This is the second of a new ongoing series – Take Action – whch will emphasize a very specific action to take based on my recommendations. The recommendation may be due to current events, predictable future events, or just importance for preparation.
Recommended Action: Secure food supply supply as soon as possible.
Food. In most any widespread crisis food becomes scarce. Our nations just-in-time delivery system has left stores with very little food in backrooms. Once shelves are cleared out trucks are needed to replenish supplies. Anyone who has witnessed bread and milk shortages as a winter storm approaches understands. With food being of paramount importance to all of our survival stocking up must be a priority.
With this installment of Take Action it is highly suggested to get your food supply in order. How much? As much as you can put back. It is useless to suggest a 1 year supply if you’re sitting on a couple weeks worth and do not have the finances. Whatever you can afford improve your current position.
Develop a plan for the next several weeks. Shop sales. Take advantage of coupons. Go to Sam’s or Costco.
Here is an example:
Week 1: Sam’s/Costco
Rice, 25 lb bag – approx. $9.00
Bean, Pinto 10 pound bag – approx $6.00
Pancake Mix, Just Add Water 10 lb. bag – $6.00
Week 2: Discount Grocery Store (Aldi’s)
Corn, 6 cans – $3.00
Potatoes, 6 cans – $4.50
Tomatoes, 6 cans – $3.00
Peaches, 6 cans – $5.60
Maple Syrup, 2 bottles – $2.00 approx
Salt, 1 lb. – .49 cents
Week 3: Grocery Store Sales
Spaghetti, thin 8 boxes, $5.00
Spaghetti sauce, 3 cans – $3.00
Chicken, canned, 6 cans – $10.00
Peanut butter, jars 2 – $4.00
Week 4: Wal-Mart
Beef Stew, 5 cans – $10.00
Water, cases of 32 bottles, 2 – $7.50
Soup, canned, 12 cans – $10.00
Ramen Noodles, 2 cases – $5.75
This is just an example and not a massive supply of food but a great start or addition to someone’s food stores. We’re talking about less than $30 a week or so.
Bottom line stock up now. Develop your plan and put it into action.
Rourke
JR : very good post. Usually I am aware of our pantry’s inventory but I was surprised recently at how low we were on spaghetti sauce so I bought a few yesterday and when I see a sale I will stock up.
Usually when I get down to a few jars or cans of any item I refill.These days with food prices rising its harder to keep up with our pantry.Glad we have what we do already.
Today on Fox news at 2 pm Judicial Watch will be taking Hillary to a legal proceeding.
Fri at 2 pm Trump will be announcing who his VP will be.
Take care everyone. Lightning
Man..excellent post. Straight forward and easy to follow steps. Ty
Good post JR and I agree…
Great place to start. Good calorie dense choices. Fairly inexpensive.
I’d add that if you follow there are some freeze dried options to supplement longer term foods just to fill the gaps. They frequently have sales that are 75% off .. like one person 3 meals x 7 days under $20..00
And of course everyone can’t grow a ton of food due to space and location.. but if yo can do some.. right now is the time of year all the seeds are on end-of-year sale and will disappear shortly. I bought 20 packets twice for $4.00…
My thinking here is to have enough now and mid-term food to get me to longer term plans if the interruption is longer than a couple months. as well greens grow pretty quickly and in almost any space to supplement vitamins that we don’t get in some of the shelf stable stuff.
The less ominous side is now, while we don’t “need” it we get to figure out the how and work out the kinks.
I have lots of dirt and at the moment could feed many more people than I actually have to feed.. So working on the food preservation like canning and dehydrating as well .. a little out of scope for the post sorry .. just the way I am looking at it.
Hey, any of you guys grow tabacco?
Not me. When I was 4 or 5, I got into my dad’s Copenhagen. Of course I ate half a can before turning green. As I puked my guts out, mom suggested taking me to the doctor. Nah, dad said, if he had worms, he’s just wormed himself. Never did care for snuff thereafter. That early experience was all it took.
Tobacco could be useful for personal use or worming human and animal (a little rough on humans I can testify). I think it may be hard on the soil as well.
PR
Indeed it takes extra work and care to get a good yield and not have it eaten away by pests. I was awfully young so I don’t remember much .. about care and rearing of it. I had a similar experience to PR’s.. it left a lasting impression.. in several places..
I do remember it being a very good poultice materiel for drawing out infections. Of course the nicotine can be isolated by stewing the leaves and then reducing the liquid to a pate and drying it to powder.. In small doses it’s a fair stimulant and in slightly large does is a terrible poison .. so be careful.
All that said it would be a very good barter tool for those with a craving and no source.. like alcohol or any other similar substance. Where I live is not especially good terrain for it .. got me thinking though it is down on the list of things for now.
The local Sam’s Club has 40# salt for $6 and 40# sugar for less that $10. Each will neatly fill a 5 gal bucket. If buying bulk salt, might want to be sure it is iodized. No goiters for my family.
PR
Thanks JR. Good word. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The same way most of us build our larder! I like ALDI for lots of things, goo We have put back several d prices. PR, I’ve bought salt and sugar there as well. Good buy. We have put back several 5 lb containers of Cox Honey. Lasts forever and can be used for pancakes, a taste for sweet tooth and medicinal purposes. – Keep Looking UP
Nice refresher/starter
I have never seen an ant carry much at onetime, but have seen them make hundreds of trips to finish their task.
That describes how our group stocks the shelves, one can/bucket at a time. Being located in a rural area we are also adding small animal livestock to our supplies, recently adding 20 egg layers, 20 fryers and 5 turkeys to our existing livestock numbers. Along with our garden and fruit trees we feel like we have made some good strides in having a stable food supply.
Stay Safe
Dairy