Food

Each of the amounts listed below is based on the standard of 4 adults for two years. Some items listed are there for a break in the monotony of diet and are therefore not intended to follow that model. It will be apparent which is which.

Before talking about food, let us address food storage. Ideally you will want storage containers that are impervious to water, will give no taste to the food, and can be used again and again. With that in mind it is suggested that you purchase plastic buckets with resealable lids.

They are relatively inexpensive purchased in bulk and they are pour spout lids that will negate the necessity of having to pull off the lid each time you need to get something.

You will also wish to lay in a supply of Ball jars, sealing wax, and a very large pressure cooker for the canning of food.

Rice-

Rice is a good source of protein and starch. It is easy to make, difficult to screw up, and filling.

Eating rice twice a day you can expect 40 5 gallon containers to more than meet the demand of 4 adults. This sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t, and it will stack into a surprisingly small area.

Beans-

Try to get an assortment of beans. They can be used as a barter item and they grow well in a variety of soil types. It is suggested that you buy bulk, which means 25 pound sacks at the smallest, but you may wish to diversify your selection by buying two pound bags at retail.

Figure on beans once or twice a day. Rice and beans twice a day sounds horrible, and it is, but a significant portion of the world lives that way, and so can you. 20 5 gallon containers will be more than sufficient. Since beans are so cheap, consider getting extra to have on hand.

The author has a selection of kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, and lima beans.

Wheat-

The author purchased 200 pounds of whole red and white wheat for bread making. This is a good place to talk about bread. There are a great many bread recipes out there, and bread making is an excellent skill to have that most people simply can’t do. Those who do most often use a machine. Get a handcranked grain mill and learn to use it. If you really wish to impress a potential mate, make bread by hand. Nobody does it. Give it a try, it tastes much better than store bought bread. Good places to get one are www.lehmans.com or www.noahspantry.com In addition, get a couple of pounds of dried yeast and seal it up well.

Flax seed. This is an additive to bread. It adds flavor and is a good source of fiber and of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, which are necessary for normal development in children and proper neurological function in adults. 25 pounds should exceed your needs.

Don’t get cracked grain, as it doesn’t store well and it can’t be planted.

Corn-

Get a mixture of yellow and white corn, again, get the whole seed, not the cracked. It is good as seed to grow corn and once soaked, to eat. You can also pop the corn for a treat. The corn may also be ground for corn bread or a breading to fry foods.

Oats-

Get a 50 pound or better supply of regular old rolled oats. It is a good and filling food, especially for children. You may wish to get 50 pounds or so of cracked malted barley from a brewing supply store. This is also good as a hot breakfast cereal, and is very cheap. Try to find to “blondest” barley they have, since darker roasts don’t make good cereal to eat.

Other dried seeds-

Get what strikes your fancy. The author got 25 pounds of dried peas, 20 pounds of lentils, 25 pounds of flax seed, and an assortment of others. Let your tastes dictate your purchases.

Sugar-

100 pounds at a minimum. That may seem like a lot, but people will want to trade services and goods for it. Sugar will be worth a lot, and the kids as well as the adults will like it.

Salt-

100 pounds is a good amount. If you make cheese, sausage, or want to cure your own meat, you will use a lot of salt. It is also a very good barter item. Make sure you get iodized salt if you live in an inland area. Iodine is necessary for children to develop properly, and only coastal areas tend to have the necessary amounts of environmental iodine necessary for good health..

Molasses-

This can be purchased in large bulk jugs at a brewing supply store along with the cracked barley. It will be called malt extract, but it is molasses. Again get the blondest you can find. It is good for sweetening breakfast cereal and for making cookies. It is also much healthier than refined sugar.

Oil-

Get 10 2 pound blocks of lard and 20 gallons of vegetable oil. The lard will come in handy when preparing wild game. Most wild game is very lean, and the additional fat will make it much more palatable as well as nutritious. The obsession most Americans have about their weight will most likely disappear with mass starvation. The phrase “Clean your plate.” started in the Great Depression, and will most likely make a comeback when plates aren’t as heavily laden. Take a look at crowd pictures from the 1930s if you have the chance. Try to spot the morbidly obese people in the pictures. There weren’t a lot of gym rats in those days, but there weren’t many fat people either.

Pepper-

Get 4 pounds of pepper and other condiments such as Tabasco. Small bottles of Tabasco and little salt and pepper shaker sets will make good barter items that store forever.

Booze-

A few dozen bottles of cheap rotgut vodka, whiskey, and rum can be used to barter with or for home entertainment. It is suggested you learn to brew beer and make wine. Not only is it a fun hobby in happy times, but you can use this skill to make a desirable barter item and to make fuel if necessary. The making of beer and wine are far to complex to be covered here, but this skill can be readily picked up with a minimum of effort and time. Unfortunately, after you learn to make your own, you will be forever ruined for store bought beer, as your’s will undoubtedly beat the tar out of whatever they sell.

Honey-

Get 30 pounds of honey. It can be used as a sweetener for adults and children older than 5, to make mead which is a honey wine, or in the curing of meat.

Grits-

Most Yankees will be mystified at this suggestion. Grits are an inexpensive and very filling food that is easily stored, prepared and eaten by adults and small children. 50 pounds of grits should be sufficient. If you would prefer it, get whole grain hominy and grind your own.

The Big Green Egg-

Get a small smoker for curing meat. The Big Green Egg isn’t so much a BBQ as it is a cult icon.

www.biggreenegg.com