to make use of every part of a trapped animal, etc…. I emphasize IN PRINT due to the possibility that you may be without any working electronic device to view an e-book or survival app. These would be for worst-case-scenarios of an emergency outlasting your supplies AND where you have integrity within your soul that would prevent you from ever becoming a wondering murdering marauder like jim… OR if you would prefer not having your body stacked next to someone like jim.
Reply to Jim:
You may have a point if you live in the city, hard to defend. But a bunch of us are armed and organized and live out in the country. I’m remote and I dont think you would waste your precious gas trying to find me or try to take whats mine. If you do, we will stack you with the rest of the other bodies that thought they could just steal and take, like you do.
The broken freezer or refrig suggestion is a good one as long as you bury it and make it into an old-time root cellar. And don’t forget parts and fluids for your mechanicals in case there is gas available to purchase after your CONSTANTLY FULL gas tank becomes MT! Or keep your bike in good condition and at the ready with tires inflated, etc., spare keys and lock for securing it.to a pole that may be still standing.
Rather than wait for “sale” stuff, I buy a little at a time so that the “use by” date won’t come due all at the same time. You can waste more money by buying a ton of food that must be used by, say, next year—and you have nothing fresh! Buy a little at a time and cache it away and you will be surprised how little you will have to throw away and how much you will have banked away on “doom’s day”!
Here is something I haven’t seen mentioned, for any of you who have pets. Unless you plan to eat your pets during hard times, be sure to store some food for them as well. If you should have to evacuate without them, at least you can leave a good supply of their food and water where they can get to it and hope for the best.
Jim, show up where I am to try to “take it” and you will be added to the pet food supply. The results go to the garden. Now get off your mom’s PC and get out of her basement. No hard feelings…
HOW TO LIVE IF IT IS REAL BAD- KEEP TRACK OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK SO HARD AND STORE UP ALL THIS STUFF, THEN TAKE A MATCH OR GUN AND GO TAKE IT. STAY MOBIL, WE CALLED PACK RATS IN NAM TARGETS. SORRY BUT THAT IS LIFE….IT WORKS AND ITS CHEAP….IF TIMES GET REAL BAD YOU CAN BET SOMEONE WILL BE GLAD TO SHARE YOUR FOOD….YOU ONLY NEED 10 DAYS OF FOOD AND WATER AN A GOOD GUN.
My kids always ask why are stocking up on stuff, (Food and other things).
Other people think this is just dumb and a wast of time.
So this is what I say to my kids and other people on the subject of storage.
Think of this as an insurance policy. You have car home and health insurance Right?
So really whats the difference?
With a car or home other insurance, you don’t really want to have to uses them, but when you do. You’re glad you have it.
But this food insurance is better than all the others:
No deductables.
I save on food cost because I buy in bulk.
I save on food cost because I don’t have to buy at the high prices because I always have it on hand so I can wait until it comes on sale. No I have to pay full price because I’m out.
I save money when it the prices jump because there’s a shortage due to bad growning season or because the cost of fuel to deliver it spikes.
I stay ahead of inflation.
And I sure they’re are more reason why it’s a great insurance.
But best of all over car and other insurances, I use it everyday and my money is never wasted.
I have not had to use my car or home insurance in over 10 years and I’ve had spent thousands just to have that piece on mind that I have it and thats all.
May be you should get your food insurance policy working for you.
I have a question I’ve never gotten a straight answer to. I live in a small trailer; no basement. How am I going to store a decent amount of food and keep it at 40 to 70 degrees. I live in the north country and it often hits 100 degrees in the summer and 40 below in the winter.
Any ideas?
Bill, did you see this?: http://www.patriotheadquarters.com/dont-toss-out-your-broken-chest-freezer/
What about storing foods in plastic containers. I heard all these plastic containers are not safe for long storage?
Everyone talks about food storage, but dont talk about non powered tools for cooking and processing..
Here is a small start to the list:
WonderMill grinder – will grind wheat, corn and even grind nuts into speadable nut butter.
Meat hand grinder.
Smoker
Dehydrator
Dutch oven
Cast iron cookware
I’m sure there’s more but I have to go!
I hope this is something you rework and send out.
Thanks for your time.
Thanks for what you are doing, having LIVED through Katrina and experienced first hand how unprepared a community/individuials can become makes what you are doing a very important service. I consider Katrina the great equalizer, in that it brought all of us unprepared, rich or poor to the same bread line hoping to get a meal or some water. We all said I’ll never get caught unprepared again, but time has a way of erasing Pain and life just gets in the way. Of course we can never be prepared for everthing life/man can throw at us but we can be prepared for a lot of them.
I agree with jeanne. Why not list the “37 food Items” ? We would then have an actual list to take with us when we shop and/or view when making plans for a storage area. Regret to say the dvd is too long and breaks up making it hard to maintain one’s attention therefore requires viewing over and over to insure you have absorbed all of the data. Overall It’s a great starter and and gets us started with survival thinking .. but a list would be more benifical, something you can grab and take with you to the stores. Yea, I know we can make our own from the dvd but you have them already listed when you made the dvd and it would be easier for you to publish and update from time to time. We can only watch the dvd so many times before it loses it’s affect and becomes a paper weight.
Just a thought
How about bay leaves to deter weivel and other bugs. If you’re lucky you know where to find it growing wild….otherwise buy it.
Store what you eat; eat what you store; Use it or lose it!
There is so much hype and hyperbole about preparedness. It’s pretty much based on opinions, assumptions, and inexperience.
Who has the experience to be able to list which 37, 101, or 1000 products will disappear? For example, all of a sudden, Paracord has become on of the most important items to have on hand for security, safety, and salvation. And don’t get me started on non-foods for barter!
Preparedness is as preparedness is understood, undertaken, and accomplished.
It’s as simple as that!
When the Japanese invaded a British held island during WWII they brought little supplies with them. Their tactic was to live off the land as they gradually took the island from the heavily supplied British army. If our food supplies were to fall into an invading armies hand we would be aiding and abeiting our enemy. preperation should be taken to destroy the stored food if necessary.
All of you have great comments. Yes, I have healthy grains,seeds, and other foods bought. There’s food from the garden in the freezer that will be useless if the power goes off and it isn’t freezing out. I have dehydrated fruit and veggies that may or may not be stored good enough for use later. Fermented veggies in the frig. I canned some veggies and fruit. But I also bought soup in cans when they were on sale….I hate the quality of what is in them but if you are in a hurry and are hungry, I feel you can open the can and eat it cold. I have canned tuna and chicken which are loaded with chemicals because of how they were raised, but hopefully it will be better than nothing…What I learned this summer with our high heat and drought is that you can’t count on anything…You can have heirloom seeds but you still need the weather to cooperate to produce a crop to continue to use those seeds for the next year. Even our free range chickens were stressed from lack of insects and greens…This isn’t the right area to insert this, but something else that I have on hand is extra white cotton dish towels…If needed, they could be used for first aid slings and bandages, etc.; diapers for babies; sanitary products for women, etc. Yes, old sheets would work too. Now let’s pray we don’t need any of this emergency preparation.
It was very disappointing to watch 10 minutes of your video waiting to hear what the 37 items you
need for storage for a disaster when the video suddenly stopped and never came back on. I waited
several minutes. So we wasted our time listening.
Can’t you just list the 37 items so we don’t have to go thru that 10 minute repeat of the video and
perhaps gets cut off again???
My family lives out of our food storage and our garden and 12 fruit and nut trees. We agree with Janie when she says “Store what you eat and rotate.” We store seeds for the garden and we store ORGANIC grains, nuts, oils, and natural sweeteners. We only buy the top quality foods for nutrition. For us this means we buy no canned, boxed or frozen prepared foods. The nutrition of processed foods is severely degraded by heating and with added salts and preservatives. We sprout the grains and seeds to increase the living nutrition. For those grains and seeds that we have not rotated through use in a year we pour them from one bucket into another and back to refresh the air so they can stay alive. If a grain doesn’t sprout we don’t eat it but feed it to the birds or put it into the compost pit. Sweeteners we store include Stevia, Raw Honey, Molasses and Dates. We eat and store local foods. We dehydrate fruits and vegetables that are excess in the summer and fall to have treats for the winter and early spring. Maximum nutrition also means wonderful taste. The body knows when something is good for us.
My wife and I are also Master Herbalists so we store enough medicinal herbs for a whole year so we can take care of any health needs from our own storage. This has worked miracles when there has been a health need for our family or a neighbor. No trips to the hospital or drug store, everything we need is on the shelf.
We are grateful to have food storage as times are tight and we eat for much less by purchasing in bulk by the 25 or 50 lb bag. We revise our storage amounts each year to store what we use. Remember to store personal hygiene items also. It’s nice to not worry if we will have enough to make it to the next paycheck while between jobs like I am right now.
This is great advice! Shelf Reliance has a rotating storage shelf system that could help many with the rotation of food, not to mention the great tasting freeze dried food that has a shelf life of 20 – 30 years.
Store what you eat and rotate. Buy your foods from the market, place them in your storage area then go shopping in your storage. If you don’t have something you need, you’ll know it. Live off of your storage for awhile to see where you require changes. I made the mistake of storing all freeze dried food. It stood on the shelf for 30 years. I had to throw it away because the vegetables and fruits had lost their vitamin value and would be no good to survive on. That little mistake cost me hundreds of dollars. I now store canned goods and place them on shelves in my basement. When I started, we lived in an apartment. We stacked boxes in the corner but they weren’t accessible so we eventually bought shelves for the corner. We also stored under the bed. It was amazing how much food we could store in the corner. I had many people tell me they wouldn’t do that because they couldn’t stand to lose the space. When it comes down to space or survival, I’ll gladly trade the space. We simply put a curtain around the boxes and no one noticed. It matched the decorations of the room and kiijed like it was part of the room. Be sure to have enough canned meats along with your freezer meats. Also be sure to store some kind of energy source for cooking outside. That can be coal for cooking, wood to cook over a fire, a tripod to hold a dutch oven over the fire, Think of camping outside. If you have no power, you must cook over a fire. Lots of foodstorage won’t do you any good if you can’t cook. Get a good dutch oven with a tight lid (the cheap ovens have loose lids. Spin the lid and watch the seal point to know if you have a tight lid. Lids can be adjusted with aluminum foil for tight fit but you don’t want to do that for every meal you cook)
Make sure you have some source for light. Candles, good flashlights with up to date batteries. Keep your batteries on a small shelf in the fridge for long life. Make sure you have plenty of wood matches dipped in wax for longer burning.
What’s the difference between 6 and 7?
I continually add to my stash of emergency foods, but my biggest challenge is the efficiency of ROTATING foods to ensure freshness. With no pantry, I place canned foods in large flat plastic storage bins under the bed, however, I sometimes fail to use a permanent marker to write a date on top of the cans for new additions. I encourage others to leave their permanent marker with the food so it is handy when bringing in new groceries to write the dates on them.
Another tip I will share is dipping can goods and box foods in wax to extend their shelf life considerably. The wax prevents rusting of the cans and maintains an air seal.
As a debt counselor I sincerely appreciate you sharing practical common sense and financially feasible solutions. Believe me, today’s economy is changing people’s priorities at all financial income levels.
I often thought of what would be good and handy containers in which to store as well as transport your supply of food, emergency items, important papers, etc. when you had very little time to get ready and leave—- I came up with brand new paint buckets that all the paint companies have—-these are five gallon, very strong plastic buckets with well sealed lids having a rubber gasket on them —-In times of emergency, all you have to do is grab them by their wire handles, pack them in your truck, van, R.V. or trunk of the can and take off—-
One of the things my wife and I do is to rotate food from storage (the grocery store of our house) to the pantry. This keeps things well rotated and when we do need something from the regular grocery store then we go there. This works well and rarely have we had to throw out expired product.
One additional problem can be having food storage that is either in too large of containers, which when opened become at risk for contamination beore the item is fully consumed, or these containers are bulky (like #10 cans) and difficult to carry–and to store–in case of required rapid movement out of home.
Very nice publish, i definitely love this website, keep on it
I strongly recommend keeping stored foods in rodent-proof containers. Plastic & glass jars work for small quantities, plastic tubs, cans, & metal cans for larger amounts. Secure lids matter, too. Raccoons are very clever at getting into things you thought were safe
Please tell me why you feel you have nothing to worry about.
Bill Allen
Failing to store foods for ingredient sensetive family members. My son can’t eat wheat, barley, or rye so having foods on hand that he can eat is vitally important.