Official Poll - What is the best foodstuff to stockpile in case of emergency?

What are the best food items to stockpile in case of emergency?

  • Dried beans, legumes, rice, pasta

    Votes: 21 80.8%
  • Nuts and trail mixes

    Votes: 7 26.9%
  • Breakfast cereal

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • Granola bars and power bars

    Votes: 4 15.4%
  • Dried fruits, such as apricots and raisins

    Votes: 15 57.7%
  • Canned meat, vegetables and ready meals

    Votes: 18 69.2%
  • Powdered milk

    Votes: 5 19.2%
  • Honey

    Votes: 11 42.3%
  • Bottled water

    Votes: 13 50.0%
  • Sports drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade

    Votes: 1 3.8%

  • Total voters
    26

sumi

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If there's one thing we can guarantee about life is that it happens! Even in this modern day and age emergencies strike, be it foul weather or a natural disaster, and it's good to have some food stockpiled in case the shops become inaccessible for a period.

Which of these foods would you all say is the BEST to have around, in case of emergency and why?

If you have anything in mind that is not on the list, please reply to the thread and tell us!
 

frustratedearthmother

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I'd definitely go for the dried beans, lentils, rice etc., just for their keeping power.
Nuts - yes.
Dried fruits - yes.
Ready made trail mix...not so much. Made from our own nuts and dried fruits - yes.
Home preserved meats, veggies, ready made meals - yes!
Powdered milk - nah, that's why I have goats, lol.
Honey - absolutely!

Bottled water... that's a tough one because we have a well and rain catchment systems and I store water in large 5+gallon containers, so I don't often buy water. We have access to pond water too but I'd need a good filter which is 'on the list.'

However, if there were no electricity we'd have a hard time getting the well-water out of the ground - even though it's not impossible. We do have a generator and now have a battery bank to store power and an inverter.

Probably wouldn't buy Gatorade/PowerAde.

Along with honey, I'd like to have plenty of sugar and lots and lots of salt. Both can be used in food preservation.

Other easy keepers are things like bouillons for flavoring soups and such and spices for the same reason.
 

frustratedearthmother

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Oh yeah - CHOCOLATE - but with sugar, vanilla, goats milk and some cocoa I could make chocolate fudge(!).... definitely adding cocoa and vanilla to my list. :)
 

Mini Horses

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Dried bean, lentils have a lot of protein plus fiber. Keeping for long term is more than a plus. Most fruits/vegs can be dehydrated for same reasons. Hot water and they taste good.

Coffee. I really like my morning caffeine.

Chocolate, YES!! (I buy semi-sweet choc chips to eat.)

I have a generator that hooks into my meter base, so I can run my well pump & anything else I need. But, in emergency, we don't need to run 24/7 for things. Refer & freezer can go well with only 4-6 hrs a day on electric -- IF you don't keep opening them! Full ones hold temps better. Gasoline is more of an issue, for generator. Eventually will add some solar.

Most of us know we can live with minimal electric, so long as we use other sources for cooking, heat...wood, propane, oil? canned & dehydrated foods, plus a growing garden, chickens (meat & eggs), goats to milk (cheese, yogurt, kefir, milk, etc). We are good to go!!!

I feel that several countries would just LOVE to attack USA but, we are strong enough to defend and defeat. Could it happen, sure. Can we survive, sure. I just want to feel that I have done what I can to make my OWN home self-sufficient.

I plan to can and dry many things this year to use all winter.
 

frustratedearthmother

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Dang it - how could I forget coffee? I don't become human until I've soaked up at least a couple cups. I need to think this out a little more thoroughly, lol.

OMG - and WINE! And, maybe whiskey (for medicinal purposes, of course)

;)
 

Mini Horses

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Some people do not have chickens & goats (Really??? Can't imagine!:p).

But for those of us who do, we have an almost perfect sustainable food source. Eggs & milk. For years the ancient tribes used goat, sheep & camel milk for the major portion of their diets. Chickens can forage for own food & goats can, plus can be tied out in areas that have food source when the area you have is depleted. Right now, I could and would be able to supply several families from those resources alone.

Sooooooooo....there ya go! Another reason to keep so many!!! :hide Emergency assistance.
 

baymule

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An emergency situation does not have to be a total collapse, it can be losing your job or a severe storm. Having a stock pile of food, a packed pantry and freezer can be a huge comfort when tough times hit. I've lived in hurricane country where we went for weeks with no power. The generator is nice, but when there is no power, the gas stations can't pump gas. In a SHTF situation, you sure wouldn't want that noisy thing advertising to everyone that you have power and probably lots of other interesting things too. We have used a generator, but gas was scarce.

In addition to the above list, add

powdered cocoa
vanilla (I make my own and am down to last half gallon-gotta make more)
matches-strike anywhere
kerosene lamps
5 gallons kerosene
25 lbs whole wheat berries
25 lbs corn
grain mill with hand crank option
baking powder
baking soda
5 gallons apple cider vinegar
25 lbs sugar
spices-2 or 3 of everything
oatmeal
charcoal and lighter fluid
BBQ pit (have dug hole and placed oven rack over it to cook)
pet food
livestock feed
hay
alcohol in smaller bottles for trading
alcohol in gallon bottles for own consumption :lol:
herbal healing books
herb garden
garden seeds
canning lids and rings--LOTS!
solar dehydrator (2 window screens)
cigarette lighters
Soap, hand, bath, laundry, dish
5 gallons olive oil
salt for human consumption
salt blocks for livestock
OTC medicines
rubbing alcohol
hydrogen peroxide
bandages
toothpaste
toilet paper--how many rolls used in a month x 6
paper towels--same
paper plates, cups, plastic forks spoons
canned goods
sewing supplies
knives
knife sharpener
AMMO

Basically, take an inventory of what you use-what you need, not what you want. When you buy one, buy 2 or 3. What would you miss the most if suddenly there wasn't any? What would you need the most? Maybe you need more or less of the amounts listed. Even if a total collapse came, there will be somebody, somewhere, building, making, manufacturing goods and products. Hand tools would be a good investment.

Plant fruit trees of all kinds. Plant berries. Plant nut trees. Grow pumpkins and winter squash for winter food or for winter feed for livestock. There is no way to store everything you need forever, to try to do so is silly. You can store enough to get you and your family by for 6 months to a year, or to help others, friends or family. But you would have the benefit of your poultry, livestock, gardens and food bearing trees to feed you, your family, neighbors and friends.
 

wyoDreamer

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I voted for the dried legumes, rice, pasta - but I was looking for Wheat. Wheat berries ca be cracked and cooked for breakfast cereal and ground for flour. Nothing is as comforting as warm bread from the oven.
We have a good selection of dehydrated food in our storage - strawberries, raspberries, potatoes, butter powder and a lot of other things. I almost think we would eat better after TSHTF than we do now. I plan to use the stuff for making mixes to take camping. I've done it in the past, but we haven't been camping for a few years. Makes life easy for me to just leave the un-used stuff in the camper after we get home and restock what we used when we get ready to go camping again. Just need to keep it in a plastic tote to keep the mice from getting it.
 

Servelan

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I have a lot of allergies, so I have to modify my food storage to accommodate that and I also have some things that I maybe shouldn't eat (graham crackers and peanut butter, for example) but that I grew up with as emergency comfort foods (I figure one won't kill me). I've stocked up on Bob's Red Mill GF baking mix, for example; I've also got the means to cook the stuff. Some things I've found useful are peanut sauce and curry sauce, one from the local Asian store and the other from Trader Joe's, and I have some BBQ sauce on hand as well. I did find that candy loses its flavor fairly quickly, which was disappointing in a major way, but I was using a vacuum packer and not freezing it afterwards. Hmmm....might have to try that experiment again, right after Halloween... : )

The only thing I haven't seen I'd like to get some of is something like Milkman dried milk for cooking.
 
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