personal food supply?

[woodmann]

I'd like to get a little deeper into food storage than just what is in my pantry. After looking around the net at different suppliers, I'm more confused than ever.

MRE'S for $90/case?
freeze dried vs. dehydrated?

I'm not yet ready to be filling 5 gal buckets with red wheat and purging them with nitrogen.

How can a guy start laying back some things for a little longer term than just overstocking the pantry, on a budget?

This is going to be mainly for two adults and a teenager.

Also, any suggestions for something to keep in my truck beyond cheese crackers and jerky? Looking for some ideas that will keep in the Pennsylvania heat and cold. How do you carry potable water in a vehicle that will be going through freeze and thaw cycles inside a truck cab throughout winter, without splitting?

A lot of different questions, I know, but the more I research the more it seems that I'm not gonna have anything other than a can of spam to split with my family if something goes wrong. I just don't have $2500 to lay out for a 3 month supply of Mountain House food.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

[olsarg]

Buy store brand on sale. When veggies are 3 or 4 for $1 get an extra dollors worth. Buy ramen when its 8 or 10 for a dollor. Get a spare case. Get empty used 5 gallon pails from deli or bakery around here the are $1 or $1.25 depends on type of lid. use a rubber hammer to close go to menards or hd or lowes get an hd paint pail opener (lid lifter) for 5 gallon paint pails. great storage containers. date all cans with purchase date. rotate stock. Get large container of rolled oats ect don't buy prepacked i serving microwave stuff. Aso for flour sugar and other cerals we store in 1 gallon gars we buy from deli s Just let them know you'll buy them when empty. some store even gave them to us. buy about $5 dollors extra a week when it's on sale pretty soon you'll find you have a years supply af things you eat. We buy pasta 2 lbs or more for $1. store in gallon jars.

[TheOtherChris]

Really need more info before I can reply intelligently.
How long do you intend for this storage to sustain your group of 3?
Is this primarily for survival "in place" or is evacuation likely?

[woodmann]

Olsarg,
Thanks for the suggestions. That is kinda what I've been trying to do. It would work better for me if I stored it somewhere other than the pantry though. It seems to get all used up before we go to the store again.

TOC,
This should be in place. The biggest threat around is a nuke plant about 10 miles away. 95% of the time the prevailing winds are in my favor.

I agree with Olsarg's ideas, I guess I just have to become more disciplined with that system. I'm also looking for ideas on some of the foods already packed for storage i.e. dehydrated vs. freeze dried (which is better, why/which lasts longer) and some decently priced MRE's. Last case I got was @ $50 plus shipping. Now they seem to be like hens teeth and just as expensive. I realize that the multi-front War on Terrorism and the hurricanes have put a large demand on the manufacturers, but does anyone know where to pick a couple of cases up reasonably? The main reason for these types of stock would be that they wouldn't just get used up with everything else.

Hope this helps.

[TheOtherChris]

Personally, I consider MREs to be a poor choice for survive in place foodstuffs.
MREs are excellent for transporting to a location for short term use. IMHO, the cost is just too high for stay in place use. Put them in your BugOutBag.

Pantry storage works very well for terms of less than 3-4 months of use because you will stock it with foods that you group is accustomed to, making it easier to rotate for freshness. Make sure to have plenty of soups, stews and other 'meals in a can' that require little preparation. Don't forget that a supply of water is needed and if your food storage consists of a lot of dehydrated foods, they will require a lot of extra water.

For longer terms of use, I prefer using the types of foods the world used a couple of centuries ago. Dry foods like rice, beans, wheat, etc. have kept generations alive for millenia.

The important thing to remember is to store what you eat and eat what you store. There is little point to storing a few hundred pounds of beans if you don't know a lot of ways to prepare them that will be agreeable to the group.
If your digestive system is not accustomed to a high wheat diet, you will starve to death (as it will simply move straight through) when you switch to it.

We have 5 gallon buckets and 50 gallon barrels of wheat, corn, beans, rice, dehydrated potatoes, rolled oats, even popcorn in our long term storage. My family has grown up on dishes prepared with these staples so rotation and acceptance is not an issue. We even survived on it for several months during a period of unemployment. We've made a LOT of different foods using the methods that my Great Grandmother used on the farm in Idaho.

Start experimenting now with recipies to learn what your family likes and doesn't like.

Good luck,

[Poccur]

"It would work better for me if I stored it somewhere other than the pantry though. It seems to get all used up before we go to the store again."

Thats the problem though isn't it? Human nature is to use the stuff you have before you go buy some more...I know, we do it !!!

I guess it all comes down to just get some, store it and keep it. Rotate the stock but always maintain some on hand so you maintain the store.

We have MREs, noodles, pastas, canned goods....Have no stored water but I plan to still be able to use my well.....Will run pump from DC....

Cheers

Poccur

[Terick]

I agree with most of the above. Generally get a bigger "Pantry" and get used to using it. I break things down into "months" and "years". Most of the grocery store convienience foods are good for "months". That's what we eat the most of so that's what I keep in the pantry. If you practice at it and go slow you can pretty easliy figure out what your family goes through and set up a rotation that keeps you a couple/few months ahead without risking too much. Just take the time to stay organized, and put dates on anything you buy that doesn't come with them preprinted.

If you want more than a couple/few months ahead you need to look to stuff that keeps for "years". Generally beans/rice/wheat/salt/sugar etc. Takes more preparation work and you need to learn how to use it so your family will eat it, but you can keep a lot of that stuff around and rotation is much easier to deal with. Mountian House is on my list here as well, even if it's too expensive to put away a years worth, it can add some variety to the mix.

As far as water in the vehicle that can stand freeze/thaw cycling they make it in those juice boxes (foil lined) in something like .5 and 1.0 liter sizes, that should hold up reasonably well. Major Surplus and Survival carries Aqua Blox? An empty container and a filter might help as well.

One big thing IMO is you don't want to feed the family in a crisis on something they are not used to eating. Makes everything "less" normal instead of "more" normal. Food is comfort.

[Deltaten]

** TOPIC: Personal food supply**

I first saw this, it popped into my mind....
Got my peanutbutter cups stashed behind the Clancy novels onthe bookshelf. Couple of bags of chips under the desk, and an open box of cheese/crackers under the printer. I buy stuff that only *I* like, thataways, it lessens the "snitch" factor :D

Gotta stash 'em where the others won't get at 'em! ;)

Seriously,m though, I've been stocking up at the store every week. Lookj for what's on sale and but a double set..canned goods/veggies/Beef stew, etc.

I have a set of wire shelves from a Gas'n'Go stored in the back room. Getting pretty full, so's I'll hafta find some other storage solution.. Yep! We eat soime of it up; but then, we/I replace it as needed. Ya just gotta remember to buy twice what ya use, to increase the stock to long-term levels.

Best,
Paul

[hso]

The Prudent Pantry

http://dnausers.d-n-a.net/prepared/faq/FSFAQ3-5.RTF

[TheOtherChris]

Originally posted by Poccur
"It would work better for me if I stored it somewhere other than the pantry though. It seems to get all used up before we go to the store again."

Thats the problem though isn't it? Human nature is to use the stuff you have before you go buy some more...I know, we do it !!!

I guess it all comes down to just get some, store it and keep it. Rotate the stock but always maintain some on hand so you maintain the store.



Our pantry is separate from the kitchen. It is where we go to get stuff when the kitchen is out. You put it on the grovery list and then take it from the pantry. That way you replace what you took the next time you go to the store.
This way the stocks are always being rotated.
Yes, it takes discipline, but that is true with most preparedness routines.

[Treborer]

Women need to stock Makeup, Perfume, Condoms, a Smile and a giving attitude.

Men have to lug all this crap around.

Don't seem fair.:biggrin:

If you don't think it comes to that , wake up and smell the tuna!
:eek:

Of course, some people live, fight and die for principles, ideals.

Jesus kinda said don't worry about what you might eat or drink , for your father in heaven knows what you have need of.


:bigangel:

[AzDak]

I'm not sure if I posted this here before or not, but here's what the wife and I came up with...

I'm not ready to dive into the full size storage area yet, but I felt we needed to make sure were were self suficient for at least a few weeks to a month.

In December we go out and buy 4-5 cases of misc budget canned goods. (I'm going to double that amount this year I think.) We pick all kinds of things like veggies, stews, soup, fruit, etc. If you're lucky, you can catch a lot of this stuff on sale.

To be honest, I hate canned food and don't want to incorporate that stuff into my normal diet. I'm not going to just waste it by letting it expire.

So we take our previous years stock and drop it off at a local food pantry. We get rotation, someone gets food they need, and I get a reasonably ready supply of food for an emergency at a minimal cost. (It's probably even still deductable...)

And canned food not needing water for prepartion is a big bonus in AZ.

[GunDude]

As to car storage for hot/cold. for max 3 day of rations, I went with Mainstay 3600 Foodbars, they will last 5 years in summer heat can take the cold the north will dish out. You do not have to rotate every month like MRE's or couple of month for can goods. So, fo 3 day supply they are cost effective IMO.

As to water in the car I did have and might add back Mainstay water pouches, which can be frozen. I carry water bottles with the Purifying straw built in, and have a Back up Katalyn Combi filter for long term.

As to long, long term I would put so seeds away in nitrogen, and grow your own, they take up alot less space. You just need to get by tell they mature in the summer, unless there are winter crops or you have a green house.

Or just loot the grocery store like everyone else! Just stand out front with your pickup truck and trailer with a shotgun and when someone comes out you can have them deposit in your truck and trailer, easy!:biggrin:

[Treborer]

Find a Mormon , hire on as a guard for mid -shift, they'll feed ya.

Good people.