Hey everyone!
As the newest blogger at Emergency Essentials, I am excited to get to know you and to share experiences in emergency preparedness together. Growing up near the Washington, D.C. area has given me some unique insights on the definitions of
emergency preparedness, and
food storage in general.
As a child, the term emergency preparedness referred to:
- The 55-gallon water barrel that my mom purchased and then left in the back yard being filled completely by rain water for about 10 years (shameful, I know).
- Making an emergency kit and having my brother eat the granola bars from it later
- A map, route, and meeting place to reconnect with the family in case of emergency.
As a college student, I learned the value of food storage. I had heard many other students express difficulties at building a food storage supply in college, so I began to collect cans of food, and built a basic supply over the years. One thing that I did learn from my mom about food storage was how to use it to create
unique meals in a bind. In college I created a bean dip-like concoction that my husband affectionately refers to as “southwest in recession.”
I know a little bit about emergency preparedness, but I still have a lot to learn. This is why I am so excited to work at Emergency Essentials and to learn from all of you.
I am probably most excited to learn more about the various food preparation and cooking techniques used to create great meals in the midst of natural disasters and emergencies, like I started to do in college. I also want to start collecting supplies for emergencies and storing food.
As a somewhat recent college grad, I think that the poorness of school has left me under- prepared. I would love to hear about how others stored up for emergencies during
tough financial times.
Stay tuned to hear what I have learned and other interesting tidbits that I discover and can share with you! I would love to hear your comments that would help me in my quest in emergency preparedness, food storage, and even
camping. Especially since I might go on a camping trip with the in-laws soon . . .
-Angela
9 comments
Lauralee Hensley
Well definitely keep an eye on the sales items when starting to collect supplies on a tight budget. Don’t rule out grocery sale items either, like canned Chili, Canned Ravioli, Canned Tuna, but make sure to get it with the farest out expiration date possible. That might mean looking at all the cans on the shelf, but it’s worth it. I won’t pick up canned store items with expiration dates less than a year. Remember to use them up by or shortly after the expiration date if purchased from a grocery store. Sometimes canned pie fillings and such at stores have longer expiration dates, so if they are on sale sometimes it’s worth buying them. Of course the things with the shorter expiration dates would have to be used first in an emergency instead of your longer Emergency Essentials food supplies. They would just supplement your Emergency Essentials food supply. Plus if you have canning supplies or have relatives not using theirs and would donate them to you, you could go to pick your own farms, then can the items you purchased for a price usually cheaper than store prices that you picked yourself.
kirsten Philadelphia
In our case, being on a severe budget, we have followed a basic two pronged approach to "day to day" food storage..
(and then buying some of the unusual items like dehydrated eggs and etc when we save up)
1. we never, ever, buy out of season vegetables unless they are a loss leader sale. when we find a fabulous sale (and i have the local stores trained) we buy in bulk, and can or dehydrate it.
buying, say, red bell peppers when i could get a case of "not going to keep much longer" for a few bucks, and drying them all, is way cheaper than buying three a week year round. and you automatically end up with "food storage"
Same with canning other goods
we get a sale on , say, ground beef because a store has a grand opening, or a loss leader…
we buy as much as we can and can it. (pressure cookers pay off in the long run).
otherwise?
when some shelf stable food like pasta or beans goes on sale i always buy at least one extra, and it goes right into the stores.
kirsten Philadelphia
oh, i did forget to mention….
i stalk thrift stores for canning supplies and dehydrators (and clothes, and etc too.. every penny i save can be spent on something else!)
i never find food storage stuff in my city, but the local suburbs often have a great deal. a friend of mine who has great "thrift store fu" once found a CASE of new (shrink wrapped!) canning jars for 2 bucks
i never had such luck, but its always worth looking
Cherie Twyman
Yard sales are an excellent source for canning jars and other supplies.
beprepared
Thanks!!
beprepared
Kirsten,
These are some really good ideas! I never thought of going to a thrift store to find canning supplies and dehydrators. I will go and take a look. Thanks for the advice.
-Angela
Abdul Shakoor
Thanks Angela
well phrased and artistically compiled article..
beprepared
Lauralee, thanks for the tips about collecting grocery sale items and about borrowing canning supplies from relatives. I will look in to doing this. Your post was very helpful!
- Angela
beprepared
Cherie- Thanks for the tip, especially since yard sale “season” is approaching
-Angela