Preparing For Emergencies: Managing Your Food Supply
Whether you live in a remote location that gets cut off from the outside world during severe weather, or you want to prepare for long-term food shortages, managing your emergency food supply is important. Here are a few tips you can use to ensure you and your family have the essentials you need when food is short:
Short-Term Planning
For potential short-term food shortages, such as roads that are blocked due to severe storms, you can create personal food supply kits for everyone in your home. Place these kits into plastic storage containers with secure-fitting lids, and mark one for each family member. This makes it easy to keep track of special dietary needs and to provide food that is age-appropriate for children. Consider foods that don't need to be heated just in case you don't have access to power for your stove or microwave. Some foods you can place in these kits might include:
- Canned tuna or chicken
- Crackers
- Freeze-dried fruit
- Beef jerky
- Granola bars
Long-Term Preparation
For potential long-term food shortages, consider buying pre-packed buckets with emergency food rations. These buckets typically include bags of freeze-dried prepared meals, which you can make by simply adding water. Each package of food includes multiple servings so you can prepare meals for the whole family. You can also invest in specially prepared seed packages, which let you grow your own food during long-term food shortages. The seeds packed in these kits are typically able to thrive in tough environments, and they often yield many fruits or vegetables for serving your family.
Food Preparation Options
Adding water to room-temperature food mixes isn't always going to be the option that keeps you satisfied, so part of your emergency food planning should include options for preparing hot meals. Portable cans of cooking fuel can provide a helpful option for heating food, or you can choose a propane-fueled camping stove. If you do prepare food with these options, be sure that you are cooking in a well-ventilated area. Having firewood and kindling on hand is another smart option for emergency meal prep.
Water Supplies
Having water is essential, both for keeping everyone hydrated and for preparing foods. You can invest in small bags of individually packaged drinking water, which take up less room than bottled water. This should be rationed out only for drinking. Invest in several large jugs of potable water for food prep, and consider high-capacity barrels of water for long-term shortages. Any barrels or bottles you use should have spigots for easy access and to prevent spills.
Make a list of all the items you need for both long-term and short-term water supplies, and begin looking for deals on these items. Stock up when you find items on sale, and begin to build your emergency food supply.
Contact a company like Koontz Hardware for more information and assistance.