List of Non-Perishable Foods
(Some of
this may not be terribly appetizing but it will get you through an emergency;
plan meals for 1 – 3 months, for at least three people more than are in your
family, just in case you have refugees)
Keep
these things on hand in bulk
(maybe even in their own box/area – and rotate so everything stays fresh) – Oatmeal,
instant oatmeal, crackers, dry cereal, bread sticks, pancake mix, biscuit mix, Pop-Tarts,
maple syrup, honey, powdered eggs, powdered milk, drink mixes, Emergen-C drink
mix, protein drink mixes, malted milk mixes, infant formula, shelf-stable boxed
drinks and milk/soy/almond/rice milk, cocoa/hot chocolate, tea, coffee, instant
coffee, sugar/brown sugar/sweeteners, salt & pepper, canning salt, peanut
butter, Nutella, almond butters, jellies and jams in small containers, hulled sunflower
seeds, nuts of all kinds, Mainstay calorie bars (buy online), Spam, tuna fish, canned chicken/beef/ham/fish, jerky,
summer sausage, salami, corned beef, Velveeta, Hickory Farms shelf stable
cheeses, canned vegetables and fruits (beans/tomatoes/fruit/green vegetables
especially), dehydrated fruits, raisins, flour and baking essentials (baking
powder, yeast and baking soda), canned meals (chili, soup, stew, Speghettios
etc), salsa, sauerkraut, pickles, olives, pesto, dried tomatoes, lemon juice, instant
rice, regular rice, Cream of Wheat/Rice cereals, cous cous, pasta, desserts
(cookies/pie filling etc), butter, cooking oil (very important!), vinegars, olive
oil, lard, Crisco, seasonings, dry herbs, bouillon cubes and powders, dry sauce
mixes, instant potatoes, dry soup mixes, dried peas/beans/lentils/legumes (but
they require lots of cooking and water), freeze dried meals and foods, hard
candies, granola, protein bars, and don’t forget a nice hidden stash of
chocolate.
Stock up
on basics like
potatoes, apples, breads of various sorts (sandwich breads, tortillas, bagels),
fresh fruit, oranges, bananas – basically, any food that sit on your counter
top or in your pantry without refrigeration
Wild foods – dandelions, chickweed, plantain
(KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, don’t guess), know where food grows in your
immediate neighborhood – fruit trees, community gardens etc.
Created foods – learn the quick way to make
cheese with lemon juice and milk; sauerkraut with cabbage and canning salt, how
to make applesauce, how to bake bread/tortillas/flat breads from scratch
Learn to can and dehydrate and have all
the tools you need, learn to make a solar oven and a solar food dehydrator (and
have the supplies on hand, labeled), learn how to crock pickle. Learn to cook on a Dakota hole and in a pit
(and have what tools you need to do so); learn how to make a rocket stove with
16 bricks. Have bread recipes and other
recipes on hand. Have books on hand to
teach/remind you.
If you have
no desire to learn homesteading skills,
make friends with someone who does and trade goods for food if necessary. Stock essential supplies to trade for goods –
canning lids, matches, canning salt, recipes, charcoal, firewood, aluminum
foil, fishing gear, ammunition, OTC meds, open pollinated seeds, antibiotic
first aid cream etc.
Don’t
forget vitamins and supplementations and extra pet food. Know
where grocery stores and restaurants are within walking distance. Get either water barrels for your down
spouts, or fill Aquatainers – one per person minimum (7-day minimum). Know where the nearest water source is – and
have a plan to transport water – containers, wagon, bike etc. I would
also suggest looking into storing food in 5-gallon buckets with Mylar bags
and Gamma lids, and canning jars, to keep your supplies fresh and safe from
bugs and vermin for long term storage.
Here are some links to help you in planning:
http://www.ready.gov/
http://www.emergency.cdc.gov/
http://www.redcrossstore.org/
My favorite online store for emergency preparedness items is http://beprepared.com/#default
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