Guest guest Posted September 25, 2005 Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 i try to keep a small stockpile of food and water in my house at all times. i see no harm in being prepared. after 9/11 i started trying to be more prepared for emergencies. i live 45 minutes south of d.c. and we've gone through snipers, snowstorms, and hurricanes...you just never know what will happen. one of my best friends is mormon and their church teaches them the importance of being prepared. they strive to keep a years worth of supplies (food, tolietries, clothing, fuel, etc...)in their house, not only for themselves but for neighbors too. i learned so much from her about storing food. i think the most important thing to keep in mind when storing food is to store food you actually eat. you have to rotate it to keep it fresh. also, it can be expensive to start up a stockpile of food, so do a little at a time ($10 a week). if something is on sale, i usually grab a few extra. here are some things i keep on hand (in the pantry): flour (unbleached all purpose and whole wheat) cornmeal sugar baking soda, baking powder, salt, yeast, spices oils vinegars dried beans and legumes canned beans a variety of rices and grains (barley, quinoa, etc...) canned tomatoes (diced, sauce, paste, spaghetti sauce) cereals (oats, oat bran, wheat bran, flax seed, etc...) soy milk dried milk coconut milk pastas, noodles, asian noodles sauces, flavorings, soy sauce, thai curry paste, etc... canned fruits and vegetables veggie broths and bouillon pudding popcorn chips and crackers peanut butter and cashew butter jelly pickles juice and juice boxes dried fruits chocolate and hard candies (i get vitamin c drops) nuts and seeds bottled water coffee and tea root vegetables and garlic i could probably go on, but i'm sure you get the idea. another thing i do, make something called 3-day bags. for each member of the family, i fill a bag with small bottle (or 2) of water, juice box, packets of instant oatmeal, nuts, granola bars, chocolate bars, vitamins, coffee and tea bags, dry soups (there are veggie ones out there), ramen, crackers, etc...), napkins, salt and pepper packets, plastic spoons, etc..... it's something we can grab real quick if we have to evacuate fast and should have enough food to get us by for 3 days. i make new ones every 3 to 6 months. i give the older bag to each family member and they can eat what's inside (it's great for roadtrips, trips to the park, or to fill lunch boxes). well, i hope this gives you some ideas. let us know what else you find out. susie --- jandemommy <jandemommy wrote: > Does anyone here keep a small stockpile of food in > case of > emergencies? I was reading on another board about it > and was wondering > about any thoughts? I have thought it would be nice > to have 3-6 months > of stock in case of natural disasters, financial > crises, etc but have > really no idea where to start as a veggie. Does > anyone know of any > good websites for stocking a vegetarian pantry? I am > going to do some > more looking this week and attempt to formulate a > plan for our house. > > Anne > > > > Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 --- Susie, we live where our biggest worry is a brutal winter. I'm not sure terrorists would find much here : ). they wouldn't stand a chance with 2 small towns chock-full of elderly women who make it their business to know everyone else's : ). but tons of snow and not being able to drive anywhere is a possibility as are job layoffs, etc. I really like your idea of making 3-day food bags for everyone is house. even if it didn't get used for an emergency per say they might come in handy for a impromptu road trip where veg dining might not be possible. I actually just started making a list of dry goods that we use that are in the cupboard and started with estimating what we would eat in 6 months to possibly a year. With a organic grain farm within 40 minutes driving I can get ~215 lb of our favorite grains/flours/soybeans for soymilk & tofu for ~$200. They also sell dried beans, carob chips, and dried fruits very reasonable. my goal would be to get to the point of having a very well-stocked dry goods pantry/deep freeze that only requires a few trips for fresh fruit/veggies and odd ingredients that may occasionally pop up in a recipe. I am busy reading to see how to make our little garden more efficient for canning/freezing and networking with a few friends who garden to do our own produce-sharing. So many plans so little time it seems : ).........thanks for the ideas--it got the wheels turning............. Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 I have a great guide to storage up that might be useful to read: " Making the Best of Basics: Family Preparedness Handbook " by James Talmage Stevens... (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1882723252/qid=1127744732) The basic categories it lists are water; wheat, other whole grains, flours & beans; powdered milk, dairy products & eggs; sweeteners - honey, sugar & syrup; cooking catalysts (salt, oil, leaveners); and finally sprouting seeds & supplies. Obviously, these should be things you are familiar with cooking and eating before you need to rely on them from a storage program, but it's great at giving you guidelines, things to think about and plan for.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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