Food
Have an adequate supply of food
Most people don't realize it, but at any given time, there is only about 40-50 days worth of food on-hand in America. If the distribution system collapses as a result of a disaster (e.g., inpassable roads, prolonged power outage), your grocery store could run out of food. Because of this, you need to take responsibility for your family's food supply. You cannot assume the government is going to take care of you.
It is prudent for you to have extra food in a pantry to deal with emergencies.
How much food you decide to stash away for a crisis depends on: 1) how much money you have and are willing to spend on buying supplies; 2) how much storage space you have available to you; and 3) your level of anxiety about future disasters. For some, an adequate food supply can be as little as three-days of food; for others, a year's worth.
So the first thing you need to figure out is exactly how much food you will stockpile. Recognize that the food you store is not intended to nourish you forever; it is, after all, impossible to stockpile 30-years worth of food. Rather, the purpose behind your food reserve is to act as a short-term backup until one of two things happens: 1) the crisis abates, or 2) you are able to reliably supply food for yourself through gardening, hunting and bartering.
Consider establishing a 30-day reserve of non-perishable food - at the very minimum. If you have the means to do so, create a six month supply. Why? It is good insurance just in case you ever lose your job. It can take several months to go through the job search and interview process before you finally get hired. And, even then, you often have to wait two- to four-weeks before receiving your first paycheck.
By having six months of food on-hand, you won't have to immediately worry about how you are going to put food on the table.
Create A Pantry Plan
Before you rush out to the nearest grocery store, sit down and create a logical food-storage plan. This way, you will ensure that you and your family will have your basic nutritional requirements met.
Strive to provide each person in your family with 1,800-2,000 calories of food per day (more for active teenagers) - realizing, of course, that those calories cannot all be from potato chips and cookies! Create simple daily menus that take into account the following food items and servings:
FOOD ITEM SERVINGS (per person per day)
Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta (6-11)
Vegetables (3-5)
Fruit (2-4)
Milk (2-3 cups)
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans Eggs, and Nuts (2-3)
Fats, Oils and Sweets (according to family practice)
Since figuring out exactly what you need to buy can be an overwhelming task, use the following method. It is the simplest way to define your emergency food stores. Make a list of 10 different breakfast's, 10 lunches and 10 dinners. Make sure the recipes are simple and easy-to-fix, and strive for variety in food items. (Go ahead, blow off the dust and thumb through your cookbooks!)
When you're done, you'll have an on-going 10-day menu you can repeat three times over a month, nine times over three months, or for as long as you like.
All you have to do now, is figure out exactly what foodstuffs, spices, etc. you need to buy - and in what quantity - to prepare each meal for your family. Before buying these items, make certain that each day's menu is nutritionally sound, calorie wise and vitamin wise. (In other words, 100% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and nutrients, plus 1,800-2,000 calories.) You can determine this by looking at the nutrition label printed on the cans and packaging. A glance through your pantry and refrigerator, or a quick trip to the store will help you collect all the information you need.
This logical approach to food buying ensures a proper diet that provides you with a variety of foods. Variety is important, since people get tired of eating the same food in a short period of time. (Who wants to eat chili five days in a row?) And when they do - especially children - they either start skipping meals or don't eat as much food as they normally would. This can lead to malnutrition and, subsequently, a host of medical ailments. By following the 10-day food rotation, no one will get tired of eating a particular food. (They will be eating turkey only three times a month, for example.)
Food Selection
When buying food, select items that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking, and little or no water. Ready-to-eat canned products (e.g., ham, fruit, tuna fish, turkey) meet these requirements. Also, try to select foods that are compact and lightweight, such as powdered milk, freeze dried spices, and dehydrated fruits.
Additionally, be sure to add a few "food treats" to your stockpile. These are foods that psychologically make you feel good when depressed or ill, such as candy, cookies or nuts. (Scientific research has shown that the act of eating causes your brain to release dopamine, a powerful chemical that makes you feel good.) So have each member of your family list three of their favorite foods and then store away a small amount. When a difficult time strikes, pull them out. It will cheer everyone up.
Regardless of what you end up buying for your emergency food reserve, the most important rule is: BUY AND STORE WHAT YOU EAT! In other words, don't stockpile anchovies if you can't stand anchovies. If you do, you'll have 20 cans in the basement for years to come. Always buy foods that you will enjoy eating. It will make your survival lifestyle much less stressful.