thrift, or quality?

[ORChick]

I lurk on a couple of other self suffiency/prepping/end of the world as we know it sites, and have noticed that a lot of people tend to think "thrift" before "quality". That is, sales at Walmart are big news, commecially canned food is sought after, deals on dry milk powder is commented on. Filling one's shelves with shelf stable stuff, at the cheapest price, is seen as the be-all and end-all.
How do you, here at SS, feel about this? Personally, a lot of what seems to be staples for some is not allowed in my house; we don't eat it now, and I can't see us eating it in an emergency (though, who knows? Maybe if its there ... ) I tend to look for a good price, but I also have a minimum quality limit. It doesn't really matter how cheaply I can buy something if it doesn't meet my minimum criteria for "food". In other words, cheap butter is OK, margerine, at any price, is not. Please tell us your feelings.

 

[Ldychef2k]

Agree about margarine v butter, but I am extremely limited on budget, so I have no options but to go as cheap as possible. I know it's not the popular stance, but I would rather eat cheap food for many years than run out of the more expensive stuff a whole lot sooner.

 

[HannaLee]

I only stock up on what we actually eat. I don't use dry milk very often, so I only store a box or two. I don't use store-bought soup, so I don't buy any, even on super-sale. I stock basics that can be made into quite a few simple, tasty meals. I can our own soups, beans, chili, jellies, fruits and veggies. I'll never have the pantry that some preppers do, but the Lord is faithful and I'm not worried about the future. He will guide and provide now and during whatever may come to us then.

 

[ORChick]

Agree about margarine v butter, but I am extremely limited on budget, so I have no options but to go as cheap as possible. I know it's not the popular stance, but I would rather eat cheap food for many years than run out of the more expensive stuff a whole lot sooner.

Oh yes, I understand about limited budgets. Maybe I didn't phrase my question properly. Maybe "cheap" isn't really what I meant. I think I mean - do you have a minimum quality level, below which you will not go? Or is filling the shelves for the next emergency, whatever it may be, at the cheapest price, your priority, whatever that may involve. Dry milk, because it is shelf stable; generic vegetable oil (whatever that may be), because it is inexpensive; soy whatever, because that seems to be what is available. Or do you have a point where you say you'd rather do without a certain item, rather than compromise what you know is good nutrition for your family? Even if that means that the shelf might not be as full as you would like it if the time comes that you can't make it to the market for awhile. Or maybe there isn't any minimum level in your case?

ETA: By "you" and "your" I don't mean anybody specifically.

 

[FarmerChick]

I don't stock like the survivalist do. I think most survivalist want massive quantities, right? To survive for 10 years or something..LOL. Not sure how much they stock. Ending for the world mentality would be different than our SS prepared for emergency situations I would think.

I never stock for end of world..HA HA

So if buying massive quantities of anything, cheap would be the way to go cause who can afford 5 years worth of product at one time? I sure can't...lol



quality vs. quantity

for my stocking I pick MY quality. Some things I buy cheap...like canola oil. I buy store brand, cheap as I can get. I never fry stuff hardly so it doesn't matter to me. Some foods I only want a certain brand, some might be a tad cheaper but it is what I want.

 

[Farmfresh]

A good question.

I tend to agree with HannaLee.

I only buy what we actually eat on a regular basis and tend to buy ingredients rather than completed foods. This was spurred on (especially in the beginning) by being rather poor. I can not afford to let any of the food I pay money for or work to produce spoil. A few freezer burnt steaks and a gone too long jar of canned goods represents too much investment of my time and money for me to lose.

So I usually try to keep a steady rotation of food coming in and out of my house. I faithfully inventory and rotate all of my freezer goods and pantry stores. This means I will never be storing things for much more than a couple of years at a time and that is a long time for us a year and a half are more typical. Since we are constantly eating it I don't skimp on the good stuff.

When we were first married (as teens) and very poor I bought cheap food. Then I realized two things. First it is better to eat the best food possible and not waste any than it is to buy the cheap stuff just for flavor sake. After all, eating delicious foods is one of the true joys of life, so why compromise your life for money. Instead learn better cheaper ways to acquire that delicious food, like growing your own!

The second thing I learned was that the better the food, the better the nutrition! It is very important to eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet made up of fresh high quality foods helps us to stay strong and healthy and THAT will save you money. If we are just worried about shear survival foods all we would need to do is store a big vat of purified water and several hundred bags of the best dry dog food we could buy. The nutrition in that would keep us alive. Not so sure that it would be much of a life however and now we are back to lesson #1.

In a normal short lived emergency situation (and we have had instance to prove this with a 10 day no electricity nearly lock down ice storm) we live pretty darned high on the hog! While others in my area were eating peanut butter for days at a time or going to shelters or to stay with relatives, we were warm by the fireplace eating roast beef and potatoes and having cake for dessert.

If we ever have a true TSHTF emergency first I plan on depending on God to care for us and supply our needs. After that I figure I have about a year or two. After that time my glasses will be broken, my arthritis will swell me up and I will be the crazy old lady people go to to learn how to make soap and clean chickens. At that time I will simply be bartering my knowledge for food to eat. The knowledge is what I am storing the most of ... that stuff won't rot on the shelf!

 

[FarmerChick]

LOL FF
with soap and chickens you will be clean and smell good----and have plenty to eat.

 

[2dream]

Interesting question. I buy and stock all kinds of things from margarine for my mom (who won't eat anything else) and butter for me (who won't eat margarine).
I am not a survivalist. I do not need 5 or 10 years worth of emergency food stores. My goal is a years worth of 1 meal a day home grown canned veggies and meat.
I do not always worry about going the non-processed food route either. There are just times I want that piece of "plastic cheese" on a ham sandwich with a can of tomato soup. (My favorite comfort food). Or a can of "processed does not really taste anything like spaghetti" spaghetti. (For some reason I love the taste of it.)
So while I go for good quality, wholesome in some areas, in other areas I go for price or brand. I figure it does not matter if I buy all "what some consider better for you foods" if no one is going to eat them.
Emergencies are just that, "emergencies". Quick and easy food preparedness works best for us. A glass jar of home canned soup may not weather the next tornado or hurricane, but that can of spaghetti "O's" probably will.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

The knowledge is what I am storing the most of ... that stuff won't rot on the shelf

i love that you said this! i think if something catastrophic happens then your/our knowledge will really be handy. i keep thinking about my hubby's grandma and her experience in the depression. her family was 'farm poor' so they never really noticed when everyone else was suffering. they kept on with what they were doing... they never went hungry. to make extra money they sold chicken dinners to others - for $0.25

our goals are to make this place work in the long haul if we need to - water source, fuel (firewood), and a lively barnyard for food.

but i understand your question ORchick - there are some things that we wont/dont stock. why by 50lbs of white rice when you can buy beans and barley instead?? or better yet - grow them yourself

a bargain is only a bargain if you will actually use it.

 

[Dace]

I understand what oyu are asking and have struggled with it.

I have mentioned that I used to play the grocery game, hard & heavy! My pantry and freezer were jam packed! Money was starting to dry up along with our business, so I stocked up everything that I could. That did us well because when the money stopped coming in we had so much food it really saved our butts. For us Eggos, Pop tarts, Doritos and Granola bars were everyday food. Cheap to buy, easy to store.

Now I do not buy those foods...so I find myself on the fence. Do I buy things that will bring a smile to my kids face in the event of an emergency? That seems like a good thing, but if I buy that stuff they will find and devour it....a box of commercial granola bars would never last until an emergency!

For now I am not so much stocking for an emergency as I am learning to eat better and cook healthier meals and some replacements for those commercial snacks that have been banned. We are eating more fresh foods, so unless I get a rip roaring kick butt garden going I am going to be in big trouble if TSHTF tomorrow!

To answer your original question, I think a little of both is a good balance. A bag of lollipops is going to be a great stress reliever when TSHTF and we are all living on pinto beans and barley.