Emergency Food Storage Basics
In these turbulent times being able to rely on yourself and those around you will go farther than relying on unseen sources. Consider building your own “survivalist” pantry. Survivalist is in quotes because its not just about the coming doom and gloom but making a life style change that will leave you more fulfilled and accomplished because you are taking your own well being into your own hands.
The question you may be thinking is “why do i need my own pantry?” or “Isn’t this just a crazy prepper thing?” To answer those possible questions, humans and animals alike have gathered resources to have a stockpile for any scenarios. Whether it be the farmer in the middle ages preparing for a harsh winter, or a simple squirrel gathering nuts, having an abundance of food and water have always been a thing. It is rather recently that we have decided to toss the idea of preparing into the blanket statement of crazies. I’m not talking about an end of the world scenario but to the more common natural disasters, civil unrest, virus’ like covid where the shelves were bare for so long.
Understanding these simple steps to properly storing your food in your home or place of bug-out will allow you to stress less about not having anything and “oh no it all went bad”. Treating it like your own grocery store will allow you to enjoy what you like to eat while also helping you save money in gas and constantly buying food; because, well it just sits there waiting for you. What are the basics of having an emergency food storage?
Understanding Expiration Dates:
Well, for starters paying attention to the expiration dates of what you already have and like to eat is one of the first and easiest steps to take. When you go and take stock of what you have, like and don’t like to eat it can save you time and money at the store and when buying actual emergency foods (like Legacy, MREs, Peaks, and what not).
But when it comes to the basics of food these dates matter more. You can use a method of First in and First out. Just like a grocery store you put the newest in the back and the oldest in the front and use those as time goes on replacing them as needed when supply is low. Here is a list of foods that are a good idea to stock up if you enjoy them.
Regular Inspections and Upkeep
Regular inspection of your food storage area is a must, where ever your food is at you want to make sure that the area is cleaned, nothing is broken and there has been no oopsies with your food. Humidity for example can ruin your supplies quicker than you expect and you don’t want that to be the case in a serious situation.If you face any of these issues make sure you deal with them. Another good practice is labeling, you can use this to make sections of food for different meals, operations, or if something doesn’t have a label make one for it, for example I just found a hole in a gallon of water.
Emergency Food Storage
Creating an emergency food pantry may seem like a hard endeavor, but if you buy the stuff you like and stock it in your house it makes shopping easier and cheaper. By checking on your food and making sure everything is up to snuff you can fast track your way to having a very well stuffed pantry in no time. If you are worried about the financial aspect of it, doing little by little is just a great way of doing. You don’t need to blow a giant wad of cash up front, unless you want to and can I mean you do you boo. It is just a lot easier than it may seem. We have some books that may help you on your way to starting a DIY project of your own when it comes to food pantries.
