When it comes to food preparedness, the key is layering your strategies to ensure you're ready for anything from short-term disruptions to long-term emergencies. Start by maximizing what you already have in your refrigerators and pantries. In the face of an imminent threat, such as a hurricane, consider packing your refrigerator tightly and freezing perishables to extend their shelf life. Fill any open spaces with frozen drinks in small plastic containers and minimize the need to open the fridge.
Simple strategies like taking a photo of the fridge contents in order to minimize opening it when curious of its contents. Using a battery-powered thermometer that measures the inside temperature but that can also be read from the outside is another very useful device to help further preserve your food by not only alerting you of the real inside temperature , but also preventing the urge to needlessly open it in order to check the inside temperature.
Next, bolster your pantry with shelf-stable foods. This isn't just about having enough to last through a crisis; it's about smart shopping and taking advantage of sales and bulk deals during good times. Practice "copy canning" by buying doubles of items you regularly consume, gradually building a reserve. The "yearly menu" strategy is also invaluable: purchase large quantities of staple items, such as pasta and canned goods, in bulk.
This not only saves money but ensures you always have a ready supply of food that your family enjoys. Remember the prepper’s maxim: "eat what you store, and store what you eat." This strategy can be further expanded upon by using wholesale clubs or even restaurant food wholesalers. The later idea can also split among several families to increase your buying power.
For long-term food security, consider investing in long-term shelf-stable foods packaged in oxygen-free containers, like dry rice, beans, and freeze-dried meats and vegetables. While these products can be expensive, you can reduce costs by packaging some of your own supplies using mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. For example rice and beans are reasonably inexpensive relative to freeze dried meats. So maybe you package your own in mylar with oxygen absorbers, and only purchase freeze dried meats instead of buying mixed variety pack type survival food packages.
If you happen to live near or are willing to travel to an LDS cannery this may be another great option for getting affordable long term storage foods. Not to mention checking out your local Amish or Menonites who may be willing to trade, or sell some as well.
Even if a freeze dryer is out of your budget, there are other affordable methods like dehydrating food using your oven or sun-drying. Growing your own food, even on a small scale with a herb garden, microgreens, and sprouting can supplement your stored foods and keep your meals nutritious and exciting by staving off boredom and flavor fatigue.
Of course for those with more space the sky’s really the limit. I’ve seen people growing vegetables in balcony gardens and potatoes in buckets. Dwarf fruit trees are another interesting option for those with limited space. A friend of mine has a miniature lime tree potted and inside her house. Another friend a hydroponic tower to grow salad greens on. One of my favorite systems that I’ve seen is an indoor permaculture set up you can get at home depot where you grow plants over a 100 gallon fish tank. The fish can be of an edible variety and they will feed the plants while the plants simultaneously clean the water.
Not to mention the coolest hack I’ve ever heard of by our training sister B. She wanted chickens so she can get eggs but her HOA wouldn’t allow it since they’re considered livestock. She circumvented the rule by getting quail. They also produce eggs, but are also considered pets!
By layering these strategies, you ensure a comprehensive approach to food preparedness that can withstand anything from a short-term power outage to a long-term societal disruption. Keep in mind that while these are all great preparedness ideas you will also need enough fuel, water, and appropriate cooking tools and implements. All of which will be discussed in future articles. For now I’ll leave you with a little foreshadowing…..solar ovens, portable rain catches, and mulitfuel stoves.
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