Emergency Food Storage
What to Stockpile and How Much...

And, while you are getting your list of emergency food and supplies together, don't forget family members with special dietary needs – an infant, a nursing mother, or a diabetic or elderly person with a special diet!

Emergency Food Storage
Photo courtesy of Jesse Michael Nix

In addition, you'll need to consider these factors when you buy stockpile food for your swine flu pandemic emergency food storage plan:

• Store foods that don't require refrigeration

• Learn to cook vegetarian meals that don't require meat

• Store familiar foods

• Include some comfort foods (like desserts or snacks) to serve as treats for your family. Don't forget birthdays!

• Take advantage of store specials, when you can.

• If you have a pet, don't forget to include emergency dog food

Basic Supplies
Emergency Food Storage Plan

• Convenience foods: Consider convenience foods such as instant mashed potatoes, that require minimal preparation--for the short term emergency food storage. Foods that only require the addition of water and require little cooking will be especially helpful.

  These foods are more expensive than "from scratch meals" but they do serve a very important purpose for short-term use. They will require special attention for long-term emergency food storage and should be rotated routinely.

• Commercial emergency storage foods A bit more expensive than assembling your own supply of "regular foods". However, this is the easiest and fastest way to put together an emergency supply of food. And, you will find that commercial food storage packages have come a long way from the K-rations in Grandpa's day. Many are quite palatable and you will even find such luxuries as ice cream!

  If you are short on time, and you have the extra money, this could be your very best source. These commercial storage foods can be found in camping supply stores, outfitters, and survival equipment and supplies stores.

• Canned stews, meats, fish, etc: Many people who enjoy camping, take canned entrees (e.g. stew or ravioli) for quick and easy meals. While these are not gourmet and probably lack essential nutrients, they will suffice in an emergency

• Flour: all-purpose, bread, whole grain, wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran, gluten (add 1-2 T gluten flour to all purpose to make "bread flour"), cornmeal, soy.

• Creamer: for coffee. Some brands can be whipped to make "whipped cream". Dry milk can be used as an acceptable substitute for creamer, although it definitely does not taste as good. If you add some creamer to dry milk, it improves the flavor of the milk.

• Shortening and cooking oil: If you have a choice, get canola and olive oil. They're better for you than corn oil.

• Rice: brown, white, basmati. Brown is the most nutritious.

• Pasta: spaghetti, egg noodles (for soups), pasta shapes, elbow macaroni, bows, etc.

• Sugar: white, brown, 10X, honey and molasses

• Sprouting seeds Best seeds for sprouting .

• Baking powder and baking soda: You might want to store an extra pound or two of baking soda. It has a number of non-cooking uses - substitute for cleanser, deodorize refrigerator, substitute for deodorant, substitute for mouthwash or toothpaste.

• Arrowroot starch or cornstarch: for thickening soups, gravies, pie fillings.

• Chicken/beef soup base: This can be used to make homemade soups. Many are hearty enough to serve as dinner, especially with homemade biscuits or rolls.

• Canned goods: Rotate this emergency food storage item, especially if in a damp area (because the cans will eventually rust). Make sure that you have a manual can opener, so that if the electricity goes off, you will still be able to eat!

• Nuts: If purchased in vacuum-sealed containers, these will keep for months. If you buy them fresh, they can get rancid quickly if they are not refrigerated.

• Dried fruits: raisins, prunes, currants, apricots, dates, coconut.

• Condiments: catsup, mustard, vinegar, mayonnaise, salad dressings (or make your own).
  1. Buy "portion packs" (like those used by fast food restaurants) from buyers' clubs like Sam's. Or...if you have a friend in the restaurant business, ask him/her to order them for you. This way you can use a small amount at a time and won’t have to use precious refrigerator space for condiments.

  2. Many boaters do not refrigerate their mayonnaise. We know this sounds crazy, but it's true. It seems that the issue is not the mayonnaise, but contamination of the mayonnaise by utensils such as knives. If you never touch the mayonnaise with a knife that has touched food, the boaters say it won't spoil. I can’t attest to this personally!

• Coffee, tea, cocoa:
  1. If your family drinks a lot of iced tea, don't forget to stock up on tea bags or instant iced tea.
  2. 2.If you normally grind coffee beans for your morning coffee and have an electric coffee maker, buy some pre-ground coffee and a percolator.

• Pancake (and other) mixes: If you get the complete mixes--requiring only water--you won't have to worry about stocking the other ingredients (i.e. fresh eggs). Or purchase dried eggs or use an egg substitute.

• Parmesan/romano cheese: You could substitute this in recipes calling for other cheeses. Look for the kind that does not have to be refrigerated after opening.

• Spices, herbs, vanilla, almond extract, etc.

• Peanut butter, jelly: nutritious and can provide quick, easy meals. A good source of protein for your emergency food storage stash.

• Popcorn: a treat that can even be made over a camp fire!

• Dry onion soup mix: for dips or roasts.

• Vitamins: Consider multi-vitamin/mineral tablets, Vitamin C (fresh fruits may be in short supply) and Echinacea (to take if someone contracts a cold)

• Pet supplies: food, kitty litter, treats. Why not make your own healthy homemade dog treat recipes? to add to your emergency food storage?

• Cereals: ready to eat or instant (i.e. oatmeal, cream of wheat). Remember that you will need milk for cereal. Keep cereals, crackers, etc. in airtight containers. Tins work nicely for this.

• Special dietary needs: baby foods or foods for elderly family members or those who are diabetic, have digestive problems, etc.

• Junk foods that you can't live without: Every family needs a few simple pleasures! Mine is chocolate.

Serious Emergency Food Storage

• Dry Milk:
  1. Buy in packets that make 1 quart. Make only what you can use so that you don't waste it. You can also repackage the dry milk so that each pack makes 1 quart.

  2. Most people find dry milk to be unpalatable for drinking. Add a rounded tablespoon of nondairy creamer to each quart to improve the taste (somewhat).

• Boxed milk: If you live in a colder region, the milk can be stored in a cooler in the garage or back yard after opening. The greatest drawback is that the milk requires refrigeration after opening. Check the box for the expiration date and rotate routinely.

• Canned milk: Evaporated or evaporated "filled" milk can be used in place of fresh milk. Add a can of water to each can of milk to get the proper consistency. While in your emergency food storage, turn the cans upside down every month or so to prevent clumping of milk solids. Shake before opening to use.

• Freeze dried foods: Individual foods and single meals are available in army/navy surplus stores, health food stores, camping supply stores, and specialty stores such as the "earthquake readiness stores" on the west coast. Convenient for short-term use. Not intended for long-term use. They are more expensive and many tend to be inferior in nutritional quality.

• Baking yeast: Even if you never baked bread before, you need to learn to do that now. A bread machine makes it very easy!

  Baking yeast needs to be stored carefully and rotated so that it doesn't get old. After opening, yeast should be refrigerated. It will last for a few weeks after opening, without refrigeration, but its life is significantly shortened . I have found that my baking yeast will still work for long periods, even up to a year--if it has been refrigerated.

• Dehydrated foods: Include dried minced onions (substitute for fresh onions in cooking) and dried minced garlic (ditto), green peppers, celery flakes, mushrooms, instant sauce mixes, instant pudding, gelatin desserts, imitation bacon bits (or real)in your emergency food storage.

• Dry beans: split peas, lentils (soup & sprouts), pinto (refried beans), garbanzos (salads), black beans, kidney beans (chili), limas (baked beans), soy beans (sprouts), mung beans (sprouts), pearl barley (soup).

• Canned fruit juices or juice concentrates: The concentrates are especially nice, as they take up little space. If you choose to buy these, make sure that you adjust your water estimates to include reconstitution of the juice concentrates.

• Yogurt: can be substituted for sour cream. Make your own. Buy a yogurt maker or use 5-6 baby food jars. Mix 1 tablespoon of yogurt (make sure the label says “active yogurt cultures”) with 1 quart milk (heated and cooled to lukewarm). After it is mixed well, pour the liquid into the jars.

  Place in a warm place for several hours, until thick. You might try a sunny window, car with the windows closed, oven turned off after baking or oven on the lowest setting. Some people simply place the jars in a container of warm water and wrap the container with towels for insulation. Watch for floating jars with this method. They can hit together and break.

• Dried eggs: hard to find. For baking, you can substitute 1 heaping T of soy flour and 1 T water for 1 egg.

• Non-refrigerated meats: Danish salami, Wisconsin summer sausage, pepperoni, country ham. Some Wal-Mart or Sam’s stores carry canned hams and bacon that do not require refrigeration.

  These items will last for months at room temperature if the plastic seal is not broken. If the seal is broken, mold will develop, and the meat should not be eaten.

• Home canned or dehydrated foods: If you have the time, this is one of the least expensive ways of "stocking up". Inexpensive dehydrators are now available at many discount stores like K Mart or Wal-Mart. If you will be canning, make sure that you have enough jars, rings and lids.

• Wheat and Hand cranked grain mills: Depending upon how serious you perceive the situation to be, you may consider purchasing a mill and wheat grains. These are available from health food stores or seed companies.

  Alternatively, you could grind a small amount of wheat or oats (roughly) in a blender, if you have electricity. This is not your most efficient method but it would work.

  In an extreme emergency, you could grind corn or wheat by using a rock in a metal bowl or 2 rocks--you've seen films of people doing this in third world countries. This would be very time consuming and tiring. The Mormons or Latter-day saints have a food calculator designed to help you decide how much to buy and store.

  That's it! Pick and choose the food items that are most interesting to you and your family. Make sure you have enough for at least 6 weeks, and be careful to store your emergency food storage safely away from insects and rodents. You will be glad that you took the time to make an emergency food storage plan!
  
  

  
  
  

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