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Plan Ahead, Set Up Your Own Food Storage While You Have Time
Thankfully for those having a willingness to prepare in advance, there's time still on your side to plan, prepare and execute your own food storage plan. This will save you and your family from hunger, food shortages and extremely high prices if the economy suddenly falls apart. Being prepared beforehand, will allow your family to physically survive through hyperinflation itself.
This article will concentrate on the initial steps you and your family will need in preparing your personal Emergency Preparedness Supplies. The first part of any survival plan will be setting up and stocking up your food storage.
Food and other important items for survival such as clean water, prescription medications must be included in your family's food storage. You should keep a minimum of 6 months on hand for you and your family this includes medications. When an economic event of this size occurs you're going to have very long lines at stores. In fact chances are when you finally get to the stores if not before, they will already be out of everything. Expect the prices for items you buy during these times to be extremely expensive. Milk or eggs if you can get them, might cost $25.00 – $250.00 or more depending on the severity of inflation occurring at the time.
To set up your food storage you will want to find a suitable place within your home that's preferably dry, cool, clean and level and does not have any direct sunlight such as a basement. It is important that you understand the cooler your storage area is the longer shelf life for your food. Heat will shorten the shelf life of many foods whether canned, vacuum sealed, freeze-dried or dehydrated. It is ideal if you have enough space to store a supply of food that will last you and your family at least 6 months. You and your family can rotate that food while in storage eating some and replacing it with a fresh supply as necessary, to maintain its shelf life.
Either purchase or construct suitable shelving and insure everything is level. It is also good to not keep foods directly on the ground, but at least 6 inches up in the event water floods the space from an outside leak, leaking plumbing, a broken water heater and so on. When it comes to stocking foods you can go inexpensive using canned foods which should give you a minimum of 2 years storage possibly more depending on temperature and storage conditions.
Canned Items – What To Stock Up On
Canned protein items such as beef, chicken, pork, tuna and salmon are good. Various canned vegetables, various canned fruits, canned or dried beans. Canned soups and soup stocks. Various powdered mixes for tacos, fajitas, pasta sauces, salad dressings gravy's etc. Also don't forget snack foods you and your family enjoy. Other items to include dry cereals, condiments such as salt, sugar non dairy creamer, pepper, hot sauce, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce. Baking supplies powdered eggs, cheese and milk. You will want your favorite dried herbs and spices for cooking and flavoring too. If you have any infants insure to keep a good supply of formula and all necessary baby supplies.
Packing Your Own Bulk Foods By Vacuum Sealing
Pack your own food items you buy in bulk at cheaper prices from various club food stores. Use Mylar bags or heavy-duty plastic food storage bags. Add a couple oxygen absorber packets (available online) to remove oxygen within the sealed container and lengthen the freshness of the contents being sealed. Attach a small tube from a vacuum cleaner into one corner of the storage bag, to suck out all the air. Then while the bag is still collapsed run a hot iron over the top to heat seal it, removing the tube and quickly seal the corner with the iron. Many foods self packaged this way and stored in suitable plastic containers with tight-fitting lids will last 25 years. Packing noodles, rice, grains, beans, etc work well with this method.
Freeze Dried, Dehydrated Foods & MRE's
For those who have a larger budget you can buy pre-dehydrated or freeze-dried meals usually with a 20 – 25 year shelf life. There are many meal variations for breakfasts and lunches or dinners individually pre-packaged or in bulk size cans and all you do is add water, in some cases hot water and eat. Military style MRE's or meals ready to eat, are complete “soup to nuts” full course meals. Some available with chemical heaters but not necessary, can also be heated by placing the sealed pouch into boiling water or eaten cold if desired. MRE's have a 4-10 year shelf life; depending on the temperatures they are stored in and are available in over 20 different menu varieties.
Budget? Keeping it Simple With The Bare Minimums
For those on a smaller budget only able to afford the bare minimums, there are several high energy dried items listed for this food storage option. You should keep a 6 month supply on hand if possible. While the selection here is more limited, these items will keep from spoilage with a lasting shelf life. So in times of need your family can still survive even on a budget.
Stock up on and dried meat such as jerky and canned meats such as tuna, salmon, chicken, pork, and beef. Also vegetables and fruits canned by either home canning methods or store-bought. Dried pastas, assorted beans, grains, rice, instant/dehydrated potatoes and oatmeal should be vacuumed sealed (see above). Storing raisins, dates, honey and peanut butter are also excellent.
Water is must not be overlooked, it is extremely important for human survival. Each person needs at least 3 quarts of clean drinking water per day and more if in warmer climates. For the longer term option it might be a good idea to purchase a high quality water filter and filter water from other sources as you need it. Especially if you don't have storage space for large quantities of water.
Tom Genot –
