I’m going to throw this right out there: I call this a “No BS” guide because most articles like this are loaded with fluff explaining things like how oxygen absorbers work, the canning process, and how dehydrated food is made. That’s not going to be found here and if someone is interested in that there’s a YouTube video no doubt. Google it.
There’s a growing concern that some tumultuous times are close at hand. I’m talking within the next few years. FOOD has got to be the #1 priority for every person who wishes to not only insulate themselves from what’s coming but survive and thrive. Everyone has their own version of what may be waiting just over the horizon. Regardless of your own version of SHTF food is required and not having it creates an additional set of dangers, risks, and situations.
We all know you need calories and enough of them. More people in the group means more calories and more food. Pretty simple equation.
As most of us are on a budget, purchasing as much food as possible for the least amount of money is a major consideration. Let’s get on with it.
Meal Planning
The foundation of a solid food storage program begins with meal planning. The idea here is to come up with 7 meals per week for breakfast, 7 for lunch, and 7 for dinner. Total of 21 meals weekly.
Here’s an example of one lunch meal:
Chicken and Rice for Four People
Cans of chicken(2 – 10oz. cans)
Rice(2 cups)
Carrots(1 can)
Corn(1 can)
Chicken bullion(2 cubes)
salt, pepper, seasoning as desired
Nutritional Information(TOTAL): Calories 1280, Fat 27, Carbs 142, Protein 104
Nutritional Information(per person): Calories 320, Fat 7, Carbs 36, Protein 26
Cost: Approx $5.00 if bought frugally
As part of your meal plan, let’s say this is the lunch every Wednesday. If you are meal planning for 3 months/12 weeks then you would need to have the following:
- 24 cans of chicken
- 24 cups of rice
- 12 cans of corn
- 12 cans of carrots
- 24 cubes of chicken bullion
- salt, pepper, etc.
Do this for 7 meals each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
This simple example can be customized to suit your tastes and needs. All of your food storage supplies will be represented. Some meals may come completely from a can, while others will be a combination of freeze-dried, bulk packed rice, beans, etc, and canned.
A few other suggested meals:
- Spaghetti w/meat sauce(1 box of spaghetti + 1 can of meat sauce)
- Chili(pretty simple, dump chili out of a can into a bowl – or make from scratch)
- Pancakes(“Just Add Water” pancake mix, water, syrup)
Does this sound like you will be storing a lot of food? It should. People eat a lot of food.
Task: Grab a pad of paper and start mapping out your meals.
FOOD STORAGE OPTIONS:
Canned Goods
Canned goods continue to be a major part of my own food storage program. There is nothing wrong with other options such as freeze-dried foods or bulk packed rice, beans, wheat, and pasta. These are all part of my own system but the point needs to be made and understood that canned goods should NOT be considered secondary or a lesser means which to stock up.
Canned foods can last well past their expiration dates. They are inexpensive and readily available. One major drawback is weight as they are very heavy. As I write this canned corn is priced at Walmart for .38 cents per can. 100 cans of corn would cost $38.00. From a budgetary perspective along with the incredible variety canned foods are hard to beat.
Dry Goods
When it comes to food, dry goods are things like rice, pasta, sugar, grains, beans, lentils, etc. Canned goods are considered dry goods but I put them in a category of their own.
Rice, beans, and pasta can be stored for many years in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. When it comes to calories per dollar – these cannot be beaten.
Rice and beans in particular can be foundations for many meals. They can be bulk-packed and stored for many years and are inexpensive.
Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated
Freeze-dried food can be stored for upwards of 25+ years. Preparation is as simple as boiling water. I have prepared many different meals that were freeze-dried and have yet to find one I did not like. Freeze-dried foods are lightweight as well so they are excellent for transportation in large volumes.
Amazon often carries 30-day buckets from Auguson Farms. Currently in this unpredictable environment prices are elevated. Regardless – at around $150 or less they remain a bargain for a 30-day food supply.
A Quick Shopping List
Here is a quick list to get you started on the road to food storage:
- Rice
- Beans
- Canned Vegetables
- Canned Fruits
- Oats
- Canned Meats
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Coffee and Tea
- Powdered Milk
- Cooking Oil
- Salt
- Powdered Drink Mix Such as Gatorade
- Pancake Mix
- Canned Soups
- Sugar
- Spices and Seasonings
- Candy, Snacks, and Morale Boosting Foods
- Water
There is NO time for complacency.
Stack it high and stack it deep!
Rourke
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No BS guide is good and I love that it is to the point. Just spent a considerable amount doing exactly this. If we need it we have it. If we don’t we can share it with the church food bank. We can pass it on to others. Gave some money to the family to do the same. Trying to pass it on. Thank you. Keep Looking Up
What failed for us?
* canned pineapple — rotted through the metal
* canned tomato products — rotted through the metal
* ‘sproutable’ grains — these non-sprouts went into the grinder for meal then flour
Although the pineapple and tomato products were years beyond their BBD, we anticipated their addition to menus.
Their loss allowed us to adapt and overcome.
Hi Rourke,
Good article and incentive. Wish to offer this link from the Jack Lawsons’ new ‘Civil Defense Manual:
https://civildefensemanual.com/food-water-caclulator/
You take each category of food, input the relevant info, calories per serving, servings per container, number of containers, number of people, and it will calculate how many days supply you have. Also has corresponding info on water needs. The entire 2 book tome is a preppers nirvana of information. Pricy at almost $100 but is over 1k pages. Loaded with all manner of vital information. Highly recommended. BTW, Lawson and Mike Garand were authors of the book, ‘The Failure of Civility’, another rich resource of information, similar to the other book, but out of print, somewhat dated and also quite pricy if found. Agree that the SHTF scenario is really going to ramp up after Nov. 3. We should expect all manner of chaos to unfold. I would especially like to enlighten folks to learn about how prepare for fire in their homes and what to do. I see this as the number one weapon being utilized by the enemy. Also, follow Matt Bracken on Gab and Fernando Acquirre (The Modern Survivalist) on YouTube, especially their joint video conferences they have been holding almost weekly, archived on YT currently, tons of useful info for everyone. Lastly, to follow JR on his website as well. Kudos to you sir.
In 24 years of prepping using a combo of garden produce, canned foods, dry foods and dehydrated and freeze dried foods we gave probably had to discard into the compost pile maybe a total of 20 items – not bad and that was because we did not use it up fast enough and it got rusty or burst open.
Rourke I agree time is of the essence these days.
Folks in 1970 we had 69 beef cattle and we were receiving 69 cents per pound on the hoof for those we sent to market as steers or bulls.
Now beef farmers are receiving 49 cents a pound and the costs of everything have skyrocketed. Small farmers are being squuezed as are the consumers. We in America now have 4 giant companies controlling meat ( TYson. Cargill, and two others .If you want good safe meat that is raised humanely without antibiotics and additives then find a local farmer or food coop. or raise your own. – or cut back on meat altogether.
Call your local county Cooperative extension office and they will give you names of farmers in your area . Arlene
This same concept applies to honey and vegetables .
Arlene
If you can offer some labor or bartering to those who are raising meat and vegetables they will appreciate your help and will most likely help you in return.
IN those days in 1970. We were not making big profits but we could cover our costs-impossible or extremely difficult to do now on a small farm.
Arlene
Arlene,
Great advice, thank you.
To JR, please stop using the term ‘google’ for internet search. They ARE the enemy. There are alternatives. Thnx.