“Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

This proverb offers an important piece of advice, especially for today’s uncertain times.  Are you prepared? Is it a good idea to prepare or not? Here’s a useful guide on what you can do:
THINGS TO CONSIDER

• No refrigeration, plan for emergency assuming no electricity.
• Be nutritious, there may be some more physical activity required (i.e. Blizzard requires more shoveling)
• Keep calorie count

FOOD

• Recommend you start with 2-week supply of food
• Good no-cook food items

  
  

  Energy bars / breakfast bars

  
  

  Almonds

  
  

  Peanut butter

  
  

  Tuna packages

  
  

  Canned pasta

  
  

  Dried fruit / canned fruit

  
  

  Dry milk

  
  

  Instant coffee

  
  

  V-8 juice

  
  

• Plan around the way you already eat.
• Build around 3 categories of food

  
  

  Grocery store goods: often inexpensive, and it’s all familiar stuff. (i.e. mac & cheese)

  
  

  Freeze dried foods: lightweight and don’t take up much room; more expensive, but priced out per serving, it’s budget-friendly.

  
  

  Bulk dry food: rice, beans, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, cornmeal, wheat, dried milk, etc.; it will be the backbone of your food storage and last up to 20-30 years.

  
  

• Don’t stock up on it unless you know you like it.
• Look at ingredients.  You don’t want something high in sodium or preservatives.
• Pay attention to shelf life. Take a look at package, can.  Soup doesn’t need water and store this for a few years.  Plastic bags and cardboard boxes – 1 year max.

WATER

• Easiest way to store is by using cleaned out 2-liter soda bottles.  You can easily clean out with hot water, drop of soap.  Rinse thoroughly.  That type of plastic is safe for storage.
• Recommend 2-liter soda bottle per person, per day.  For consumption and washing.
• If a situation where water is an issue, be sure to have stash of paper plates & freeze dried meals.
• If you can heat water, then at least you can enjoy a hot meal (i.e. mac & cheese, pasta, soup)

STORAGE

• 5 main enemies to storing food

  
  

  Temperature: ideal is 40 degrees – 72 degrees.  For every 18 degrees above 72, food will lose it’s nutritional value by half.

  
  

  Humidity: Store food off the floor and away from outside walls.

  
  

  Pests: Keep food in air-tight containers; clean up food particles on the shelves or floor.

  
  

  Oxygen: Use oxygen absorbers, rotate food, vacuum packing food to reduce oxidation.

  
  

  Light: Keep your pantry area dark.  if food is in clear containers, keep them in labeled boxes with lids.

  
  

• Look for places where you can de-clutter (I have water bottles stored under my kids’ beds)
• You can store food in bin under a bed, clear out space in closet and designate a shelf.
• I recommend pieces of furniture that can double as storage (i.e. bench that opens up with a storage component – especially good for small homes).
• Store in a place that you won’t be dipping into constantly.

NON-FOOD ITEMS

• Items like toilet paper can be bulky but can be stored in garage, attic, shed, etc.  Moisture will affect it but temperature won’t.
• Non-food items, purposefully 1-2 weeks supply.
• Go through entire day and jot down every non-food item used – soap, shampoo, contact solution, etc. — and buy extras of those.
• Keep easily organized in buckets (i.e. dental, laundry, etc.)
• Give serious consideration to how your family will cope when power is down — communication, entertainment, pet care, keeping things cool in the home, etc.

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation
Storage information: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/store.html
Drying information: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/dry.html
Canning information: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html