Survival Guide Tips: Stockpiling Food Supplies
Natural disasters can happen in the blink of an eye. One moment it was a beautiful sunny day. Then suddenly, storms, earthquakes, or even a pandemic can occur in a split second. That’s why the importance of stockpiling items should never be overlooked.
Among the usual emergency supplies we store in our home, what we need to stockpile the most is none other than food. Without food, we won’t be able to survive, and you can’t just chug on water alone without something to eat.
However, some people may be having trouble what kind of food to stockpile and how to manage them. Food management is essential and not to mention proper food storage too. These two factors play a vital role in making food last longer in times of emergency. In this article, let’s talk about how to up the ante of our surviving skills by knowing how to stockpile food.
Foods That You Should Stockpile
When we talk about stockpiling food, one thing that comes to our mind (and that we would like to caution against) is panic buying. The coronavirus pandemic is the perfect example of that where people are panic buying, not just sanitary supplies, but also food. Stockpiling the right food items is essential for any kind of emergency, be it a storm, earthquake, flash floods, and among others. When one isn't prepared for a calamity like the above mentioned, it's easy to get caught up in the storm of people flooding the stores. It's tempting to grab an armful of everything and run to the checkout. Nothing could possibly be further from helpful. It's a necessity to stock up, but stocking the right things and in the appropriate quantities is perhaps even more crucial. Avoid panic buying, buy foods that are balanced and nutritious and buy them in advance. Do these things and you won't have to worry about rushing to the stores the next time the sky is falling.
Here are some food items that you should stockpile more than the others:
- Canned goods – No other food item can beat canned goods. These ready-to-eat companions are great when you’re looking for a quick meal. Got no time to cook? The power suddenly goes out? Canned goods are here to save your stomach.
- Dried fruit – Fresh fruit spoils quickly, but dried ones don’t. Make sure to stockpile a lot of dried fruit in your pantry. Looking for a healthy snack or just want something to munch in a gloomy afternoon? Dried fruit is your best friend when it comes to that.
- Food for infants – And also, we must never forget to stockpile foods for our little ones. Be sure to buy ready-to-eat meals for your baby that are easy to prepare without all the unnecessary steps.
- Canned juice – When there’s no fresh fruit around for you to mix in the juicer, canned juice has you covered. You can also take canned juices wherever you go. Make sure to buy healthy canned juices and not the ones that can only satiate you with its flavor and egregious amounts of sugar.
- Comfort food – There’s no denying that being in an emergency situation can make us unproductive, stressed out, and experience mood swings. That’s why it is crucial to stockpile on comfort food as well. Be it chocolates, biscuits, candies, or whatever you like that will make you feel better. Just be sure to put this on the lower rung of the priorities ladder. Comfort foods are important but purchase your critical needs first.
- Water – Don’t forget to stockpile gallons of water to ensure there is enough for everyone to drink.
Safety Measures in Handling Stockpiled Food
No matter what food you have in your fridge or pantry, you have to follow safety measures to ensure that all the foods you eat are safe. This is important in case the power goes out for days, and you have nowhere to store your food or keep it chilled.
Kitchen safety
- Keep all your utensils and kitchen materials clean in case you want to prepare food on your own. Thoroughly wash them for about 5 minutes to ensure that bacteria and all kinds of dirty microorganisms are at bay. Use a clean cloth to dry these utensils and kitchen materials and store them in a secure and tight environment away from insects or pests of any kind.
- Wear a face mask and hair net when preparing food. You can also use disposable gloves when handling food items such as fresh meat to avoid contact with bacteria.
Food safety
- Discard food that looks, smells, or tastes spoiled, be it canned goods or unopened food items. Keep them away from your unspoiled foods as much as possible.
- Avoid eating food from swollen cans where rust and mold are starting to build up. Make sure to wash the can before opening up even though it looks clean. This is to ensure that not a single speck of dust is residing on the can, which may mix up with the food once opened.
Storing Food Without Power
A power outage is typical during natural calamities. Here are some food storage tips that will make your food last for longer whenever the power is out.
Fridge management
- Do not open your fridge when the power suddenly goes out. Let the food sit inside while your refrigerator still has some little coolness left in its insides. An unopened refrigerator can make food cold for about 4 hours.
- Discard perishable food that has been in the fridge for 2 hours or more when the temperature is about 40° F. Perishable food tends to spoil quickly when not stored in a cold place.
Using a dry icebox
- A fridge alternative is by using an icebox filled with dry ice. So before anything else, make sure that you have dry ice readily available. If some stores are still open, buy an icebox that is large enough for all your food items. Buy dry ice that is also sufficient to fill the make-shift fridge and ensure that there is still space where you can put your food items.
- Use a heavy-duty glove when handling dry ice to keep your hands safe and away from injury.
- When placing the food inside the icebox, ensure that it doesn’t touch the dry ice. Better yet, wrap the dry ice using a newspaper and let it sit on the corners of the icebox. Place the food items in the center and cover the icebox to let it cool.
In times of disaster, there’s no better way to survive than to rely on food. We hope this article helped you with stockpiling and managing your food items when emergency strikes.