Thursday, December 8, 2011

Stocking Up On Food

Stores of dry goods are considered by many to be the most cost effective and prudent way to prepare against a time of crisis.  No matter how expensive precious metals may become, you cannot eat them.  When facing starvation, a loaf of bread is far more valuable than a bar of pure gold. 

As the prospects for worldwide economic collapse increase, more and more Americans are stocking up on food.  While doing so appears to make more sense today because of the conditions that the nation faces, storing food has always been a priority for the prudent.  Whether extreme survivalist or cautious pragmatist, having the means to provide the basic necessities of life for ones self and family in a time of emergency, disaster, or crisis, is something everyone should plan for.

How much food should I store?  What types of food should I store?  These questions are foremost in anyone’s mind when making preparations for an unpredictable future.  Freeze dried and dehydrated food packages are available that can provide for the basic nutritional needs of an individual or a group.  These consist of prepackaged meals requiring little in the way of preparation (in many cases, boiling water is all that is required to fully prepare a meal).  Staples can also be purchased separately, and  in varying quantities that will enable the preparation of a variety of foods. 

As a starting point, anyone implementing a food storage plan should know what staples are recommended and the quantities that would be required to feed a specified group for a year.  The following calculator is provided by BigRedE.com.  Links to the BigRedE.com website will assist in pricing the recommended quantities of food.  Food storage packages are also available at BigRedE.com.

How Much Food Does Your Family Need for One Year?
 Enter the number of people and click "Calculate"



Family Members Age 7 & Older:
Family Members Age 6 & Younger:



Basic Long Term Storage Recommendations for Staple Dry Goods Food Supply for 12 Months:


Grains
Wheat lbs
Flour lbs
Corn Meal lbs
Oats lbs
Rice lbs
Pasta lbs
Total Grains      lbs


Fats & Oils
Shortening lbs
Vegetable Oil gal
Mayonnaise qts
Salad Dressing qts
Peanut Butter lbs
Total Fats lbs


Legumes
Beans, dry lbs
Lima Beans lbs
Soy Beans lbs
Split Peas lbs
Lentils lbs
Dry Soup Mix lbs
Tot. Legumes lbs


Other Things to Consider:
[   ] Cereals
[   ] Popcorn
[   ] Fruits
[   ] Vegetables
[   ] Eggs, Meat
[   ] Pudding
[   ] Cake, Cookie & Biscuit Mixes
[   ] Pre-Packaged Meals
[   ] Food Storage Packages




Sugars
Honey lbs
White Sugar lbs
Brown Sugar lbs
Molasses lbs
Corn Syrup lbs
Jams lbs
Fruit Drink, pwd lbs
Flavored Gelatin lbs
Total Sugars lbs


Dairy
Dry Milk lbs
Evaporated Milk cns
Other lbs
Total Dairy lbs


Cooking
Baking Powder lbs
Baking Soda lbs
Yeast lbs
Salt lbs
Vinegar gal


12 Month Water Consumption
Water gal
Bleach* gal
* Household bleach may be used as a purifying agent