When the next Covid shutdown occurs, what will be the best foods to have stored up for survival? What will you eat when an ice storm hits your area, shutting you in for weeks at a time?
Below is a list of some everyday foods that you can store for an emergency. It may surprise you how long they will keep:
Dehydrated meat-It will keep for a year or more. If you have an at-home dehydration machine, you can save money by making your own jerky.
Bouillon Cubes-They will keep at least a year past their expiration date. It's possible they will lose some of the flavor, but they will still be usable.
Canned Food-Fruits, vegetables, soup and beans will last up to 5 years beyond their expiration dates. They should be stored in a dry area though because rust will affect the shelf life.
Bottled water-Bottled water will last pretty much forever as long as outside contaminates are not allowed in. So, if you open a bottle, make sure you're going to drink it all over the day.
Honey-This staple never goes bad. If it crystalizes you simply warm it up.
Rice-If you store it in an airtight container, it'll last 25-30 years.
Peanut butter-It will keep 5 yrs beyond it's expiration date. It may begin to taste a little rank but it won't go bad.
Alcohol-Drinking alcohol will last for years. Liqueurs will not last as long. Alcohol also makes a great barter currency.
Dried beans-When stored in a dry area, they'll last indefinitely.
Crackers-If you store them vacuum packed, they'll last for years. They can substitute for bread in sandwiches, etc.
Nuts-They'll last at least a year. If they're vacuum sealed, they'll last longer.
Cereal-Store the individual serving packages. That way, when you open one, you don't end up losing the entire container.
Energy bars-Energy bars will last 6 months to a year
Dried fruits-Dried fruits will last at least a year, possible more.
Candy-The best ones are caramel, dark chocolate, hard candies, jellies.
Stocking up on these foods is a good way to be prepared for emergencies, whether it be short term or long term. Our family was able to make it through the entire Covid shutdown without running short on food and other goods. We had enough toilet paper and paper towels to see us through the entire event. We didn't run short until after stores began reopening and prices began to stabilize. We had canned goods and dried goods, as well as frozen foods.
The only items we were short on were milk, bread and, in the beginning eggs. We live on a small farm but didn't have chickens, goats or cows. We found a friend near us who had laying hens and were able to work out a barter in which we swapped out their eggs and other goods. In return we gave them hay for their cows.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to stock up on these foods. It only takes a storage area and a few dollars each paycheck. Make a list of the things you want to stock up and cross off one or so each payday. You will be surprised at how quickly your stockpile grows.
If you would rather just purchase emergency foods ready to prepare, Bass Pro has buckets of emergency foods (60 servings) for as little as $80.00. I have enclosed the link below.
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