Food Storage Matters-We Must Be Self-Reliant

Well, if you watch the news, you know food storage matters, we must be self-reliant. I don’t ever talk political stuff on my website because I want to keep my website calm and encouraging people to prepare.

We hear enough political stuff to make all of us realize what we are doing by filling our pantry and learning new pioneer or vintage skills is critical for us to survive what may come our way.

The government cannot drive by and drop off water or food within hours after a disaster, it’s not going to happen. I’m sure you saw what happened after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, people waiting in line for both water and food.

Some lost their homes, those storms brought all of us to our knees. Who can possibly survive a 500-year storm? Some people did, and many lost so much it’s heartbreaking. Some of us lived many miles away from the states involved but still felt for those affected just from watching on TV.

I kept checking with family members and friends in the affected area to see how the storm was progressing and touching their lives. Thankfully, my one friend in Tampa was totally okay, but it was days of nerve-wracking fear. She said she had water and food, so I was glad to hear that. She had a generator she could use after the storm went through if she needed it.

I feel prompted to reiterate why food storage matters and tell you some of the things I feel are most important to me. I will add your comments to my list. Remember, we learn from each other.

We also live in different areas, some with lots of sunshine, some rarely have sunshine, some have a few inches of snow to a few feet of snow. Some have beautiful weather year-round, some of us have heat that is sweltering in the summer.

In other words, food storage matters, but it may be different in different areas of the country and world. In the desert, we need more water, up North, they need a way to stay warm, you get what I’m saying. We all still need the basics, and these are the ones I recommend.

Food Storage Matters

Water

I have to start with water because obviously, we can’t survive without water. If you are new to my blog, let me explain that The American Red Cross recommends 1-gallon per person per day. I disagree. I suggest 4-gallons of water per person per day.

I just read a sweet comment from a reader who shared his water and food with some Texas families for two days during one of the hurricanes. He mentioned he could have done it for a month, and I quote “We could have probably survived for a month without outside help, but it wouldn’t have been pretty.” Thank you, Gene.

Doesn’t that melt your heart, people helping people? Let me add, his sweet wife cooked the meals on a two burner Coleman stove. Yay! Thankfully, they still had city water, he mentioned.

Food Storage Meals

I’m looking at my kitchen pantry, not in the rooms with the #10 cans stashed everywhere. Let’s talk about what meals we could cook tonight if a major disaster happened. I’m not talking about running to the store to grab something.

Here are some things I could fix now. Not everyone would love it, but I could make the following meals. I always have open #10 cans of freeze-dried onions, freeze-dried celery, and freeze-dried bell peppers stored in quart jars or OXO containers.

Yes, I would need to boil water or cook some of my meals with one of my many stoves. But most likely, I would use my Butane Stove because I have plenty of Butane Fuel and it’s easy to use and uses very little butane. I bought all four of my daughters one of these for their homes as a Christmas gift.

1. Spaghetti

Boil the noodles, strain, and serve with a jar of spaghetti sauce with some green beans.

2. Chili

I have several types of beans, chili powder, cumin, diced tomatoes, and freeze-dried onions. Boil the pot on a butane stove.

3. Hamburger Soup

I have cans of cooked ground beef, diced tomatoes, freeze-dried onions, cans of green beans and corn. Add some spices and its ready to serve after cooking. Use a Dutch oven if you have charcoal. Great dinner! I can almost smell the charcoal burning outside.

4. Chicken Salad

Grab some cans of chicken, drain them and add some freeze-dried celery, freeze-dried onions, mayo with salt and pepper. I can serve it on lettuce leaves if my garden is growing in the summer, or on my homemade bread or crackers stored in the pantry.

5. Creamed Chipped Beef

Serve it with bread or biscuits. I always have those small jars of chipped beef with ingredients you can’t pronounce. Remember this is food for survival. Creamed Chip Beef

6. Macaroni and Cheese

Adults and kids love mac and cheese, add some green beans, we have dinner. I have Velveeta cheese in my pantry and I can bake it in my CampChef Stove/Oven,  but I could also bake this dish this in my Sun Oven: Baked Mac and Cheese by Linda

7. Tuna Casserole

Boil the noodles, drain and add some tuna that’s been drained, and some freeze-dried onions, and a can of cream of chicken soup. Bake the casserole and serve with some green beans.

8. Pancakes

I can make pancakes from scratch or use the bags I have stored in the freezer of Krusteez (just add water). Who needs butter, just serve with Maple syrup.

9. French Toast

This one is easy for me because I make bread. I could use the eggs I have in the refrigerator and add the milk left in the refrigerator. If the milk is bad I have instant milk. Please remember powdered milk is for baking and instant milk is for drinking. Please don’t mention that to my daughters. I used some nasty-tasting powdered milk when they were growing up. I think they knew, just giving you the heads-up.

10. Snack Ramen

Here’s the deal with Snack Ramen, you can add beans, and vegetables and you have soup. Add some crackers or biscuits and you have dinner.

11. Chocolate

I need chocolate, any kind of chocolate. I store candy bars in mason jars sealed with my Food Saver. In times of stress, chocolate whether milk chocolate or dark chocolate rocks, right? I need a Snickers candy bar right now, or Peanut M&M’s.

12. Instant Oatmeal & P &J’s Sandwiches

Beth: Linda, I’d have to add instant oats for a quick breakfast, and PB&J for easy snacks. I’ve also heard put the milk in the freezer and eat the ice cream. Milk will last a little longer that way and the ice cream can calm the child in us down some.

Trust me, food storage matters. We need to cook from scratch and be ready to serve meals to neighbors who have not prepared or lost everything in their homes. May God bless this world, we need it. Thanks again for being prepared for the unexpected.

Water storage by Linda

Survival food by Linda