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SameOldStory · 10-17-2010, 07:25 PM

I've read several places that in the major cities we have about a 3 day supply of food available. Here's the Congressional Record for what it's worth.

But that is probably true only if none of it was damaged and all of the food was distributed evenly. And that's not going to happen.

The main things to consider are cost, convenience, shelf life, ease of preparation (not the same as convenience), caloric content, and volume/satiation. After that personal preferences and variety can be considered.

So what is the cheapest way to "stock up"?

Ramen Noodles - cheaper than dirt when it's on sale. It was designed to be cooked in about 3 minutes even with low heat. Add more water to it to make you feel filled up. I like to stir in an egg just after I turn off the stove.

Macaroni and Cheese - yes, I know, WHAT A TREAT! And then there is the complaint about not having fresh milk and butter. Just wait, that part's coming. This takes longer than the Ramen to cook but is tasty and high in calories. Buy them on sale. But decide which ones you like best before buying a lot of them. Some aren't very good.

Canned foods - Number one rule > only buy what you like to eat. Why? Because you are going to be eating them long before you ever have an emergency. Buy them when they're on sale. Put the purchase date on the can. Later as you buy newer cans, consume the oldest marked cans.

Avoid snacks in plastic bags - Snacks will go bad. Even if they don't "rot", they'll taste bad after a long time. Only snacks in an airtight can should be considered. An exception to the "no plastic bag" rule for me is noodles. I just rotate them more frequently.

Canned Fruit - Even if you don't have children, canned fruit will taste like a luxury.

Bottled water - Not much to say. Just keep a lot more on hand than you think you'll need.

Sundries

Salt, pepper, etc - What ever you like. Side note - Spices may be more valuable than gold. In a prolonged emergency someone may kill for gold, but probably not for oregano. Canned tomato sauce and oregano go well with squirrel.

Coffee, tea, etc. - When I used to backpack I carried chicken and beef bullion, along with instant coffee. All you have to do is heat the water for a filling part of a meal.

Instant "juice" like drinks - Kool Aid type of stuff. Preferably the bulk type, in a jar, as opposed to the packages the make a "pitcher" full. Again, even if you don't have children, this can be a treat. Just find out what you can enjoy warm. I may prefer it cold but I can drink "fruit punch" at room temperature with no problem.

Odds and Ends

Butter flavored Crisco Shortening - It has a 2 year expiration date on the can (when new). An expiration date is the last date that a merchant can sell it. In this case that means that it can sit on your shelf for 2 years and still be OK. At that point you should use it.

So what is it good for? Take a look at margarine. It's made from vegetable oil. The same is true of Crisco shortening. I've used the butter flavored Crisco shortening in cake mixes instead of butter with no odd taste. Use it in place of the butter in macaroni and cheese. Use it to fry that squirrel, too. Best of all, unlike butter, Crisco shortening doesn't have to be refrigerated. And remember it has an unopened shelf life of two years.

Powder Milk - I don't like drinking powdered milk. But it is perfect for use in almost anything that calls for milk. Like macaroni and cheese, cakes, or pancakes.

Flour, yeast, and corn starch - If you don't already know what to do with these items you can always trade them for a can of beans. Maybe.

This is only a short list. If you have tons of money you can spend it on "survival foods" with a 30 year shelf life. If not just buy the things that you already eat when they're on sale and put them in boxes.

I've been out of work for two months due to foot surgery. But I don't have an emergency. I'm doing fine.

10-17-2010, 07:25 PM	#101
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	I've read several places that in the major cities we have about a 3 day supply of food available. Here's the Congressional Record for what it's worth. But that is probably true only if none of it was damaged and all of the food was distributed evenly. And that's not going to happen. The main things to consider are cost, convenience, shelf life, ease of preparation (not the same as convenience), caloric content, and volume/satiation. After that personal preferences and variety can be considered. So what is the cheapest way to "stock up"? Ramen Noodles - cheaper than dirt when it's on sale. It was designed to be cooked in about 3 minutes even with low heat. Add more water to it to make you feel filled up. I like to stir in an egg just after I turn off the stove. Macaroni and Cheese - yes, I know, WHAT A TREAT! And then there is the complaint about not having fresh milk and butter. Just wait, that part's coming. This takes longer than the Ramen to cook but is tasty and high in calories. Buy them on sale. But decide which ones you like best before buying a lot of them. Some aren't very good. Canned foods - Number one rule > only buy what you like to eat. Why? Because you are going to be eating them long before you ever have an emergency. Buy them when they're on sale. Put the purchase date on the can. Later as you buy newer cans, consume the oldest marked cans. Avoid snacks in plastic bags - Snacks will go bad. Even if they don't "rot", they'll taste bad after a long time. Only snacks in an airtight can should be considered. An exception to the "no plastic bag" rule for me is noodles. I just rotate them more frequently. Canned Fruit - Even if you don't have children, canned fruit will taste like a luxury. Bottled water - Not much to say. Just keep a lot more on hand than you think you'll need. Sundries Salt, pepper, etc - What ever you like. Side note - Spices may be more valuable than gold. In a prolonged emergency someone may kill for gold, but probably not for oregano. Canned tomato sauce and oregano go well with squirrel. Coffee, tea, etc. - When I used to backpack I carried chicken and beef bullion, along with instant coffee. All you have to do is heat the water for a filling part of a meal. Instant "juice" like drinks - Kool Aid type of stuff. Preferably the bulk type, in a jar, as opposed to the packages the make a "pitcher" full. Again, even if you don't have children, this can be a treat. Just find out what you can enjoy warm. I may prefer it cold but I can drink "fruit punch" at room temperature with no problem. Odds and Ends Butter flavored Crisco Shortening - It has a 2 year expiration date on the can (when new). An expiration date is the last date that a merchant can sell it. In this case that means that it can sit on your shelf for 2 years and still be OK. At that point you should use it. So what is it good for? Take a look at margarine. It's made from vegetable oil. The same is true of Crisco shortening. I've used the butter flavored Crisco shortening in cake mixes instead of butter with no odd taste. Use it in place of the butter in macaroni and cheese. Use it to fry that squirrel, too. Best of all, unlike butter, Crisco shortening doesn't have to be refrigerated. And remember it has an unopened shelf life of two years. Powder Milk - I don't like drinking powdered milk. But it is perfect for use in almost anything that calls for milk. Like macaroni and cheese, cakes, or pancakes. Flour, yeast, and corn starch - If you don't already know what to do with these items you can always trade them for a can of beans. Maybe. This is only a short list. If you have tons of money you can spend it on "survival foods" with a 30 year shelf life. If not just buy the things that you already eat when they're on sale and put them in boxes. I've been out of work for two months due to foot surgery. But I don't have an emergency. I'm doing fine.