We all know that having a stockpile of essential items is important, but what should you stockpile and how should you store it? In this article, we'll discuss the best foods to store, where to store them, how to calculate what you need and how much. We suggest having canned chicken, tuna, salmon and ham on hand. It's always good to have additional cleaning supplies on hand. Therefore, storing many types of cleaning agents can be prudent.
Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is the best alternative to eliminate germs from your hands when you don't have access to soap and water, but nothing beats good soap. So keep a few extra bars of soap in your pantry. Peanut butter is an excellent source of long-lasting protein, especially for vegetarians and vegans. There are many ways to use it in both sweet and savory dishes.
And for a quick lunch, it's great with some jelly or honey in a sandwich. If you run out of peanut butter but have peanuts on hand, you can easily make your own peanut butter. We have a recipe in “10 basic foods that are easy and cheap to make at home”. If white rice is stored properly, it can last for decades.
The best way to store raw white rice is in a sealed container, without air and at a temperature of 40 degrees or less. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to have at least seven to 10 days of a medication on hand, and 30 days are even better in many cases. A great source of energy, peanut butter is packed with healthy fats and proteins. Unless otherwise stated on the bottle, refrigeration is not necessary after opening.
Choose multi-grain cereals that are individually packaged so that they don't go rancid after opening. How can you find the best foods to store when you usually only shop from week to week? In fact, let's go one step further, if you have an emergency food supply, and if so, where are you supposed to keep it? I know the feeling, you don't have acres of land with outbuildings that you can suddenly turn into a nice emergency food storage area. Having a food reserve IS a good idea, regardless of whether you live in the city or in the country, but you need to store the right food, not just anything old. I'm going to explain the best foods to store, where to store them, how to calculate what you need and how much. The best foods to store are those that last a long time and that your family can and will eat without wasting them. Your stock should be edible and tasty; otherwise, it's not your job to be your preferred emergency food supply. A co-worker friend of mine used to buy exactly what her family needed for a week, to the point that the night before the shopping day they had nothing in the house.
No emergency food, no half-open package of pasta or a can of sweet corn. She couldn't delay going to the grocery store for a day unless they ate out, because they didn't have supplies at all. Can you imagine not having enough food to spend another day without shopping? No, neither do I.Building a small food reserve, even if it's not for an emergency, is sensible for everyone. Everyone should have an emergency food supply because they are not in control of being able to buy more food when they need it.
Pandemics happen, as we know now; snowstorms and floods happen and it isolates you from everything for a possible week or more. Life happens and stands in the way of the best-laid plans. I know some people think about what to store for SHTF type scenarios and what size this could mean. But really, let's not worry about an apocalypse today; let's start with where you could store some extra food and how much. Your reservation doesn't have to be large or stored in a special room.
You can prepare, make and store food in a variety of places outside of your kitchen or pantry. Cans don't need to be stored in anything other than themselves. Other foods will be better stored if placed in airtight containers. Items such as flour and pasta, even in their sealed packaging, can be obtained with “things” that you don't want to be there. When you don't have a lot of space, these bins are perfect for neat and accessible additional storage protection. Where your storage is at ground level, you can make great use of these wheeled bins; they are larger and very accessible.
Pantries and kitchens need efficient storage. Creating a pantry reservation requires organization. These are essential storage solutions that you can use to store your reserves and save money doing so. Large stackable containers with built-in handle for easy access from a tall shelf are perfect storage for your pantry items; perfect size for flour, cereal, pasta and more with reusable labels so you always know what's in your reserves. It's not just your pantry that needs organization; these transparent stackable food storage boxes with handles are ideal for your fridge and freezer. These small 12 piece 6 oz food storage containers are perfect for storing your herbs and spices once you've started each package; these airtight BPA-free plastic food storage containers are perfect for large quantities of flour sugar oatmeal and baking products; comes with 4 measuring cups and 24 labels. Store fruits and vegetables to allow air circulation with this utility rack for your pantry; comes with 2 free hanging baskets that you can use anywhere else for even more storage. If long-term means years then the best foods to store for the long term are usually canned goods; canned goods are known to remain edible 10 20 years or more after storage. Half of the question of what good foods to store is knowing which ones you should buy and store; the second part is making sure that your stock remains edible when you need it; there's no point in having an emergency stock of food that's years past its expiration date. Following the 3 rules below will ensure your stockpile remains fresh: 1) Store canned goods away from direct sunlight; 2) Keep all containers sealed tightly; 3) Rotate stock regularly so that older items get used first. Having an emergency stockpile is essential for everyone; knowing what foods last long-term as well as how best to store them will ensure that your family has access to nutritious meals during times of crisis.
