Jan 24 2009
Food Storage Meekly Started and Never Ready
Most people find it overwhelming to take action to have a long term food storage to be prepared for disasters and economic uncertainty.
They read lots of information online that tells them they have to radically change their lifestyle to support food storage. The people who write these food storage advice articles are often already in a lifestyle suited to what they preach.
There is nothing wrong with their advice, it simply doesn’t apply to the vast majority of us urban dwelling working parents with kids who have tons of activities and school projects to do every week.
How to Get Started With Your Food Storage is one of those interview articles where the person has a lot of home time to bake bread, use milk powder, and spend tons of time cooking from scratch. This is great if you are in a lifestyle that supports it but for most of us that is not the case.
Answering the question about how often the food storage is used the person replies;
Now it’s natural. But I would say every meal. I make my own bread so at lunch we have that, at breakfast if we have cereal or something then it has the powdered milk. And then dinner would have usually milk or onions or something. I use it all the time.
Further they are asked on advice to those getting started in food storage since it is “a hard step” ;
So what I would say is just pick one thing that you’re going to start with. And one of the things I think is easiest to start with is powdered milk
Okay, so I want to be prepared and I start with powered milk. How many months or years go by before we are ready? How long before most of us just give up?
On the other hand you can order a freeze dried food storage family unit and be ready in a week when it arrives.
You will have 3 months worth of ready to eat meals for your family that costs about the same as the average American family pays now for the same meals in groceries. The food will store for 25 years so if you don’t need it this year or next, it will still be there for you whenever you need it.
Those who are supporting their families with a traditional food storage lifestyle are inspirations to us all.
Those who want to be prepared next week and buy a freeze dried food storage have also done a great thing for their family and friends.
Published under Depression food preparedness, Economic food preparedness, Emergency Food, Emergency Preparedness Advice, Freeze Dried Food, Survival Food, Survival Food Reserves, food storage, preparedness
You can spend a lot on freeze-dried foods (dehydrated foods are MUCH less expensive), but regular canned foods from the grocery store will out-live you … and remain nutritious.
See the articles at http://www.internet-grocer.net/how-long.htm for a fascinating couple of articles on 100-year-old canned foods.
I’m just starting to get my three months of freeze-dried food. I’ve bought some entrees from Mountain House, but wanted to buy some veggies and fruits. I’ve found four different brands of broccoli. How does one know which is best? Which tastes ok? Are there tips on how to know?
Thanks!
@BruceH
Mr Hopkins I hope things are well for you at the Internet Grocer.
As I mentioned in a more recent article, bulk foods and dehydrated foods may look cheaper up front, but most people will not adjust to regular use of such foods.
Most will let it go to waste, unless you are really committed to a lifestyle change and stick with it. It is February 6th, how many who started their new years diet, for instance, are still on it?
From a practical point of view, freeze dried food is a more effective way to be prepared.
As far as longevity of canned food there is more than just over cautious lawyers to the expiry dates. There is statistical risk over time that can not be ignored. Look at the recent food poisoning events due to poor process controls and make your decision.
A company that makes it’s name on producing long storing freeze dried foods for over 40 years has a different perspective than companies who print one to two year expiry dates on their cans.
@Star
Ah broccoli, a great source of vitamin C with one serving of 91g covering 135% of RDA for vitamin C so it is a great choice . Unfortunately Mountain House does not have #10 cans of broccoli only, but just in meals.
So your best brand then is Provident Pantry that has #10 cans of broccoli. I believe this a branded Emergency Essentials product. Here is a link;
http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_FN%20B100