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

[sumi]

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]

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.

 

[Denim Deb]

You forgot chocolate.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

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)

 

[lcertuche]

I think truthfully a person could survive on dried beans and rice. Dried beans and rice are a healthy protein. You can sprout the beans as a fresh vegetable. You can plant them for future food crops. The lowly bean is a perfect food. It might get boring but it's better than starving and you would probably be healthy. Beans also provide calcium for those without powdered milk, canned milk or milk animals.

 

[Bacawind]

I love this thought provoking topic!

I'm from southern Louisiana (hurricane Andrew had me stuck for just over a week), I lived off-grid in the mountains of southern Colorado (living off a generator made December of 1999 interesting), and now on the prairie where every year we are snowed in at some point (the longest stretch was 2 weeks in the blizzard of 2006), and our electricity is iffy.

I read the poll being in terms of nutrition and hydration, so I'll stick to those.

For the last three decades I've lived in rural areas. I don't think I stockpile, I just plan groceries for at least a month, preferably two or more months.

It's probably worth noting here that we are gluten-free, whole food, vegans (although my husband will occasionally eat our chicken's eggs), so that narrows our list.

I picked the beans, rice, and I'd like to substitute the pasta for oats. I also picked bottled water, but I meant our well water that I bottle in used containers. I also have a water filter.

The thing I would add to my "must have list" is gardening seeds.

 

[Mini Horses]

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.

 

[Mini Horses]

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

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!!! Emergency assistance.

 

[wyoDreamer]

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]

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.